REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
AND RECORD OF ACTION
December 19, 2023
FROM
DAN MUNSEY, Fire Chief/Fire Warden, San Bernardino County Fire Protection District
SUBJECT
Title
Purchase Order with Bound Tree Medical for Pharmaceuticals and Pharmaceutical Supplies
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Acting as the governing body of the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District, authorize the Purchasing Agent to issue a non-competitive purchase order with Bound Tree Medical, in an amount not to exceed $100,000, for pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical supplies, for a retroactive period of June 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023.
(Presenter: Dan Munsey, Fire Chief/Fire Warden, 387-5779)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Improve County Government Operations.
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of the recommended purchase order will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). Sufficient appropriation and revenue for this contract is included in the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District’s (SBCFPD) 2023-24 budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
SBCFPD uses multiple vendors to purchase the various products and equipment needed to provide fire protection and emergency medical services to county residents and visitors. Currently, SBCFPD purchases pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical supplies used by first response staff from Bound Tree Medical (BTM) on an as needed basis by purchase order.
On March 29, 2022 (Item No. 65), SBCFPD’s Board of Directors (Board) approved the purchase of pharmaceutical vending machines from BTM. These pharmaceutical vending machines allow SBCFPD to track trends in use, minimize the number of expiring medications, and move medications closer to expiration to a busier station for use.
SBCFPD has experienced an increase in the number of emergency medical service calls, and an increase in the pharmaceuticals used when responding to these calls. As a result, SBCFPD reached the annual $200,000 monetary threshold on June 1, 2023, that can be approved by the Purchasing Department (Purchasing) using as needed purchase orders with BTM for pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical supplies. Due to the increase in emergency medical service calls, SBCFPD found it necessary to continue to order the pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical supplies from BTM. The department discovered this issue on June 1, 2023, and was working with Purchasing on a solution. SBCFPD was unable to purchase pharmaceuticals from other vendors until the other vendors designed the pharmaceutical supplies with the specifications required for the pharmaceutical vending machines. SBCFPD continued to purchase the needed supplies from BTM until the specification issues were resolved.
A purchase order with BTM for the retroactive period of June 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023, is necessary in order to fulfill payment for orders placed on and after June 1, 2023. SBCFPD has begun soliciting competitive quotes from other vendors who have redesigned their pharmaceutical supplies to meet the functional specifications required for the pharmaceutical vending machines and is therefore no longer making non-competitive purchases from BTM.
PROCUREMENT
Policy 11-04 requires SBCFPD to seek Board approval when contracting for non-competitive purchases of goods and supplies in excess of $200,000 during a single annual period.
BTM is able to provide pharmaceuticals that meet the functional specifications required for the pharmaceutical vending machines. SBCFPD recommends establishing a non-competitive purchase order with BTM for a retroactive period of June 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023, to fulfill payment for orders placed on and after June 1, 2023.
Purchasing concurs with the non-competitive justification for this purchase order for past purchases. Future purchases are following County Policy 11-04 Procurement of Goods, Supplies, Equipment and Services.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Scott Runyan, Principal Assistant County Counsel, 387-5455) on November 16, 2023; Purchasing (Jessica Barajas, Supervising Buyer, 387-2065) on November 27, 2023; Finance (Tom Forster, Administrative Analyst, 387-4635) on November 29, 2023; and County Finance and Administration (Valerie Clay, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on November 30, 2023.