WASHINGTON COUNTY, UTAH
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
911 Ambulance Services
Unincorporated Santa Clara–Ivins Ambulance Transport Area
Issue Date: October 5, 2026
Proposals Due: October 19, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Mountain Time
Issuing Office and Point of Contact:
Nicholle Felshaw, County Administrator
Washington County Commission
111 East Tabernacle Street, St. George, Utah 84770
Nicholle.Felshaw@washco.utah.gov
(435) 301-7001
Washington County RFP – Santa Clara–Ivins EMS Response Area
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1. Introduction and Purpose
Washington County, Utah (the "County") is issuing this Request for Proposals ("RFP") to solicit
proposals from qualified providers of 911 ambulance services for the unincorporated Santa Clara–
Ivins EMS Response Area (the "Service Area"), as described in Section 3.
This RFP is issued pursuant to Utah Code Section 11-48-103(4)(c), which requires a county to
issue a formal request for proposals for the purpose of evaluating alternative qualified emergency
medical service providers and interfacility transport providers. Consistent with that statute, the
County invites proposals from all qualified providers, including:
• for-profit emergency medical service providers;
• government-operated emergency medical service providers; and
• quasi-governmental emergency medical service providers.
The current 911 ambulance service provider for the Service Area is Santa Clara Ivins Public
Safety. The current provider is eligible and invited to submit a proposal; however, the County
invites and will give full and fair consideration to proposals from all qualified providers. Issuance
of this RFP does not indicate any predetermined outcome.
1.1 Statutory Framework
Under Utah Code Section 11-48-103(1), the County has exclusive authority to, and shall, ensure
that at least a minimum level of 911 ambulance services and ground ambulance interfacility
transport services are provided within the County's territorial limits by a ground ambulance
provider licensed by the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services under Title 53, Chapter 2d, Part
5, Ambulance and Paramedic Providers, and in accordance with rules established by the Trauma
System and Emergency Medical Services Committee under Section 53-2d-105. 911 ambulance
services are essential services.
Under Utah Code Section 11-48-103(2)(a)(ii), the County may enter into an interlocal agreement
or procurement contract with a public or private entity to provide, receive, support, or maintain
911 ambulance services or ground ambulance interfacility transport services, under any
arrangement and to any extent that the County determines.
1.2 Governing Procurement Law
This RFP is issued in accordance with Title 1, Chapter 12 of the Washington County Code.
2. Schedule of Events
The County anticipates the following schedule. All dates are subject to change by written
addendum.
Event Date / Time (Mountain Time)
RFP issued and published October 5, 2026
Deadline for written questions October 15, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.
Proposal submission deadline October 19, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.
Public Opening (County Commission Chambers, 111 East
Tabernacle, St. George, Utah)
October 19, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.
Anticipated Award Date October 20, 2026 at 4:00 p.m.
Washington County RFP – Santa Clara–Ivins EMS Response Area
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3. Service Area
The Service Area consists of the existing boundaries of the Santa Clara Ivins Public Safety EMS
response area, as depicted in the Utah EMS Response Areas dataset published by the State of
Utah on the Utah Geospatial Resource Center open data portal
(https://opendata.gis.utah.gov/datasets/utah::utah-ems-response-areas), excluding all areas
within the municipal boundaries of the City of Santa Clara and the City of Ivins.
The Service Area therefore consists of the portions of the Santa Clara Ivins Public Safety
ambulance response area that are in unincorporated areas of Washington County. The
boundaries of the EMS response area and of the municipalities are those in effect as of the issue
date of this RFP.
Proposers are responsible for reviewing the Service Area boundaries, geography, road network,
population, and historical call volume. Proposers are encouraged to review the publicly available
dataset and to submit written questions regarding the boundaries before the question deadline.
4. Scope of Services
The selected proposer (the "Provider") will be required to provide, at a minimum, the following
services within the Service Area:
(a) 911 ambulance services. Ground ambulance response to 911 requests for emergency
medical services originating in the Service Area, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365
days per year.
(b) Licensure and compliance. Services must be provided by a ground ambulance provider
licensed by the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services under Title 53, Chapter 2d, Part
5, and in accordance with the rules established by the Trauma System and Emergency
Medical Services Committee under Utah Code Section 53-2d-105 and all other applicable
federal, state, and local laws, rules, and protocols.
(c) Dispatch coordination. Coordination with the applicable public safety answering point(s)
and dispatch center(s) serving the Service Area.
(d) Mutual aid and backup. Participation in mutual aid and coordination with neighboring
EMS agencies.
(e) Data and reporting. Submission of patient care and response data as required by the
Bureau of Emergency Medical Services, and periodic reporting to the County as described
in Section 5.7.
The final scope of services, performance standards, and term may be set out in an interlocal
agreement negotiated with the selected proposer, if any.
5. Proposal Content Requirements
Proposals must be organized in the order and with the section headings set out below. Proposals
that omit required information are non-responsive and may be disqualified.
5.1 Cover Letter and Proposer Information
Provide a cover letter. Identify the proposer's legal name, organizational type (for-profit,
government-operated, quasi-governmental, or other), principal place of business, and primary
contact.
Washington County RFP – Santa Clara–Ivins EMS Response Area
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5.2 Licensure, Experience, and Qualifications
(a) Evidence of current licensure as a ground ambulance provider by the Utah Bureau of
Emergency Medical Services.
(b) A summary of the proposer's experience providing 911 ambulance services and/or
interfacility transport services, years of operation, and approximate annual call volumes
for the past 4 years.
(c) Disclosure of any license suspensions, revocations, disciplinary actions, material litigation,
or contract terminations within the last four years.
5.3 Cost for the Patient
Describe all charges that will be billed to patients or their insurers for services in the Service Area.
