City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: CONSENT CALENDAR
Lead Department: Fire
Meeting Date: December 15, 2025
Report #:2509-5200
TITLE
Approval for the City Manager or Designee to Execute Purchase Order with Zoll Medical Corporation, utilizing a Sourcewell Cooperative Contract to Procure Replacement Pre-hospital Monitors/Defibrillators and ancillary equipment for Emergency Responses for a Total Not-To- Exceed amount of $1,129,138. CEQA Status – Not a Project.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that City Council authorize the City Manager or their designee to execute a purchase order with Zoll Medical Corporation, utilizing the cooperative purchasing agreement through Sourcewell Solicitation #41823-ZLL to procure fifteen (15) Zenix Monitor/Defibrillator, EMS, Fire Configuration units for the Fire Department for a total not to exceed amount of $1,129,138 in one-time costs for an expected equipment lifetime of 7-10 years.
BACKGROUND
The Fire Department currently operates twenty (20) LifePak 15 cardiac monitor/defibrillators purchased in 2020. By the time the new monitors are implemented, those units will have provided six years of service and are approaching the end of manufacturer support, with limited availability of replacement parts and software updates. Advancements in cardiac monitoring technology now provide enhanced patient care capabilities and improved integration with electronic patient care reports (ePCR), warranting replacement to maintain reliable operations and clinical effectiveness.
ANALYSIS
Cardiac monitor/defibrillators are critical to EMS operations, enabling:
12lead ECG acquisition and transmission to support early STEMI recognition and hospital notification.
Defibrillation, synchronized cardioversion, and external pacing for time-sensitive cardiac events.
Advanced monitoring functions including end-tidal CO₂, SpO₂, noninvasive blood pressure (NIBP), invasive blood pressure (IBP), real-time CPR feedback, and ventilation support.
Data connectivity with receiving hospitals and ePCR systems to improve continuity of care and post-incident quality improvement.
Following evaluation of available options, vendor demonstrations, and field personnel feedback, staff recommends the Zenix Monitor/Defibrillator, EMS, Fire Configuration. Key improvements include enhanced screen visibility and durability; wireless 12lead transmission with updated algorithms and trending; real-time CPR and ventilation feedback; extended battery life and reliability in high-call environments; and software upgrade capacity to support future capabilities and enhanced post-case analysis.
Procurement Process
Palo Alto Municipal Code section 2.30.360 (j) allows the use of cooperative purchasing agreements in lieu of conducting a separate competitive solicitation, provided the services were solicited using methods substantially similar to the City’s requirements, and the contract is consistent with the City’s municipal code requirements. Sourcewell, a cooperative purchasing agency serving governmental, higher education, K-12 education, not-for-profit, tribal government, and other public agencies, conducted a Request for Proposal (RFP). Sourcewell RFP # 41823 procurement for Critical Care and EMS Equipment is on the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on February 28, 2023, with ZOLL Medical Corporation being awarded the contract on June 2, 2023. The City requested a quote (Attachment A) from ZOLL Medical Corporation to complete procurement via cooperative purchasing through Sourcewell Solicitation #041823 (see Attachment B, Sourcewell ZOLL Contract 041823-ZLL), consistent with City procurement practices. This approach streamlines acquisition, leverages competitively awarded pricing, and supports timely deployment.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
Attachment A provides the ZOLL Medical quote reflecting Sourcewell cooperative agreement pricing. The quote includes a trade-in of fifteen (15) existing LifePak 15 monitors for a total value of $90,000. The quote expires on 12/31/2025. Staff recommends Council approval and processing of the purchase order prior to the expiration date to retain quoted pricing and trade-in value. Implementation is planned for calendar year (CY) 2026, Quarter 2, including delivery, configuration, training, and go-live across frontline apparatus. Warranty and service coverage are included as set forth in the contract’s warranty provisions (Attachment B, pgs. 18- 21). Ongoing maintenance costs are expected to remain consistent with current expenditures.
Funds for this purchase are available in the Fire Equipment Replacement project (FD-25000) in the FY 2026 Adjusted Capital Budget.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Stakeholder engagement for this project included market research, vendor demonstrations, and end-user evaluation by Fire Department field personnel, in coordination with Purchasing and Information Technology. Cooperative purchasing is via Sourcewell as described above. No public engagement was deemed necessary since the request is for purchase of equipment only.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This purchase of equipment does not meet the definition of a project under Section 21065 of the California Public Resources Code since it will not result in a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Sourcewell Quote (include trade-in and pricing; expiration 12/31/2025) Attachment B: Sourcewell ZOLL Contract 041823 / Solicitation #41823ZLL APPROVED BY:
Stephen Lindsey, Fire Chief