Regular City Council Meeting

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Item No. 19.

Meeting Date:	08/12/2021
COMMITTEE:	Public Safety
CONTACT:	Mike Mathews	CHAIR:	Jeanine Corn-Best

ACTION REQUESTED:

Consider approval to purchase the Priority Dispatch Corporation's structured emergency call-taking protocol software (ProQA) and related materials, and the training and certification of dispatchers as Emergency Medical Dispatchers expenses of which to be reimbursed by the State of New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration Local Government Division Enhanced 911 Act Grant Program as awarded in Grant Agreement Project No., 22-E-21 dated May 18, 2021. (Best/Best)

BACKGROUND:

Initiated by: Teri Best

Structured emergency call-taking protocols enable an agency to deliver high quality service to the community by providing consistent emergency call handling, proper prioritization and resource utilization, heightened safety for responders and bystanders, and critical pre-arrival and post-dispatch instructions for 911 callers. Priority Dispatch Corporation is the sole source provider of Emergency Medical, Emergency Fire, and Emergency Law Enforcement call-taking protocols backed by scientific research and clinical review through the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED). The International Academies of Emergency Dispatch also allows for emergency dispatch centers to be measured against international industry standards. Compliance with these standards allows a center to be accredited as an IAED Accredited Center of Excellence (ACE).

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATION

Due diligence research was conducted with findings that Priority Dispatch Corporation is the sole source of call-taking protocols backed by the scientific research and clinical review of the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch and its College of Fellows. The funds for the purchase of this software, onsite training, implementation, certification of emergency dispatchers, certification of emergency dispatch quality reviewers, and first year's annual software maintenance in the amount of $125,066 was awarded by the State of New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration Local Government Division Enhanced 911 Act Grant Program in Grant Agreement Project No., 22-E-21 dated May 18, 2021.

LEGAL REVIEW:

Legal and Purchasing departments have been working with staff on this purchase. A sole source purchase was approved and made for the Fire and Police modules of this software in anticipation of this grant. The city attorney will review the purchasing contract and it will abide by the State of New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration Local Government Division Enhanced 911 Act Grant Program's requirements for fiscal agent reimbursement.

BOARD AND COMMITTEE ACTION:

The Public Safety Committee recommended (3-0) approval at their meeting on July 13, 2021.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:

Proceed with purchase of software to be reimbursed by the State of New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration Local Government Division Enhanced 911 Act Grant Program.

Attachments
ATT 1 - ProQA Equipment