ESBD_449251_1756218661356_City of Forney, TX EMS RFP 8.26.pdf

RFP 2025-004

PROPOSAL RELEASE DATE: AUGUST 26, 2025

PROPOSALS DUE: OCTOBER 27, 2025

Reply no later than the date and time indicated above for the RFP Response Deadline.

The bid package is available on the City of Forney Website at www.forneytx.gov or the Beacon Website https://www.beaconbid.com/sectors/municipal.

Exclusive Ambulance Services Provider For the City of Forney, Texas Service Area http://www.forneytx.gov/ https://www.beaconbid.com/sectors/municipal

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION 1 – INTRODUCTION

1.1 PURPOSE

1.2 CITY OF FORNEY, TX OVERVIEW

1.3 THE EMS SYSTEM SERVICE AREA

1.4 EMS SYSTEM OVERVIEW

1.5 RELEVANT SERVICE AREA INFORMATION

1.6 HISTORICAL RESPONSE VOLUME

1.7 TRANSPORT DATA

1.8 HISTORICAL SERVICE MIX

1.9 HISTORICAL PAYER MIX

1.10 OPTIONAL MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM

SECTION 2 – PROCUREMENT INFORMATION

2.1 PERFORMANCE-BASED CONTRACT

2.2 SCOPE OF WORK

2.3 ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

2.4 NOTICE TO PROPOSERS

2.5 USE OF OWN EXPERTISE AND JUDGMENT

2.6 FALSE OR MISLEADING STATEMENTS

2.7 PROCUREMENT TIMELINE

2.8 PROCUREMENT PROCESS

SECTION 3 – PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS

3.1 PROPOSAL FORMAT

3.2 MANDATORY TABLE OF CONTENTS

3.3 MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND DOCUMENTATION OF CREDENTIALS

3.4 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.5 PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA

SECTION 4 – SERVICE PLAN

4.1 CONTRACTOR’S FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

4.2 SERVICES DESCRIPTION

SECTION 5 – CLINICAL STANDARDS

5.1 CLINICAL RESPONSIBILITIES

5.2 QUALITY MANAGEMENT

5.3 CLINICAL PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT AND INCENTIVES

5.4 SERIOUS REPORTABLE EVENTS

5.5 PERSONNEL CERTIFICATION AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

SECTION 6 – OPERATIONAL STANDARDS

6.1 DEPLOYMENT PLANNING

6.2 AMBULANCE STAFFING

6.3 ELECTRONIC CONTINUING EDUCATION DATABASE

6.4 VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION

6.5 AMBULANCES

6.6 VEHICLE MAINTENANCE

6.7 EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES & PHARMACEUTICALS

6.8 BALLISTIC VEST REQUIREMENT

6.9 COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT

6.10 TECHNOLOGY AND DATA MANAGEMENT

6.11 DISPATCH AND/OR RECORDS MANAGEMENT COMPUTERS

6.12 ESSENTIAL PATIENT CARE RECORD (PCR) AND ASSIGNMENT DATA

6.13 RECORDS

6.14 NON-CLINICAL TRAINING

6.15 CRITICAL INCIDENT STRESS MANAGEMENT

6.16 CHARACTER COMPETENCE AND PROFESSIONALISM OF PERSONNEL

6.17 DISCRIMINATION NOT ALLOWED

6.18 DISASTER RESPONSE AND PREPAREDNESS

6.19 STANDBY SERVICE

SECTION 7 – AMBULANCE RESPONSE TIME PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

7.1 RESPONSE TIME PERFORMANCE AND MEASUREMENT METHODS

7.2 PRIORITY 1, 2, AND 3 RESPONSE TIME PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS

7.3 EQUITY IN RESPONSE TIMES THROUGHOUT THE REPORTING PERIOD

7.4 RESPONSE TIME MEASUREMENT METHODOLOGY

7.5 RESPONSE TIME REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

7.6 RESPONSE TIME EXEMPTION REQUESTS

7.7 LIQUIDATED DAMAGES FOR RESPONSE TIME PERFORMANCE

SECTION 8 – ADMINISTRATIVE STANDARDS

8.1 PATIENT EXPERIENCE EVALUATION

8.2 CUSTOMER SERVICE HOTLINE AND COMPLAINT PROCESS

8.3 EMPLOYEE SAFETY AND WELLNESS

8.4 INTERNAL RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

8.5 COMMUNICABLE DISEASES, SAFETY, AND PREVENTION

8.6 REPORTS REQUIRED

SECTION 9 – REGULATORY COMPLIANCE STANDARDS

9.1 MEDICARE COMPLIANCE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

9.2 HIPAA COMPLIANCE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

9.3 STATE AND LOCAL REGULATIONS

9.4 PATIENT CHARGES

9.5 BILLING/COLLECTION SERVICES

9.6 ACCOUNTING PROCEDURES

9.7 INSURANCE PROVISIONS

9.8 PERFORMANCE SECURITY

SECTION 10 – OTHER GENERAL PROVISIONS, TERMS AND CONDITIONS

10.1 APPLICABLE LAW AND VENUE

10.2 CONFLICT OF INTEREST

10.3 ENGAGED IN BUSINESS WITH IRAN, SUDAN, OR FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION

10.4 H.B. 1295 COMPLIANCE

10.5 NO BOYCOTT OF ISRAEL

10.6 NO BOYCOTT OF ENERGY COMPANIES

10.7 NO BOYCOTTING OF FIREARM ENTITIES

10.8 NON-WAIVER OF GOVERNMENTAL IMMUNITY

10.9 CONTINUOUS SERVICE DELIVERY

10.10 DEFAULT AND PROVISIONS FOR TERMINATION OF THE AGREEMENT

10.11 CURE OF MATERIAL BREACH

10.12 EMERGENCY TAKEOVER

10.13 TRANSITION PLANNING

10.14 CITY’S REMEDIES

10.15 "LAME DUCK" PROVISIONS

10.16 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS, ALLOWANCES, RESTRICTIONS

