July 7, 2026
Fire Department
DATE: July 7, 2026
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Aaron Osorio, Fire Chief
Rico Rinco, Deputy Fire Chief
Den Mark Marcelo, Administrative Services Coordinator
Subject:
Contract with Definitive Networks, Inc. for Emergency
Medical Services Data Management Support
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The proposed three-year not-to-exceed cost of $216,834 is funded through the General Fund and the Fire
Department’s Emergency Medical Services Fund
(Measure H). Funding is included within the approved
Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Fire Department budget and will
be budgeted accordingly in subsequent fiscal years
(Account Strings: 01204022-400201;
11702022-400201-2A102; 10706022-400201).
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
None.
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
The Emergency Medical Care Personnel Act requires the
Richmond Fire Department (“Department”) to establish
procedures for documenting, collecting, and accurately
reporting patient care information to Contra Costa
Emergency Medical Services Agency (“CCEMSA”). In
addition, CCEMSA requires the Department, as a
prehospital emergency medical first responder, to
maintain an active Quality Improvement (QI) program
and electronically capture patient care data in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations. Currently, the Department lacks both the qualified personnel and the
technological infrastructure necessary to meet the QI,
data review, analysis, and system integration.
AGENDA
REPORT
July 7, 2026
Furthermore, with the implementation of the National
Emergency Response Information System (NERIS)
beginning in January 2026, the Department requires
assistance with setting up the new records management
system, ImageTrend, and providing administrative
support to fulfill the Department’s National Emergency
Medical Services Information System (NEMSIS) and
NERIS requirements.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
APPROVE and RATIFY a sole-source contract with
Definitive Networks, Inc. for Emergency Medical Services data reporting and records management compliance
support, in an amount not to exceed $216,834, for a term effective July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028, with two one-year extension options in an amount not to exceed
$63,917 per year – Fire Department (Chief Aaron Osorio
510-307-8021/Chief Rico Rincon 510-307-8041/Den
Mark Marcelo 510-307-8038).
DISCUSSION:
Emergency Medical Services Data
The Emergency Medical Services and Prehospital Emergency Medical Care Personnel Act, which governs local Emergency Medical Services (“EMS”) systems, requires agencies to establish procedures for documenting, collecting, and accurately reporting patient care information to the designated Emergency Medical Services Authority. In Contra Costa County, this authority is the Contra Costa Emergency Medical Services Agency (“CCEMSA”).
As the designated authority, CCEMSA requires local EMS agencies such as the Richmond Fire Department (“Department”), in its role as a prehospital emergency medical first responder, to maintain an active Quality Improvement (QI) program and to electronically capture patient care data in accordance with local, state, and federal regulations. The data collected, along with the analysis conducted through QI efforts, is vital to the development and refinement of field treatment guidelines that improve patient outcomes. Accurate data collection, combined with independent review and ongoing QI processes, helps identify trends and opportunities for improvement, supporting continuous advancements in patient care both locally and nationally.
To comply with CCEMSA agreements and regulations, local EMS agencies must designate a staff member such as a medical director, nurse, or qualified paramedic who is responsible for overseeing the QI program. This individual must be capable of reviewing performance indicators, evaluating prehospital core metrics, and engaging field personnel in improvement activities. In addition, local EMS agencies are also required to provide CCEMSA with reliable access to patient care and response time data, ensure that their systems comply with CCEMSA, state, and National EMS Data Exchange Standards (“NEMSIS”).
July 7, 2026
Fire and All-Hazards Emergency Post-Incident Data
In January 2026, the United State Fire Administration transitioned all fire and all- hazards emergency post-incident data reporting to National Emergency Response Information System (“NERIS”). To comply with the new reporting requirements, the Department acquired a new records management system, ImageTrend, capable of supporting NERIS reporting standards.
While NERIS participation is voluntary, fire departments eligibility to receive federal funding through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (“AFG”) program must comply with incident reporting requirements as a condition of award. These funding sources are critical to supporting emergency response operations, equipment acquisition, training, and staffing.
Definitive Networks, Inc.
The Department currently lacks qualified personnel and the technological infrastructure necessary to meet the quality improvement (QI), data review, analysis, and system integration requirements established by Contra Costa EMS (CCEMSA). In addition, Department staff do not have the capacity to implement the new records management system required to comply with reporting standards established by the U.S. Fire Administration. Contracting with a qualified firm such as Definitive Networks, Inc. (DNI), which employs staff who meet the required qualifications and are able to deliver services in a timely manner, is a significantly more cost-effective solution than hiring additional personnel and acquiring the necessary infrastructure to provide these services in-house.
Since 2015, the City of Richmond has contracted DNI to provide electronic Patient Care Report (“ePCR”) review, quality improvement services, standardized reporting metrics, and essential software modifications, including customization of “close call” rules to align with evolving EMS policies and procedures. In addition, DNI currently holds the contract to host the ePCR server for Contra Costa County and provides technical expertise in ePCR system configuration and management for all fire agencies within the County. Furthermore, DNI has already developed the programming necessary to align with the National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS), effective January 2026.
Sole Source Justification
The contract meets the requirements of Richmond Municipal Code (RMC) Section
2.52.326. Following extensive research and a good-faith review, the Department has determined that there is no other vendor capable of providing ePCR review and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) services without requiring the purchase and implementation of a proprietary records management system (Attachment 1 – Sole Source).
In addition, the Department’s determination to contract DNI is based on the vendor’s role as the host of the Contra Costa County ePCR server. The County owns, maintains,
July 7, 2026
and administers the ZOLL ePCR licenses and server environment used by the Department. Contracting services from another vendor would require the acquisition and implementation of a separate records management system, as well as significant integration with County-owned systems and servers that are not controlled by the Department. Such an approach could result in additional costs and technical challenges.
Recommendation
City staff request approval and ratification of the sole-source contract with Definitive Networks, Inc. in the amount of $216,834 (Attachment 2 – Standard Contract). Approval of this request is imperative, as the Department currently lacks the internal staffing and technological capacity to meet Contra Costa Emergency Medical Services Authority (CCEMSA) mandated requirements for electronic patient care data collection, quality improvement, system integration, and reporting requirements associated with the National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS). Contracting with DNI provides an immediate and cost-effective solution that ensures compliance with applicable requirements, supports ongoing clinical oversight, enhances patient care outcomes, and improves the accuracy and reliability of data reporting.
SYNERGISTIC POLICIES:
The service contract with DNI aligns with the City Council’s goals and priorities to improve public safety and increase operational efficiency by ensuring regulatory compliance, supporting ongoing clinical oversight, enhancing patient care outcomes, and improving the accuracy and reliability of data reporting.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Sole Source
Attachment 2 – Standard Contract