City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: October 13, 2020
Agenda Item: 3.D
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Bill Walker, Fire Chief, Fire Department
Subject: Acceptance of 2019 Measure B Grant and increase to the Agreement with Advanced Problem Solving, LLC for the Los Angeles Area Fire Chiefs Regional Training Group (LAAFCA RTG) Training Delivery Model Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Authorize the City Manager to accept a grant awarded in the amount of $1,322,000 from Los Angeles County 2019 Measure B for bioterrorism training projects for the Fire Department on behalf of the Los Angeles Area Fire Chiefs Regional Training Group (LAAFCA RTG); and to accept all grant renewals.
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents to accept the grant and all grant renewals.
3. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a first modification to Contractual Services Agreement #10967 with Advanced Problem Solving, LLC, (APS) a California-based company, in an amount not to exceed $1,020,000 on the same terms and conditions for a total amount not to exceed $4,020,000 over a five-year period, with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval and contingent upon the Fire Department securing the associated grant funding.
4. Authorize budget changes as outlined in the Financial Impacts & Budget Actions section of this report.
Summary
The Los Angeles Area Fire Chief’s Association (LAAFCA) is comprised of thirty-one fire chiefs throughout Los Angeles County. The Regional Training Group (RTG) is responsible for providing training through the Federal Homeland Security Grant Programs. The RTG recently applied for and was awarded $1,322,000 from a Measure B grant from Los Angeles County to develop the necessary Training Delivery Model 2 of 5
(TDM) to support the Los Angeles region in responding to a bioterrorist emergency.
Measure B funds will expire June 30, 2021 unless extended by the County.
SMFD has accepted a request by LAAFCA to coordinate and host the grant funding for the RTG TDM including the development and delivery of the Haz Mat specialty courses.
Sponsorship of RTG TDM ensures that the City of Santa Monica remains a regional stakeholder and participant in upcoming training programming. The RTG will be responsible for direct administration of the grant with SMFD oversight.
Discussion
SMFD has received Federal Homeland Security Grant funds to facilitate the training delivery model to support the region’s core public safety missions as well as regional homeland security goals. The grant programs directly support the national priority of expanding regional collaboration, which defines what it means for the whole community to be prepared for all types of disasters and emergencies. In addition to the Homeland Security Grant funds, the additional Measure B grant funds will be used to develop and deliver mission-specific training courses to improve the all-hazards readiness of Los Angeles-area emergency response personnel in responding to a bioterrorist emergency.
The funding will be used to collaboratively develop and deliver a comprehensive bioterrorism training program targeted for first responders, public health officers, healthcare workers, and emergency managers to improve the all-hazards readiness in Los Angeles County. The funding also includes the development and delivery of mission-specific training courses to improve the specialty bioterrorism readiness and response of the county’s 14 regional fire agencies Hazardous Materials Teams. The grant funds will cover the costs of the Fire Department’s facilitation of the RTG TDM and to collaboratively develop and deliver a comprehensive bioterrorism training program.
In November 2019, Council approved an Agreement with Advanced Problem Solving (APS), LLC for video and curriculum development services for the Los Angeles Area Fire Chiefs Regional Training Group, Training Delivery Model after a competitive process. The not to exceed amount of the five-year agreement with APS was 3 of 5
$3,000,000. The Fire Department will use $1,020,000 of the $1,322,000 new Measure B grant to fund the increased contract with APS for video and curriculum development services of the county-wide multi-disciplinary bioterrorism content. The remaining $302,000 will be used for the development of specialty first-responder hazardous materials curriculum for the Los Angeles Area Fire Chiefs Regional Training Group.
SMFD will return to Council to award these funds once a competitive process has been completed.
The LAAFCA RTG facilitates and provides training videos and curriculum development to fire departments within Los Angeles County. Centralized regional training effectiveness requires continuing education with new curriculum and with streamlined, compatible technology. Utilizing the RTG’s contract with APS, the team has developed and presented curriculum on the following: Mutual Threat Zone, Operational Risk Assessment, Rapid Intervention Crew, May Day Calls, Marine Firefighting, Coordinated Wildland Response, COVID-19 Response, Cyber Security, COVID-19 Safety Stand Down, Firefighter Safety Stand Down, Firefighter Safety Stand Down: Leadership and Behavioral Wellness, Firefighter Safety Stand Down: Maintaining Cohesion in Times of Stress, and Operational Risk Management. The RTG will now facilitate the new bioterrorism curriculum utilizing the Measure B funding. The RTG staff will be responsible for the direct delivery of the training. SMFD staffing will not be impacted by the delivery of the grant. SMFD will benefit for the training courses to improve the specialty bioterrorism readiness and response as one of the county’s fourteen regional fire agencies Hazardous Materials Teams.
Past Council Actions
Meeting Date Description
11/12/2019
(Attachment A)
Award of agreement with Advanced Problem Solving for
video and curriculum development services for the Los
Angeles Area Fire Chiefs Regional Training Group
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to accept a grant from Los Angeles County 2019 Measure B funds for an amount of up to $1,322,000. SMFD will manage the contract with APS on behalf 4 of 5
of the RTG. The RTG is responsible for the development and delivery of the necessary training to support the Los Angeles region in responding to a bioterrorism emergency and appropriate funds.
Staff seeks authority to increase the amount of the contract #10967 with Advanced Problem Solving for video and curriculum development services for the Los Angeles Area Fire Chiefs Regional Training Group. The remaining $302,000 will be used to contract with a different vendor for the development of the fire-specific hazardous materials curriculum for the RTG. SMFD will return to Council to award these funds once a competitive process has been completed. Future year funding is contingent upon SMFD being awarded annual federal homeland security grant funds and on Council budget approval. If SMFD is not awarded additional grant funds, SMFD is not obligated to fulfil the LAAFCA RTG Training Delivery Model Contract.
FY 2020-21 Grant Budget Changes
Establish Revenue Budget Appropriate Funds
Account Number Amount Account Number Amount
20190001.405720 $1,322,000 20190001.556530 $1,322,000
Contract Modification Request
Agreement #
Current
Authorized
Amount
Modified
Request
Amount Account Number Total Amount
10967
$1,950,000 - 20190001.555177 $1,950,000
$1,050,000 - 20190001.55518C $1,050,000
- $1,020,000 20190001.556530 $1,020,000
Total Revised Contract Amount $4,020,000
Prepared By: Terese Toomey, Principal Administrative Analyst Approved Forwarded to Council
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Attachments:
A. Attachment A Staff Report Advanced Problem Solving Item 3 B 11.19.19 B. APS Oaks expires 6-18-21