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Syracuse moves to formalize ambulance contract after single RFP response
Summary
City staff are finalizing a draft ambulance transport contract with the lone respondent to an RFP and plan to present the agreement to the Common Council for approval, aiming to establish performance metrics, patient-outcome measures and formal oversight for EMS in Syracuse City.
Syracuse City Fire Department leadership told the Public Safety Committee the city is finalizing a draft contract for ambulance transport services with the single proposer that responded to a recent request for proposals (RFP).
"We're moving towards finalizing an ambulance service contract... The purpose of that RFP, was to solicit proposals for advanced life support and basic life support, responses for 911 emergency calls," the department representative said.
Officials said the city has long had a primary ambulance provider operating within the city but has never had a formal contract. The draft contract will define scopes of service, independent performance metrics to measure patient outcomes and customer satisfaction, and financial and operational expectations. Staff described the change as intended to add accountability and transparency for ambulance service delivery.
The department said it currently keeps one ambulance in constant schedule use and maintains a second ambulance that is used when American Medical Response (AMR) cannot respond. The department also operates a two-tiered response: engine companies and smaller ‘‘mini’’ rescue units provide initial medical care while the contracted ambulance provider transports patients to hospitals.
A city RFP committee that included senior staff from the mayor’s office, fire department leadership, the budget office and members of the Common Council reviewed the scope and met with the proposer's representatives to align expectations. Staff said they will return the final draft to the RFP committee and then bring it to the Common Council for approval.
Committee members asked about ambulance availability and utilization trends. Officials said utilization rose in the pandemic years when private ambulance providers faced staffing shortages and has since shifted as providers restored coverage; the contract aims to ensure ambulance availability for high-priority calls going forward.
No formal contract vote occurred during the committee meeting; staff said the next step will be finalizing contract language and presenting it to the Common Council for consideration.
