Just an FYI, the ambulance bid is not "low bid" but a point system, bidder with the most points wins. The state law (since 1983) requires the county local emergency medical service agency (health dept) to conduct the bid, not OCFA or the cities. State law only allows the local emergency medical services agency (or a regional agency like ICEMA) to conduct bid cycles. The law also requires a point system, the health dept asks for key areas in the bid and they receive points for meeting or exceeding what is asked. They can require pre-qualification for coverage type/size (BLS ambulance for 200,000 population) and financial pre-qualification.
The county placed five zone out to bid, Emergency Ambulance retained their two cities, Yorba Linda & Placentia, in "Zone A" (pop 110k), Care was awarded zones B, C, D, E, (pop 950k) some of which they already covered (Seal Beach, Stanton, Midway City), the rest was Doctor's coverage areas. I understand that Laguna Beach was included.
I am told Doctor's was mostly the 911 work, but did have some inter-facility work it was doing.
I think there are another six or more contracts that OCFA or the cities have let out. I don't know if the state is going to allow those to run out or make OC DPH to bid those also.