genda Report
TO:
FROM:
Honorable Mayor and City Council
Pasadena Fire Department
August15,2022
SUBJECT: APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF TWO RESCUE AMBULANCES IN
PREPARATION FOR THE ADDITION OF A SIXTH FULL-TIME
AMBULANCE
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Find that this action is exempt under the California ~nvironmental Quality Act (CEQA) in accordance w·ith Section 15061 (b)(3), the General Rule that CEQA applies solely to projects that may have an effect on the environment; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to enter into a purchase order contract with Emergency Vehicle Group, Inc. for the purchase and installation of two 2023 Ford E450, 4x2, gasoline powered two door cab ambulances chassis and patient care compartments in an amount not to exceed $660,000. Competitive Bidding is not required pursuant to City Charter Section 1002(H) contracts with other governmental entities or their contractors for labor, materials, supplies or services; and
3. Grant the proposed contract an exemption from the Competitive Bidding process pursuant to Pasadena Municipal Code Section 4.08.049(8), contracts for which the City's best interests are served.
BACKGROUND:
The Pasadena Fire Department (PFD) is an "All Hazard" response agency which responds to all calls for public assistance including emergency medical service, fires, technical rescues and other hazards. In fiscal year (FY) 2021, the PFD responded to 17,023 emergency call for service, of which 14,575 (86 percent) were medical-related emergencies.
The PFD currently operates ten rescue ambulances (RAs), five of which are front line RAs and five in reserve status. The need for a sixth RA and a sixth reserve RA are MEETING OF __ 0_8_/_1_5_/ _20_2_2_ AGENDA ITEM NO. __ 7 __ _ Approve the Purchase of two Rescue Ambulances
August 15, 2022
predicated upon an overall call volume increase of 37 percent over the past 20 years.
No additional permanent resources have been added to offset the call volume increase.
A sixth RA is also required to address future population growth and to ensure the highest level of patient care to our community during an emergency. As the complexity of providing patient care in an emergency continues to expand and ambulance availability across the City decreases, it is important to ensure that this vital resource is available to respond with highly trained Firefighter/Paramedics.
This request to purchase two additional RA's comes in anticipation of the future approval to add a sixth full-time RA in FY23. This addition will require the approval to hire six new Firefighter/Paramedic FTE's and will be addressed in preparation for FY23.
It is anticipated that the increased revenues generated from EMS collections will offset these costs. If the positions are not approved or revenues not realized, the two additional RA's will be utilized for future ambulance replacement needs.
In preparation for this purchase, PFD looked at all options to minimize overall cost and increase the turnaround time from start of build to receipt of apparatus. Due to Covid- 19 the traditional build (start to project completion) was taking over 24 months, with some industry builds taking 30 months. PFD explored an alternative option of a box-off remount in which we utilize our existing box (patient care compartment) and place it on a new chassis. This process was found to cut the build time by 6-12 months and provide an overall cost savings greater than 15 percent. The box-off remount is not new to the industry and is a common practice nationwide as departments have searched for quicker apparatus build turnaround times and cost saving measures. This will be the first time PFD has utilized the box off remount.
The vehicle chassis purchase will allow PFD to switch from diesel to gas powered engines. This will reduce the RA overall emissions and reduce long term maintenance costs we have experienced with diesel engines. Currently there are no EV/Hybrid models that meet our axle rated capacity and are compatible with our patient compartments.
The vehicle patient care compartments (box) being used are RA 732 (0960) and RA736 (0955).
Because we are utilizing an existing patient care compartment (Box), it greatly reduces the number of available compatible vehicles available. We reached out to 3 providers to provide proposals due to the uniqueness of the box off installation. 2 providers came onsite to review the scope of work and were unresponsive with proposals. Emergency Vehicle Group, Inc. (EVG) was responsive and provided a proposal that meets the needs of the project scope. The City has had prior contracts with EVG amounting to over $2,000,000 since 2015 for the purchase of multiple RAs and other replacement parts. EVG has agreed to extend the prices, terms, and conditions to the City of Pasadena for the purchase of two new 2023 Ford E450, 4x2 gasoline powered two door standard cab chassis, using HGACBuy Contract #AM10-20. The vehicles will be delivered within 500 days after receipt of the purchase order.
Approve the Purchase oftwo Rescue Ambulances
August15,2022
Page3 of 3
Staff is recommending that the City Council authorize a purchase order contract with EVG to build two box-off remount RAs.
COUNCIL POLICY CONSIDERATION:
The proposed action is consistent with the City Council's Plan goals to ensure public safety.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS.:
This purchase complies with all South Coast Air Quality Management District rules and regulations , for engine emissions and clean air standards in the South Coast basin.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The cost of this. action is $660,000. Funding for this action will be from future budgeted appropriations generated from ambulance transports. Indirect and support co~ts such as maintenance and repair are anticipated to be $130,000 per vehicle over the lifecycle of the vehicles, and will be addressed annually by utilization of budgeted appropriations in the Fire Department's operating budgetaccount 10131016-861700.
Respectfully submitted,
cl.eJ ~
CHAD AUGOSTIN
Fire Chief
Fire Department
Tim Sell
Deputy Fire Chief
Fire Department
Approved by: