To: Board of Supervisors
From: Anna Roth, Health Services Director
Report Title: Purchase Order with American Messaging Services, LLC
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Purchasing Agent, or designee, to execute on behalf of the Health Services Director, a blanket purchase order with American Messaging Services, LLC in an amount not to exceed $300,000 for pager services for the Contra Costa Regional Medical Center (CCRMC) during the period from November 1, 2024 through October 31, 2026.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this action will result in expenditures of up to $300,000 over a two-year period and will be funded by Hospital Enterprise Fund I revenues.
BACKGROUND:
American Messaging Services, LLC is a company that provides secure, reliable communication services, primarily through paging systems. They cater to industries that require critical messaging, such as healthcare, emergency services, and public safety. The company offers encrypted messaging, wide-area paging coverage, and solutions tailored to ensure fast, dependable communication.
For decades, CCRMC has relied on pagers to facilitate effective communication among providers and staff throughout their shifts, utilizing devices tailored to the unique needs and flexibility of each department. American Messaging Services, LLC delivers a straightforward, reliable, and secure messaging solution for staff across the CCRMC campus. Their pager service remains fully operational in all hospital areas, including the radiology department, where traditional messaging services often face disruptions from radiology equipment.
The services will be governed by the Customer Agreement between American Messaging Services, LLC and Contra Costa County effective July 1, 2024. On July 23, 2024, the Board of Supervisors approved agenda item C.57 to execute a purchase order with American Messaging Services, LLC in an amount not to exceed $15,000 and a related Customer Agreement for pager services during the period of July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027 for Hazardous Materials Programs. The Customer Agreement requires the County to indemnify American Messaging Services, LLC from any claims or expenses related to the quality and condition of the paging services. American Messaging is not liable for losses caused by equipment or service interruptions and is only liable for issues related to misuse of services, network issues, or breaches of warranty by the County or its users. Additionally, American Messaging will not be responsible for any indirect, incidental, or punitive damages incurred by the County.
On August 5, 2024, the Purchasing Agent approved the continued use of American Messaging Services, LLC, on the basis that CCRMC will complete a formal RFP for services, prior to the expiration of this purchase order.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this purchase order is not approved, CCRMC may experience delays in receiving urgent or critical information, affecting response times during emergencies.