EMSA bidding for trouble

The folks who manage EMSA, the ambulance service for Oklahoma City, Tulsa and several surrounding communities, don’t seem too keen on implementing one of the changes suggested in a review of the agency.

Tulsa’s Management Review Office took issue with the many sole-source contracts EMSA uses with various vendors. It found that at least six of the nine providers that got at least $50,000 from EMSA were sole-source agreements.

At an EMSA board meeting Wednesday, the agency said it disagreed with the review’s recommendation that purchasing practices should be given a second look. The Management Review Office, understandably so, didn’t like that answer.

Professional services are for the most part not required by state law to seek bids for contracts. But especially given that taxpayers help fund EMSA, the agency should change its ways.

The MRO said it well: “More competitive bidding would force EMSA to do a better job of specifying exactly what’s required and likely deliver a better value proposition.”

Thank you for joining our conversation on ScissorTales. We encourage your discussion but ask that you stay within the bounds of our commenting and posting policy.