Placement: Consent Agenda
Action Requested: Motion / Vote
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Approve Amendment #1 to Agreement #20210076 with Mark J. Pamer, D.O., LLC for COVID-19 Vaccination Distribution & Administration to City Residents.
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Submitted By: Robyn Holder, CPPB, Procurement Management Department (PMD).
Strategic Plan Link: The City’s Mission to provide exceptional municipal services.
Summary Brief (Agreements/Contracts only)
1. Prepared by: Robyn Holder, CPPB (PMD).
2. Parties: City of Port St. Lucie and Mark J. Pamer, D.O., LLC.
3. Purpose: Provide COVID-19 vaccinations to City Residents.
4. New/Renewal/Modified: Modified.
5. Duration: Continuing until terminated by either party.
6. Benefits to Port St. Lucie: Vaccinate all City Residents with hopes of reaching a level of collective immunity where the disease is no longer likely to spread.
7. Cost to Port St. Lucie (Annual and Potential): The overall program is estimated at $250,000. The current cost for each vaccine is $40.
Presentation Information: N/A.
Staff Recommendation: Move that the Council waive the bidding, Chapter 35.11(a), emergency purchasing, and approve the Amendment to Agreement #20210076 with Mark J. Pamer, D.O., LLC as the provider of COVID-19 Vaccination & Distribution to City Residents.
Alternate Recommendations:
1. Move that the Council amend the recommendation and approve the Amendment to Agreement #20210076.
2. Move that the Council not approve the Amendment to Agreement #20210076 and provide staff with direction.
Background: The City entered into an agreement with Dr. Mark Pamer on March 16, 2021 to collaborate with the City on a COVID-19 Vaccination Program. This was and is a valuable tool for the citizens of Port St. Lucie as there have been no Florida Department of Health, St. Lucie sponsored first dose COVID-19 Vaccination Points of Distribution (PODs) opened in the City since March 3, 2021. Since the City began this program in collaboration with Dr. Pamer’s office, over 2,500 citizens have been vaccinated in less than 7 weeks.
The prevailing vaccination in St. Lucie County is Pfizer BioNTech, which is a 2-shot regimen. The initial agreement was set at a price of $12 for the first dose and $24 for the second dose. This pricing was set based upon the rates insurers and Medicaid and Medicare paid medical providers. Vaccination payment rates have since been updated by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). CMS is the federal agency that runs the Medicare, Medicaid, and Children’s Health Insurance Programs, and the federally facilitated marketplace.
CMS adjusted the Medicare payment rate for COVID-19 vaccine administration effective for services furnished on or after March 15th to $40 for each dose. The rationale for this change provided by CMS is, “This rate reflects updated information about the costs involved in administering the COVID-19 vaccine for different types of providers and suppliers, and the additional resources necessary to ensure the vaccine is administered safely and appropriately.
Issues/Analysis: As this change in rates are based on federal guidance and due to the value this Public/Private Partnership is delivering and continues to deliver to the residents of Port St. Lucie, as well as the volatile environment the pandemic has created throughout the world, it is recommended to accept this Amendment to the terms of the Agreement.
Financial Information: Funds are appropriated in the General Fund / General Government / Other Contractual Services (#001-1900-534000-00000).
Special Consideration: N/A.
Location of Project: N/A.
Attachments:
1. Signed Amendment.
2. Original Agreement.
NOTE: All of the listed items in the “Attachment” section above are in the custody of the City Clerk. Any item(s) not provided in City Council packets are available upon request from the City Clerk.
Internal Reference Number: 6479
Legal Sufficiency Review:
Reviewed by Melany K. Crawford, Chief Assistant City Attorney. Approved as to Legal form and sufficiency by James D. Stokes, City Attorney.