RFP 26-01-TF - RFP 26-01-TF Transportation Management Services

This Request for Proposal (hereafter RFP) is for the purpose of obtaining proposals with the sole intent of obtaining a contract to provide Transportation Management Services for the Santa Rosa County District Schools.  The District currently transports over 16,000 students for 35 schools on three tiers with 182 routes  and 4,123 stops.  Below are the requirements and specifications to be included in the contractor’s proposal for consideration.
 

1. Proposal Form, Drug Free Workplace Form and Public Entity Crimes Form.
2. Company Information - It is the purpose of the Request for Proposals to obtain as complete data as possible from each interested contractor to enable the SRCDS to determine which interested company is best able to meet the criteria of the Board which are to be considered in the award of this contract. Each interested company shall furnish as part of this proposal a complete general description of experience in the field of school transportation management.  Included shall be the following:
   1. Name and address of the company. 
   2. The duration and extent of experience in providing management services for public schools. 
   3. A list of ten (10) locations where transportation programs of similar scope and size are presently managed. Give name and address, length of service, number of students enrolled / customers served and name and telephone number of a contact person for each contract.
   4. A list of school districts and other similar accounts where services have been discontinued or terminated for any reason within the past five (5) years and the reason why. Include contact person and telephone number. 
   5. A company organization chart and a plan for the administrative management, supervision and staffing proposed under the specifications of this contract.  Include contract employee information, including benefit information.
   6. A description of training programs for employees, supervisors, and managers and support available at all levels. 
   7. A sample invoice.
   8. A sample Master Agreement that includes the Terms and Conditions listed on pages 1-9 above and in the Mandatory Specifications below.
   9. Any other pertinent information
3. Services Provided – Detail exactly what services are being proposed.
    

