RFP_ Baldwin_cft edits 09 15 2023.pdf

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Request for Proposal (RFP) for Ambulance Services for

Baldwin County Board of Commissioners

Issue Date: September 15, 2023

Submission Due Date: September 22, 2023 by 12:00 p.m.

Baldwin County Board of Commissioners

1601 N Columbia Street, Suite 230

Milledgeville, GA 30286

Carlos Tobar

County Manager

(478) 363-1976 ctobar@baldwincountyga.com

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Table of Contents

Section 1 Introduction

1.1 Submittal Costs and Confidentiality

1.2 Award Conditions

1.3 Evaluation of Submittals and Qualifications

1.4 Communication

1.5 Timeline

Section 2 Scope of Work and Practices

2.1 Background and Service Area

2.2 Call Data for time period from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023

2.3 Ambulance service responsibilities

2.4 Insurance Provisions

2.5 Required Meetings

2.6 Required Reports

2.7 Staffing Requirements and Employment Practices

2.8 Ambulance Fees and Guidance for Rate increases

Section 3 Proposal Format

3.1 Company Information

3.2 Operational Documents

Exhibit I Response Data for Baldwin County

Exhibit II Required Submittal Form

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Section 1 Introduction

The Baldwin County Board of Commissioners on 09/15/2023 rejected all proposals and is re-advertising this Request for Proposal to establish an exclusive contract for the provision of Advanced Life Support/Basic Life Support ambulance response for 911 emergency calls within Baldwin County, Georgia. For those ambulance providers who previously submitted proposals only Appendix II is required to be submitted. However, if you are making any changes to your proposal not captured in Exhibit II please submit those documents.

1.1 Submittal Costs and Confidentiality

All expenses for preparing and submitting responses are the sole cost of the party submitting the response. The County is not obligated to any party to reimburse such expenses. All submittals upon receipt become the property of the County. Labeling information provided in submittals

“proprietary” or “confidential,” or any other designation of restricted use will not protect the information from public view. Subject to the provisions of the Open Records Act, the details of the proposal documents will remain confidential until final award.

1.2 Award Conditions

This request is not an offer to contract or a solicitation of bids. This request and any proposal submitted in response, regardless of whether the proposal is determined to be the best proposal, is not binding upon the County and does not obligate the County to procure or contract for any services. Neither the County nor any party submitting a response will be bound unless and until a written contract mutually accepted by both parties is negotiated as to its terms and conditions and is signed by the County and a party containing such terms and conditions as are negotiated between those parties. The County reserves the right to waive non-compliance with any requirements of this Request for Proposal and to reject any or all proposals submitted in response. Upon receipt and review of responses, the County will determine the party and proposal that in the sole judgment of the County is in the best interest of the County (if any is so determined), with respect to the evaluation criteria stated herein. The County then intends to conduct negotiations with such party(s) to determine if a mutually acceptable contract may be reached and in the course of doing so may use ideas expressed in any proposal.

1.3 Evaluation of Submittals and Qualifications

Evaluation of submittals and firms’ qualifications will be conducted by a committee consisting of various project stakeholders. Based upon the predetermined rating criteria contained in the

RFP, the committee will assign a composite rating to the deliverables of each statement of qualifications and proposal submitted. Proposers understand and accept that by responding to this solicitation they are willingly participating in a process that consists to some degree of subjectivity on the part of selection committee members in determining the firm capable of providing the best overall solution.

Rating Criteria: Price (Net operating subsidy) 60%; Qualifications 40% (Zone provider, educational program, open investigations, number of years in business)

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1.4 Communication

All communication regarding this RFP process shall be directed to the County Manager. Any firm attempting to interfere with the selection process such as communication with one or more

Board members or parties affiliated with Board members to influence their judgement will be permanently disqualified from consideration.

Carlos Tobar

County Manager

(478) 363-1976 ctobar@baldwincountyga.com

1.5 Timeline

Proposals must be received by Friday, September 22, 2023 at 12:00 pm.

Board of Commissioners (BOC) will review proposals and decide a course of action. BOC reserves the right to reject all proposals.

Section 2- Scope of Work and Practices

Provides a brief description of the project and list of services and products requested that, while not comprehensive or complete in nature, will provide the Baldwin County BOC with proposals that can be easily compared.

It is the intent to ultimately enter into an agreement with the Ambulance Service that ensures the prescribed services be available on a 24-hour a day basis, seven (7) days a week, and 365 days per year.

2.1 Background and Service Area

Baldwin County is approximately 259 square miles with a population of 44,000. Within the boundaries of Baldwin County is the City of Milledgeville and other small communities in the unincorporated area. The territory consists of both urban and rural areas. All 911 calls placed in

Baldwin County are currently answered by the Baldwin County 911 Dispatch Center. The Center then dispatches the appropriate agency. The 911 center does not have Emergency Medical

Dispatch capabilities.

2.2 Call Data for time period of July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023

Please see attached reports in Exhibit I.

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2.3 Ambulance service responsibilities

It is expected that any potential Ambulance Service will be knowledgeable of and familiar with

EMS rules, regulation and laws as promulgated by the State of Georgia, Department of Public

Health, Office of Emergency Medical Services and Trauma prior to responding to this RFP.

This will be a performance-based contract. Evaluations will be performed on a monthly basis for the first six (6) months, then annually for the length of the contract. A performance bond must be obtained by the provider prior to the signing of the contract.

A contract will be entered into with the awarded Ambulance service for an initial period of three years, and may be renewed at the sole discretion of the County for up to two (2) additional (1) year terms upon written agreement of the parties.

