Iron County is seeking proposals for an ambulance services contract to serve its roughly 11,800 residents spread across more than 1,100 square miles of rural territory.
The Iron County Board of Commissioners issued a request for proposals effective Tuesday, Oct. 6, seeking a vendor to provide Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance services countywide. Proposals are due by 3 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30.
The RFP says the county anticipates a vendor agreement that would replace the county's existing ALS agreement with Aspirus Wausau Hospital, Inc., a Wisconsin-based health care corporation. The RFP states that the vendor relationship would “replace, terminate and supersede” that agreement. No reason for the change was given in the document.
Separately, the Aspirus MedEvac website lists Iron County among its 911 coverage areas, with ground bases in Iron River and Crystal Falls.
Millage funds the contract
Voters approved the funding on Tuesday, Aug. 4, according to the county’s official election results. The one-mill special purpose levy, $1.00 per $1,000 of taxable value, is a renewal of a previous millage that expired with the 2025 tax levy. It runs four years, from 2026 through 2029, and is estimated to raise $762,981 in its first year, according to the RFP.
The levy will appear on winter 2026 tax bills.
What the county wants
The RFP sets specific service requirements. The selected vendor must staff at least two ALS ambulances around the clock, one based in the eastern half of Iron County and one in the western half. Each ambulance must carry at least two licensed personnel meeting Michigan's minimum ALS staffing standards.
Iron County Central Dispatch will provide dispatch services. The county has set a response-time goal of 14 minutes or less, with quarterly reports from Central Dispatch tracking performance.
The vendor must also hold accreditation through a qualified third-party system such as the Commission on the Accreditation of Ambulance Services. Semiannual written reports on revenue, expenses, call volume and response times are due to the board each July and January.
A rural, aging population
About 34% of Iron County residents are 65 or older, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. The county had a population density of roughly 10 people per square mile in 2020.
Timeline and how to respond
Proposals will be opened at 8 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 2. Tentative acceptance is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 10. The RFP is also set to be advertised in the Iron County Reporter on Wednesday, Oct. 21.
Interested vendors must submit seven copies in a sealed envelope to Lynette Lorenz, administrator of the Iron County Board of Commissioners, at the Iron County Courthouse, 2 South Sixth St., Suite 7, Crystal Falls. Lorenz can be reached at (906) 875-0116 or [email protected]. Each proposal is binding for 90 days. The full RFP is posted on the Iron County website under Quick Links > Opportunities > RFPs.