SECTION 11 – SUBSIDY REQUEST & FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS

11.1 SUBSIDY REQUEST

11.2 FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS

SECTION 12 – APPENDICES

APPENDIX 1 – DEFINITIONS

APPENDIX 2 – MAP OF THE CITY

APPENDIX 3 – MANDATORY FIRST PAGE FORM

APPENDIX 4 – PRICING FORM

APPENDIX 5 – CLINICAL SCORECARD

APPENDIX 6 – INTENT TO RESPOND

APPENDIX 7 – AFFIDAVIT OF NON-COLLUSION, NON-CONFLICT OF INTEREST, ANTI-LOBBYING

APPENDIX 8 – INDEMNITY AGREEMENT

APPENDIX 9 – SWORN VERIFICATION STATEMENT

APPENDIX 10 – SUBSIDY FORM

APPENDIX 11 – FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS FORM

APPENDIX 12 – DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES & PHARMACEUTICALS REQUIREMENT FORM

SECTION 1 – INTRODUCTION

1.1 PURPOSE

The City of Forney (“City”) is a municipal corporation in the State of Texas. The City has the authority to select its emergency ambulance service providers through a competitive process. The City of Forney is seeking sealed proposals from qualified organizations to provide emergency ambulance services for the City of Forney.

The City of Forney invites experienced and qualified Proposers to submit proposals to provide Advanced Life Support (“ALS”) and/or Mobile Intensive Care Unit (“MICU”) emergency ambulance services as specified in this document for the entirety of the City of Forney.

The outcome of this RFP will be the selection of a Proposer who will become the Contractor with whom the City will negotiate an exclusive, performance-based agreement (Agreement). The initial Contract period will be five (5) years. The City, in its sole discretion, may elect to oSer the contracted provider an extension of the Contract for one

(1) additional five (5) year period. In exercising its discretion, the City may consider factors including, but not limited to, the contracted provider's performance under this Contract, the best interests of the community and the EMS system, and any other factors the City deems relevant. Any extension of the Contract will require the mutual agreement of the City and the contracted provider as described in this RFP.

Details regarding the Contract, performance standards, and other characteristics of the scope of work requested are described in this RFP. Proposers are advised that the City is characterized by its diverse population and the service area’s geography. A successful proposal will demonstrate the Proposer’s thorough understanding and orientation to the City's unique service needs and requirements to ensure that all residents and visitors receive high-quality care.

This RFP does not commit the City to award a contract, pay costs incurred in the preparation of a proposal responding to this request, or to procure a contract for service.

The City reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals received because of this request, or to cancel in part, or in its entirety, the RFP process if the City deems it is in the best interest to do so. This RFP shall not be construed to be a low-bid process, although price will be considered. The contract, if awarded, will be negotiated with the Proposer who can best meet the City’s needs as identified in this RFP.

1.2 CITY OF FORNEY, TX OVERVIEW

The City of Forney (“City”) was incorporated in 1910 and operates as a Home Rule City, under a Council-Manager form of government with the Mayor and six Council members elected at large. The City’s major operations include police and fire protection, planning, building inspections, finance, parks and recreation, public works, and general administrative services. In addition, the City owns and operates a water and sewer system.

According to the U.S. Census 2024 population estimate, the City of Forney has an estimated 38,572 residents and covers approximately 14.8 square miles. The City is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States, growing at a rate of approximately 10% per year. It is located in Kaufman County in North Texas, approximately 20 miles east of Dallas, and is considered part of the Dallas-Fort Worth greater metropolitan area.

The region features a humid, subtropical climate, with hot summers, mild winters, and an average of 233 days of sun per year. Forney is widely recognized as the “Antique Capital of Texas” and has enjoyed rapid residential and commercial growth in recent years. The local economy is supported by retail, manufacturing, logistics, construction, and education, with easy access to the Dallas metropolitan job market via U.S. Highway 80 and Interstate

20. Public education is provided by the Forney Independent School District (FISD), serving Forney and the surrounding areas.

1.3 THE EMS SYSTEM SERVICE AREA

The response area to be served by this RFP is the City of Forney, Texas. Kaufman County Emergency Services District #6 is approximately 61 square miles, surrounding the City of Forney.

1.4 EMS SYSTEM OVERVIEW

DISPATCH

The City of Forney's Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) provides enhanced 911 telephone service, call-taking, and computer aided dispatch (CAD) services for law enforcement and fire rescue; however, it is not responsible for telecommunications for EMS. The EMS call-taking, caller interrogation, and dispatching are provided by Kaufman County’s contracted emergency medical services provider.

The City of Forney strongly prefers that the Contractor establish and operate a Secondary Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) and associated dispatch center within the municipal boundaries of the City of Forney, Texas, for the management and dispatch of all EMS resources dedicated to the City.

If the Contractor elects not to establish a Secondary PSAP within the City of Forney, the Contractor must operate a Secondary PSAP that is physically located within a seventy-five

(75) mile radius of the City of Forney municipal boundaries. The Contractor shall, at its sole expense, implement and maintain a fully functional CAD to CAD interface between the Contractor’s CAD and the City of Forney’s CAD system. This CAD-to-CAD link shall be established and maintained to ensure seamless data exchange for all EMS-related call activity, real-time interoperability for incident initiation, updates, and closure, and compliance with recognized interoperability standards for CAD system integration. All costs associated with the establishment, licensing, maintenance, testing, and operation of the Secondary PSAP and the CAD-to-CAD interface shall be borne exclusively by the Contractor. The Contractor shall provide documentation of CAD-to-CAD interoperability and operational readiness prior to contract commencement and shall maintain such compliance throughout the contract term.

FIRST RESPONSE

The City of Forney Fire Department provides fire protection and Advanced Life Support (ALS) first response to residents and visitors of the City of Forney, the Town of Talty, and Kaufman County Emergency Services District (ESD) #6.

EMS

Currently, there is not an exclusive Agreement with a contracted emergency medical services provider to provide Advanced Life Support (“ALS”) and/or Mobile Intensive Care Unit (“MICU”) emergency ambulance services in the City of Forney, Texas. Instead, Kaufman County contracts with an emergency medical services provider, and the City of Forney receives emergency medical services because it is located within the Kaufman County boundary.

MEDICAL CONTROL

The Forney Fire Department Medical Control and ALS Protocols are under the direction of BEST EMS. The Contractor shall operate under the medical direction of BEST EMS and shall comply with all Advanced Life Support (ALS) protocols established by BEST EMS. All EMS services provided under this Contract shall adhere to the medical standards, clinical guidelines, and protocols promulgated by BEST EMS, and the Contractor shall ensure that all personnel are trained, credentialed, and monitored for compliance with such protocols.

The Contractor shall not deviate from BEST EMS medical control or ALS protocols without prior written authorization from BEST EMS.

RECEIVING FACILITIES

Healthcare facilities that received at least fifteen transports in calendar year 2024, based on available CAD data, are in the table below.

Transport Destination

Baylor Scott & White - Sunnyvale (SUNV)

Texas Health Rockwall (RKPH)

Dallas Regional Medical Center (MDR1)

Baylor Scott & White - Dallas (DBMC)

Baylor Scott & White - Lake Pointe Forney (FLPM)

Baylor Scott & White - Lake Pointe Rowlett (ROWL)

Children's Medical Ctr (DCMC)

Children’s Medical Ctr (DCMC)

William P. Clements University Hospital (DWPC)

Parkland Hospital (DPKD)

Texas Health Dallas (DPMC)

Texas Health Kaufman (KAUF)

Medical City Dallas (DMCD)

The non-9-1-1 services in the City of Forney are not covered by the resulting Agreement. The contractor may contract this business outside of the provision of 9-1-1 services. The City does not currently have a hospital within the city limits; however, Texas Health Resources is expanding services in Kaufman County, including building a full-service hospital and on-campus medical oSice building in the City of Forney, Texas. The new hospital is scheduled to be built on 50 acres located along Highway 80. Construction is expected to be completed in 2027. The hospital will oSer an emergency room, operating suites, a labor and delivery department, a variety of imaging services, as well as additional services to provide the full continuum of care to the growing community.

1.5 RELEVANT SERVICE AREA INFORMATION

The City makes no promises or guarantees concerning the number of emergency and non-emergency requests for service or transports, quantities of patients, or distance of transports that are associated with this procurement. Every eSort has been made to provide accurate information, but the Proposers are to use their professional judgment and expertise to develop their economic and operational plans and proposals.

1.6 HISTORICAL RESPONSE VOLUME

The City’s response volume must be determined by any potential Contractor. Historical response volume data for 2019 – 2024 is provided in the following table. Reporting periods reflect fiscal years spanning October 1 to September 30 of each subsequent year.

Reporting periods 2019-20 and 2023-24 each contained 366 days due to inclusion of leap year date February 29 in 2020 and 2024. All other reporting periods each contained 365 days. There has been no independent validation of this data, and Proposers are encouraged to use their own means to analyze the service to determine response and transport volumes.

Reporting Period

Call Type 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24

Breathing DiSiculty 360 588 85 0 0

Cardiac and Stroke 251 312 51 0 0

Death 21 27 14 0 0

Fall and Injury 506 728 116 0 0

Illness and Other 1,144 1,398 3,209 3,884 4,368

MVA 667 697 773 756 862

Overdose and Psychiatric 101 95 30 0 0

Seizure and Unconsciousness 243 345 53 0 0

Total 3,293 4,190 4,331 4,640 5,230

Temporal response volume data for 2024 is provided in the following tables. These tables are based on the 5,230 total EMS related requests for service received from the community and the frequency of requests for service by month, day of week, and hour of day. There has been no independent validation of this data, and Proposers are encouraged to use their own means to analyze the service to determine response and transport volumes.

TOTAL EMS RELATED CALLS AND AVERAGE CALLS PER DAY BY MONTH

Month Number of Calls Average Calls per Day Call Percentage

January 469 15.1 9.0

February 386 13.3 7.4

March 384 12.4 7.3

April 405 13.5 7.7

May 464 15.0 8.9

June 439 14.6 8.4

July 480 15.5 9.2

August 449 14.5 8.6

September 459 15.3 8.8

October 387 12.5 7.4

November 447 14.9 8.5

December 461 14.9 8.8

Total 5,230 14.3 100.0

AVERAGE EMS RELATED CALLS PER DAY BY MONTH

Day of Week Number of Responses

Average Responses per Day

Response Percentage

Sunday 683 12.9 13.1

Monday 708 13.4 13.5

Tuesday 707 13.6 13.5

Wednesday 792 15.2 15.1

Thursday 782 15.0 15.0

Friday 784 15.1 15.0

Saturday 774 14.9 14.8

TOTAL EMS RELATED CALLS AND AVERAGE CALLS PER DAY BY DAY OF WEEK

Hour of Day Number of Calls Average Calls per Day Call Percentage

0 148 0.40 2.8 1 128 0.35 2.4 2 118 0.32 2.3 3 103 0.28 2.0 4 98 0.27 1.9 5 116 0.32 2.2 6 149 0.41 2.8 7 204 0.56 3.9 8 211 0.58 4.0 9 243 0.66 4.6

