After three public hearings over a controversial contract award — one of which ended in a deadlocked vote — the Tacoma City Council last night decided on a split-vote to throw out a bid recommendation to award the city’s ambulance services to a new vendor.

The council’s vote now means the contract will be re-bid.

A five-member city advisory panel consisting of fire personnel and others had recommended American Medical Response Ambulance Service of Greenwood Village, Colo., for the six-year contract, expected to raise the winning vendor more than $3 million, depending on billable services (costs are passed along …

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