To: County of Sonoma Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Department of Health Services
Staff Name and Phone Number: Nolan Sullivan, 707-565-4774; Amelyn Olson, 707-565-2696
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Department of Health Services Public Health FirstWatch Solutions, Inc. Amendment
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Authorize the Director of Health Services, or designee, to execute a second amendment with FirstWatch Solutions, Inc. to add annual maintenance and support for the ImageTrend data import link, increasing the contract amount by $2,280.35, for a not to exceed amount of $279,609.13, with a term end date of June 30, 2028, subject to review and approval as to form by County Counsel.
B) Authorize the Director of Health Services, or designee, to execute modifications to the agreement associated with this Item in order to address changes in service needs, payment or reimbursement methodologies, subject to available funding as well as review and approval by County Counsel.
end
Executive Summary:
The Department of Health Services is seeking approval of a contract amendment with FirstWatch Solutions, Inc. for $2,280.35 which would increase the not-to-exceed total to $279,609.15. This amendment adds annual maintenance and support for the ImageTrend data import link used by the FirstWatch system. The term end date is revised from November 7, 2028 to June 30, 2028 in order to align with the County’s fiscal year. Approval of this amendment ensures continuity of critical Emergency Medical Service data services.
Discussion:
The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) program oversees emergency medical response coordination, ambulance services, and disaster preparedness in compliance with California Health and Safety Code requirements. The program works with local hospitals, fire departments, and emergency responders to ensure a rapid and effective response to medical emergencies.
The California Health and Safety Code, Division 2.5, mandates that each county establishing an EMS program must designate a local EMS agency (LEMSA) to oversee and coordinate emergency medical services within its jurisdiction. In Sonoma County, this responsibility is assigned to the Department of Health Services, which assigns the work functions to the Coastal Valleys EMS Agency (CVEMSA). CVEMSA also serves as the LEMSA for Mendocino County. CVEMSA's duties include planning, implementing, and evaluating the local EMS system, as well as licensing ambulance providers, certifying pre-hospital care personnel, and ensuring compliance with state regulations.
CVEMSA utilizes the FirstWatch system for EMS data monitoring and operational awareness. The system receives patient care data through an import link with ImageTrend, the patient care reporting system used by EMS providers.
In 2015, the County of Mendocino established and funded a data import link between ImageTrend (patient care system) and the FirstWatch system. Although the original Mendocino agreement expired after one year, the data link has remained operational and continued to be supported without a formal contract.
When CVEMSA entered into an agreement with FirstWatch for the online compliance utility and related services, the existing ImageTrend data feed was incorporated into the system at no additional implementation cost. However, the ongoing annual maintenance and support for the link were not included in the scope of the agreement or in the quoted costs, and the omission was not identified at the time of contract execution.
Since the expiration of the Mendocino agreement, the cost of maintaining the ImageTrend link has been borne by Sonoma County without a formal contractual provision obligating payment.
To correct this oversight and ensure continuity of service, FirstWatch has provided updated pricing to include the ImageTrend data import link. The additional annual maintenance cost of $2,280.35 will increase the contract’s not-to-exceed maximum to $279,609.13. This amendment will align the agreement with the actual services being provided and ensure that costs are appropriately documented and contractually authorized.
The amendment will also adjust the contract term to end on June 30, 2028 instead of November 7, 2028 to align with the County’s Fiscal Year.
Strategic Plan:
None
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
On November 7, 2023, the Board authorized the Director of Health Services to execute an agreement with FirstWatch Solutions,Inc. to provide emergency medical services system performance monitoring services for a period through five years from the agreement effective date for an amount not-to-exceed $277,329.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY25-26 Adopted |
FY26-27 Projected |
FY27-28 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$19, 969 |
$33,158 |
$39,551 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$19, 969 |
$33,158 |
$39,551 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal |
$19,969 |
$33,158 |
$39,551 |
|
Fees/Other |
|
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
General Fund Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$19, 969 |
$33,158 |
$39,551 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
This second amendment to the FirstWatch Solutions, Inc. agreement adds $2,280 for annual maintenance and support of the ImageTrend data import link, increasing the contract’s not-to-exceed total to $279,609.13, including a new not-to-exceed of $19,969 for FY 2025-2026. No new appropriations are requested, as funding is available within the FY 2025-2026 Adopted Budget. Future expenditures will be incorporated into the annual budget process. The amendment also aligns the contract term with the County’s fiscal year, ending June 30, 2028.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None
Attachments:
Attachment 1 - Draft First Watch Amendment
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None