10 282 0.77 5.4 11 265 0.72 5.1 12 286 0.78 5.5 13 294 0.80 5.6 14 259 0.71 5.0 15 308 0.84 5.9 16 298 0.81 5.7 17 290 0.79 5.5 18 304 0.83 5.8 19 287 0.78 5.5 20 252 0.69 4.8 21 237 0.65 4.5 22 189 0.52 3.6 23 161 0.44 3.1

1.7 TRANSPORT DATA

The transport volume must be determined by any potential Contractor. The City does not guarantee any number of responses or transports.

1.8 HISTORICAL SERVICE MIX

Any potential contractor must determine the City service mix. Historical service mix data is not available. Proposers are encouraged to analyze the service area to determine service mix volumes and percentages. The City does not guarantee any number or percentage of transports or levels of service.

1.9 HISTORICAL PAYER MIX

Any potential contractor must determine the City payer mix. The historical payer mix data is not available.

1.10 OPTIONAL MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM

The City of Forney currently participates in a voluntary household EMS membership program, through which residents may access reduced or waived out-of-pocket costs for ambulance transport services. Under that Agreement, all households receiving water services from the City automatically receive a membership for an additional $1 per month added to their water bill. The membership mitigates the cost of ambulance transport, with full coverage for individuals with health insurance coverage and a fifty percent discount for individuals who do not have health insurance. The City provides the administrator of the program with a monthly list of participating households to facilitate service delivery.

Participation in the program is voluntary, and residents can opt-out anytime. Households that do not receive water services from the City of Forney but desire a membership can complete an application process and receive service for an annual fee of $12, paid directly to the administrator of the program. Proposers are invited to include in their proposal a plan to establish and administer a membership program for residents of the City of Forney that includes the program requirements described below:

• Eligibility and Enrollment: The program shall provide for automatic enrollment of households receiving municipal water services (or other utilities as designated by the City), with the option for residents to opt-out at any time. Households not receiving City water services shall be permitted to enroll through an alternative application and payment process.

• Membership Fee Structure: The program may utilize a nominal monthly or annual fee structure (e.g., added to a utility bill or collected directly by the Contractor), subject to City approval.

• Coverage: The membership shall mitigate out-of-pocket costs for EMS transport, oSering (a) full coverage of patient financial responsibility for insured individuals and (b) a substantial discount for uninsured individuals.

• Administration: The Contractor shall administer the program, including enrollment management, billing, collection, and customer service. The Contractor shall also provide the City with regular reports on membership participation, revenue, utilization, and impact on patient financial responsibility.

• City Coordination: If the membership fee is collected through City utility billing, the Contractor shall enter into a data-sharing arrangement with the City for enrollment verification and program administration.

• Voluntary Participation: Residents must be permitted to opt out of the program at any time without penalty.

The City emphasizes that inclusion of a membership program is optional and not a mandatory requirement of this RFP.

SECTION 2 – PROCUREMENT INFORMATION

2.1 PERFORMANCE-BASED CONTRACT

This RFP is designed to result in the award of a performance-based Contract (also referred to herein as Agreement). This RFP and its provisions, attachments, addenda, and exhibits constitute a solicitation for the selection of a single provider of ground emergency ambulance service for the City of Forney. The operation of an emergency ambulance service shall be consistent with the provisions of this procurement process, including staSing and performance. This procurement process includes provisions for all ambulance responses.

All of the following transports originating in the City of Forney shall be referred to the holder of the exclusive Contract, and the holder of the exclusive Agreement shall be responsible for all responses and ground transports as follows:

• Made in response to 911/ PSAP requests

• Made in response to requests for immediate emergency ambulance service transmitted through an authorized 911/PSAP

• Made in response to requests for emergency ambulance service made directly to the ambulance provider from a seven-digit telephone call without going through an authorized 911/PSAP

• Any request for ALS interfacility transport from a healthcare facility

• All “Special Events” requiring the presence of an ALS ambulance; and

• All “Special Events” requiring ALS level of service, even if there is no ambulance required.

2.2 SCOPE OF WORK

The Contractor’s scope of work is summarized as follows:

When the Contractor receives a request for service from any of the PSAPs located in the City, ambulance response times must meet the response time standards outlined in this RFP. Every ambulance provided by the Contractor for emergency response must always, except as authorized by the Agreement, be equipped and staSed to operate at the appropriate level on all ambulance responses, including emergency and non-emergency services.

Clinical performance must be consistent with approved medical standards and protocols.

The conduct and appearance of the Contractor’s personnel must always be professional and courteous. Patient transportation and disposition will be according to the City’s Policies and Procedures as established or approved in the Contractor’s proposal and as developed or promulgated as part of this RFP.

Services and care delivered must be evaluated by the Contractor’s internal quality improvement program and, as necessary, through the City quality improvement program in order to improve and maintain eSective clinical performance. The Contractor must detect and correct clinical and other performance deficiencies and continuously upgrade the performance and reliability of the EMS system. Equipment failure and human error should be held to an absolute minimum through constant attention to performance, protocol, procedure, performance auditing, and prompt and definitive corrective action.

