DEPARTMENT: Finance
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Troy Elliott
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
Taxi Services for Senior Citizens (Non-Emergency Medical)
SUMMARY:
This ordinance authorizes a contract with Greater San Antonio Transportation Company d/b/a Yellow Cab to provide non-emergency patients with a city-sponsored means of transportation to and from appropriate medical and hospital facilities through June 30, 2015. The estimated annual amount is $179,051.00. The funding sources are the FY 2014 New Freedom Grant and FY 2014 Supportive Services for Elderly Program (SSEP) Grant.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Submitted for City Council consideration and action is a proposal submitted by Greater San Antonio Transportation Company d/b/a Yellow Cab to provide non-emergency patients with transportation to and from appropriate medical and hospital facilities. The Taxi Voucher Program goal is to better allow Emergency Medical Services (EMS) unit availability for vital emergency response resources, while continuing to assist senior citizens of San Antonio in obtaining appropriate and timely medical care. Proposal response, rates and fare structure align with City of San Antonio Code of Ordinances, Part II, Chapter 33.
Transportation is provided for seniors, 60 years of age and older, solely for medical appointments that prevent, alleviate, mitigate and/or cure the onset of acute or chronic illness/disease. Appointments for transportation are managed through a voucher program. The City of San Antonio Department of Human Services Medical Transportation Program will provide the selected vendor with a manifest detailing approved trips. Vouchers are then submitted to City with selected vendor's invoice for payment. These vouchers are to be verified against the daily manifest provided by the City of San Antonio Medical Transportation Program. Payment will only be made for those trips that can be validated against the manifest.
The City issued a Request for Competitive Sealed Proposal (RFCSP) for "Taxi Services for Senior Citizens (Non-Emergency Medical)" (RFCSP 14-033, 6100004062) for the Department of Human Services Medical Transportation Program on April 10, 2014. This RFCSP was advertised in the San Antonio Express News, on the City's website and the City of San Antonio Electronic Procurement System (SAePS). A pre-submittal conference was held on April 15, 2014 to review the RFCSP requirements and address questions from potential respondents. Two firms were in attendance. One proposal was received on May 2, 2014. Greater San Antonio Transportation Company d/b/a Yellow Cab was selected based on the City's standard RFCSP process.
The selection team consisted of representatives from the Department of Human Services. The Finance Department, Purchasing Division assisted to ensure compliance with City procurement policies and procedures. The proposal was evaluated based on several weighted factors, to include experience, background, and qualifications; proposed plan (services offered), and price. Based upon the initial committee review and discussion of the proposal received, a decision was made to recommend the proposal submitted by Greater San Antonio Transportation Company d/b/a Yellow Cab for award.
ISSUE:
An ordinance awarding a contract to the Greater San Antonio Transportation Company for non-emergency medical appointment transportation through Supplemental Taxi Services for Senior Citizens with Non-Emergency Medical Service Needs. This service is used by the Department of Human Services in their daily operations.
This contract will be awarded in compliance with the Small Business Economic Development Advocacy Program, which requires contracts be reviewed by a Goal Setting Committee to establish a requirement and / or incentive unique to the particular contract in an effort to maximize the amount of small, minority and women-owned business participation on the contract. The Goal Setting Committee applied the Emerging Small Business Enterprise and Small Business Enterprise Prime Contract Program with 20 evaluation preference points. Greater San Antonio Transportation Company d/b/a Yellow Cab did not receive any evaluation preference points as they are not certified as SBE/ESBE located within the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.
This contract is an exception to the Local Preference Program.
The Veteran-Owned Small Business Preference Program does not apply to non-professional service contracts, so no preference was applied to the contract.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should this contract not be approved, the Department of Human Services, Medical Transportation Program's operational activities would be unfavorably impacted without these services. The availability of supplemental transportation services would be reduced or eliminated. This would in turn, reduce the ability of the Medical Transportation Program to provide timely and efficient services to the impacted senior citizens of San Antonio.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The estimated annual amount of this contract is $179,051.00 and will be funded with the FY 2014 New Freedom Grant and FY 2014 SSEP Grant.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the contract proposal submitted by Greater San Antonio Transportation Company d/b/a Yellow Cab to provide non-emergency patients with transportation to and from appropriate medical and hospital facilities. The Taxi Voucher Program goal is in place in order to better allow EMS unit availability for vital emergency response resources, while continuing to assist senior citizens of San Antonio in obtaining appropriate and timely medical care. Proposal response, rates and fare structure align with City of San Antonio Code of Ordinances, Part II, Chapter 33.
This contract is procured by means of a Request for Competitive Sealed Proposal and a Contracts Disclosure Form is required.