City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: September 10, 2024
Agenda Item: 5.A
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Matthew Hallock, Fire Chief, Fire Department
Subject: Award Bid to Advanced Problem Solving for LAAFCA Training Delivery Model Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Award RFP# 404 to Advanced Problem Solving, LLC for video and curriculum Training Delivery development services for the Fire Department;
2. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with Advanced Problem Solving, LLC in an amount not to exceed $1,250,000 for three years, including a $250,000 contingency, with two one-year renewal options totaling $1,400,000, on the same terms and conditions for a total contract amount not to exceed $2,650,000 over a five-year period, with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval and upon the Fire Department securing the associated annual Homeland Security grant funding; and
3. Adopt a finding of no possibility of significant effect pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
Summary
The Los Angeles Area Fire Chief’s Association (LAAFCA) is comprised of 29 fire chiefs throughout Los Angeles County, representing the 29 fire departments within the county.
The Regional Training Group (RTG) is responsible for providing training through the Federal Homeland Security Grant Programs. The Santa Monica Fire Department (SMFD) was requested by the Los Angeles Area Fire Chiefs’ Association to assist with the procurement of a regional Training Delivery Model (TDM) that includes production of training videos and curriculum development for use on a county-wide Learning Management System. Six to eight online training videos will be delivered annually on various topics to improve the management and response capabilities of first responders 2 of 6
in Los Angeles County in the event of a terrorist or catastrophic incident. The Fire Department was awarded funding to be used for facilitation of the Training Delivery Model encompassing Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives (CBRNE) Training, for Hazardous Materials Training (HazMat), for Urban Search and Rescue Training (USAR), for Unified Response to Violent Incidents (URVI), and other time-sensitive relevant training opportunities. After a competitive bid process and evaluation, staff recommends Advanced Problem Solving, LLC as the contractor to produce and deliver online training for the over 9,000 Fire first responders in Los Angeles County for an initial three-year period for $1,250,000, including a $250,000 contingency in the event SMFD receives additional grant funding, with two one-year renewal terms of $700,000 each, for a total not to exceed $2,650,000.
Discussion
The LAAFCA Regional Training Group is tasked with improving the management and response capabilities of first responders in the event of a terrorist or catastrophic incidents. The LAAFCA RTG tasked SMFD with procuring a contractor to produce six to eight online training lessons annually, with the number of lessons dependent on the amount of eligible grant funding approved each funding cycle. Each lesson is between 30-60 minutes and self-paced. Each lesson will include interactive learning activities, quizzes, knowledge checks, and other tools to facilitate learning. Videos may also be included as appropriate.
Lesson topics are identified by the RTG and are related to the following content for delivery via a Learning Management System (LMS):
• Strengthen Information Sharing and Collaboration Capabilities • Protection of Soft Targets/Crowded Places, Critical Infrastructure, and Key Resources
• Enhance Cyber Security
• Enhance Community Preparedness and Resilience
• Strengthen Interoperable and Emergency Communications Capabilities • Enhance Medical and Public Health Preparedness
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• Combatting Domestic Violence Extremism
• Enhance Election Security
• Enhance Multi-Jurisdictional/Inter-Jurisdictional All-Hazards/Whole Community Incident Planning, Response & Recovery Capabilities
• Address Homeland Security Exercises, Evaluations and Training Programs • Strengthen Protection of Critical Infrastructure and Enhance Transportation and Maritime Security
Centralized regional training effectiveness requires continuing education with new curriculum and with streamlined, compatible technology. Local fire agencies are eligible to be awarded grant funding to achieve regional homeland security goals. SMFD has accepted a request by LAAFCA to coordinate and host the grant funding for the Regional Training Group Training Delivery Model. Sponsorship of RTG TDM ensures that the City of Santa Monica remains a regional stakeholder and participant in upcoming training programming.
This project is supported entirely from federal grants, specifically the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grant and State Homeland Security Program (SHSP). No General Fund monies will be spent on this project. Funds must be dedicated to the LAAFCA regional priorities and cannot be spent on regular fire-centric activities.
