Augusta’s Procurement Dept. to recommend AmeriPro Health for EMS service

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - We’re learning the City of Augusta’s Procurement Department will recommend AmeriPro Health to provide the county’s ambulance service.

A document provided to News 12 shows how the procurement department scored the three bidding ambulance services on a point scale.

Gold Cross EMS and AmeriPro Health both had higher cumulative scores than Metro Ambulance Service. The Augusta Commission will vote on Feb. 9 on whether to accept the recommendation.

We reached out to Gold Cross for a comment. They say they are disappointed in the process.

Gold Cross tells us they were told there were no presentations. Only Q and A. As you can see on the rubric, the committee scored for presentation. They are also disappointed they were not scored higher for having nine locations in Richmond County and a Richmond County business license.

Full Document:

Sources close to the process are saying it’s “dirty politics”, and that among the group on the selection committee for the bid process is a former Gold Cross employee, which is a conflict of interest.

Commissioners didn’t play a role in selecting who was on the committee. It included Augusta Fire Chief Burden, of the finance department and procurement department, the 911 director, and others.

The contract AmeriPro Health would be g is for longer than the company has been in business.

City leaders we spoke with said they would be shocked if commissioners approve this. If AmeriPro Health doesn’t get approval, and the city fails to meet Friday’s 5 p.m. deadline, the state will be allowed to select Augusta’s ambulance provider

Any company from anywhere could apply.

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