W27004 Mass Emergency Medical Services Northeast Region

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) is procuring Centralized Medical Emergency Direction Center (CMED) operations for Emergency Medical Services Region III in the Northeast through a Notice of Intent issued on March 23, 2026, with a deadline for comments and concerns by March 31, 2026, at 3:00 PM. The procurement seeks a qualified contractor to provide comprehensive EMS communications and coordination services, including serving as the communications link between ambulances and hospitals, providing field operation communications, delivering online medical control, and managing mass casualty and disaster incidents throughout the region. The contract will commence on July 1, 2026, and continue through June 30, 2029, with annual renewal periods thereafter. Key deliverables include the maintenance and operation of existing CMED infrastructure, continuous emergency communications support, and coordination of regional EMS operations. The anticipated annual cost for CMED operations is approximately $170,000.00. A previous Request for Response was posted on September 26, 2025, seeking proposals for designation of a new EMS Regional Council III; however, no responses were received. All comments or concerns regarding this notice of intent must be submitted to Susan.K.Lewis@mass.gov by the March 31, 2026 deadline.

Lawrence General Hospital is positioned as the incumbent and sole contractor for this procurement, as it currently houses and operates the existing CMED infrastructure for EMS Region III and is therefore deemed the most qualified entity to oversee and manage the system. The designation of Lawrence General Hospital follows the Northeastern Region EMS Council's notification on May 6, 2025, that they were declining to renew their contract with MDPH, which resulted in a lapse of legislatively mandated services on July 1, 2025. The contract with Lawrence General Hospital is designed to provide the Department with time to assess potential avenues for improvement of CMED operations statewide and evaluate options for a more permanent solution regarding the designation of an EMS Region III council and the fulfillment of required statutory duties. No specific set-aside designations or restrictions on respondent types are mentioned in the notice of intent. The procurement does not appear to be open to competitive bidding at this stage, with the Department recognizing Lawrence General Hospital's existing infrastructure and operational capabilities as the basis for selection.