2025 RFP for Bethel SD 52 Transportation Services.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

STUDENT TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

RFP Issued: October 20, 2025 Submission Deadline: November 17, 2025

2:00 PM, PST

Proposals must be received at the District Administration Office by 2:00 PM, PST on Friday, November 17, 2025 for consideration. Three (3) hard copies and one (1) electronic copy of

Please direct proposals to: Krista Larson

Transportation Director Bethel School District 52 4640 Barger Drive Eugene, OR 97402 Krista.Larson@Bethel.K12.or.us

Bethel School District 52 4640 Barger Drive | Eugene, Oregon 97402

541-689-3280 | www.bethel.k12.or.us

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. Definition of Key Terms B. Term

C. District Policies

D. Independent Contractor

E. Insurance

F. Hold Harmless

G. Force Majeure

H. Arbitration

I. Assignment of Contract

J. Funding

K. Severability

L. Disclosure of Independence and Relationships M. Taxes

N. Termination or Suspension of Contractor Services

O. Affirmative Action

VII. Terms and Conditions – Specific A. Scope of Service

B. Contractor Equipment C. Facilities

D. Routing

E. Schedules

F. Staff

G. Reports

H. Cooperation I. Safety Program

J. Inclement Weather

K. Student Management

L. District Personnel Drivers

VIII. Terms and Conditions – Costs A. Cost/Fee Structure

B. Alternatives

C. Changes

D. Contractor Charters

E. Compensation

IX. Current Service Level Information A. District Boundaries

B. School Calendars and Hours

C. School Bus Routes

D. Transportation Information for School Year Ended June 30, 2025

E. Current Fleet Configurations

X. Required Proposal Forms A. RFP Checklist and Compliance

B. Proposal Rate Schedule

C. Total Cost Proposal

D. Resident Bidder

XI. Required Proposal Supplemental Information

ADVERTISEMENT

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

STUDENT TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

Bethel School District 52 is seeking proposals from qualified contractors to provide student transportation services including home to school transportation, individualized transportation and trips per the specifications of the solicitation document, which is available at https://bethel.k12.or.us/58233_4 and OregonBuys. The contract period is expected to begin July 1, 2026, with an initial five (5) year term.

Statements made by District representatives at the pre-proposal meeting are not binding unless confirmed by written addendum.

Sealed proposals will be received until 2:00 PM, PST on November 17, 2025 and shall be delivered to Krista Larson, Transportation Director, Bethel School District 52, 4640 Barger Drive, Eugene, OR 97402 clearly marked “Proposal for Student Transportation Services.”

The District reserves the right to reject any or all proposals.

PROPOSAL SELECTION TIMELINE

Advertisement for Proposals/RFP Issued October 20, 2025 Last Day for Questions November 3, 2025 by 5:00 PM Last Addenda Issued (if any) November 5, 2025 by 5:00 PM Proposals Due November 17, 2025 by 2:00 PM Selection Committee Evaluation of Proposals November 18-21, 2025 Proposer Interviews (if necessary) November 24, 2025 Notice of Intent to Award November 26, 2025 Recommendation to School Board/Contract Award December 10, 2025 Contractor to Begin Service July 1, 2026

I. INTRODUCTION

Bethel SD 52 is soliciting proposals for student transportation services. It is the District's intention to determine the most responsible Proposer through evaluation of various criteria including, but not limited to, quality of management and operations, company stability, service reputation, length of time in business, preventive maintenance program, safety program, and technology and equipment (buses) that will handle the number of students to be transported daily, and overall cost of services to be rendered. Proposals will be evaluated from the standpoint of capability to serve District needs in an efficient and safe manner and to ensure an effective partnership in evaluating current routing, bus stops, etc.

First Student, Inc. is currently providing student transportation services for the District, with a regional office in Eugene, OR. First Student currently provides all general education home to school transportation routes, some individualized transportation routes, and the majority of academic and athletic trips. The District has an in-house transportation program that serves special education students, students in foster care placed with out-of-district caregivers, and students experiencing homelessness who are currently located outside of the District’s bus routes. The District is seeking a student transportation contractor to serve as the primary service provider for general education home to school transportation, individualized transportation, and trips. The District plans to continue in-house services for special education students, but would be interested in proposals that include an option for transportation services for foster and McKinney Vento students.

The successful Proposer will provide necessary leadership, coordination, and cooperation to ensure that student transportation services are responsive to the needs of the District and are consistent with District policies, state requirements, and all other applicable laws and regulations.

