City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: May 13, 2025
Agenda Item: 4.C
1 of 5
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Matthew Hallock, Fire Chief, Fire Department
Subject: Award Bid #4498 to Life-Assist and Zoll Medical for Replacement Parts and Supplies for Medical Devices
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. 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.
2. Award Bid #4498 to Life-Assist Inc. and to Zoll Medical Corporation for the purchase of replacement parts and supplies for medical devices for the Fire Department;
3. Authorize the Procurement Manager to issue a purchase order with Life-Assist Inc. for the purchase of parts and supplies in an amount not to exceed $50,000 for five years, with future years funding contingent on Council budget approval; and;
4. Authorize the Procurement Manager to issue a purchase order with Zoll Medical Corporation for the purchase of replacement parts and supplies, including grantfunded medical devices, in an amount not to exceed $1,000,000 for five years, with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval and grant awards.
Summary
The Santa Monica Fire Department (“SMFD”) responds to nearly 18,000 calls for service each year and about half are for medical emergencies. SMFD responds to each medical emergency with a paramedic fire engine that is stocked with various medical supplies and equipment, including the Zoll X-Series Cardiac Monitor. Following a formal competitive process, staff recommends Life-Assist Inc. and Zoll Medical Corporation as the best bidders to provide the City with replacement parts and supplies for its existing Zoll medical devices. For Life-Assist Inc., staff recommends that the Council authorize a 2 of 5
contract award not to exceed $50,000 for five years. For Zoll Medical Corporation, staff recommends that the Council authorize a contract award not to exceed $1,000,000 for five years, of which $200,000 is to be allocated from the City’s General Fund and $800,000 from the Miscellaneous Grant Fund. The proposed agreements will include contingency language in the event SMFD receives additional grant funding to purchase additional equipment.
Discussion
The Santa Monica Fire Department provides Advanced Life Support (ALS) for every medical response. SMFD paramedic engines carry the Zoll X-Series Cardiac Monitor, which is an advanced medical device used to monitor a patient’s heart rhythm, blood oxygen levels, and more. It can also function as a defibrillator. In staff’s experience, the Zoll monitor is a versatile and critical piece of equipment that assists SMPD first responders with providing lifesaving care in critical moments.
Each Zoll cardiac monitor has a number of components that must be replaced after each use, such as the lead pads that connect the monitor to the patient or the O2 sensors for pediatrics and infants. The device also has components that must be replaced due to wear and tear. Such parts include batteries, cables, and blood pressure cuffs. SMFD currently operates 17 Zoll monitors, with the oldest unit being in service for 7 years and having 3 years of useful life remaining. The useful life for each device is approximately 10 years. Each Zoll monitor unit is used by SMPD personnel frequently and oftentimes on a daily basis. The devices are also operated occasionally under harsh conditions, which contributes to their wear and tear.
Staff conducted a competitive bid process for consumables and replacement parts for the City’s existing Zoll monitors to ensure SMPD’s ability to keep its Zoll monitors functioning and operable for field use. In addition, the City’s competitive process also sought pricing and availability for new equipment in the event SMFD receives grant funds to purchase new Zoll monitors.
3 of 5
Vendor Selection
Bidder Recommendation
Best Bidders Life-Assist Inc. and Zoll Medical Corporation Evaluation Criteria
(include all that apply)
Price and experience
Municipal Code SMMC 2.24.180
Bid Data
Date Posted Posted On
Advertise In
(City Charter & SMMC)
Vendors
Downloaded
Date Publicly
Opened
02/10/2025 City's Online
Bidding Site
Santa Monica Daily Press 18 03/04/2025
Best Bidder Justification
Life-Assist and Zoll Medical were the only vendors to submit pricing for the requested items. Because SMFD currently utilizes the Zoll cardiac monitors for every emergency medical response, SMPD’s ability to ensure that this equipment is functional and operational is critical to patient care and outcomes. Thus, staff recommends that the City award contracts to both vendors to ensure SMFD has access to needed parts and supplies at all times. SMFD will purchase items from the vendor with the lowest price and availability at the time of each purchase throughout the term of the contract.
Because SMFD may receive grant funding from various sources throughout the year, staff recommends that the City’s agreement with Zoll Medical Corporation include sufficient purchasing authority to procure the replacement of the 17 current Zoll cardiac monitor units owned by the City. This will ensure that the equipment purchases can be timely made within the applicable grant’s performance period and can be submitted for reimbursement. Staff proposes to have the General Fund cover the purchase of necessary device parts and supplies, while the cost of new devices be paid from the Miscellaneous Grant Fund when grant funding becomes available. Zoll Medical has been advised that the City’s purchase of new Zoll cardiac monitors is contingent on the availability of future grant funding.
Environmental Review
Submittals Received
Life-Assist Inc. Zoll Medical Corporation
4 of 5
The purchase of replacement parts and supplies for City’s existing medical devices are categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the CEQA Guidelines. These purchases are covered by the common sense 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 purchase of replacement parts and supplies for medical devices will not result in any significant environmental impacts. Therefore, these purchases are categorically exempt as set forth in Section 15061 of the CEQA Guidelines.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to approve funding from the General Fund and the Miscellaneous Grants Fund to award contracts with Life-Assist Inc. and Zoll Medical Corporation for the purchase of replacement parts and supplies for medical devices. Future year funding is contingent on Council budget approval.
Purchase Order Request
Vendor Funding
Source(s)
FY 2024-25
Request
Amount
Amount for
Future Years Account Number(s)
Total
Amounts
Life-Assist
Inc. General $5,000 $45,000 01190005.525150 $50,000
Zoll Medical
Corporation
General $20,000 $180,000 01190005.525150 $200,000
Misc. Grants $800,000 Grant Funds $800,000
Total Purchase Order Amount $1,050,000
5 of 5
Prepared By: Jonathan Tang, Principal Administrative Analyst Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Zoll Oaks
B. Zoll Levine Act
C. Life-Assist Inc Oaks
D. Life-Assist Inc Levine Act