Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 2p - Purchase Order for Paramedic Field Supplies DATE: June 20, 2017 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Michael Lang, Fire Chief By: Kevin Valentine, Battalion Chief SUBJECT: PURCHASE ORDER WITH LIFE-ASSIST, INC. FOR THE PURCHASE OF PARAMEDIC FIELD SUPPLIES IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $65,000 Recommendation: Approve SUMMARY The Arcadia Fire Department has been providing paramedic ambulance service to the Arcadia community since the early 1970s with quality prehospital care for medical and trauma related emergency calls. Critical to this service is making sure that adequate and necessary inventory of paramedic supplies are readily available in stock. Utilizing the County of Riverside’s cooperative purchasing pricing (also known as “piggybacking”), it is recommended that the City Council approve a purchase order with Life-Assist, Inc. for the purchase of paramedic field supplies in an amount not to exceed $65,000. The proposed purchase order will be for five years, renewed annually, commencing in Fiscal Year 2017-18. Attached is the County of Riverside’s Contract Services Agreement with Life-Assist, Inc. DISCUSSION The Fire Department maintains an inventory of paramedic field supplies, including medications, intravenous fluids, assorted needles, bandages, splints, tape, gloves, oxygen masks, EKG paper, electrodes, and other miscellaneous medical supplies. These items are used on a regular basis during medical treatment of a patient and standard emergency operations. The Fire Department also maintains in its inventory additional paramedic field supplies to mitigate larger-scale incidents in the event of a disaster. Traditionally, paramedic field supplies utilized by the Fire Department are re- stocked using a private medical supplier. Purchase Order for Paramedic Field Supplies June 20, 2017 Page 2 of 2 In March 2017, the County of Riverside sent a Notice Inviting Bids for the purchase of emergency medical or paramedic field supplies. Two bids were received, Midwest Medical and Life-Assist, Inc., and Life-Assist, Inc. was selected as the lowest and most responsive bidder that met the specifications outlined in the contract. On April 1, 2017, the County of Riverside Board of Supervisors awarded a five-year contract to Life-Assist Inc. through March 31, 2022, with an annual expenditure not to exceed $1,300,000. The County of Riverside’s contract allows other government agencies to utilize their contract pricing, also known as piggybacking. Piggybacking on larger agency contracts enables the City of Arcadia the opportunity to purchase supplies in small quantities at volume pricing. Essentially, this method allows savings in time, resources, and cost by leveraging on another agency’s successful competitive bidding process and its more economical bulk pricing for the same or similar supplies. Additionally, this contract through Life-Assist, Inc. offers a 25% discount for all items not listed on the bid and the contracting agency has no obligation to purchase any specified amount of goods or services from their company for the term of the contract. During the past seven years, Life-Assist, Inc. has also performed satisfactorily as the City’s paramedic supply vendor. The company had delivered the required paramedic field supply products on time and as specified. Furthermore, Life-Assist, Inc. is an established company since the late 1970s with their services employed by several agencies such as the Ontario Fire Department, Rialto Fire Department, City of Berkeley Fire Department, Sacramento Metro Fire, and City of Tucson, AZ. By approving the purchase order with Life-Assist, Inc. the City ensures a quality inventory of paramedic field supplies at a fiscally responsible cost. FISCAL IMPACT Sufficient funds in the amount of $75,500 have been budgeted in the Fiscal Year 2017- 18 Operating Budget for the purchase of paramedic field supplies. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council approve a Purchase Order with Life-Assist, Inc. for the purchase of paramedic field supplies in the amount not to exceed $65,000. Purchase Order for Paramedic Field Supplies June 20, 2017 Page 2 of 2 Attachment: County of Riverside Contract with Life-Assist, Inc. Life-Assist,Inc.