The Ambulance Service must provide and pay for all administration, insurance, professional expertise, labor, materials, vehicles, and equipment necessary to respond to all emergency calls referred to the Ambulance Service by the County. Baldwin County will provide a physical base of operations at 1095 Orchard Hill Rd, Suite C, Milledgeville, GA 31061 at no cost to the contractor. Contractor is responsible for utilities.

Contractor will transport, at no charge to the County or the employee (other than what may be paid by the employee’s insurance plan), any and all County employees, personnel and prisoners, including, but not limited to, constitutional officers and staff and volunteer firefighters, who require emergency medical services.

In the event of the need for disaster support, Contractor will provide County GEMA/FEMA/HS with EMS command support, emergency personnel, and resources for mutual aid units as available.

No less than three (3) Advanced Life Support (“ALS”) ambulance crews will be on duty at any given time. Each ambulance crew will include personnel necessary to staff one ALS ambulance with a minimum of one (1) person with a Georgia Paramedic license and one (1) person with a

Georgia Emergency Medical Technician license. In the event of medical transports away from

County, Contractor agrees to provide continuous coverage of one (1) staffed ALS ambulance as described above.

Response time is a critical element of any professional ambulance and emergency medical service. Contractor will employ sufficient personnel and resources to minimize response time as much as is practical utilizing proper safety procedures.

The Ambulance Service will participate in and are to subject to any Mutual Aid agreements as directed by the BOC.

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2.4 Insurance Provisions

The Ambulance provider shall maintain at its expense, professional liability, and commercial general liability insurance in an amount equal to at least $1,000,000 for each claim and at least

$2,000,000 in aggregate; workers’ compensation insurance, with limits of not less than the statutory required limits for workers’ compensation in the state of operation; auto liability insurance in customary amounts, and professional liability insurance in customary amounts.

Such insurance shall name Baldwin County as an Additional Insured and shall not be cancelable except upon thirty (30) days prior written notice to the County.

2.5 Required Meetings

The Ambulance Service shall provide representatives to meet with BOC officials as may be requested, for the purpose of reviewing system issues and Ambulance Service performance. The

BOC agrees to give reasonable notice of such meetings.

Furthermore, the Ambulance service shall attend all required meetings held by EMS organizations or regulatory agencies/

2.6 Required Reports

Within fifteen (15) business days after the close of each month, Contractor will provide the

County with monthly reports that will contain at least the identical information in Exhibit I.

2.7 Staffing Requirements and Employment Practices

Sufficient staffing levels of qualified Ambulance Services shall be maintained to ensure response times and required paramedic levels are met. The Ambulance Service shall also provide adequate supervision of all personnel and operations at all times.

The Ambulance Service shall also provide working conditions that assist in attracting and retaining highly qualified personnel.

2.8 Ambulance Fees

The Ambulance Service shall conduct all billing and collection functions for the EMS system.

The Ambulance Service may engage, at its sole expense, a third-party agent to provide EMS billing and collection services. The third-party service is required to comply with all rules imposed by the BOC on the Ambulance Service.

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Section 3-Proposal Format

Introduction

The Ambulance Service shall provide a brief understanding of the County’s needs and the

Ambulance Service’s capability to perform the services described in this RFP. The Ambulance

Service shall also provide a summary of their proposal, focusing on the highlights of their plan.

Respondents shall organize their submissions in such a way as to follow the general evaluation criteria as listed below:

3.1 Company Information

Provide all vital and accurate information relating to corporate information as registered with the

State of Georgia and the federal government. Such information shall include at a minimum, but not limited to:

• Company history- Years in business, nature of business, locations of business, location of headquarters, number of employees, nature of business plan (in relation to continued growth).

• Name of company as it appears on the Ambulance License.

• Authorization to conduct business in Georgia (Ambulance License information),

• Corporate Address/Mailing address,

• FEIN and Corporate Identification,

• Contact person for company, and,

• Name and Title of person authorized to sign legal documents on behalf of the company.

3.2 Operational Documents

Provide copies of the following documents:

• A signed statement authorizing submission of the proposal. Please see required form submittal in Exhibit II.

• Ambulance Service’s proposed Policies and Procedures, ambulance equipment/inventory list, and proposed organizational structure and staffing levels.

• Ambulance Service’s operating medical protocols.

• Ambulance Service’s Infection Control Policy.

Provide a comprehensive rate schedule for all services, materials, medications and other actions or items that may be billed to a patient during their treatment and transport.

Sealed or Electronic Proposals for Ambulance Services for the Baldwin County Board of

Commissioners will be received at 1601 N Columbia St, STE 230, Milledgeville, GA 31061 until 12:00 p.m. on September 22, 2023. Sealed proposals and emails will be opened at 12:01 p.m. and the rate will be read aloud.

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The Baldwin County Board of Commissioners reserves the right to reject any proposals, waive any informalities, or award the contract in the best interest of Baldwin County, Georgia.

EXHIBIT I

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Exhibit II

I, , am duly authorized to submit this signed statement obligating , to provide E911 ambulance service to Baldwin County Board of Commissioners. Below is the number of ALS ambulances and other services to Baldwin County.

Number of 24/7 ALS ambulances;

Number of 12 Hour ALS ambulances;

Number of Peak Coverage EMS Command Response Unit

Number of NET Wheelchair Vans

Number of Needed NET ambulances

NET OPERATING SUBSIDY PER YEAR FOR FIRST THREE YEARS

NET OPERATING SUBSIDY PER YEAR FOR YEAR FOUR

NET OPERATING SUBSIDY PER YEAR FOR YEAR FIVE

By:

_____________________________________ _(Name of Firm)

Name and Title

ATTEST: ______________________________________