The services and equipment required and offered in proposals shall meet the needs as described within this solicitation and relating to the number of students transported daily. Proposers may include any special or unique services you plan to provide. No alternate routing proposals will be accepted. The District currently routes for both in-house and First Student bus routes, and will plan to work collaboratively with the successful Proposer to optimize services. Any alternate routing or elimination of routes will be dealt with only after the successful Proposer has been selected.

Proposals will be evaluated by a Selection Committee consisting of District staff. The Selection Committee will review all documents submitted as a part of each proposal.

The District reserves the right to make reference calls to other sites where the Proposer is currently providing services. The District may request interviews with proposed site management personnel of companies submitting proposals.

Clarification of a proposal by Proposer shall be in writing. The District will keep a detailed record of all discussions.

The contract for student transportation services will be awarded to the Proposer whose proposal best meets the District’s needs. It is the District’s intention to determine the best, responsive, and responsible Proposer pursuant to the criteria outline in Section V of this solicitation.

It is understood that the District reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, or waive any informality in a proposal; and, it is expressly contemplated that no contract exists on the part of the District until formal written notice has been given or until a contract is fully executed. It is understood that the District reserves the right to award a contract for the proposal in the manner deemed to be in the best interest of the District.

Should a Proposer find discrepancies or ambiguities in, or omissions from, the specifications, the Proposer must notify the District. All written corrections sent to Proposers are to be considered in the proposal and do become part of the solicitation documents. All requests for additional information, from any Proposer, must be received by the District in writing. Likewise, all additional information or answers to questions provided by the District to any Proposer shall be given in writing and

ABOUT THE DISTRICT – Bethel School District 52 serves approximately 5,000 students in northwest Eugene, Oregon. Students age 5 to 21 participate in a variety of programs serving grades K-12. The student population has been declining over the last several years, with the latest numbers stabilizing at about 90 students less than the prior year. The District serves students with four elementary schools, two K-8 schools, two middle schools, one comprehensive high school and one alternative high school.

The District is geographically located in the Willamette Valley about 100 miles south of Portland, Oregon, and covers approximately 32 square miles. Schools are located in close proximity to each other within Eugene, with rural transportation limited to specialized student transportation needs. While the majority of the District experiences fairly mild weather throughout the year, snow and ice are possible during the months of December through February, which could impact bus routes.

The Contractor must be prepared to operate school bus routes during times of adverse weather, unless student safety, road closures or other safety related issues prevail. In such cases the District will alert the Contractor in a timely manner so as to permit the implementation of school closure or late school start-up plans.

II. PRE‐PROPOSAL REGISTRATION AND MEETING

The District has chosen not to hold a mandatory pre-proposal meeting but encourages Contractors to reach out with questions or concerns regarding this Request for Proposals. Verbal statements made by District representatives are not binding upon the District unless confirmed by a written addendum.

III. GENERAL PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS

FORMAT OF PROPOSAL

Each Proposer is invited to submit a proposal for services based upon the items described within this solicitation. All proposals shall be sealed in an opaque envelope and addressed as follows:

Krista Larson Transportation Director Bethel School District 52 4640 Barger Drive Eugene, OR 97402

In addition, the name and address of the Proposer and the title of the proposal (“Proposal for Student Transportation Services”) must appear on the outside of said

location other than the address above either by the Proposer, delivery service or any other.

The proposal shall include all documents and information specified within this solicitation. Required documents in Section X, where applicable, shall be signed as follows:

A. In the case of an individual proposer, by such individual proposer;

B. In the case of a partnership, the name of the partnership must appear on such proposal and it shall be signed in the name of such partnership by at least one partner. In addition to such signature, the names of all partners shall be stated in such proposal;

C. In the case of a corporation, the president or other managing officer shall subscribe the corporate name, and there shall be set forth under the signature of such officer the name of the office the officer holds or the capacity on which the officer acts for such corporation.

Facsimile (fax) transmissions of proposals will not be accepted, nor will electronic transmissions (in place of hard copy proposals) or postmarks be accepted.

PROHIBITION OF ALTERATIONS

Proposals which are incomplete or conditioned, or which contain any erasures, alterations, or that contain irregularities of any kind, or which are not in conformity with the law may be rejected, as well as proposals that take exception to specifications or those that place conditions on the purchase, unless specifically indicated as acceptable.

IV. COMPLAINTS AND REMEDIES

The District’s designated contact for this solicitation is Krisa Larson, Transportation Director. The designated contact will handle all objections, complaints, and inquiries regarding this solicitation, and the subsequent selection of a Contractor. The designated contact may be contacted as follows:

Krista Larson Transportation Director Bethel School District 52 4640 Barger Drive Eugene, OR 97402

Email: Krista.Larson@bethel.k12.or.us Phone: 541-607-1499

Any protest of these proposal specifications must be presented to the designated contact in writing by November 3rd, marked “Proposal Specifications Protest – Student Transportation Services”.

