Subject:
Title
Ranking of firms and agreement with Paramedics Logistics Florida, LLC for requirements of ambulance services.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Sitting as the Pinellas County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Authority, approval of the ranking of firms and agreement with Paramedics Logistics Florida, LLC for requirements of ambulance services.
• This contract provides ambulance services throughout Pinellas County for the Safety and Emergency Services Department.
• This contract is effective for a period of five years from October 1, 2024, with a total not-to-exceed contract value of $491,358,925.00. There is a provision for two three-year extensions. The not-to-exceed amount includes reimbursement for medical supplies, anticipated inflation, and transport growth but does not include unanticipated transport demand during a disaster or EMS emergency.
• This contract replaces the current contract held by Paramedics Logistics Florida, LLC.
• The new agreement’s contracted cost is increasing by $11.2 million, or 14.6%, which reflects cost increases driven by inflation, salary, and benefit costs, through a three-year collective bargaining agreement, EMS system enhancements, transport growths, and systemwide medical supplies for the ambulance contractor and the eighteen First Responder agencies.
• Three firms submitted proposals; Paramedics Logistics Florida, LLC was evaluated as the highest-ranked firm and is recommended for award by the Safety and Emergency Services Department.
• Funding for the first year of this agreement is included in the Fiscal Year 2025 Proposed Budget in the Emergency Medical Services Fund in the Safety and Emergency Services Department. Funding for future years of this agreement will likely be requested in future budgets. The contract includes a fiscal non-funding clause should that portion of the budget not be approved.
Contract No. 24-0224-RFP in the total not to exceed amount of $491,358,925.00, effective for five years from October 1, 2024; Authorize the Chairman to sign and the Clerk of the Circuit Court to attest.
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Strategic Plan:
Ensure Public Health, Safety, and Welfare
2.1 Provide planning, coordination, prevention, and protective services to ensure a safe and secure community.
Deliver First Class Services to the Public and Our Customers
5.2 Be responsible stewards of the public’s resources.
5.3 Ensure effective and efficient delivery of county services and support
5.4 Strive to exceed customer expectations
Summary:
Summary
This contract provides ambulance services throughout Pinellas County for the Safety & Emergency Services Department.
The Pinellas County EMS System is a highly coordinated Emergency Medical Services System consisting of Advanced Life Support (ALS) and Basic Life Support (BLS) First Responder Services and ALS and BLS Ambulance Services. The Pinellas County EMS System has evolved into a nationally recognized, highly efficient, and world-class EMS system.
The system is designed to provide exceptional rapid response and on scene patient care by Paramedics staffing ALS First Responder Units from municipal Fire Departments and Fire Districts with transport and continued patient care by EMTs and/or Paramedics staffing BLS and ALS Transport Units from the ambulance service.
The firms in order of ranking is attached.
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Background Information:
On January 12, 2024, the Purchasing Division on behalf of Safety & Emergency Services released a Request for Proposal (RFP) with the intent of obtaining the services of a qualified firm to provide all emergency and non-emergency Ambulance Services for Pinellas County using the Authority's trade name - Sunstar.
An evaluation committee consisting of the following representatives, along with the Purchasing Department acting as facilitator, met on March 6, 2024, to evaluate and score proposal submittals:
1. Chief Richard Graham, President, Pinellas County Fire Chiefs Association
2. Ms. Gayle Guidash, Assistant Director, Pinellas County Health Department (EMS
Advisory Council Member)
3. Mr. David Hare, Deputy Director, Safety & Emergency Services
4. Dr. Joseph Namey, Chairman, HCA Largo Hospital Board of Trustees (EMS Medical
Control Board Member)
5. Mr. Dan Slaughter, Assistant City Manager, City of Clearwater
6. Chief Terry Tokarz, Division Chief, Largo Fire Rescue (Pinellas County EMS
Leadership Group Chairman)
Highlights of the negotiated contract include:
1. Contractor has agreed to requirements of the Request for Proposal and the
model Ambulance Service Agreement to include all existing programs,
processes, and requirements.
2. The new agreement’s contracted cost is increasing by $11.2 Million, or 14.6%, which reflects cost increases driven by inflation, salary and benefit costs through a three-year collective bargaining agreement, EMS system enhancements, transport growths and systemwide medical supplies for the ambulance contractor and the 18 First Responder agencies.
3. The fleet plan requires the remounting and replacement of ambulances and
vehicles. The ambulance fleet will increase by 10 basic life support (BLS)
interfacility ambulances and 5 advanced life support (ALS) ambulances.
The fleet will increase from 96 to 111 ambulances to meet service demand.
During this agreement 48 ambulances will be replaced, 11 ambulances
remounted with a new chassis, and support vehicles will be replaced per plan.
4. As a non-exclusive bid process, the Authority may utilize hospital-based
ambulances and rescue units from Fire Rescue departments to transport to meet
spikes in service demand.
5. Aligns staffing requirements to the current staffing model level which includes the
use of Emergency Medical Responders on BLS interfacility ambulances and
utilization of BLS ambulance for 911 responses.
6. Aligns response time requirements to the current service level to ensure a
sustainable work schedule and workload for the local Paramedic and EMT
workforce that doesn’t rely upon mandatory overtime.
7. Updates the annual inflation adjustment to a range of 2.5-4.5% based upon the
regional consumer price index (CPI) to keep pace with inflation while still capping
the Authority’s cost. The prior agreement was a range of 0.0-4.0%.
8. Implements a $3 Million Performance Bond to replace the prior $2 Million Letter
of Credit requirement.
9. Increases mobile and portable radios provided by the Authority to account for the
increased ambulance fleet.
10. Agreement aligns with County initiatives such as the uniform computer aided
dispatch system, traffic preemption, use of the new Fire/EMS records system,
additional support for patient business services, and support for joint
Police/Fire/EMS active assailant training initiatives led by the Sheriff’s Office.
Fiscal Impact:
Five (5) year expenditure not to exceed: $491,358,925.00.
Funding for this agreement is provided for by the EMS Fund utilizing ambulance User Fee Revenues. This is consistent with the FY25 proposed budget.
Note: The Not to Exceed amount includes reimbursement for system wide medical supplies, anticipated inflation, and transport growth but does not include unanticipated transport demand during a disaster or EMS emergency.
Staff Member Responsible:
Jim Fogarty, Director, Safety and Emergency Services
Merry Celeste, Purchasing Director, Administrative Services
Joe Lauro, Director, Administrative Services
Partners:
N/A
Attachments:
Agreement
Rankings Spreadsheet