4. Buses – Contractor to provide all route buses, which must meet the state of Florida standards for school buses and must be equipped at a minimum with air conditioning, cameras, GPS devices and two-way radios compatible with existing system.   Entire bus fleet must be on site and ready for service two (2) weeks prior to the starting of school to begin for each school year.  Contractor should also consider the use of vans for the transport of ESE and McKinney-Vento students.  District will be authorized to commit and dispatch buses and drivers in support of Santa Rosa County Emergency Operations.
5. Bus Replacement – Provide bus replacement schedule.  No contractor provided bus shall be more than twelve (12) years old.
6. Bus Purchase Option – The District may have the option to purchase those buses acquired and owned by contractor for the performance of this agreement under the following terms and conditions:
   1. The purchase price will be based on the original cost (as defined under general acceptable accounting principles) less straight-line depreciation based on a useful life of twelve (12) years. 
   2. In addition, the purchase price shall include all fees, charges, penalties, etc. due from the CONTRACTOR as a result of the termination of financing arrangements related to the buses purchased.
7. Cameras – District currently has a separate contract with AngelTrax to provide the cameras, recorders and software on the bus as part of the bus stop-arm infraction detection system.  Contractor will be responsible for the transfer (scheduling and cost) of the equipment currently installed on the buses to any new buses as a result of the new contract.
8. Charter Services – Contractor may provide charter services for non-district functions; however, the district will not be liable for any expenses incurred. Should the Contractor not be able to support a requested field trip through the regular request process, the charter service may be offered at the same rate as a regular field trip and these field trips will take priority over any outside chartered field trips.  Provide discussion on how charter services will be documented, complete with receipts for fuel, expenses, mileage run and any other pertinent factors.
9. Contract – The complete Agreement consist of the Master Agreement, the Proposal of Contractor and the District’s Request for Proposal (RFP), which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.  In the event of any conflict between the terms of the Agreement, the Proposal and the RFP, the terms of the Master Agreement shall govern, then the Proposal of Contractor, and lastly the RFP.
10. Employees - All Board employed personnel in the transportation department as of June 30, 2026 will remain as employees of the Board with no loss of pay or benefits. The board currently has 13 transportation employees, consisting of 10 drivers and 3 monitors.  Adherence to existing School District Labor Union contract agreements is required.  Wages and benefits for these employees will be set by the SRCSB. All final decisions involving hiring, termination, compensation, and employment benefits of Board personnel will remain with the School Administration. As these workers attrite from the district payroll, they will be replaced by contract employees.  A price increase based on the District’s Blue Collar Salary Schedule at Level 1 for a Bus Driver (Range 9) or a Bus Aide (Range 5) will be allowed for each replacement worker.  All current non-union contract employees will be given the opportunity to be retained by the successful contractor at their current hourly rate, as verified by individual employee’s pay stubs.  We currently have a total of 66 bus monitors including school board employees.  As of January 1, 2026 applicable non-union contracted workforce equaled 14 FTE with an annual payroll of $809,582.  Successful contractor may modify employee hours for contracted workers.  Benefit packages will be reviewed and will play a factor in rating proposals. All current union contract employees will be given the opportunity to be retained by the successful contractor.  Additional employees needed and all future employees shall be furnished and employed by the contractor.  New employees must undergo the same pre-employment screening as district employees.  Drug testing and background checks, at contractor’s expense per board policy, must go through the district’s personnel department.  The board reserves the right to require the contractor to terminate any employee found unacceptable as a school based employee.  The District will have final approval on recommendation for hiring and dismissal of contractor’s local manager.
11. Equipment - All equipment needed to perform transportation services and any other related function performed will be provided by the contractor.
12. Facilities – The district will provide four (4) regional facilities for use by the transportation contractor.  The Milton yard contains office spaces, an eight (8) bay garage, one (1) wash bay, parts room, driver’s lounge and other spaces.  The Pace yard includes office space and driver’s lounge.  The Navarre yard includes office space, driver’s lounge, a two (2) bay garage, and one (1) wash bay.  The Gulf Breeze location is office space only.  Contractor to be responsible for maintaining appearance of provided facilities.  District will provide routine custodial and maintenance services.
13. Fleet Maintenance - The contractor shall maintain all vehicles and equipment, including district buses and white fleet, in first class condition, to include body damage and paint.  Proposal to discuss contractor’s turnaround time for maintenance procedures and penalties for failure to complete tasks within specified time frame.  All work done is to be consistent with manufacture’s specifications and standards. Contractor will provide written recommendations concerning at what point a District vehicle is no longer able to be repaired and should be replaced. 
14. Fuel – To be provided by the district for all district related transportation needs.  Contractor will supply and document fuel purchases for all non-district related charter trips.  The district will be responsible for fueling tanks and contamination caused by leaking tanks.  Contractor to be responsible for maintaining fueling pumps.
15. GPS – All buses to be equipped with GPS devices to be installed and maintained by contractor.  GPS to have time clock function with reports to be provided to the district for payroll purposes for district drivers.
16. Incentive Programs – List policy on safety and retention incentive programs.
