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Committee agrees to one-year ambulance renewals while administration studies rebid options
Summary
Council member questions prompted the administration to say it will exercise one-year renewal options for three ambulance providers and then reevaluate bidding and program design, possibly introducing a nurse-navigation program.
The Detroit Public Health and Safety Standing Committee moved three one-year emergency ambulance contract renewals to the City Council's formal new business docket but pressed the administration for a plan to rebid those services.
Member Waters asked whether the administration planned to rebid the contracts now or after the one-year extension. "I'd like to know the plan to rebid this contract," Waters said. Deputy Commissioner Hellman replied that the administration intended to exercise the one-year option to "get us over this hump" and would "reevaluate" afterward, including looking at a new program with nurse navigation. "We're going to reevaluate even if we need these contracts," Hellman said.
Waters urged a parallel rebid process, saying one year "goes by pretty fast" and expressing concern that delays can lead to repeated extension requests. The administration replied it will aim to put a rebid out in a timely fashion if it elects to go to bid.
The committee forwarded the renewal options (packet amounts cited in committee): Heart EMS ($573,000 for one year), Superior Air Ground ($590,000 for one year) and MaryPro EMS ($586,000 for one year) to formal new business with recommendations to approve. The committee recorded a motion to discuss the three items together and advanced them to the council as recommended.
Ending: The renewals will appear on the council calendar; the administration agreed to reevaluate provider needs and, if appropriate, pursue a rebid and explore program changes following the one-year extension.