Contractor shall provide an emergency medical dispatch center. The EMS dispatch center shall operate within industry standards and as a Secondary PSAP for medical emergencies.

The Secondary PSAP shall meet all federal and state requirements, including the equipment and interface needs with Primary PSAPs. The City of Forney strongly prefers that the Contractor establish and operate a Secondary Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) and associated dispatch center within the municipal boundaries of the City of Forney, Texas, for the management and dispatch of all EMS resources dedicated to the City.

If the Contractor elects not to establish a Secondary PSAP within the City of Forney, the Contractor must operate a Secondary PSAP that is physically located within a seventy-five

(75) mile radius of the City of Forney municipal boundaries.

The Contractor shall, at its sole expense, implement and maintain a fully functional CAD to CAD interface between the Contractor’s CAD and the City of Forney’s CAD system. This CAD-to-CAD link shall be established and maintained to ensure seamless data exchange for all EMS-related call activity, real-time interoperability for incident initiation, updates, and closure, and compliance with recognized interoperability standards for CAD system integration. All costs associated with the establishment, licensing, maintenance, testing, and operation of the Secondary PSAP and the CAD-to-CAD interface shall be borne exclusively by the Contractor. The Contractor shall provide documentation of CAD-to-CAD interoperability and operational readiness prior to contract commencement and shall maintain such compliance throughout the contract term.

All Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) staS shall be authorized to dispatch medical calls, certified in the Medical Priority Dispatch System, and receive extensive and ongoing training specific to local conditions, geography, and key 911/PSAP first responder personnel in the City of Forney. The Contractor shall cooperate, train with, participate in quality-control procedures, and communicate with each of the City’s 911/PSAPs to ensure a delivery of dispatch services that minimizes delays and errors.

Should the dispatch center not be in City of Forney, the Proposer shall justify the location from the standpoint of cost savings, depth of dispatch staSing and expertise, or disaster surge capacity. In addition, Proposers shall warrant and provide specific plans in their proposals that assure the key features of an in-City dispatch center such as:

• Prompt access to CAD data (within eight hours of request during weekdays);

• Familiarity of staS to local conditions.

• Familiarity with public safety dispatching procedures.

• Access of dispatch staS to local training.

• Access of dispatch staS to local quality improvement activities.

• Access of dispatch staS to local meetings with local public safety personnel.

• Access by City staS to dispatch observation sessions and unannounced inspections.

The Contractor shall provide suSicient EMS dispatcher staS (minimum of two per shift) at the EMS dispatch center to allow prompt answering of all telephone requests for ambulance service (within five telephone rings) with no telephone request for immediate ambulance response shall be placed on hold except for rare times of system overload. The requirement for prompt answering and avoiding holds applies equally to calls received on ring down lines (dedicated, direct telephone lines) with hospitals and other dispatch centers. The following minimum standards form the objective performance data for EMS Dispatch operations:

• For each month, a minimum of 98% of calls for service through the 911 system shall be answered in five (5) rings or less.

• 90% of medical calls shall be completed (i.e., call answered to unit dispatched) within 90 seconds, and 99% shall be completed within 120 seconds (i.e., NFPA 1221 standards)

• For each month, no more than one-tenth of one percent of 911 calls which require the dispatch of an ambulance, in accordance with approved dispatch protocols, may be placed on hold at any time prior to an ambulance being dispatched.

• First-response agencies shall be notified regarding emergency responses within 60 seconds of call receipt, 98% of the time from call receipt/phone pick up. The only exception to this standard will be for those jurisdictions in which the Primary PSAP initiates the first response to the call.

• Other specifications as required in the Agreement resulting from this RFP.

The dispatch computer utilized by the Contractor shall include security features preventing unauthorized access or retrospective adjustment and full audit trail documentation. The City (or a named representative of the City) will be provided access to all data maintained by the CAD system as necessary to analyze demand.

The Contractor agrees to allow the City, at Contractor’s expense, to install an interface with the CAD to collect and monitor CAD information and patient care reports and provide access to the City to voice recording systems. The interface made available to the City shall provide real-time monitoring of the Contractor’s CAD screens and at a minimum provide the location and status of active ambulance calls, pending calls, location and status of ambulances and crews.

The Contractor shall provide the City of Forney with full access to all telephony and dispatch data necessary to evaluate call-handling performance, including but not limited to data elements required for Erlang-C analysis, call answer time evaluation, and related dispatch performance metrics. Such access shall include detailed call volume, call arrival patterns, call duration, answer times, queue times, abandonment rates, and any other data elements reasonably necessary to perform industry-standard telephony and dispatch workload analyses.

All telephony and dispatch data shall be provided in a format that is readily exportable, auditable, and compatible with standard analytical methods. The Contractor shall make such data available to the City on a monthly basis or upon request, without additional cost.

The Contractor shall retain and provide historical data for the full term of the Contract, and ensure the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of all data provided.

The Agreement is not a level-of-eSort agreement. The successful Proposer must achieve the clinical, response time, customer satisfaction, quality improvement, and other performance results required and as detailed in this RFP. The contractor’s failure to achieve the performance standards in the RFP and resulting Contract will result in the assessment of liquidated damages and may result in the City’s termination of the Contract.

2.3 ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

The City welcomes proposals from all interested parties that meet the minimum requirements set forth in this RFP.

INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR

It is expressly understood that in the performance of any services resulting from this proposal, Proposer is an Independent Contractor and is not an agent or employee of the City and warrants that all persons assigned to the contract are employees or Subcontractors of the Proposer. In the event the awarded Proposer shall employ others to complete or perform the services provided, the Proposer shall be solely responsible and hold the City harmless from all matters relating to the payment of such person(s).

It is mutually understood and agreed that no employee-employer relationship will be created between the City and the Proposer or City and Proposer’s employees, and that the awarded Proposer shall hold the City harmless and be solely responsible for withholding, reporting, and payment of any federal, state, or local taxes, contributions or premiums imposed or required by workers' compensation, unemployment insurance, social security, income tax or other statutes or codes applying to the Proposer, or its Subcontractor(s) and employees, if any.

It is mutually agreed and understood that the Proposer, its Subcontractor(s), and employees, if any, shall have no claim under any Agreement that may result from this proposal or otherwise against the City for vacation pay, sick leave, retirement or social security benefits, occupational or non-occupational injury, disability or illness, or loss of life or income, by whatever cause and that, if necessary, the Proposer shall indemnify the City from all claims arising out of this Section .

SUBCONTRACTORS

Any Proposer using a Subcontractor(s) must clearly explain in the initial proposal the use of the Subcontractor(s) and list the name(s) of the Subcontractor(s) providing work under this proposal. Any Proposer intending to utilize a subcontractor to provide contracted services remains solely responsible for meeting the terms of the contract.

Any contract between the selected Proposer and the Subcontractor(s) shall contain provisions for federal, state, and local access to the books, documents, records, and inspection of work. The Proposer awarded any Agreement as a result of this proposal shall obtain the City’s written approval of any subcontractors identified in the Proposer’s submittal before execution of Agreement.

After contract is finalized, Contractor may not use any subcontractor to perform any of Contractor’s obligations under this Contract unless (a) Contractor has obtained the prior written consent of the City to the use of the subcontractor, and (b) Contractor has entered into a separate written agreement with the subcontractor which requires the subcontractor to agree to and abide by all the terms and conditions of the finalized Contract. The City shall be deemed to be a third-party beneficiary of any such agreement between Contractor and a permitted subcontractor. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Contractor shall not be relieved of any of its duties or obligations under this Contract as a result of entering into a written agreement with a permitted subcontractor.

2.4 NOTICE TO PROPOSERS

This Request for Proposal does not commit the City of Forney to award a contract, pay the costs incurred in preparing a Proposal responding to this request, or procure a contract for service. The City reserves the right to waive any immaterial informality in the Proposals and any minor irregularity in the submission. Where this Request for Proposals (RFP) indicates that the City of Forney or the Proposal Evaluation Committee retains discretion in any decision, evaluation, or process, such discretion will be exercised reasonably, in good faith, and applied consistently and equitably to all Proposers.

RIGHTS TO MODIFY

The City of Forney reserves the right to cancel the Request for Proposal in its entirety if it is in the best interests of the City. The City further reserves the right to modify the RFP as needed, including after it is issued.

CITY DISCUSSIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS

Clarifications may be permitted after the submission of responses and before the award of the Contract. The City may permit discussions with Proposers to clarify aspects of the proposal after submission but before the award of the Contract. In conducting discussions, there shall be no disclosure of any information derived from responses submitted by competing Proposers to anyone outside of the Proposal Evaluation Committee and City staS.

All Proposers submitting responses for consideration agree that their companies will be willing to enter into a final Agreement based substantially on this RFP and the terms of their accepted proposal after selection. The City expects the final Agreement to reflect the requirements of this RFP and the commitments made in the successful proposal. While minor, non-substantive clarifications or adjustments to legal language may be necessary during final contract drafting, the City will not entertain any substantive changes to the material terms of the RFP or the accepted proposal. The Proposer should not assume that any terms of this RFP are subject to later negotiation and should instead treat all terms and conditions as mandatory.

RFP INTERPRETATION

The Proposer must carefully examine the specifications, terms, and conditions expressed in the RFP and become fully informed of the requirements. Those desiring to respond to the RFP that object to any requirements must raise those objections in writing and in in accordance with the provisions of the RFP.

If Proposers discover any ambiguity, conflict, discrepancy, omission, or error in their proposal or have any questions regarding the RFP requirements or any other related matters, they shall immediately request clarification or modification of the applicable document(s) through the Beacon Website no later than the Question and Answer deadline found in the Procurement Timeline.

No further requests for clarification or objections to the RFP will be accepted or considered after this date. Any change in the RFP will be made only by a written addendum that is approved by the City. The addendum will be issued by the City and shall be incorporated into the proposal.

2.5 USE OF OWN EXPERTISE AND JUDGMENT

Each Proposer is specifically advised to use its own best expertise and judgment in deciding on the methods to be employed to achieve and maintain the performance required under the resulting Contract. By “methods,” the City means compensation programs, shift schedules, personnel policies, asset acquisition, supervisory structure, deployment plans, and other business matters that comprise the organization’s strategies and activities. The City specifically makes no promises or guarantees concerning the number of emergency and non-emergency calls or transports, quantities of patients, or distance of transports that will be associated with this procurement.

2.6 FALSE OR MISLEADING STATEMENTS

Responses that contain false or misleading statements or that provide references that do not support an attribute or condition claimed by the Proposer must be rejected.

2.7 PROCUREMENT TIMELINE

The expected procurement schedule is listed below. If a change in the Procurement Timeline occurs, the City will notify Proposers through the Beacon Website.