17. Insurance – Contractor shall maintain insurance as previously detailed during the agreement period and shall furnish a certificate of insurance for General and Auto Liability coverage for all buses, including those owned by the district.
18. Medical – Drivers and monitors may be required to administer medical procedures as required by law.
19. Overtime – for district employees must be approved in advance by the contract administrator.  The cost of any overtime allowed by contractor for district employees not approved will be credited back to the district.
20. Radios – All buses to be equipped with two-way radios compatible with existing system.  Contractor is responsible for provision and maintenance of radios and antennas to the school sites.
21. Routes - Contractor is responsible for developing for District approval all routes supporting the District’s approved bus stop distance policy (Pre-K – 5th grade up to 1/2 mile from the students home and  6th – 12th grade up to 1 mile from the students home), ensuring that all routes are covered each day with appropriate personnel, i.e. driver and monitor when necessary.  In the event of an open route, contractor will credit the district back at the negotiated daily rate of route.
22. Software – District has recently made a significant capital investment with Tyler Technologies for student ridership with tablets (Tyler Drive), RFID readers and SaaS. Contractor will need to submit their proposal with Tyler Technologies products [Traversa (routing), Advanced Routing, Advanced AVL, My Ride K-12, Electronic Rollout Sheet, and Reportwriter] along with the GPS software to be implemented for this contract.
23. Student Transportation Survey – State funding is provided based on counts of student riders.  Contractor will insure that such surveys are accurate.  Any funding lost based on inadequate counts will be credited back to the district.
24. Substitutes – Contractor is responsible for providing a substitute bench to insure all routes are adequately covered.
25. Supplies – All supplies needed to perform the functions listed in this RFP will be provided by the contractor.
26. Tags – Contractor to purchase and maintain vehicle tags for buses and transportation vehicles leased or owned by contractor.
27. Telephones – District to provide telephone system adequate enough to insure customers never receive a busy signal, even if an answering service is needed during peak times, as during the beginning of the school year.  Voicemail is permitted.  All staff answering the phones will be trained on how to properly execute calls of various nature.   
28. Training -All training required by Federal, State, Local and School Board statues, laws, ordinances and rules, is to be performed and managed by contractor for all transportation employees and any employee who drives buses.  This training for any District employee wishing to obtain their commercial drivers license with passenger endorsement will also be provided and managed.
29. Uniforms – All transportation employees will be provided by the contractor a uniform shirt with a logo identifying the worker as a district transportation employee.  Drivers are to be dressed appropriately at all times when on duty.  Uniforms must be approved by the district.  The contractor must provide State ID badges for any employees, similar to what the district provides for its employees.  The uniform and badge must be visible at all times when workers are on duty.
30. Unionization – In the event of contract employee unionization, any labor agreement will be between the contractor and the union, and not a part of the contract with the district.  In no case will such a labor agreement supersede district policy, the board employee union agreement, or diminish any contract responsibility the contractor has with the board.
31. Website - Contractor to maintain a website, with web address provided by district, to include contact information and photos of all management staff.  Corporate and other related links may be included.  Include sample main page with proposal submission.
32. White Fleet – All contractor owned white fleet must be free of fading and flaked paint and kept washed.
33. Pricing information – to include overall pricing for all services proposed, including payment terms and price adjustments, which may consist of an annual CPI as of December of the year prior or the average percentage raise received by district employees for the current fiscal year, whichever is less.
    1. The proposer shall submit with the annual cost figure for the transportation described herein, replicating, as nearly as possible, the current system and detailed support of the calculations satisfactory to the board. The annual price shall include all labor, materials, equipment, necessary buses, supplies, overhead and profit, and all other related costs.
    2. The annual cost figure shall include all regular routes as provided, all mid-day routes, and an estimated budget for extra-curricular, athletic and other trips. 
    3. Home-to-school transportation for 180 days of operation plus 20 days of summer school.
    4. Mid-day transportation for 180 days of operation.
    5. An annual cost for field, athletic and other trips. Also include the per unit hourly extra trip rate for which such trips will be billed. All cost figures shall include all fuel costs, matching taxes, labor costs, maintenance and repair costs.
34. Guarantee and Penalty Information – Detail guarantees and penalties that your company will include as a part of this proposal.

1. List of District Buses
2. List of District White Fleet
3. Student Starting & Dismissal Times 2025-2026 School Year
4. School Calendar 2026-2027 School Year
5. District Schools and Addresses
6. District pre-employment screening procedures:

1. Proposal Form
2. E-Verify Form
3. Drug Free Workplace Form
4. Public Entity Crimes Form
5. Certification Regarding Lobbying Form
6. Conflict of Interest Certification Form
7. Data Disbursement Confidentiality Disclosure Agreement (including from any additional vendors using student identifiable information)
8. Human Trafficking Form
9. Business Proposal including:
   1. A company history
   2. A list of ten (10) locations where transportation programs of similar scope and size are presently managed. Give name and address, length of service, number of students enrolled / customers served and name and telephone number of a contact person for each contract.
   3. A list of school districts and other similar accounts where services have been discontinued or terminated for any reason within the past five (5) years and the reason why. Include contact person and telephone number.
   4. A brief summary of the service offered
   5. A detailed explanation of services offered

1. Pricing