SR 01-26-2021 3B
City Council Report
City Council Meeting: January 26, 2021
Agenda Item: 3.B
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Bill Walker, Fire Chief, Fire Department
Subject: Award Request for Proposal to Three Four Three, LLC, to provide
Bioterrorism Training Projects to assist Los Angeles Area Fire Chief’s
Association Regional Training Group hosted by Santa Monica Fire
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Award RFP#274 for professional services to Three Four Three, LLC, to assist
Los Angeles Area Fire Chief’s Association Regional Training Group hosted by
Santa Monica Fire Department; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a professional services
agreement with Three Four Three, in an amount not to exceed $302,000 for a
twenty-four-month period, with future year funding contingent on Council budget
approval and additional grant funding.
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 various 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 (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 for the development and delivery of county-wide bioterrorism courses. Sponsorship of
RTG TDM ensures that 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.
3.B
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Discussion
On October 13, 2020, Council approved acceptance of $1,322,000 in Measure B funds
provided by Los Angeles County. Council awarded a contract for $1,020,000 to another
vendor for video and curriculum development services of the county-wide multi-
disciplinary bioterrorism content. The Fire Department will use the remaining $302,000
of the Measure B grant to fund the development of specialty first-responder hazardous
materials curriculum for the Los Angeles Area Fire Chiefs Regional Training Group. The
City of Santa Monica Fire Department will host a professional services contract with
Three Four Three, LLC, a subject matter expert to assist in fulfilling LAAFCA’s RTG
mission to provide unified, innovative, quality training to enhance firefighter safety and
responder effectiveness.
Under an agreement with the City of Santa Monica and in collaboration with the
LAAFCA’s RTG, the contractor Three Four Three, LLC, will develop a mission-specific
training course to improve the bioterrorism readiness of LA-area emergency response
personnel. This training will include: Biological Terrorism - Technician-Level Responder
Course (BIO-TECH).
The course is targeted towards specific groups of emergency responders including
firefighters and hazardous materials personnel at the technician and specialist levels.
This training will also act as Train-the-Trainer course to build the capacity for continuous
training of new emergency responders within the county.
The contractor will assist with, support, and further develop the training and response
readiness of Los Angeles area fire agencies for bioterrorism incidents. 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.
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 compatible
technology. The RTG will now facilitate the new bioterrorism curriculum utilizing the
Measure B funding. The RTG will be responsible for the direct delivery of the training.
3.B
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SMFD staffing will not be impacted by the delivery of the grant. SMFD will benefit from
the training courses to improve the specialty bioterrorism readiness and response as
one of the county’s fourteen regional fire agencies Hazardous Materials Teams.
Vendor/Consultant Selection
Bidder Recommendation
Best Qualified Firm Three Four Three, LLC
Evaluation Criteria The proposal, Three Four Three, LLC was evaluated based on the
criteria in SMMC 2.24.190, including experience, credentials, training,
capacity to perform services promptly, stability/references, price, and
compliance with City specifications.
Municipal Code SMMC 2.24.190
RFPs Received
Three Four Three, LLC
Constant and Associates, Inc.
3.B
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Bid Data
Date Posted Posted On
Advertise In
(City Charter & SMMC)
Vendors
Downloaded
Date Publicly
Opened
10/15/2020 City's Online
Bidding Site
Santa Monica Daily
Press
12 11/09/2020
Best Qualified Firm Justification
A team of experts in Fire service interviewed the two firms. Based on this criteria and
criteria in SMMC 2.24.190, the evaluation committee recommends Three Four Three,
LLC as the best qualified firm to provide a comprehensive bioterrorism training
program. Three Four Three, LLC has over thirty years’ experience in the Fire Service
and are a subject matter expert in Fire HazMat training. Three Four Three, LLC
provided excellent references and was within the projected budget set aside for the
services. Based on these criteria, Three Four Three, LLC is recommended as the
best qualified firm to provide professional services to assist Los Angeles Area Fire
Chief’s Association Regional Training Group develop a comprehensive bioterrorism
training program in accordance with City specifications and scope of work.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to approve funding from the Miscellaneous Grants Fund to award a
professional services agreement with Three Four Three, LLC to provide professional
services to assist the LAAFCA Regional Training Group with a comprehensive
bioterrorism training program. Future years’ funding is contingent on Council budget
approval and future grant funds.
Professional Service Agreement
FY 2020-21 Budget
Request Amount Department Account # Total Contract Amount
$302,000 20190001.556530 $302,000
3.B
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Prepared By: Terese Toomey, Principal Administrative Analyst
Approved
Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Three Four Three Oaks
B. Measure B grant acceptance 10.13.2020 Item 3D
3.B
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3.B.a
Packet Pg. 26 Attachment: Three Four Three Oaks (4393 : Award RFP for Bioterrorism Training Project on behalf LAAFCA)
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
-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
(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.
3.B.b
Packet Pg. 27 Attachment: Measure B grant acceptance 10.13.2020 Item 3D (4393 : Award RFP for Bioterrorism Training Project on behalf LAAFCA)
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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
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
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
$3,000,000. 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
3.B.b
Packet Pg. 28 Attachment: Measure B grant acceptance 10.13.2020 Item 3D (4393 : Award RFP for Bioterrorism Training Project on behalf LAAFCA)
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$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,
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 o
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
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.
3.B.b
Packet Pg. 29 Attachment: Measure B grant acceptance 10.13.2020 Item 3D (4393 : Award RFP for Bioterrorism Training Project on behalf LAAFCA)
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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
Attachments:
A. Attachment A Staff Report Advanced Problem Solving Item 3 B 11.19.19
B. APS Oaks expires 6-18-21
3.B.b
Packet Pg. 30 Attachment: Measure B grant acceptance 10.13.2020 Item 3D (4393 : Award RFP for Bioterrorism Training Project on behalf LAAFCA)