Date Activity

August 26, 2025 City releases RFP on the city website

September 1, 2025 Letter of intent due to the city

September 8, 2025 Written questions due to the city

September 22, 2025 Virtual proposers’ conference

October 6, 2025 City answers written RFP questions

October 27, 2025 Deadline for proposals to be submitted

November 3, 2025 Oral presentations

November 3, 2025 Proposal review process

November 11, 2025 Intent to award announced & negotiation process initiated

December 1, 2025 Contract signed

June 1, 2026 New contract takes effect

2.8 PROCUREMENT PROCESS

LETTER OF INTENT TO RESPOND

The Letter of Intent to Respond in Appendix 6 – Letter of Intent to Respond must be submitted by no later than the date listed in the Procurement Timeline.

QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS

The City will accept questions for clarification on this RFP from Proposers posting the question on the Beacon Website. Questions must be submitted no later than the date listed in the Procurement Timeline. All questions must be asked and answered on the Beacon website.

In the event of a technology issue with the Beacon Website that prevents submission of questions or posting of responses, the City will utilize email as the alternative method of communication. In such cases, the City will provide written follow-up to Proposers by email and distribute a consolidated list of questions and answers to all known Proposers to ensure equal access to information.

Each Proposer shall ensure that the City has a current and valid point of contact email address on file for receipt of such communications. The City shall not be responsible for a Proposer’s failure to maintain accurate contact information, or for communications not received due to outdated or incorrect email addresses provided by the Proposer.

REQUEST FOR CHANGES

Proposals may be changed or withdrawn prior to the deadline for Proposals. After the deadline for Proposals, no change in prices or other provisions prejudicial to the interest of the City or fair competition shall be permitted.

SUBSTITUTION OF SPECIFIED EQUIPMENT, MATERIAL, OR PROCESS

Unless otherwise stated in the solicitation, references to items by trade names, models, or catalog numbers are to be regarded as establishing a standard of quality and not construed as limiting competition. If requesting a substitution for a required item, submit requests by the Deadline for Questions and Comments found in the Procurement Timeline.

CANCELING THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS

The City may cancel this solicitation when doing so is in the best interest of the City or for any other reason not specified within this RFP, including, but not limited to:

• The services are no longer required.

• All otherwise acceptable Proposals received are at unreasonable prices.

• The Proposals were not independently arrived at in open competition, were collusive, or were submitted in bad faith.

• The Proposals received were not adequately competitive and, therefore, did not ensure reasonable prices in accordance with local resources or generally accepted prices.

• No Proposal is received that meets the minimum requirements of the RFP.

• The City determines after analysis of the Proposals that its needs can be satisfied by a less expensive method.

• All Proposers shall be notified in writing of the specific reasons when Proposals are rejected.

MANDATORY PROPOSERS’ CONFERENCE

A mandatory Proposers’ Conference will be held via teleconference at the time specified in the Procurement Timeline to answer questions regarding the RFP specifications and process.

CONTACT WITH CITY EMPLOYEES

All questions and comments regarding this RFP shall be submitted in writing through the Beacon website. Only written communications formally responded to by a designated City representative shall be considered oSicial and binding. Proposers must also comply with the Procurement Timeline in this RFP, including all deadlines for submitting questions.

From the time this RFP is released until the City recommends approval of the final contract, a Cone of Silence is in eSect. During this period, Proposers and their representatives are strictly prohibited from engaging in lobbying, marketing, or other attempts to influence City oSicials or staS outside the oSicial RFP process. Violations of this provision may result in disqualification from the procurement.

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

Proposals must be submitted by 3:00 PM (CDT) on the date listed in the Procurement Timeline. In the interest of fairness to all participants, no extensions or exceptions will be permitted.

Via U.S. Mail: Via Delivery Services / Personal Delivery:

City of Forney Finance Department City of Forney Finance Department Re: Sealed Proposal – RFP 2025-004 Exclusive Ambulance Services Provider For the City of Forney, Texas Service Area

Re: Sealed Proposal – RFP 2025-004 Exclusive Ambulance Services Provider For the City of Forney, Texas Service Area

P.O. Box 826 402 N. Bois d’ Arc Street

Forney, TX 75126 Forney, TX 75126

Note: US Mail does not deliver to the street address

RFP OPENING

On the date and time specified herein, all Proposals will be opened by the City.

ADDITIONAL PROPOSER RESPONSIBILITIES

Proposers may be requested to provide additional information, documentation, or a formal oral presentation to the Proposal Review Panel. The Proposer must fulfill such requests, or their Proposal may be rejected.

CONSULTANT DISCLOSURE & ACKNOWLEDGMENT

By submitting a proposal in response to this RFP, the Proposer expressly acknowledges and agrees to the following:

The City has engaged Fitch & Associates, LLC (FITCH), a 9-1-1, EMS, fire rescue, public safety, and healthcare consulting firm, to assist in the development of this RFP. FITCH also provides professional services to numerous governmental and private entities. FITCH has represented and warranted to the City that it does not represent any entity for the purpose of doing business with the City in connection with this procurement. FITCH further warrants that it has not received, given, or exchanged any item of value with any individual or entity in relation to its role in this procurement process.

By submitting a proposal, the Proposer expressly waives and relinquishes any claim, right, or basis for protest, legal challenge, or allegation of conflict of interest arising from FITCH’s prior, current, or future professional relationships with the City, other cities, counties, governmental bodies, or ambulance service providers.

The Proposer further agrees that FITCH’s involvement in the preparation of this RFP shall not be construed as creating an unfair competitive advantage, bias, or conflict of interest, and shall not serve as grounds for any administrative, judicial, or contractual challenge to this procurement or any award made pursuant to it.