In response to such protest, an addendum may be issued, if deemed appropriate by the designated contact, or designee.

Any Proposer who submits a proposal to the District and who is adversely affected by the District’s award to another Proposer may protest the contract award to another Proposer by filing a written protest to the above referenced designated contact within five days of issuance of the notice of intent to award the contract. The protest must specify the grounds on which a protest is based. A Proposer is only adversely affected if it is next in line for the award as the best responsive and responsible proposal. Protests will be reviewed based upon written documents submitted by the protester, and the District’s response will be in writing. The District may award a contract while a protest is pending.

The District’s Board of Directors is the local contract review board for the District with the powers to act in the capacity as defined in Oregon Statutes and Administrative Rules.

All questions, complaints and remedies shall comply with Oregon Statutes and Administrative Rules.

ACCEPTANCE OF CONDITIONS

Each Proposer, by the submission of a proposal, assents to each and every term and condition set forth anywhere in these specifications and agrees to be bound thereby.

V. EVALUATION

Proposals will be evaluated by a selection committee with points assigned based upon desirable features. Proposals submitted that do not meet mandatory requirements will not be rated. The role of the selection committee will include a complete review of all proposal documents submitted and may include conferring with selected clients of the Proposer. It may also involve an interview with those Proposers selected to review their proposals. The District’s Board of Directors will make the final decision on hiring a contractor.

All proposals from qualified contractors that provide the minimum required qualifications and that pass the financial strength tests will then be evaluated on the following criteria:

Quality of service and performance record 25 points Ability to meet or exceed the performance goals and requirements of District as set forth in this solicitation

25 points

Fees/Total Cost 25 points Driver selection programs and training including pupil management, and ability to retain qualified employees

20 points

Safety program, history and procedures 20 points Proven history and demonstrated company posture in dealing with parents, community relations, and school staff

20 points

Qualifications and experience of management and staff 15 points Fleet plan: Replacement plan for equipment and quality of maintenance program

15 points

Routing services and ability to provide families with tracking of student location in-transit

10 points

Overall consideration for best fit with our District will include the following factors:

Motivation, Professionalism, Philosophy of Service, and Flexibility.

The District, through the selection committee, reserves the right to invite one or more Proposers to present their proposals and interview, in person, to the selection committee. Any interview will be scheduled for Monday, November 24, 2025.

DISCLOSURE

Proposals will not be made a part of the public record until after the selection process is completed. All Proposals, including the evaluation reports, will then be available for public review. Any part of a proposal that would not be subject to release under Oregon’s Public Records Law must be specifically labeled with the exception claimed clearly documented within the proposal. Blanket statements of exemption will not be deemed sufficient to exempt all or part of a proposal.

DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST

No employee or elected official of the District may own more than five percent of a business that is submitting a proposal on any awards with the District unless it is fully disclosed in the proposal documents.

VI. TERMS AND CONDITIONS – GENERAL

By submitting a proposal in response to this solicitation, Proposer agrees to the following terms and conditions of service to District:

A. DEFINITION OF KEY TERMS

Proposer An individual or company, experienced and qualified in the area of school bus operations, that elects to provide the District a proposal to provide student transportation services.

Proposal Detailed information provided by a Proposer outlining the manner in which Proposer intends to provide student transportation services to the District.

Contractor Successful Proposer

District Bethel School District 52

School Bus (Buses) Regulation school bus that meets or exceeds the State of Oregon minimum standards

Agreement Contract between District and Successful Proposer

B. TERM

District will award a contract for an initial five-year period. This initial term shall begin on July 1, 2026 and expire on June 30, 2031. The contract may be extended in years subsequent to the initial contract by mutual written agreement of the parties. Subsequent contract terms may occur in increments of one to five years. Such extensions must be agreed upon by January 31 of the final contract year, or the contract will expire at the ending date of the term then in effect.

C. DISTRICT POLICIES

1. The District shall have the exclusive right and obligation to set standards or policies for District operations. Policies include those regarding student transportation in general, and in particular as to the school calendar, beginning and ending time of schools, walking distances to school, the establishment of bus stops, bus arrivals and departure times, current route descriptions, student discipline, and all other pertinent policies relating to transportation. All District policies can be viewed at https://bethel.k12.or.us/16546_4.