The training delivery model, as identified in this report, will be funded primarily by UASI grant funds. While SHSP funds may become available in the future, staff is only seeking to use eligible UASI funds at this time. Council accepted the 2023 UASI on June 11, 2024 and $300,000 of these grant funds will support the training delivery model in this agreement. The 2024 UASI grant, which has been approved by the federal government, will provide the remaining $700,000 for this program. Given the high probability of SMFD receiving additional grant funds, staff recommends a contract contingency of $250,000. In total, staff recommends an initial three-year term of $1,250,000, including the contingency.
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Staff notes that while the 2024 UASI grant is anticipated to come before Council sometime in mid-2025, these funds are informally available. The 2024 UASI grant has already been approved by the federal government. SMFD typically receives a UASI or SHSP grant for Council approval about a year after the performance period begins.
After a competitive bid process, three vendors submitted proposals, and each were evaluated during team interviews which included product demonstrations. An evaluation panel of interagency regional public safety professionals evaluated each vendor for ease of use, content quality, ability to deliver content within specified time frames, and other factors listed in the evaluation criteria contained within the RFP.
Staff recommends award of RFP# 404 to Advanced Problem Solving for $1,250,000 over a three-year period, including a contract contingency of $250,000 in the event SMFD receives additional grant funding, with two one-year renewal terms of $700,000 each, for a total not to exceed $2,650,000.
Vendor Selection
Bidder Recommendation
Best Qualified
Person/Firm
Advanced Problem Solving, LLC
Evaluation Criteria
(include all that apply)
Credentials/experience, competence/skill, capacity/ability to perform services promptly, sufficiency of financial/other resources, character/reputation, ability to provide future services as needed and price.
Municipal Code SMMC 2.24.190
RFP Data
Date Posted Posted On
Advertise In
(City Charter & SMMC)
Vendors
Downloaded
Date Publicly
Opened
03/19/2024 City's Online
Bidding Site
Santa Monica Daily Press 31 04/17/2024
Justification to Award
RFPs Received
Advanced Problem Solving, LLC The Safe Community Project Strategic eLearning, LLC
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Staff recommends Advanced Problem Solving, LLC (APS) as the best qualified firm to provide regional fire department video and curriculum services. As an industry leader in technology-driven training courses developed in conjunction with subject matter experts, APS offers the ability to fulfill project tasks and to submit a product in a userfriendly format. APS has significant experience with Learning Management Systems and has produced educational videos for fire agencies and other public safety entities.
Environmental Review
The award to Advanced Problem Solving, LLC is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the CEQA Guidelines. The agreement is covered by the commonsense exemption which states that CEQA does not apply, “where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment.” The production and delivery of online training content would not result in adverse physical effects on the environment; thus the award is exempt from CEQA.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to approve funding from the Miscellaneous Grants Fund to award an agreement with Advanced Problem Solving, LLC to provide online training content for first responders.
Agreement Request
Grant FY 2024-25
Request
Amount
Amount for
Future Years
FY 2024-25 Budget
Account # Total Contract Amount
2023 UASI
(Years 1-3) $300,000 - 20190001.55518H $300,000
2024 UASI
(Years 1-3) - $700,000 Pending Grant Award $700,000
Grant Contingency $250,000 Pending Grant Award $250,000 Grant Funds
(Years 4-5) $1,400,000 Pending Grant Award $1,400,000
Total Agreement Amount $2,650,000
Future year funding is contingent on Council budget approval. Future year expenditures are also contingent on SMFD being awarded grant funds from Urban Area Security Initiative or State Homeland Security Program via LAAFCA. If SMFD is not awarded 6 of 6
these grant funds, SMFD is not obligated to fulfill the agreement with Advanced Problem Solving. Staff is not requesting a budget appropriation at this time. Staff will return to Council each year to formally accept the grant once the annual agreement is received from the grantor.
Prepared By: Jonathan Tang, Principal Administrative Analyst Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. APS Oaks
B. APS Levine Act