5.4 Cost for the General Public
Each proposal must state clearly whether the proposer will request a standby fee, subsidy,
or any other amount from Washington County as part of the services provided in the
Service Area. If the proposer will not require any payment from the County, the proposer must
affirmatively so state.
If the proposer will request any payment from the County, the proposal must identify, for each
payment:
(a) the type of payment (e.g., standby fee, readiness or availability fee, subsidy, per-call fee,
capital contribution, facility or equipment contribution, dispatch fee, or other);
(b) the amount and the basis for calculation;
(c) the frequency and timing of payment;
(d) any escalators or conditions that would change the amount; and
(e) any in-kind contribution the proposer expects from the County (e.g., use of County
facilities, fuel, dispatch, or equipment).
5.5 Proposed Transport Plan
Describe how the proposer will provide 911 ambulance services and interfacility transport services
throughout the Service Area, and identify:
(a) the number of ambulances that will be available to serve the Service Area, including
front-line and reserve units, and the level of staffing for each;
(b) the hours of availability of each ambulance (e.g., 24/7, peak-hour only, specified days
and times), and whether each unit is dedicated to the Service Area or shared with other
service areas; and
(c) where each ambulance will be based, including the street address or location of each
station or post.
The Proposed Transport Plan should also address:
(a) anticipated response times to the populated portions and to the remote portions of the
Service Area, and the method used to project them;
(b) coverage during simultaneous calls, surge events, and unit unavailability, including mutual
aid and backup arrangements;
(c) vehicle specifications; and
Washington County RFP – Santa Clara–Ivins EMS Response Area
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(d) transition plan and timeline (only if the proposer is not the current provider) .
5.6 Staffing Qualifications
Describe the proposer's staffing model for the Service Area:
(a) the number of staff who are qualified to provide services in the Service Area, and
specify the certification or licensure level for each staff member, and whether each is full-
time, part-time, or volunteer; and
(b) the minimum staffing certification level for each ambulance crew (e.g., two EMTs; one
EMT and one AEMT; one EMT and one Paramedic), for both 911 responses and
interfacility transports.
5.7 Quality and Accountability
Describe the proposer's quality assurance and improvement program, clinical performance
measures, patient complaint process, and the reports the proposer would provide to the County
(e.g., response times, call volumes, unit availability, transport destinations, and clinical indicators),
including frequency.
6. Evaluation
6.1 Responsiveness Review
Proposals will first be reviewed to confirm that they were timely submitted and demonstrate that
the proposer is licensed as a ground ambulance provider by the Bureau of Emergency Medical
Services. Proposals that do not meet these requirements may be rejected without further
evaluation.
6.2 Evaluation Factors
Responsive proposals will be evaluated using the following factors.
Evaluation Factor Considerations Maximum Points
1. Cost for the Patient Proposed rates and charges; billing, collection, and
balance-billing practices; financial assistance programs;
anticipated rate changes
25
2. Cost for the Public Whether the proposer requires a standby fee, subsidy,
or any other amount from Washington County, and the
total amount and conditions of any such payment.
25
3. Proposed Transport Plan Number and level of ambulances dedicated to Service
Area; hours of availability; base locations; projected
response times; backup, surge, and transition plans
25
4. Staffing Qualifications Number of qualified staff; minimum staffing certification
level per crew; staffing model, training, and medical
oversight
25
Total 100
Washington County RFP – Santa Clara–Ivins EMS Response Area
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6.3 Interviews, Clarifications, and Negotiations
The County may, at its discretion, request clarifications, conduct interviews or presentations,
request best and final offers, and negotiate with one or more proposers, to the extent permitted
by applicable law.
6.4 Award
An award may be made to the proposer whose proposal the County determines is most
advantageous to the County and the public, taking into consideration the evaluation factors in
Section 6.2. Any award is subject to the negotiation and execution of an interlocal agreement
acceptable to the County.
7. Submission Instructions
(a) Deadline. Proposals must be received by the date and time stated on the cover page.
Late proposals will not be considered.
(b) Method. Submit proposals in a sealed envelope marked "RFP – Santa Clara–Ivins EMS
Response Area" delivered to the address on the cover page.
(c) Questions. All questions must be submitted in writing to the point of contact by the
question deadline. Answers will be issued by written addendum to all known proposers.
Proposers may not rely on oral statements.
(d) Addenda. The County may modify this RFP by written addendum.
(e) Validity. Proposals must remain valid for 120 days after the submission deadline.
8. General Terms and Conditions
(a) Reservation of Rights. The County reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, to
waive minor irregularities, to cancel this RFP in whole or in part, to request additional
information, and to make no award at all if doing so is in the County's best interest. All
proposers bear their own costs for preparing and submitting a proposal.
(b) Costs of proposing. The County is not responsible for any costs incurred by proposers
in preparing or submitting proposals or participating in interviews or negotiations.
(c) Public records. Proposals are subject to the Government Records Access and
Management Act, Title 63G, Chapter 2 ("GRAMA"). A proposer that wishes to protect
information as a trade secret or commercial information under Utah Code Section 63G-2-
305 must submit a written claim of business confidentiality with a concise statement of
reasons in accordance with Utah Code Section 63G-2-309, and must clearly mark the
protected portions. Pricing will not be treated as confidential.
(d) Insurance. The selected proposer will be required to maintain insurance coverage or an
equivalent in amounts to be specified in the resulting interlocal agreement.
(e) Compliance with law. The selected proposer must comply with all applicable federal,
state, and local laws, including HIPAA, nondiscrimination laws, and, as applicable, Utah
Code Section 63G-12-302 (status verification system).
(f) No contract. This RFP is not an offer to contract. No agreement exists unless and until a
written agreement is approved by the County Commission and executed by the parties.
