Cook County commissioners yesterday banned an ambulance company from vying for county business, saying bidding problems could have caused patients to suffer.

Superior Ambulance of Elmhurst submitted the lowest bid for a contract to transport patients between the county's network of public hospitals and clinics.

The company bid  $1.26 million less than the previous provider, Ambulance Transportation Inc., which made a bid of $4.5 million. But Superior then withdrew its offer, claiming it would have to raise prices to provide the services the county sought, commissioners said.

Commissioner Tony Peraica (R-Westchester) says if the bid had been accepted, Superior would not have had the capability to transport infants.

"People cannot be coming and making offers that they don't intend to keep," Peraica says. "We should hold them responsible."

The board allowed Superior to withdraw its bid on the condition that the company be banned from submitting other bids for the next year.

Some commissioners wanted to make the punishment against Superior more severe.

Commissioner William Beavers (D-Chicago) suggested accepting Superior's bid and letting them default on it, resulting in a 24-month ban on bidding.

But 10th District Commissioner Mike Quigley says teaching Superior a lesson isn't as important as providing ambulance service to patients.

"If they sign a contract and go into default... this would put critically ill children at risk. There's no way we approve the bid just to make a point," he says.

The county's purchasing department will decide whether the only other bidder, Ambulance Transportation Inc., will be awarded the bid, or whether the contract needs to go out for bid again.

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