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HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 8701INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS To the Mayor and Members of the City Council No. 8701 August 4, 2005 Page 1 of 3 SUBJECT: PUBLICLY POSTED RESTAURANT GRADING SYSTEM At the June 14, 2005 Pre - Council meeting, Council asked for information speck to the legality and feasibility of implementing a publicly posted restaurant grading system in Fort Worth. The purpose of this report is to address the legality of such a system; summarize current restaurant inspection practices; summarize the purpose, benefits and challenges of implementing a publicly posted restaurant grading system; identify other related models and options; and obtain Council direction for further research and planning. Lenali#y The legal question can be dispatched quickly. Restaurant inspection reports and scores are public records. While requiring restaurant owners to post these or related documents in a location that is easily visible to the public would require an ordinance amendment, there would be no legal prohibition. Current Restaurant Inspection Practices Each food establishment in Fort Worth (including restaurants) is inspected a minimum of two times each year by public health inspectors. A risk assessment tool is utilized to determine if more inspections are warranted. The risk assessment tool utilizes factors such as the types of food being prepared and previous inspection results. An establishment can be inspected as many as six times per year. Inspection reports are completed by the inspector, citing each violation of the health and safety code, and an overall score is assigned based upon the cumulative number of demerits associated with each violation. Depending upon the severity of the violations, an establishment can be closed by the inspector pending corrective actions. Inspection reports are signed by the restaurant representative who then receives a copy of the document. The original report is maintained by the inspector and retained on file at the public health department. Through a public records request process, anyone can obtain copies of restaurant inspection reports. Additionally, inspection scores are posted and archived on the City's Web site by date of inspection. The public health department is currently working with the I.T. Solutions department to develop a more sophisticated Web site resource that would include a searchable database with inspection report histories available. While current practices may not represent "state-of-the-art" methodologies for public access to restaurant inspection information, overall the Consumer Health program is a nationally-recognized model. In 2004, the program received the Samuel J. Crumbine Award, a presti &us public health award honoring the best local food protection agency in North America. Publicly Posted Restaurant Gradinca Systems The purpose of any restaurant inspection system is to reduce the incidence of food -bome illness. The practice of publicly poste restaurant scores or grades has been adopted in several jurisdictions across the ration, including Los Angeles and San Diego, Caftmia. Variations on this approach are in use in other parts of the country; however, this practice has yet to attain industry standard status. ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS To the Mayor and Members of the City Council No. 8700 July 26, 2005 Page 1 of 3 SUBJECT: Recommended Award of Community Solutions Management Information System for the Public Health Department This Informal Report responds to the Council's questions related to M &C C- 20835, "Authorize the Execution of Service Contract with Interaction Information Technology, for the Development, Implementation and Maintenance of an Integrated Management Information System ". The purpose of this report is to give a short background for the project; address the bid and scoring process for this contract; address concerns as to whether this project would be duplicative; inform as to the level of system integration that already exists among mental health providers; address MWBE participation; and clarify concerns about the recommended vendors cost proposal. Background Community Solutions is a federally funded project in the Public Health Department that has a mandate to facilitate collaboration with the member organizations of the Mental Health Connection of Tarrant County to insure that services in our community will be strengths - based, culturally competent, family driven, integrated and seamless for families of children with a severe emotional disturbance. The purpose of the Community Solutions Management Information System (CSMIS) is to better the health of our citizens by integrating community mental health providers. It will not be linked to the City of Fort Worth's IT system. In the original proposal written to and funded by the Substance Abuse Mental Health Service Administration, the City of Fort Worth, in partnership with the Mental Health Connection, pledged to research the feasibility and need of an integrated management information system. If such a system was needed and feasible, the City as the fiscal agent of the project is to implement this system on behalf of the participating community agencies. After 2 Y2 years of research locally and nationwide it was determined that this system was crucial. For children and their families to receive appropriate care that is not fragmented, it is necessary for providers to have access to the care they have received at other agencies. This will allow for continuity of care, it will allow providers to build on successes, to learn from past failures, prevent families from having to constantly repeat their stories, and most importantly to allow for integrated, synergistic, multi- system care. Bid and Scoring Process Six community agencies, Lena Pope Home, Catholic Charities, All Church Home, the Parenting Center, Tarrant County Juvenile Services and Mental Health Mental Retardation of Tarrant County, headed by Project Manager Sherwin Daryani of the City Public Health Department, independently evaluated responses to the Request for Proposal (RFP) based on the criteria and point value shown below. Graded Criteria Functional Requirements Technical Requirements Maintenance Requirements Project References Project Personnel Proposal Price ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER Maximum possible paints 30 20 5 10 10 25 100 FORT WORTH, TEXAS INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 8700 To the Mayor and Members of the City Council duly 26, 2005 Page 3 of 3 SUBJECT: Recommended Award of Community Solutions Management Information System for the Public Health Department recommended vendor Interaction Information Technology ($499,470.00). TCA's estimate was for 5 agencies and only 15 end users. The 5 agencies were what all vendors bid on before selection. After IIT was selected, further negotiations were made for integration of 20 agencies. Based on TCA's written proposal the 3 year cost for 20 agencies would be comparable to IITs. However, TCA charges on going fees for each end -user while IIT charges a one -time licensing fee for an unlimited number of end - users. TCA's ongoing cost would be at minimum $165,600.00 per year, plus maintenance and hosting for as long as the City used the software. If the proposal from IIT is accepted as recommended, there are no costs beyond the initial purchase. Furthermore, IIT is the only vendor that submitted a proposal that allowed the City to own the source code. This is very important as it allows the continuous use and expansion of the CSMIS even if, after three years, the selected company is no longer used. The City's financial commitment to the CSMIS ends with the federal grant funding on September 29, 2008. Due to this, it is essential that this system does not have high end -user fees and that there is source code ownership so that the community mental health providers are able to continue the maintenance and growth of the CSMIS. Summary 1 he Community Solution Management Information System will assist children with severe emotional - disturbances receive care that is integrated and seamless. This system will not duplicate an existing 9 efforts in the community and will be the most inclusive integration system for mental health services in our community. All appropriate purchasing procedures were followed. This system is also very cost effective and competitive relative to all the other vendors that bid. Representative members of the Mental Health Connection who served on the selection committee and will be end -users of the CSMIS, unanimously and enthusiastically support the selection of Interaction Information Technology. Recommendation The staff recommends that, at the August 4 meeting, the City Council approve M &C C- 20835, Authorize the Execution of Service Contract with Interaction Information Technology, for the Development, Implementation and Maintenance of an Integrated Management Information System" as submitted. For further information please contact Assistant City Manager, Joe Paniagua, at 817- 392 -6191 or Public Health Director, Daniel B. Reimer, who is also the Principal Investigator for Community Solutions at 817 -871 -7201. I � Charles R. Boswell City Manager 16 ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS