DEPARTMENT: Fire
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Charles N. Hood
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
STRAC INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT (ILA) AMENDMENTS
SUMMARY:
This ordinance amends a contract with Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council (STRAC) that provides software access and maintenance to the Fire Department through the Clinical Informatics Division. This amendment to the Interlocal Agreement (ILA) will correct the name of STRAC from South Texas Regional Area Council to the Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council and extend the term of the agreement through annual renewal based on budgetary allocations in an amount not to exceed $3,190,000.00 over a five year period.
Funding for FY 2019 is available in the amount of $612,690.90 of which $392,085.67 is available from the FY 2019 Information Technology Services Fund Budget and $220,605.23 is available from the FY 2019 General Fund Budget. Additional funding for future fiscal years is subject to appropriation of funds.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Submitted for City Council consideration and action is an ordinance to amend The Interlocal Cooperative Agreement concerning a Clinical Informatics System with Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council (STRAC) to provide software access and maintenance of various software applications hosted at STRAC that provide fire and emergency medical response data reporting capability, and statistical modeling and analysis dashboards. The software is licensed from Zoll Data Systems and TABLEAU. This amendment will correct the name of STRAC from South Texas Regional Area Council to the Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council and extend the term of the agreement with annual five renewals as long as there are budgetary allocations.
In 2007, the San Antonio Emergency Medical Services (SAEMS) Division of the San Antonio Fire Department (SAFD) was provided licenses for the software from STRAC with the understanding that SAFD would pay STRAC an annual maintenance cost based on the number of licenses issued. These licenses allowed SAEMS to join the regional Trauma Registry Data Project funded by STRAC to collect billable patient care records utilizing a more efficient, standardized and State/Federal compliant software.
Originally on May 10, 2007 through Ordinance #2007-05-10-0528, the City Council approved a contract that established this Interlocal Cooperation Agreement with South Texas Regional Area Council to provide the Fire Department with fifty (50) software licenses for the period of July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2010. This contract made the Patient Contact Registry available to EMS paramedics.
As an improvement to SAFD’s medical service, the Fire division is now providing Advance Life Support (ALS) service prior to SAEMS arrival and must complete an electronic Patient Care Report (PCR). In order to bill for this ALS service, Amendment One provided fire apparatus with an electronic PCR tablet computer. These tablet computers utilize the same software as SAEMS. On April 17, 2008 through Ordinance #2008-04-17-0306, the City Council approved the purchase of 100 additional licenses for a total of 150 licenses utilized by the Fire Department.
This current council ordinance request would further increase the Fire Departments capabilities in Fire Incident reporting, trauma reporting, and statistical analysis.
ISSUE:
This is an amendment to Ordinance No. 2007-05-10-0528, passed on May 10, 2007, which established this Interlocal Cooperation Agreement with Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council (STRAC). This agreement provides the San Antonio Fire Department (SAFD) with software access and maintenance to collect and maintain all PCRs and billing records being added into the system by all SAFD Fire and EMS Division personnel as well as the collection of all Fire Incident Reports; with a full statistical suite that provides up to date analysis. This amendment to the Interlocal Cooperation Agreement between SAFD and STRAC is for maintenance of all software offerings from the STRAC Clinical Informatics Division. This amendment will also correct the name of STRAC from South Texas Regional Area Council to the Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should this contract not be approved, the City would not be able to access or have support for the mandated reporting software utilized by Fire and EMS Division personnel. . For the last several years, SAEMS has utilized the STRAC servers and hosted application for the Patient Care Reporting (PCRs)s. The City does not have the infrastructure or server based software to host internally. Additionally, STRAC provides the State with the City’s Trauma Registry data (a state mandate) on an annual basis as part of the support they provide to the users of the STRAC system. Additionally, Fire will not have a supported fire reporting system required by National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS).
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance amends a contract with Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council (STRAC) that provides software access and maintenance to the Fire Department through the Clinical Informatics Division. This amendment to the Interlocal Agreement (ILA) will correct the name of STRAC from South Texas Regional Area Council to the Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council and extend the term of the agreement through annual renewal based on budgetary allocations in an amount not to exceed $3,190,000.00 over a five year period.
Funding for FY 2019 is available in the amount of $612,690.90 of which $392,085.67 is available from the FY 2019 Information Technology Services Fund Budget and $220,605.23 is available from the FY 2019 General Fund Budget. Additional funding for future fiscal years is subject to appropriation of funds.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the approval of this amendment with Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council (STRAC) for an initial estimated cost of not to exceed $3,190,000.00 over a five year period.
This contract is procured by means of cooperative purchasing; therefore, a Discretionary Contracts Disclosure Form is not required.