(1) To select verified prehospital EMS services, the department will:

(a) Provide a description of the documents an applicant must submit to demonstrate that it meets the standards as identified in chapter 70.168 RCW and WAC 246-976-390;

(b) Conduct a preverification on-site review for:

(i) All ALS ambulance service applications;

(ii) All ILS ambulance service applications; and

(iii) All BLS ambulance applications if and when there is any question of duplication of services or lack of coordination of prehospital services within the region;

(c) Request comments from the region in which a verification application is received, to be used in the department's review;

(d) Apply the department's evaluation criteria; and

(e) Apply the department's decision criteria.

(2) To apply for verification you must:

(a) Be a licensed prehospital EMS ambulance or aid service as specified in WAC 246-976-260;

(b) Submit a completed application:

(i) If you are applying for verification in more than one region, you must submit a separate application for each region;

(ii) You must apply for verification when you are:

(A) An agency that responds to 9-1-1 emergencies as part of its role in the EMS system;

(B) A new business or legal entity that is formed through consolidation of existing services or a newly formed EMS agency;

(C) An EMS agency that seeks to provide prehospital emergency response in a region in which it previously has not been operating; or

(D) A service that is changing, or has changed its type of verification or its verification status.

(3) The department will evaluate each prehospital EMS service applicant on a point system. In the event there are two or more applicants, the secretary will verify the most qualified applicant. The decision to verify will be based on at least the following:

(a) Total evaluation points received on all completed applications:

(i) Applicants must receive a minimum of one hundred fifty points of the total two hundred points possible from the overall evaluation scoring tool to qualify for verification.

(ii) Applicants must receive a minimum of thirty points in the evaluation of its clinical and equipment capabilities section of the evaluation scoring tool to qualify for verification;

(b) Recommendations from the on-site review team, if applicable;

(c) Comment from the regional council(s);

(d) Dispatch plan;

(e) Response plan;

(f) Level of service;

(g) Type of transport, if applicable;

(h) Tiered response and rendezvous plan;

(i) Back-up plan to respond;

(j) Interagency relations;

(k) How the applicant's proposal avoids unnecessary duplication of resources or services;

(l) How the applicant's service is consistent with and will meet the specific needs as outlined in their approved regional EMS and trauma plan including the patient care procedures;

(m) Ability to meet vehicle requirements;

(n) Ability to meet staffing requirements;

(o) How certified EMS personnel have been, or will be, trained so they have the necessary understanding of department-approved MPD protocols, and their obligation to comply with the MPD protocols;

(p) Agreement to participate in the department-approved regional quality improvement program.

(4) Regional EMS and trauma care councils may provide comments to the department regarding the verification application, including written statements on the following if applicable:

(a) Compliance with the department-approved minimum and maximum number of verified trauma services for the level of verification being sought by the applicant;

(b) How the proposed service will impact care in the region to include discussion on:

(i) Clinical care;

(ii) Response time to prehospital incidents;

(iii) Resource availability; and

(iv) Unserved or under served trauma response areas;

(c) How the applicant's proposed service will impact existing verified services in the region.

(5) Regional EMS/TC councils will solicit and consider input from local EMS/TC councils where local councils exist.