2. The District shall designate the students for whom Contractor shall provide service. Contractor shall provide service for such students for each day that school is in session during the term of the Agreement and shall provide other services for students and authorized District personnel as the District may require.

D. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR

Contractor is an Independent Contractor responsible for furnishing transportation services only, pursuant to the Agreement, and neither Contractor nor any agent, officer or employee of Contractor shall be held or deemed in any way to be an agent, employee, officer, or official of the District as those terms as used in ORS 30.265. None of the benefits provided by the District to its employees is available from the District to the employees, agents or servants of the Contractor. Contractor shall be solely responsible for Contractor’s acts and for the acts of Contractor’s agents, officers, and employees during the performance of the Agreement, and at all other times, and District shall have no power or control pertinent to the acts of any said persons.

E. INSURANCE

1. The Contractor, at its sole expense, shall procure and furnish the

District with a Certificate of Insurance naming District as additional insured. The Certificate of Insurance shall be provided annually and maintained on file continuously, for the term of the Agreement. The insurance minimums satisfactory to the District shall be as set forth below. The insurance shall be kept current during the Agreement.

2. The Contractor shall provide general liability and automobile liability insurance, protecting the District as an additional insured, its agents and employees acting in their official capacities as such, the Contractor as a named insured, drivers and other related personnel from any claim for damages for personal injury or death and from damage to property which may arise from operations of the Contractor under the Contract.

The following minimum limits apply to the general liability insurance requirements:

$2,000,000 Each Occurrence $3,000,000 General Aggregate $ 10,000 Medical Payments per person $4,000,000 Umbrella/Excess Liability

Or a total occurrence limit of no less than $5,000,000 for all coverage combined.

The following minimum limits apply to the commercial auto insurance requirements:

$1,000,000 for Each Person (Bodily injury) $1,000,000 for Property Damage $1,000,000 for Under insured (and Uninsured) motorists $ 10,000 Medical Payments per person $4,000,000 Umbrella/Excess Liability

3. The Contractor, its subcontractors, if any, and all employers providing work, labor or materials under this Contract who are subject employers under the Oregon Workers' Compensation Law shall comply with ORS 656.017, which requires them to provide workers' compensation coverage that satisfies Oregon law for all their subject workers. Out-of-state employers must provide workers' compensation coverage for their workers that comply with ORS

656.126. Employers' Liability Insurance with coverage limits of not less than $500,000 each accident shall be included.

4. CONFIDENTIALITY. District and Contractor agree to comply with applicable laws relating to protected health information (HIPPA) and protected student information (FERPA). Both parties shall ensure that its personnel, employees, affiliates, and agents maintain the individual confidentiality of all persons served by the Agreement as well as each entity’s business information.

5. CYBER SECURITY. District and Contractor acknowledge that it may be necessary to electronically transfer data regarding students, staff, and general business information to ensure Contractor is able to provide the services required by the Agreement. It is the expectation of the District that the Contractor has taken industry accepted and appropriate steps to ensure the security and confidentiality of electronic data. District is not responsible for any third-party injury(ies) and/or claim(s) that may arise in connection with Contractor’s actions or inactions in this area.

6. SEXUAL ABUSE AND MOLESTATION. The Contractor’s general liability policy must not specifically exclude coverage for sexual abuse and molestation. If sexual abuse and molestation coverage is excluded under the General Liability policy, evidence of separate sexual abuse and molestation coverage of not less than $1,00,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate each claim, incident, or occurrence must be provided to the District in the form of a certificate of insurance and must be approved by the District prior to the execution of the Agreement.

7. SEXUAL CONDUCT. The Contractor acknowledges that the District has adopted policy in response to Oregon legislation addressing sexual grooming behavior by school employees towards students and, therefore, does not tolerate any form of sexual conduct with students.

It is the expectation of the District that Contractor will provide information regarding sexual conduct to all personnel, employees, affiliates, and agents of Contractor who may be interacting with students under the scope of the Agreement in support of the District’s policy. This information may be obtained free of charge from the District’s Human Resources Department.

8. BACKGROUND CHECKS. All drivers, aides and other Contractor staff who will have direct, unsupervised contact with students are subject to criminal records checks and fingerprinting under ORS 326.603 and

342.143 and are required to undergo a criminal background check and fingerprinting through the Oregon Department of Education, at the Contractor’s expense. The Contractor shall ensure that all such individuals complete the required forms and authorize the District to process these checks. Failure or refusal to consent to required criminal records checks, fingerprinting, or disclosure of disqualifying convictions under ORS 342.143 shall result in immediate removal from the project and may result in contract termination. If contractor staff have already undergone this process with another Oregon school district, Bethel SD 52 may be able to request this information from the other district with Contractor approval.