SECTION 3 – PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS

This section describes the required proposal format and content. The response should contain the requested information organized by the prescribed section and subsection numbers and titles. Each Proposer shall submit a complete response providing all information requested and a complete description of the functional operation of the program/project proposed. Failure to follow the prescribed format may result in rejection of the response.

Responses must be complete in all aspects. A response shall be rejected if it materially deviates from the proposal requirements set forth in this RFP. “Material Deviation” refers to a significant defect, error, or irregularity that substantially aSects the quality, completeness, or responsiveness of a proposal, compromises the fairness of the competitive process, or would impose a significant obligation or burden on the City if the Proposer were selected. Examples of material deviations include failure to meet mandatory minimum qualifications, significant omissions of required information, or proposals that are non-compliant with material RFP requirements. The response must contain all the costs required by the proposal. Responses must be marked as described in this RFP and received by the specified date and time. The proposal should be clear, complete, and consistent with the proposal content requirements. The City will apply these proposal requirements equitably.

3.1 PROPOSAL FORMAT

To facilitate the evaluation process, Proposals shall be submitted in the following manner and shall conform to the formatting and length requirements set forth below:

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Proposers shall submit:

• One (1) complete physical copy of the Proposal, inclusive of all required documents and forms, in a securely bound format.

• Three (3) complete electronic copies of the Proposal, inclusive of all required documents and forms, each provided on a separate, clearly labeled USB drive.

The physical copy and USB drives must be delivered together in a single sealed package, clearly labeled as follows:

RFP 2025-004 CITY OF FORNEY

EXCLUSIVE AMBULANCE SERVICES PROVIDER FOR THE CITY OF FORNEY, TEXAS

SERVICE AREA

PROPOSER NAME

NARRATIVE FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS

The narrative portion of the Proposal shall not exceed one hundred (100) pages, exclusive of title pages, tabs, exhibits, and appendices.

The narrative portion shall be prepared using the following specifications:

• Font: Aptos, no smaller than 12-point.

• Line Spacing: No less than 1.5 lines.

• Pagination: All pages shall be numbered sequentially, beginning with page 1.

EXHIBIT FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS

Each exhibit submitted must be clearly labeled (e.g., Exhibit A – Organizational Chart) and referenced within the narrative to ensure evaluators can easily connect exhibits to relevant sections of the Proposal. Proposers are strongly encouraged to limit exhibits to materials that directly support or illustrate the features of their Proposal and demonstrate expertise in providing EMS services. Extraneous or promotional materials are discouraged and may not be reviewed.

FINANCIAL SUBMISSIONS AND PROPOSED RATES

Financial elements, including proposed ambulance transport rates, shall not be included in any section of the Proposal other than the designated financial submission.

• Proposed ambulance transport rates shall be submitted only in the “Pricing Form” and shall be clearly marked as such.

• Financial statements shall be submitted in accordance with the requirements of this RFP and will be evaluated independently by the City and its consultants.

3.2 MANDATORY TABLE OF CONTENTS

Each Proposal shall be organized strictly in accordance with the Mandatory Table of Contents provided in this RFP. Proposals must directly address the evaluation criteria and include all information requested, presented in the exact order in which it is required.

Requirements:

• Table of Contents Compliance o Proposals shall follow the mandatory Table of Contents provided in this RFP without deviation.

o Failure to follow the prescribed order may result in the Proposal being deemed non-responsive.

• Use of Exhibits o Proposers may include Exhibits to provide additional detail or supporting documentation.

o All Exhibits shall be consolidated into a separate “Exhibits” reference document, distinct from the Proposal narrative.

o Each Exhibit must be clearly labeled and cross-referenced in the Proposal narrative to the section it supports.

• Required Forms o Each Proposal must include all forms contained in the Appendices of this

RFP.

o The Mandatory First Page Form (Appendix 3) must appear as the first page of the Proposal and be fully completed.

3.3 MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND DOCUMENTATION OF CREDENTIALS

ELIGIBILITY FOR EVALUATION

To qualify for evaluation by the Proposal Evaluation Committee, a Proposer must meet all Minimum Qualifications (MQ) outlined herein. The City will only consider Proposals from organizations that:

• Demonstrate fiscal stability and financial prudence.

• Maintain a documented, stable track record of providing emergency, non-emergency, and urgent ambulance services.

• Provide such services at levels of clinical quality and response time reliability substantially equivalent to those required under this procurement.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS EVALUATION

Proposer credentials will be reviewed against objective pass/fail criteria designed to demonstrate the ability to perform if awarded the Contract. Only Proposals that meet all Minimum Qualifications will advance to further evaluation and scoring.

DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS

Proposers must provide complete supporting documentation for every entity that will perform services under the Contract, including all subcontractors, partners, and joint venturers. If the Proposer or parent company operates multiple service areas, information from other operational sites may be provided to establish qualifications. However, such information must be explicitly identified as originating from a diSerent operational site, and the relationship to the proposing entity must be clearly explained.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION CATEGORIES

Each Proposer must demonstrate compliance with the following four (4) minimum qualification areas:

1. Experience Managing High-Performance EMS System

2. Response Time Performance

3. Financial Depth and Stability

4. Compliance with Regulatory Provisions

MQ #1 – EXPERIENCE MANAGING HIGH-PERFORMANCE EMS SYSTEM

Historical Experience Documentation The Proposer shall demonstrate a minimum of five (5) consecutive years of experience managing a high-performance emergency 9-1-1 Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance service. Documentation must clearly establish the Proposer’s qualifications and include, at a minimum, the following:

• A list of communities where services are currently or have previously been…