Navajo Nation Emergency Medical Service — Ambulance Billing Services, BID NO. 26-08-4281DB
The Navajo Nation Purchasing Services Department is soliciting a specialized third-party ambulance billing partner for Navajo Nation Emergency Medical Service (EMS). The procurement is administered from Window Rock, Arizona and covers Navajo EMS operations across Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah.
Contract structure: Three-year contractual partnership. The RFP does not state a fixed contract ceiling or guaranteed value. Compensation is proposed as a net percentage fee based strictly on successfully collected revenue. The RFP requires fee transparency with no hidden, setup, software-licensing, or data-integration charges, and applicable work/delivery is subject to the 6% Navajo Nation Sales Tax.
Proposal deadline: September 30, 2026. Addendum #1 extends the proposal due date from September 16 to September 30, 2026. The addendum does not state a proposal closing clock time or time zone, so Atlas does not infer either. The revised prospective-respondent inquiry deadline is September 28, 2026. Addendum #1 does not state a clock time or time zone for the revised inquiry deadline. Proposal opening and evaluation moved to October 1, 2026, and the anticipated award date moved to October 6, 2026.
Scope: Full-service ambulance billing, collections, and accounts-receivable management. Required services include automated ImageTrend ePCR integration; ICD-10/HCPCS coding by Certified Ambulance Coders; electronic clean-claim submission within 72 hours; Medicare, Arizona AHCCCS, New Mexico Medicaid, Utah Medicaid, IHS Purchased/Referred Care and commercial payer billing; denial management; patient invoicing and payment processing; provider enrollment and credentialing; HIPAA/OIG/FTCA and Navajo Nation privacy compliance; real-time dashboards; monthly reporting; and annual audit support.
Operating scale: Navajo EMS reports 21,294 total calls in 2025, including 20,085 911 responses, 13,111 transports, and approximately 60 calls per day. It operates 14 EMS stations with two more in development across an approximately 24,000-square-mile service territory.
Minimum vendor qualifications: Active billing credentials and proven experience with Arizona AHCCCS, New Mexico Medicaid, and Utah Medicaid; current Certified Ambulance Coder credentials for personnel reviewing run sheets; at least three consecutive years of billing experience for a Tribal or Indian Health Service EMS agency; ImageTrend-compatible billing technology; Navajo Nation regulatory compliance; and annual security/audit reporting.
Evaluation: 100 points total: Technical Capability & Integration 30; Multi-Jurisdictional & Tribal Experience 15; Operational Performance & Customer Support 20; Cost Proposal & Fee Structure 35. Navajo Business Opportunity Act requirements apply, as does the Navajo Preference in Employment Act.
Submission: Two identical proposals must be delivered in a sealed envelope to Navajo Nation Purchasing Services in Window Rock, Arizona. Email proposals are not accepted. The cost proposal must be separately sealed and include the 6% Navajo Nation Sales Tax. Required proposal components include a table of contents, transmittal letter, response to specifications, professional references, applicable certifications/licenses, W-9, insurance credentials, and acknowledgment of amendments.
Contacts: Brannon Peshlakai, Navajo EMS, 505-422-9168, bpeshlakai@navajoems.org; Chris Kescoli, Navajo EMS, 928-871-6410, ckescoli@navajoems.org. Proposal delivery is directed to Darren Begay, Navajo Nation Purchasing Services, 928-871-6141.
Addenda status: Addendum #1 is controlling as of September 15, 2026. It extends the proposal due date to September 30, 2026, moves the inquiry deadline to September 28, 2026, moves proposal opening and evaluation to October 1, 2026, and moves the anticipated award date to October 6, 2026. The addendum does not publish a proposal closing clock time or time zone. Offerors should recheck the official Navajo Nation listing before submission for any later amendment or deadline clarification.
Atlas Opportunity Score: 84/100. This is a legitimate, technically detailed EMS and Medicaid-reimbursement procurement with substantial Tribal/rural-health relevance, but the bidder requirements are highly specialized and the remaining response window is short. N9+ Fit: 0/100. QC Healthcare Fit: 0/100. Dr. Miltie direct-vendor fit: 0/100 / No Bid. The required prime capabilities are ambulance revenue-cycle management, multi-state Medicaid/IHS billing, CAC staffing, and ImageTrend integration; Atlas found no defensible N9+, physician-staffing, or Dr. Miltie prime role and will not force one.
Required next action: Qualified ambulance-billing vendors should confirm every credential and Tribal/IHS experience requirement, submit any clarification questions by September 28, 2026 under the current Addendum #1 schedule, and ensure two sealed physical proposal copies arrive by September 30, 2026. Because Addendum #1 does not publish the proposal closing clock time or time zone, offerors should verify the live Navajo Nation listing and procurement contact for any subsequent timing clarification before delivery.
Official sources:
Navajo Nation Office of the Controller — 2026 Requests for Proposals
Official RFP — Ambulance Billing Services, BID 26-08-4281DB
Official Addendum #1 — Ambulance Billing Services, BID 26-08-4281DB