On July 21, 2015 the Board approved the Health Services Director recommendation to award the EMS ambulance transport contract to Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (CCCFPD) and directed staff to commence with contract negotiations between the CCCFPD and the Contra Costa County Emergency Medical Services Agency (CCCEMSA) and return with a negotiated contract for final approval. Over the past four months, County Counsel has facilitated several all-hands contract negotiation sessions to discuss critical details of the proposed, new service delivery model. The negotiated contract supports opportunities to build efficiencies and support EMS stakeholder collaboration. Unlike emergency ambulance service contracts in the past, this agreement also provides the County with significant flexibility to adjust terms and conditions in response to external factors that may affect emergency ambulance services in the future. On November 17, 2015 the Board of Supervisors and the CCCFPD Board of Directors approved the final contract.
As a California Fire Protection District, Health and Safety Code section 13862(e) gives the District power to provide ambulance services as part of its general operations, pursuant to 1797. In the case of CCCFPD, the District did not previously provide ambulance services and, therefore, does not have the right to provide ambulance services under Health and Safety Code section 1797.201. In the future, the District will be required to bid on the provision of ambulance services during the County EMS Agency request for proposal process, should there be a desire to continue with those contract services.
In addition to approving the contract on November 17, 2015, the Auditor Controller was authorized to establish the EMS Ambulance Transport Fund and make transfers, as necessary, between the new fund and the CCCFPD operating fund during the start up period of the new contract arrangement to provide working capital between the time in which costs of providing services are incurred by the District and reimbursement revenue from government and private insurance carriers is received.
Today's action recognizes anticipated revenue based on estimated cash flows presented by the District at the November 17, 2015 Board of Supervisors' meeting and and establishes appropriations, both in the amount of $12,300,000, to provide expenditure authority for the District to provide services outlined in the contact.
The District will be unable to recognize anticipated revenues and have expenditure authority to perform contractual obligations approved by parties to the EMS Transport contract authorized on November 17, 2015.