TITLE
Recommendation to adopt resolution authorizing City Manager, or designee, to execute a contract, and any necessary documents including subsequent amendments, with Vanderbilt University Medical Center, of Nashville, TN, to provide deployment of their Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) software to be used as a case management system, in an annual amount of $8,474, with a 15 percent contingency in the amount of $1,271, for a total annual contract amount of $9,746, for a period of one year, with the option to renew for four additional one-year periods, at the discretion of the City Manager. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
City Council approval is requested to enter into a contract with Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), to provide the City of Long Beach (City) with a deployment of REDCap software, which will be used as a new case management and outbreak tracking system by the Communicable Disease Surveillance and Control Division of the Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department).
VUMC is the sole developer of REDCap software. The REDCap electronic platform will be used for five existing Health Department programs.
• Congenital Syphilis Program - REDCap will be used as a case management system for pregnant people infected with syphilis. These cases are currently only being reported in CalREDIE, which is the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) current electronic disease reporting system that lacks case management capabilities. REDCap will allow disease investigation specialists to follow women throughout their pregnancy and determine the outcome of the infant.
• Healthcare-Associated Infection Program - REDCap will be used as a platform for healthcare facilities to report COVID-19 outbreaks and other emerging diseases, as there is no current system that allows for facilities to report these diseases. REDCap will also be used to manage outbreaks at skilled nursing facilities, long-term care facilities, and senior living facilities.
• Outbreak Response Program - REDCap will help facilitate outbreak responses at restaurants or healthcare facilities, with the capacity to send out surveys to gather information about outbreaks occurring throughout the City. REDCap will allow the Health Department to quickly collect, analyze, and respond to outbreaks to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
• Veterinary Diseases Program - REDCap will be used as a reporting platform for veterinary diseases, as there is currently no platform to report these diseases to the Health Department. Veterinary conditions are critical to monitor, as some diseases can cross over to humans. This system will keep the Health Department up to date with emerging infectious diseases.
• Hepatitis C Program - REDCap will be used to link people who have acute or chronic hepatitis C, tracking patients who have initiated treatment for hepatitis C.
The CDPH, STD Control Branch advised the Health Department to use the REDCap system for an existing Congenital Syphilis grant. Having REDCap would increase the department's capacity to report grant deliverables and easily update the current case management system. Additionally, REDCap will efficiently create reports safely and securely. Currently, other local health jurisdictions are using REDCap to conduct case management for congenital syphilis and COVID-19. The Health Department and Department of Technology and Innovation (TID) evaluated three options for using REDCap: (1) Obtain REDCap software code from Vanderbilt at no cost and deploy the software in-house, which will require allocating human resources infrastructure to manage software and data safely and securely; (2) Obtain a subscription to REDCap cloud, which would provide the functionality needed by the Health Department, but with additional features, thereby making it expensive and more complex than needed; and, (3) Utilize Vanderbilt/DataCore to manage the deployment of REDCap software at a nominal cost on a per-project basis. After review and collaboration with TID, REDCap is the most effective when using the VUMC-managed system as VUMC will allow the Health Department to use the REDCap software for a small monthly fee.
City Charter Section 1801 requires that contracts for City purchases be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder after a competitive bid process but allows for awards without a competitive bid process when authorized by a Resolution adopted by the City Council.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Taylor M. Anderson on September 18, 2021, Business Services Bureau Manager Tara Mortensen on September 15, 2021, and by Budget Analysis Officer Greg Sorensen on October 21, 2021.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action to adopt a Resolution and award a contract to VUMC is requested on November 9, 2021, to ensure the contract is in place expeditiously.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total annual contract amount will not exceed $9,746, inclusive of a 15 percent contingency. Sufficient funds are currently appropriated in the Health Fund Group in the Health and Human Services Department. This recommendation has minimal staffing impact beyond the normal budgeted scope of duties for staff currently working on COVID-19 response and is consistent with existing City Council priorities. There is no local job impact associated with this recommendation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
BODY
[Enter Body Here]
Respectfully Submitted,
KELLY COLOPY
DIRECTOR
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
APPROVED:
THOMAS B. MODICA
CITY MANAGER