Title:
Title
Contract: Suspend Competitive Bidding for Emergency Veterinary Services with VCA Mueller Pet Medical Center (Two-Thirds Vote Required)
End
FileID
File ID: 2019-01805
Location
Location: Citywide
Recommendation:
Recommendation
Adopt a Resolution: 1) suspending competitive bidding, in the best interests of the City, for Emergency Veterinary Services; and 2) authorizing the City Manager or City Manager’s designee to execute a contract with VCA Mueller Pet Medical Center in the amount not-to-exceed $500,000.
Contact: Phillip Zimmerman, Animal Care Services Manager, (916) 808-8333; Jennifer Chikasawa, Administrative Analyst, (916) 808-5851, Community Development Department
Body
Presenter: None
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Contract
3-Resolution
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: The Shelter is classified as a depositary for living animals and therefore bound by California Civil Code. California Civil Code § 1834 states: “A depositary of living animals shall provide the animals with necessary and prompt veterinary care, nutrition, and shelter, and treat them kindly. Any depositary that fails to perform these duties may be liable for civil damages as provided by law”. If an animal enters the shelter and is sick or injured it must be treated promptly. The Shelter’s veterinary staff are not on duty 24-hours a day to treat sick and injured animals that enter the shelter afterhours. In order to meet the requirement of the California Civil Code the City is required to have contracted 24-hour emergency veterinary hospital on contract to provide after hour services.
Policy Considerations: City Code Section 3.56.230(c) authorizes the City Council to suspend competitive bidding for service when upon a two-thirds vote, the City Council determines it is in the best interests of the City to do so. Section 3.56.090 requires Council approval to authorize the City Manager to bind the City by contract for purchases that are $100,000 or more. The recommendations in this report are consistent with Sacramento City Code Section 3.56.
Economic Impacts: Not applicable.
Environmental Considerations: Not applicable. This is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it does not have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. (CEQA Guidelines §15061(b)(3).)
Sustainability: Not applicable.
Commission/Committee Action: Not applicable.
Rationale for Recommendation: It is imperative that the Shelter has an emergency veterinary hospital on contract to treat animals in immediate need of veterinary care when our shelter veterinarians are not on duty. From July 2018 through June 2019, 9,934 cats and dogs entered the shelter; 657 of those animals required emergency after hours veterinary care. Without the services of a contracted 24-hour emergency veterinary hospital the 657 sick and injured animals would suffer while waiting for veterinary care or face euthanasia.
Proximity of the contract hospital is important, as the City’s Animal Service Officers must drop off and pick up animals from the hospitals. There are currently only two 24-hour veterinary hospitals within the City of Sacramento limits. The additional staff time to travel to and from hospitals outside of the area would impact Animal Care service levels because the officers would have to spend time transporting animals to more distant medical facilities instead of responding to calls for service. Out of the area hospitals could also cause increased staffing costs due to travel time at the end of the work day. Only VCA Mueller Pet Medical Center has the space and staffing to handle the City’s volume for emergency calls.
Financial Considerations: There is sufficient funding available in the Fiscal Year 2019/20 Community Development Department Operating Budget and the F.O.C.A.S. (Friends of the City Animal Shelter) Multi-year Operating Project (I13000400) to fund this contract. The contract is budgeted at $100,000 per fiscal year for up to five years. If the full $100,000 is not spent at the end of each fiscal year, the contract balance may be carried over to the following year if there is sufficient funding in the operating and Multi-year Operating Project budgets.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): VCA Mueller Pet Medical Center is a qualified LBE.