| |  DepartmentsMemo to City Council - Update on Fire & Emergency Services RFP - 2 Proposals - Jan 7, 2011To: Mayor Ahmad and Members of the City Council
From: Brian Moura, Assistant City Manager
Date: January 7, 2011
Subject: Update on Request for Proposals (RFP) – Fire & Emergency Services in San Carlos
In October, the City Council voted to authorize issuance of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the provision of Fire & Emergency Services in San Carlos starting in October after the end of service from the Belmont-San Carlos Fire Department (BSCFD). Prior to the RFP due date in December, the City received requests to extend the RFP deadline from the City of San Mateo and Cal Fire. The City Council approved an extension of the RFP deadline to January 7, 2011 at 5:00 p.m.
This memo will give you a quick update on the RFP process. Staff is pleased to report that it appears the City will have two options for future Fire & Emergency Services starting in October. A full staff report will be prepared for this item when it is scheduled for Council review at your second meeting this month on January 24, 2011.
1. Second Request for RFP Deadline Extension Received
At a meeting in Redwood City on December 8th, Interim City Manager Jeff Maltbie received a request for an extension to the RFP deadline from the City of San Mateo. If the City were to grant this extension request, that would move the RFP process deadline from today to February 7, 2011 at 5:00 p.m.
While Staff understands the Council’s desire to keep the Fire & Emergency Services RFP process moving along, we believe this can be done while also honoring the extension request. Staff will include this request in our staff report for the January 24, 2011 City Council Meeting.
2. RFP Response from Redwood City & San Mateo Fire Departments
This afternoon we received an RFP response from the cities of Redwood City and San Mateo. The proposal invites San Carlos to meet with Redwood City and San Mateo on their concept of a regional Fire & Emergency Services department that could include those cities as well as Foster City, Belmont and San Carlos. Staff believes this is an interesting option and we plan to begin such discussions with the two lead cities in the very near future. Key aspects of this proposal include:
- 2 fully staffed Advanced Life Support (ALS) Engine Companies in San Carlos
- Expanding the Redwood City Fire Department service area to San Carlos
- Cost savings through the elimination of the Fire Chief, 3 Battalion Chiefs, Fire Marshall, 2 Fire Inspectors and Administrative Staff at BSCFD
- A total annual cost of Fire & Emergency Services to be $5.889 Million in year 1 (excluding the cost of attrition of current staff vs. reduced levels in proposal – difference will be borne by San Carlos)
- Aerial Truck Services from Redwood City Station #9 ($719,000 per year)
- Proposal does not include cost of Fire Station Upgrades or Repairs, Replacement of Fire Apparatus, Emergency Preparedness Training, Hazardous Materials Unit, Transition Costs
3. RFP Response from San Mateo County Fire Department
The City has also been contacted by the County which is interested in exploring options for shared services in all areas including Fire & Emergency Services. As part of their exploration of shared and regional services, the County is working with Cal Fire to develop a proposal to provide Fire & Emergency Services to San Carlos that begins in October which would save money for both the City and County.
Staff has been informed that the formal response to the San Carlos RFP for Fire & Emergency Services has been completed by the County Fire Department staff. The next steps in the County’s process are for the San Carlos proposal to be reviewed by County Staff next week and then forwarded to the Board of Supervisors for a formal authorization to submit the proposal to San Carlos.
The City has been informed that the Board of Supervisor’s Finance Subcommittee will explore the County Fire Department RFP Response to San Carlos at their meeting on January 18, 2011. Reports and documents for that meeting will be released to the public on or before January 14, 2011. Staff has been informed that key aspects of this proposal are likely to include:
- A substantial reduction in service costs to San Carlos through the use of the 72 hour work schedule used at the County Fire Department rather than the current 56 hour work schedule currently used at BSCFD
- An opportunity for San Mateo County to also save on its Fire & Emergency Services costs through shared staffing and services with the City of San Carlos
- Implementation of the “Quick Rescue” truck and “Cross Staffing” model for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Fire Response as described in the San Carlos’ Fire & Emergency Services Study prepared by TriData
- Cost of providing staffing at both the County Fire/Cal Fire salary and benefit level and if salaries and benefits were to be frozen at the current BSCFD level (“Red Circled”)
- Cost to San Carlos to provide jobs to their half of the current BSCFD staff (jobs for all employees goal) vs. only paying for the number of employees needed under the Cal Fire work schedule
Staff looks forward to receiving more information on the County Fire Department service option. We anticipate this will occur with the publication of the Board’s Finance Subcommittee meeting agenda and agenda packet on or before January 14th.
As always, feel free to contact me if you have any questions about these two proposals, the time extension request from the City of San Mateo and our work in this area as we continue to explore Fire and Emergency Service delivery options for the City of San Carlos.
Cc: Jeff Maltbie, Interim City Manager
Doug Fry, Fire Chief, BSCFD
Joan Cassman, Special Counsel
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