F. HOLD HARMLESS

In addition to the insurance requirements included as part of the Agreement, the Contractor shall also defend, indemnify and hold harmless the District and its agents and employees acting in their official capacities as such from and against any and all claims, suits, judgments and demands whatsoever, including without limitation, costs, litigation expenses, counsel fees and liabilities with respect to injury to, or death of, any person or persons whosoever, or damage to property of any kind whomsoever owned, arising out of or caused or claimed to have been caused in whole or in part by the acts or omissions of the Contractor, any subcontractor, or any other person directly or indirectly employed by them or any of them, while engaged in the performance of the work or any activity associated therewith, or related thereto.

G. FORCE MAJEURE

1. In the event Contractor is unable to provide transportation because of acts of God, fire, flood, riot, war, picketing, civil commotion, strikes or labor disputes, the District shall excuse Contractor from performance hereunder and shall have the right, but not be required, to take over the safe and legal operation of such buses that Contractor is prevented from operating using District personnel, or other persons as the District may deem appropriate until Contractor is able to resume operations, provided however, the insurance and hold harmless indemnification clauses herein shall not apply in such a situation. In this event, the District shall pay the Contractor for buses used, same amount specified in the rate schedule applicable for that year, less all reasonable expenses and costs incurred by the District in securing the services of such operating personnel. The Contractor shall not be released from contractual obligation because of the above-mentioned conditions until satisfactorily established that the non-performance is not due to the fault or neglect of the Contractor.

If neither the District nor the Contractor operates the buses, the District is not obligated to make any payments.

2. Contractor agrees to make every reasonable effort to provide transportation in the event of a strike by the District's employees.

H. ARBITRATION

In the event of any dispute arising under this Agreement, the parties may, by mutual written agreement, submit the matter to binding arbitration, provided that nothing herein waives either party’s right to seek judicial relief for claims involving termination, student safety, funding, or injunctive relief.

If arbitration is elected, the parties shall commence proceedings within sixty

(60) days under the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association (AAA) or other mutually agreed forum. Each party shall appoint one arbitrator, and those two shall appoint a third neutral arbitrator.

The arbitrators’ decision shall be final and binding, subject to enforcement in a court of competent jurisdiction under Oregon law. Costs of arbitration shall be shared equally, unless otherwise allocated by the arbitrators.

Nothing in this provision shall be interpreted to limit the District’s statutory rights or remedies under ORS Chapter 279 or applicable public contracting laws.

I. ASSIGNMENT OF CONTRACT

Neither the Agreement nor any interest herein shall be assigned to any other party or parties without the prior written consent of the District. In the event of any attempt to transfer interest without District's permission, District may terminate the Agreement with a notice period of its own choosing.

J. FUNDING

The Contractor recognizes that revenue needed to fund the Agreement must be approved by the District’s established budget procedures. The Contractor also recognizes that the revenue received by the District is sometimes affected by circumstances outside the control of the District. The Agreement, therefore, will be entered into contingent upon the ability of the District to fund the Agreement. Should the District experience an unexpected shortfall, which would affect the District’s ability to fund the Agreement, the compensation for any partial periods shall be prorated, based upon a daily basis consistent with the compensation terms of the Agreement. If funding inadequacies require a reduction in payments, corresponding reductions in service shall be negotiated between the District and the Contractor.

K. SEVERABILITY

Should any provision of the Agreement between the District and Contractor, or the application thereof, be held invalid or unenforceable, the remainder of the Agreement and the application thereof, other than those provision(s) as to which it shall have been held invalid or unenforceable, shall not be affected thereby and shall continue valid and enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law or equity.

L. DISCLOSURE OF INDEPENDENCE AND RELATIONSHIP

Prior to the establishment of any Agreement, the Successful Proposer shall certify in writing to the District that no relationship exists between the Successful Proposer and the contracting officer or the District that interferes with fair competition or is a conflict of interest, and that no relationship exists between the Successful Proposer and another person or organization that constitutes a conflict or interest with respect to an Agreement with the District. The District may waive this provision, in writing, if these relationships of the Successful Proposer will not be adverse to the interests of the District.

M. TAXES

The District is tax-exempt and any tax liability that might be incurred by the Contractor for personal or real property is the sole responsibility of the Contractor.

