2026-06 Emergency Ambulance Service

Walker County, Georgia is issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) for emergency ambulance service provision across approximately 447 square miles serving a population of 69,761, encompassing unincorporated Walker County and the municipalities of Chickamauga, Lafayette, Lookout Mountain, Rossville, and a portion of Fort Oglethorpe. The procurement seeks Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance services to respond to 911 emergency calls, with the county handling approximately 9,200 calls annually. Four operational options (A, B, C, and D) are available, ranging from five fully-staffed 24/7 ALS ambulances with a dedicated supervisor to four ambulances plus one 12-hour peak unit with a manager available Monday through Friday. Contractors must submit sealed proposals by 2:00 p.m. on March 31, 2026, to the Walker County Commissioner's Office at 101 South Duke Street, Lafayette, GA 30728, with the deadline for inquiries established at 10:00 a.m. on March 9, 2026. Award is anticipated by May 7, 2026, with contract execution targeted for June 1, 2026, and service commencement on February 1, 2027. The contract term is three years with optional renewal for up to three additional one-year terms. Cost proposals must include ALS base transport, BLS base transport, mileage rates, and any additional charges, along with audited financial statements for the three most recent fiscal years.

Required qualifications include comprehensive insurance coverage of $2,000,000 commercial general liability, $2,000,000 professional medical malpractice, and $5,000,000 umbrella coverage, with a performance bond of $250,000 per contract year. The contractor must establish and meet specific response time standards, with urban areas requiring response times under 10 minutes and rural areas under 17 minutes, with monthly penalties assessed not to exceed $30,000 for failures to meet benchmarks. In-station chute times must not exceed 120 seconds during daytime hours (7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.) and 180 seconds during nighttime hours, with daily penalties capped at $500. The contractor must comply with all Georgia state EMS regulations, maintain E-Verify participation for employee work authorization, and provide clinical training to fire department personnel at no charge. No set-aside designations or restrictions on organization types are specified in the available documentation, and no incumbent vendors, current contractors, or specific budget ranges are identified in the materials provided.