City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: July 14, 2026
Agenda Item: 4.B
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Matthew Hallock, Fire Chief, Fire Department
Subject: Approval of First Modification to Agreement #11613 with Advanced Problem Solving LLC and Third Modification to Agreement #11339 with Fire Resources LLC to Assist the Los Angeles Area Fire Chief's Association Regional Training Group Hosted by the Santa Monica Fire Department 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. Authorize the City Manager to execute a third modification to agreement #11339 in the amount of $200,000 with Fire Resources, LLC to assist the Los Angeles Area Fire Chief’s Association Regional Training Group for the Fire Department.
This will result in a new total contract amount not to exceed $940,000, with future year funding contingent on the availability of grant funds and Council budget approval; and
3. Authorize the City Manager to execute a first modification to agreement #11613 in the amount of $203,600 with Advanced Problem Solving, LLC for video and curriculum Training Delivery development services for the Fire Department. This will result in a new total contract amount not to exceed $1,453,600, with future year funding contingent on the availability of grant funds and Council budget approval.
Summary
Through the use of federal grant funds, the Santa Monica Fire Department (“SMFD”) manages contracts on behalf of the Los Angeles Area Fire Chiefs Association (“LAAFCA”) that improve the coordination, responsiveness, and effectiveness of firefighters in the region. Currently, the Department contracts with Fire Resources, LLC (“Fire Resources”) to retain the services of a “Regional Training Officer”, who is a 2 of 5
subject matter expert that provides training resources which enhance firefighter safety and responder effectiveness. The Department also contracts with Advanced Problem Solving, LLC (“APS”) to provide related training videos and curriculum. Staff recommends that the City’s current contracts be increased to accommodate increased demand for these training services. Staff recommends that Council authorize the City Manager to enter into a Third Modification to Agreement #11339 with Fire Resources to increase the not to exceed amount by $200,000, and a First Modification to Agreement #11613 with APS to increase the not to exceed amount by $203,600. Both of the recommended contract modifications will utilize additional grant funds that the Department has received.
Discussion
The Los Angeles Area Fire Chief’s Association is comprised of 29 fire chiefs throughout Los Angeles County, representing the 29 fire departments within the County. LAAFCA’s Regional Training Group (“RTG”) is tasked with improving the management and response capabilities of first responders in the event of a terrorist or catastrophic incident. RTG projects are supported entirely from federal grants, specifically grants from the Urban Area Security Initiative (“UASI”) and State Homeland Security Program (“SHSP”), both of which are administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency. No General Fund monies are spent on these projects. Awarded grant funds must be dedicated to LAAFCA regional priorities and cannot be spent on regular fire-centric activities. LAAFCA requested the SMFD assist with two of its priorities: procuring the services of a Regional Training Officer and the development of a Training Delivery Model.
On July 8, 2025, Council accepted the 2024 UASI grant for homeland security projects involving the City’s Fire and Police departments. The UASI award was for $2,498,772 and included $200,000 for the Regional Training Officer who works on regional training on behalf of LAAFCA. However, due to the City’s acceptance of this grant, the contractual authority amount in the current Fire Resources agreement needs to be modified to reflect the additional funding for the Regional Training Officer. 3 of 5
Fire Resources
LAAFCA provided funding for SMFD to host a professional services contract with a subject matter expert to assist its mission to provide unified, innovative, quality training to enhance firefighter safety and responder effectiveness. Fire Resources was selected to develop, direct, and execute strategies to ensure effective delivery of training to and for Los Angeles-area fire service agencies and stakeholders. Fire Resources assists with, supports, and further develops the training and response readiness of Los Angeles area fire agencies for incidents of national significance including acts of terrorism, natural disasters, public health threats, and other large-scale incidents that pose a threat to the public or first-responder safety.
Staff recommends a Third Modification to the City’s current agreement with Fire Resources to increase the total not to exceed amount by $200,000 (from $740,000 to $940,000). This modification will allow staff to utilize the UASI 2024 grant funds to continue providing training to enhance firefighter safety and responder effectiveness.
Advanced Problem Solving
APS was contracted to produce training videos and to develop training curriculum for use as a county wide Learning Management System and as part of the regional Training Delivery Model. Several online training videos are delivered annually by the RTG on various topics to improve the management and response capabilities of first responders in Los Angeles County in the event of a terrorist attack or other catastrophic incident. The number of lessons is dependent on the amount of eligible grant funding approved during each funding cycle. Each lesson is self-paced, averages between 30- 60 minutes in length, and includes interactive learning activities, quizzes, knowledge checks, and other tools to facilitate learning.
Staff recommends a First Modification to the City’s current agreement with APS to increase the agreement’s contractual authority. Currently, the agreement with APS has a not to exceed amount of $1,250,000 for the initial three-year period, with two one-year renewal terms, for a total contract amount of $2,650,000 over a five-year period.
Because SMFD has received additional UASI 2024 grant funds, staff proposes to 4 of 5
increase the initial term contract authority by $203,600, for a new not to exceed amount of $1,453,600 for the initial three-year period. The overall total contract amount, including all renewals, will remain unchanged.
Environmental Review
The modifications to the agreements with Fire Resources and Advanced Problem Solving to increase the not to exceed amounts are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the CEQA Guidelines. The agreement modifications would enhance public safety with programs and trainings. They are 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.”
Past Council Actions
Meeting Date Description
11/15/2022 Award RFP #325 to Fire Resources, LLC to assist Los Angeles Area Fire Chief’s Association (LAAFCA) Regional Training Group hosted by Santa Monica Fire Department
07/18/2023 Accept 2022 SHSP grant and First Modification to Agreement #11339 with Fire Resources, LLC
09/10/2024 Award Bid to Advanced Problem Solving for LAAFCA Training Delivery Model
12/17/2024 Accept 2023 State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) Grant Funds and Approve Second Modification to
Agreement with Fire Resources, LLC
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to approve available funding from the Miscellaneous Grants Fund to increase the amounts of Agreement #11339 with Fire Resources, LLC to assist LAAFCA’s Regional Training Group and Agreement #11613 with Advanced Problem Solving, LLC for video and curriculum Training Delivery development services. 5 of 5
Agreement Modification Requests
Agreement
Current
Authorized
Amount
FY 2026-27
Modified Request
Amount
Account Number Total Contract
Amount
Fire Resources
CCS #11339 $740,000 $200,000 20190001.55518i $940,000
Advanced
Problem Solving
CCS #11613
$1,250,000 $203,600 20190001.55518i $1,453,600
Future year funding is contingent on Council budget approval.
Prepared By: Jonathan Tang, Principal Administrative Analyst Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. APS - Levine 6-11-26
B. APS - Oaks 6-11-26
C. Fire Resources - Levine 6-15-26
D. Fire Resources - Oaks 6-15-26
E. APS CCS 11613- Original
F. Fire Resources CCS 11339-Original
G. Fire Resources CCS11339 First Modification
H. Fire Resources CCS11339 Second Modification