SR 05-28-2019 3G
City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: May 28, 2019
Agenda Item: 3.G
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Bill Walker, Fire Chief, Fire Department
Subject: Award Request for Proposal and enter into an agreement with Citygate
Associates for the development of a Strategic Plan and Community Risk
Assessment-Standard of Cover for the Fire Department
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Award RFP# 206 to Citygate Associates, LLC, a California-based company for the
development of a Strategic Plan and Community Risk Assessment / Standard of
Cover for the Fire Department.
2. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with Citygate
Associates, LLC, in an amount not to exceed $135,435.
3. Authorize budget changes as outlined in Financial Impact and Budget Actions
section of this report.
Summary
The Santa Monica Fire Department is rated as a Class 1 department, the highest
ranking under national standards adopted by the insurance industry. It strives to deliver
the highest quality of services and provide the highest level of safety to our community
members. Among the best practices in the fire service is to maintain an up-to-date
Strategic Plan and a Community Risk Assessment / Standard of Cover (CRA-SOC).
The Standards of Coverage for Emergency Response document is a comprehensive
analytical analysis of SMFD response capability, emergency task analysis and
deployment strategies.
Given the change and growth in our community in recent years, it is timely to
collaboratively evaluate our current practices and chart a course for future dep loyment,
facilities, staffing and operations. As part of the Center for Public Safety Excellence
(CPSE) Accreditation process, the Strategic Plan and CRA-SOC documentation is a
requirement for successful self-assessment and eventual accreditation. Accreditation
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mandates a comprehensive evaluation of SMFD Operations, Training, Administration,
Business Practices, Logistics, Policies, and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI).
Staff recommends awarding a professional services agreement with Citygate
Associates, LLC, to perform a data-based analysis, including external and internal
stakeholder participation, to supply a Strategic Plan and CRA-SOC, and to train a cross-
section of SMFD stakeholders who will be qualified to monitor and adjust the detailed
CRA-SOC in the future.
Discussion
SMFD is an Insurance Services Offices (ISO) Class 1 Fire Department, with a recent
regrade in 2017, indicating an exemplary fire suppression rating. With the projected call
volume increase in 2018 upwards of 8%, as seen in the previous four years, it is
important that the Santa Monica Fire Department is prepared for the future by
implementing both a CRA-SOC and a Strategic Plan that will ensure the success and
sustainability of the department for years to come.
The CRA-SOC is an analytical data-driven approach to the Fire Department’s
deployment strategy. In addition to reviewing agency documentation and conducting
stakeholder interviews, Citygate will utilize ESRI ArcGIS to prepare analysis maps of the
City’s current deployment situation as well as StatsFD, an incident response time
analysis program, to review the statistics of prior incident performance. In addition,
each of the following elements will be incorporated into the CRA -SOC: community
outcome expectations, community risk assessment, critical task study, distribution
study, concentration study, reliability and historical response effectiveness studies, and
an overall evaluation. This analysis evaluates the values at risk in the City and
determines both the tasks required to mitigate the emergency and the limitations within
SMFD. The CRA-SOC is a benchmark document integral to a future strategic plan and
eventual accreditation. Achievement of these goals will result in continuous quality
improvement of Fire Training, Emergency Medical, and Deployment services. It is
imperative that SMFD articulates a clear vision and set of expectations through a
Community based Strategic Plan and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
Community Risk Assessment / Standard of Cover (CRA-SOC). A Standard of Cover
includes deployment analysis, which adopts written policies and procedures that
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determines the distribution, concentration and reliability of fixed and mobile response
forces for fire, emergency medical services, hazardous materials and other forces of
technical response. The CRA-SOC includes a prioritization of risks, developing
strategies to mitigate the risks, implementing a CRR plan, monitoring the plan, and
evaluating the plan. The purpose for completing this document is to assist the SMFD in
ensuring a safe and effective response force for fire suppression, emergency medical
services, and specialty response situations in addition to homeland security issues.
Vendor Selection
RFP Data
RFP
Posting
Date
RFP Posted
On
RFP Advertised
In
(City Charter &
Municipal Code)
# of Vendors
Downloaded
# of Submittals
Received
Date
Publicly
Opened
12/10/2018 City's Online
Bidding Site
Santa Monica
Daily Press 55 4
2/11/19
RFPs Received Selection Criteria
Citygate Associates,
LLC Municipal Code SMMC 2.24.073
ESCI Evaluation Criteria
Credentials/experience, competence/skill,
ability to perform services promptly, sufficiency
of financial/other resources,
character/reputation, and price.
Fitch & Associates,
LLC
Matrix Consulting
Group
Justification to Award
An evaluation panel of eight department representatives reviewed and ranked all 4 of the
proposals using the criteria set out in the RFP. Based on the criteria set out in SMCC
2.24.073, one proposal was determined to be non-responsive. Staff then interviewed the
3 shortlisted firms. Based on this criteria and criteria in SMMC 2.24.073, staff
recommends Citygate Associates, LLC as the best qualified firm to provide fire
department strategic planning and community risk assessment / standard of cover
services. As an industry leader in Applied Strategic Planning and fire department data
analysis, Citygate offers the ability to fulfil project tasks while simultaneously facilitating
the development of a dynamic, metric-based framework for department staff to maintain
and steward after project completion. Citygate was the only firm to demonstrate
sufficient, relevant experience, to clearly articulate the ability to provide community
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stakeholder outreach, and to meet the technical expertise standards required.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to award a contract with Citygate Associates, LLC. Award of the
recommended action requires the following budget changes and contract request:
Transfer Request
Amount
Transfer Funds from FY 2018-19
Budget Department Account
Appropriate Funds to FY 2018-19
Budget Department Account
$50,000 C0107310.689000 01190001.552010
$75,000 01800004.525190 01190001.552010
$10,435 01190004.531030 01190001.552010
Contract Request:
Citygate Associates, LLC
Request
Amount
FY 2018-19 Budget Account # Total Contract Amount
$135,435 01190001.552010 $135,435
Prepared By: Laura Smart, Admin Analyst (Fire)
Approved
Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Citygate Oaks
REFERENCE:
Contract No. 10850
(CCS)