N. TERMINATION OR SUSPENSION OF CONTRACTOR SERVICES

1. The District may terminate the Agreement immediately in the event that the District’s Board of Directors or Superintendent reasonably concludes that Contractor‘s performance under the Agreement has endangered the health, safety or welfare of the District’s pupils so as to necessitate immediate termination. Termination under this provision shall be effective upon written notice by District to Contractor by either delivery of written notice of such termination to Contractor’s local office or facility, or upon mailing a written notice by both regular mail and certified mail return receipt requested to the address provided by Contractor to District for the purposes of delivering notices under the Agreement.

2. District may otherwise terminate the Agreement with Contractor, without cause, by giving 180 days written notice of termination to Contractor. Said notice to be delivered by either delivery of written notice of such termination to Contractor’s local office or facility; or upon mailing a written notice by both regular mail and certified mail return receipt requested to the address provided by Contractor to District for the purposes of delivering notices under the Agreement.

3. District may terminate the Agreement if District gives written notice to Contractor of its intent to terminate the Agreement if Contractor is in default under the Agreement for any of the reasons set forth below in this section and Contractor should fail within 60 days after receiving such notice from the District to remedy said default set forth in the notice from District. The following events shall be a default by Contractor and shall be subject to this 60 day notice requirement:

● Should Contractor be or become insolvent.

● Should Contractor make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors.

● Should Contractor file for protection under the bankruptcy laws of the United States.

● Should Contractor repeatedly refuse or fail to supply sufficient properly qualified drivers or buses to perform the transportation services requirements for the District as set forth in the Agreement.

● Should Contractor regularly fail to perform the transportation services required under the Agreement in compliance with the required time schedule.

● Should Contractor regularly fail to comply with District transportation policies.

● Should Contractor willfully disregard laws, ordinances, governmental rules or regulations or should repeatedly disregard the instructions of the District, which are consistent with the Agreement.

● Should Contractor commit any other material breach of the Agreement.

4. In the event of termination under any provision herein, District, at its sole discretion, may elect to purchase from Contractor all or selected transportation vehicles then in use in the District. The purchase of vehicles under this provision shall be at the then current fair market value. District must give written notice to Contractor of its intent to purchase vehicles at the time the termination notice is provided and must specifically identify vehicles to be purchased within 30 days of the notice of termination or intent to terminate.

O. AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

1. The Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action provisions of Section 202 of Executive Order 11246 and the rules and regulations issued pursuant to Section 201 therein are hereby incorporated by reference.

Contractor represents, by acceptance of the Agreement, that it will comply with such Executive Orders and rules and regulations, and amendments thereto, to the extent the same are applicable to the provision or subcontracting of services or work under the Agreement.

2. Contractor agrees not to discriminate against any client, employee or applicant for employment or for services, because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex , age, or sexual orientation with regard to, but not limited to, the following: Recruitment or recruitment advertising;

layoffs or terminations; rates of pay or other forms of compensation;

selection for training; or rendition of services. Contractor further understands and agrees that violation of this clause may be treated by District as a material breach of the Agreement, unless Contractor makes a satisfactory showing that discriminatory practices have terminated and that recurrence of such acts is unlikely.

VII. TERMS AND CONDITIONS – SPECIFIC

Under Agreement with the District, Contractor agrees as follow:

A. SCOPE OF SERVICE

1. To provide safe and reliable transportation to and from school and school-related functions. A typical regular school year will require 174-182 student transportation days depending on the grade level.

Total days may vary slightly from year to year and could be reduced due to revenue constraints. The District will only be billed for days that service is provided by the Contractor.

2. To provide transportation when the District operates summer educational programs, extended school year (ESY) services, enrichment programs, or other District-approved activities requiring student transportation. The scope, duration, and schedule of such programs shall be determined solely by the District on an annual basis.

The Contractor shall provide safe and reliable transportation services for all District-authorized summer programs upon request, and shall allocate sufficient buses, drivers, and support staff to meet service needs.

Historically, summer service has required approximately seven (7) buses over a period of six (6) to eight (8) weeks; however, the District reserves the right to increase or decrease the number of routes, buses, or service days based on program enrollment, funding, or operational needs.

The Contractor shall bill only for days on which summer transportation service is actually provided, in accordance with the approved rate schedule for extended-year operations.

3. To maintain orderly student conduct on buses and ensure that all

based on race, color, religion, national origin, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic under state or federal law.

4. To provide a close working relationship between the management of the company and the administration and management of the District.

5. To provide positive public relations between the Contractor, the

District, its patrons, and the school communities.

6. To adhere to transportation schedule that allows students minimal riding time to and from school not to exceed 45 minutes for elementary students and 60 minutes for middle and high school students, unless approved in advance by the District.

