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Washington County approves sole‑source purchase of modular EMS station at Lake Somerville
Summary
Washington County Commissioners approved use of Cargo Home as a sole‑source vendor to deliver and install a modular EMS station at Lake Somerville for $496,760, funded with CARES dollars; commissioners and EMS officials said the station should shorten response times and avoid a multi‑million‑dollar conventional build.
Washington County Commissioners voted unanimously on Sept. 23 to permit Washington County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to purchase and install a modular EMS station at Lake Somerville from Cargo Home as a sole‑source vendor.
The commissioners designated Cargo Home under Texas Local Government Code §262.024(a)(7) because the company’s off‑site fabrication and specific design attributes matched the county’s requirements, the EMS director said. The county auditor reviewed the sole‑source justification before the vote.
The move matters because county EMS officials said the site will shorten response times in a high‑call area and can be delivered far more cheaply than previous conventional construction estimates. Director Dremus, Washington County EMS director, said the county will pay $496,760 for the turnkey unit and related site work and that the purchase will be funded with CARES funds set aside from pandemic reimbursements. “It’s $496,760,” Director Dremus said. He also described the project as “super excited to be at this point of this project,” and called the purchase a way to avoid a proposal that would have required local tax dollars.
Why this matters: EMS leaders said the Lake Somerville site addresses a rural gap in coverage. The director told the court the addition would cut response times to that area by about 13 minutes compared with the next closest station, a difference EMS officials said is meaningful for patient outcomes.
Background and procurement timeline The EMS station effort began in 2020 and was delayed by environmental constraints (the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers identified a bald eagle nest on an early parcel) and by the COVID‑19 pandemic, EMS staff said. Conventional construction bids and RFQs previously returned prices in a broad range — from about $2.1 million to $4.5 million — which county leaders said would have required local tax dollars. After those bids were rejected, EMS staff visited Cargo Home fabrication sites in Waco and recommended the company based on observed fit and quality.
The modular unit the county approved is a structural steel skid container built off‑site and delivered turnkey; EMS staff said the package includes slabs, septic, utilities, standard appliances, engineering and stamped plans. Cargo Home representative Isaac (no last name provided) attended the meeting and answered questions during the presentation.
Construction and approvals Director Dremus told the court he expects about 100 days of construction at Cargo Home’s facility and roughly 30 days for on‑site work and final connections once federal plan review is complete. He cautioned that the vendor may not begin full fabrication until the county’s vote and subsequent federal approvals, and that federal review could add time. The court also discussed phasing: the initial facility will provide crew quarters and a seasonal response presence with a single paramedic unit and a boat team during peak recreational periods; a vehicle bay and 24‑hour ambulance staffing could be added later.
Funding and oversight EMS staff said the purchase will be made from CARES funds that the county earmarked for EMS overtime and pandemic reimbursements. Director Dremus told the court the county had “a little over $500,000 of CARES dollars” available for this project and emphasized the county’s intent to avoid using local tax revenue for rural stations.
Court action A commissioner moved and another seconded the motion to designate Cargo Home as a sole‑source vendor and authorize EMS to proceed with the purchase and installation of Station 6 at Lake Somerville pursuant to Texas Local Government Code §262.024(a)(7). The motion carried by voice vote.
Next steps Staff said plans will be submitted to the relevant federal reviewer for approval and the county will return to procurement and scheduling once the vendor receives the green light. Construction lead time estimated by staff is roughly 100 days plus up to 30 days for onsite completion, subject to federal review.
