Purchasing committee keeps EMS billing vendor at 4.1% and takes multiple bids under advisement

Rutherford CountyPurchasing Committee voted to keep its incumbent emergency medical services (EMS) billing and electronic patient care reporting (ePCR) vendor at a 4.1% fee and took a slate of procurement items under advisement at its meeting on Oct. 1, 2025.

The vote to stay with the current billing company passed on a recorded roll call after staff described three bids and recommended keeping the incumbent on a billing-and-ePCR option at a 4.1% rate. "I recommend that we stay with our current company at the 4.1 rate," said Brian (staff member), who presented the RFP results. The committee confirmed the motion with a roll call in which the commissioners present voted in favor.

The recommendation followed an explanation that the county's current contract had been treated as an evergreen arrangement and that the incumbent's prior package included hardware purchase. Staff said the incumbent had been charging 4.25% under the prior arrangement, and that the recommended option would cover billing and ePCR (but not hardware purchases) at 4.1%. Staff also told the committee the new contract will run year-to-year and that renewal requires action by the county; a committee member asked staff to confirm whether renewal is automatic or requires county action.

Nut graf: The committee's decisions affect how Rutherford County collects EMS revenue and how first responders document patient care. Retaining the incumbent at a slightly reduced percentage preserves continuity for billing and the ePCR workflow while the committee reviews other procurement bundles.

In other business, county staff opened bids for an HVAC renovation at the Rutherford County Health Department, a project funded in part with American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds. Sydney Butterfield, director of the health department, and Keaton Pettit of Johnson Johnson & Bailey Architects were present for the bid opening. Butterfield said the grant includes a 25% county match and that the total grant including technical fees is $600,000. "We are here to open bids for the HVAC renovation project at the health department," Butterfield said.

Bids reported on the record included: DB Mechanical (base bid $338,899; alternate $101,137.50), Matrix Mechanical Solutions (base bid $499,004.99; alternate $122,852), 4 Seasons (base bid $737,670), and Core Construction Group (base bid $730,000; alternate $145,000). After reviewing the bids briefly on the record, the committee voted to take the HVAC bids under advisement and asked staff to provide a spreadsheet and evaluation legend to the committee ahead of the next meeting.

The committee discussed a separate RFP for commercial general liability and auto liability insurance for the county and its contractors. Staff reported that nine potential bidders were solicited and that no firm submitted a responsive bid; one vendor gave an initial pricing indication but included restrictive terms (for example, limiting bus use to school activities). Staff told the committee that, in the absence of a county-wide carrier, individual bus contractors have obtained their own physical-damage coverage and that as of July 1 the county no longer covers bus contractors' liability. Committee members directed staff to consult with county counsel to determine legal obligations and next steps in light of the reported changes in state statute and market interest.

Procurement items with procedural or technical issues were also handled. A custodial-chemicals RFP had a missing page in one vendor's submission; staff notified all seven vendors that received the RFP and invited revised submissions so the item will return next month. An inmate uniform bid produced three responsive bids; staff said they would take further action in November. Several small-quantity procurements and contract-administration checks (certifications and state-required forms) were also reviewed on the record.

The committee approved a motion to declare 23 county vehicles surplus (a list provided at the meeting included multipurpose vans, Crown Victorias, Explorers, a Chevy Impala, Ford Edge, Tahoes and other units) and authorized staff to sell them on the county's online surplus platform. The motion passed on a roll call recorded in the meeting.

The committee also approved donating unused podcast/audio equipment (mixing board, four microphones and stands, headphones and cables, and a hard shell case) to the Southeastern Homicide Investigators Association, a nonprofit organization coming to the region for training; the donation passed by voice vote.

For the county's contract for body removal and transport, staff reported one on-time bid (Tri Eagle Mortuary and Transport, contact Greg Curtis of Birmingham) and one late submittal that could not be considered. The committee took that RFP under advisement; staff noted the last time this procurement was awarded the contract failed at the contract-signing stage and the county had to re-solicit.

Procedural votes: the committee approved the minutes of its Sept. 9 meeting and a nomination to appoint Robert P. as vice chair; both motions passed by voice vote. Multiple items taken "under advisement" at the meeting were set to return with documentation and recommendations at the committee's November meeting. The committee set its next purchasing meeting for Wednesday, Nov. 12, at 4:30 p.m.

Ending: Staff committed to provide the committee with recommended evaluations, spreadsheets and any outstanding clarifications ahead of the next scheduled meeting so members can consider award recommendations and contract terms at that time.