B. CONTRACTOR EQUIPMENT

1. MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE BUS/VEHICLE AGE

Average age of all buses (including spares) shall not exceed twelve years.

2. APPROVAL

New vehicles shall provide, at a minimum, capacities of vehicles currently in use. Both the Oregon Department of Education and the District shall approve all used equipment.

3. CONDITION AND MAINTENANCE

Contractor shall keep all equipment used for the transportation of students in strict accordance with the State of Oregon and federal standards and specifications for school buses. Such equipment shall be maintained in safe and good mechanical order at all times so as to pass the State School Bus Inspection. Such buses and vehicles shall also be kept in a clean and sanitary condition and free from body damage including minor dents and paint scrapes of a cosmetic nature. All repairs shall be repaired within 15 days of occurrence, unless otherwise approved by the District. Bumpers and wheels will be cleaned as needed to retain a fresh, clean appearance. Contractor shall administer on all buses and vehicles used by Contract in the transportation of students, an extensive preventive maintenance program which shall include the minimum:

a. A safety inspection and required repairs that at the minimum completely comply with the State of Oregon's annual school bus inspection requirements. This shall be completed by August 15 of every contract year or every 25,000 miles, whichever comes first. No inspection period, from the last to the most current, shall exceed 12 months.

b. A daily pre-trip bus inspection and withdrawing a bus from service if a serious defect exists, which includes, but is not limited to steering, brakes, primary vision, exhaust, wheels, or tires.

4. FLEET SIZE

Contractor shall have a fleet of adequate number and capability to guarantee service for the District's student transportation needs, including home to school transportation, individualized transportation, and trips. Contractor shall provide adequate equipment within the fleet to meet accessibility requirements in Section 9 below. Equipment shall be added when needed to meet increasing needs. Such additions must be pre-approved by the District.

The District’s initial fleet request is listed below. In addition to this, the District welcomes an alternative suggested fleet configuration by the Proposer based on information given in Section IX of this solicitation.

a. Home to school transportation – provide as a minimum

SEVENTEEN (17) 71 to 89 passenger buses (plus minimum of four

(5) spares). The district requires two of the specified home to school buses be equipped with wheelchair lifts to accommodate inclusion for all students. Lifts shall be installed on maximum capacity buses to maintain flexibility of seating; it is acknowledged that this will reduce the number of available seats when wheelchair stations are in use. Buses should be capable of providing seatbelts and child restraint systems that meet state and federal requirements, to meet individual student needs, upon request.

b. Activities, athletics and field trips - provide as a minimum EIGHT

maximum of 15 passengers, 10,000 pound gross vehicle weight.

Three of the Type 20 vehicles will be dedicated for use at our high school programs and stored at their locations. The fourth will be stored at the Contractor lot for scheduled use by District staff.

c. Spare buses are defined as vehicles used as a temporary replacement for a regular bus for reason of breakdown, maintenance or emergency. Contractor shall keep ample spare buses and other equipment available to ensure that Contractor can provide uninterrupted student transportation service with a delay of no greater than 30 minutes in the event of a mechanical breakdown or emergency within the District. Contractor shall also have on hand personnel able to react within this time frame.

Minimum spare performance requirements are defined above.

Spare buses shall meet the same requirements for buses and equipment as set forth elsewhere in these specifications.

5. DISTRICT INSPECTION

The District retains the unrestricted right to inspect, at any time and without prior notice, the Contractor’s facilities, vehicles, records, maintenance logs, safety documentation, operational procedures, employee training records, and all student transportation-related recordings, including audio and video footage captured on buses, as well as any other materials necessary to verify compliance with this Agreement and all applicable laws and regulations.

All video or audio recordings produced through on-board surveillance systems shall be considered property of the District and must be made available upon request within timeframes established by the District.

The Contractor shall not delete, alter, or restrict access to any recording related to student safety, conduct, or incidents involving District personnel.

If, through such inspection, any equipment, records, recordings, practices, or procedures are found to be noncompliant with legal or contractual requirements, the Contractor shall, at its sole expense, promptly remedy the deficiency. Any vehicle or equipment deemed unsafe or noncompliant shall be immediately removed from service and shall not be returned to operation until fully corrected and expressly authorized by the District.

6. RADIOS

Contractor shall equip all buses and vehicles used for the transportation of students and all contractor service vehicles with a District approved two-way radio or other communication system.

Contractor must specify system planned to be provided. Proposed system must provide adequate coverage to meet the diverse geography of the District.

