REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
November 20, 2014
FROM: KERRI L. DONIS, Fire Chief
Fire Department
BY: CHERYL CARLSON, Management Analyst III
Fire Department
SUBJECT
Title
Approve Master Agreement for inter-agency instructional services between Fresno City College and the City of Fresno Fire Department for reimbursement of instructional training hour costs
Body
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended Council approve the Master Agreement between Fresno City College and the City of Fresno Fire Department for reimbursement of instructional training hour costs.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Fresno Fire Department (FFD) had a similar training reimbursement agreement with Fresno City College (FCC) in place beginning in 1999. In December 2009, FCC terminated the agreement due to the loss of the program administrator. FFD was successful in negotiating a similar agreement with Miramar College in San Diego which has been in place since July 2, 2010. FCC has agreed to reinstitute their instructional service agreement program with FFD which will provide the opportunity for increased revenues with lower enrollment fees. The initial term of the agreement is retroactive to July 1, 2014 and ends on June 30, 2015. Funds received from this agreement will be reinvested back into the program for the services, facilities, materials and equipment supplied for student training.
BACKGROUND
In order to maintain the professional skills of emergency response personnel, FFD strives to provide up to 240 hours of continuing education per member each year. This standard is consistent with Insurance Service office (ISO) requirements for rating fire departments.
FCC provides registration and college units for specialized training for the Department's sworn, safety, and firefighting personnel as part of monthly continuing education needs. In 1999, FFD entered into an agreement with FCC that provided reimbursement for instructional training hours provided by FFD staff. Under the agreement, FCC offered approved educational courses through its various programs to meet the needs of the FFD, and then FFD provided instructors, facilitators, equipment, materials, day-to-day management support and all other related overhead necessary to conduct FCC's affiliated education programs and was reimbursed a fee of $2.75 per student instructional hour less registration fees. Due to the loss of the program administrator, FCC terminated the program effective December 31, 2009. At that time, staff began seeking other agencies to replace FCC and was successful in negotiating an agreement with Miramar College in San Diego, and that agreement was approved by Council on May 6, 2010. Under the terms of the Miramar College agreement, the department also receives $2.75 per student instructional hour less registration fees for specific training per student contact hour for all services, facilities, materials and equipment it supplies. The Miramar College agreement began on July 2, 2010 and is in the final year of its five-year term.
FCC has reinstituted their instructional service reimbursement program. The proposed agreement with FFD provides an opportunity for increased training revenues as the FCC agreement will reimburse up to a maximum of 92,000 hours per fiscal year. The Miramar College agreement has a per student cap of 240 hours which limits total hours available for reimbursement to less than 75,000 hours per fiscal year. The reimbursements received under these agreements are used to supplement the departmental training program and provide for services, facilities, materials and equipment. As such, FFD is recommending approval of the Master Agreement with FCC for a one year term retroactive to July 1, 2014 and ending on June 30, 2015. The agreement provides for one year extensions upon written notification and acceptance of the parties. The Miramar College agreement provides for termination on thirty (30) days written notice to the other party, with or without reason. Upon approval of the FCC Master Agreement, FFD will provide the requisite the 30 day termination notice to Miramar College.
Training revenues that may be realized from the FCC agreement can be up to $200,000 net of enrollment fees depending upon the training hours documented by field personnel. These revenues and expenditures are accounted for in Fund 24020 - Training Fund and will be used to supplement the costs of training overtime, materials and equipment utilized in the training unit.
The City Attorney has reviewed and approved the agreement as to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
By the definition provided in the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Section 15378 this item does not qualify as a "project" for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not implemented because the Master Agreement does not include an award of a construction or services contract.
FISCAL IMPACT
Training revenues that may be realized from this agreement can be up to $200,000 net of enrollment fees, subject to the training hours documented by field personnel. These revenues will be used to offset the costs of training overtime and the materials and equipment utilized in the training unit.
Attachment: Master Instructional Service Agreement Between
Fresno City College and City of Fresno Fire Department