7. VIDEO AND AUDIO MONITORING EQUIPMENT

All buses used under this contract (including spares) will be equipped with high-quality digital video and audio monitoring systems. Audio and visual coverage should capture riders during seat time and loading /unloading of bus to capture driver interactions with students, parents, and staff. Contractor is responsible for maintaining and replacing equipment. System components are subject to approval by the District.

Systems must be operational on all buses whenever students are present on the bus. Systems shall be kept in good working condition and checked at least once a week by the Contractor to verify that they are working. Documentation of system checks shall be provided upon District request.

Video surveillance of students is confidential and shall be considered the property of the District. Contractor shall not allow viewing of the surveillance footage by any person that is not authorized by the District. Contractor will work with the District on an archival and retrieval plan. Video recordings requested by the District must be transferred to a secure cloud website for viewing within 24 hours of the request, in a format that can be viewed without specialty software.

8. ACCESSIBILITY

Contractor shall provide vehicles and equipment to meet accessibility needs for all students. District will consult with Contractor on individual needs that may include, not be limited to, the following considerations:

● Handrail – availability on both sides of stairs, height, extension, size

● Steps – height, depth, angle, and traction

● Seats – restraint, size of seats to meet all student sizes

● Seatbelt locks

● Loading and unloading assist

The Contractor shall provide any modifications to equipment or additional equipment to meet student needs.

Proposed initial fleet shall be evaluated by the District for accessibility prior to approval and agreement under the contract.

9. REQUIRED MODIFICATION OF BUSES

Any installation of equipment modifications required by a change in law or regulation shall be the responsibility of the Contractor. Any installation or modification of equipment required by the District in addition to laws or regulations shall be done by the Contractor, with reimbursement to be made by the District at a prior approved cost.

Cost of such District required modifications noted in this solicitation shall be included within initial proposed fees in Section X.

C. FACILITIES

The Contractor shall have full responsibility for equipping, maintaining and operating a facility in good repair and appearance satisfactory to the District and in compliance with all District, city, county, state and federal laws and requirements, including but not limited to environmental requirements.

Contractor’s facility shall be located within the Bethel School District’s boundary, unless authorized in writing by the District.

By no later than June 1, 2026, Contractor shall provide address and the location of the transportation facility designated for use in serving the District. Facility shall be of adequate size to store and maintain the required number of buses to operate in the District.

D. ROUTING

1. REGULAR HOME‐TO‐SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION ROUTES

The Contractor shall be responsible for the development, implementation, and ongoing management of all bus routes and route changes, using modern routing software capable of optimizing efficiency, tracking ridership, and integrating real-time updates. The routing system must support secure access for District staff and allow for timely communication of route information to schools, families, and transportation personnel.

The District reserves the right to require adjustments to routes, schedules, or service configurations when determined to be in the District’s best interest, including adjustments for safety, equity of ride times, program changes, or community needs. The Contractor shall promptly implement such adjustments and ensure all updates are accurately reflected in routing software and communicated to affected schools and families.

a. The District operates its own transportation department for individualized student transportation. However, the Contractor shall provide supplemental transportation services, as requested by the District, for students served under foster care (DHS/Child Welfare), McKinney-Vento homeless education provisions, early/late start academic schedules such as zero periods, and other cases where the District determines that contractor support is necessary.

b. The Contractor shall be prepared to support approximately three

(3) to four (4) individualized routes per day and must maintain capacity to adjust services upward or downward as student needs evolve, including potential increases in daily routes, time of day (including early morning or evening routes), or geographic range.

Service provision may include transportation both within and outside District boundaries.

c. The Contractor shall develop and coordinate assigned individualized transportation routes, communicate route details to parents/guardians and schools, and collaborate with the District’s Facilities and Transportation Department. Any proposed routing changes shall be communicated to the District and affected families with no less than forty-eight (48) hours’ notice, unless an emergency or immediate placement necessitates shorter notice as determined by the District.

d. The Contractor shall ensure students are picked up and dropped off on the same side of the street where they reside or are temporarily housed and shall transport students to emergency or alternate care locations when directed by the District.

e. Only the District’s Facilities and Transportation Department is authorized to provide the Contractor with student assignments, names, addresses, schools, and special conditions for individualized transportation. Requests from other sources must be routed through and approved by the District.

f. The Contractor shall maintain accurate, confidential records of each student served, including names, schools, addresses, parent contact information, emergency contacts, and any behavioral, medical, or logistical notes necessary for safe transport. All such information shall be carried securely by drivers while on route and shall be protected in compliance with FERPA, IDEA, and all applicable federal and state privacy laws.

g. The District reserves the authority to review,…