27-002-RFP Addendum No 1 7-7-26.pdf

27-002-RFP Outplaced Student Transportation

Addendum No. 1 July 7, 2026

Bid Questions:

1. Scope of Services and Route Volume

1. Can the District confirm the total number of vehicles required to service all active destinations, including routes requiring multiple vehicles (e.g., Hubbard School, which specifies two separate vehicles)?

The number of Vehicles required will depend upon each bidders routing.

Streets are provided for each facility to help you with your bid response. As noted for Hubbard School, pricing shall include two separate vehicles and two separate aides for that destination

2. Of the destinations listed in the route schedule, approximately ten are marked "0 Students Currently Attending." Should bidders price these as active routes, as standby/contingency capacity, or exclude them from base pricing entirely?

Yes, Bidders shall provide pricing for all destinations listed in the RFP, including destinations currently showing zero students. These locations represent potential transportation needs during the contract period and should remain available if services become necessary

3. What is the anticipated total number of school days requiring transportation for the 2026–2027 school year, inclusive of the Extended School Year (ESY) program during summer 2027?

Transportation services shall be provided for the 2026-2027 school year, including Extended School Year during the summer of 2027 in accordance with each facilities calendar. The number of instructional and ESY days may per school

4. Is this contract limited strictly to outplaced special education transportation, or does it also include regular education, in-district, or extracurricular/field trip transportation?

No. This RFP is limited to transportation services for Outplaced Students as identified within the RFP

5. For destinations marked "Possible Rideshare," can the District provide additional guidance on which specific destinations it would consider compatible for consolidation (e.g., shared geography or overlapping time windows)?

Please see section 9 COMBINING SERVICES The rideshare must take into consideration students attending the same destination when students compatibility, IEP requirements, routing efficiencies and scheduling permit. No guarantee of ridesharing is implied.

2. Contract Term and Bonding

6. What is the specific contract start date within the 2026–2027 school year?

As per the cover page of the RFP:

CONTRACT PERIOD: School Year 2026 – 2027, including Extended School Year program during the summer 2027

7. Does the contract include any renewal or extension options beyond the 2026– 2027 base term (including the associated Extended School Year period), and if so, for how many additional years and under what conditions?

No, Westport goes out to bid annually

3. Operational Requirements

8. Who is responsible for creating and designing bus routes — the District, the awarded Contractor, or a joint/collaborative process?

The awarded contractor is responsible for creating and designing the route, as well as notifying the families of the pick-up/drop-off times

9. Is there a minimum or maximum fleet age requirement for vehicles used under this contract?

No maximum fleet age is specified in this RFP. Vehicles shall comply with all applicable Connecticut laws and meet the requirements outlined in the RFP

10. Who is responsible for supplying fuel for vehicles operating under this contract

— the Contractor or the District?

The Contractor is responsible for all operating costs, including fuel

11. Are there any required technology systems for vehicles operating under this contract (e.g., GPS tracking, onboard cameras, two-way radios, student ridership/tracking applications)?

The District does not require specific technology systems under this RFP.

Contractors may utilize technology systems necessary to safely and efficiently provide transportation services

12. Beyond the general driver and aide requirements described in Section 7 of the RFP, are there additional minimum staffing or certification requirements bidders should be aware of (e.g., CDL classification, specific special-needs training, background check standards)?

Drivers and aides shall meet all applicable federal, state, and Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles requirements, together with the requirements outlined in the RFP. No additional certifications are required unless specified for an individual route

4. Nursing and Aide Requirements

13. The route listing for St. Vincent's Special Needs (95 Merritt Blvd, Trumbull) specifies "Wheelchair with Student — Nurse." Can the District confirm whether a licensed nurse must be provided by the Contractor, or whether this requirement may be met by a District-provided or family-provided nurse, with the Contractor supplying only the vehicle and driver?

The Distric will provide the licensed nurse assigned to this student. The Contractor shall provide only the vehicle and qualified driver

14. Is the nurse requirement specific to this one student/route, or should bidders anticipate similar nurse-staffing requirements arising on other routes during the contract term if enrollment or student medical needs change?

At this time, the nurse requirement is specific to this one student. Student transportation requirements may change during the contract period based upon enrollment and student needs. Any future transportation requirements will be addressed in accordance with the terms of the contract

15. For the other routes requiring a "bus aide" or "attendant" (e.g., ACES Village/Mill Road, CES/Merit Academy, Hubbard School, Pinnacle School), can the District confirm these positions do not require medical or nursing credentials, and are limited to the boarding/deboarding and mobility assistance described in Section 7 of the RFP?

While duties are limited to those described in Section 7 of the RFP. Bus aides are not required to possess medical or nursing credentials; however, medical credentials are always helpful

16. Does the RFP's provision allowing awards "in whole or in part" permit a bidder to propose on a subset of routes — for example, excluding the nurse-required St. Vincent's route — while bidding on all other routes?

Yes. The District reserves the right to evaluate proposals based upon what is in its best interest

17. Can you share the current contractor rates?

Current contract pricing is publicly available on the Westport Public Schools Website under Departments > Business Office > Bides. Please scroll to the 2025-2026 School Year section to view the awarded contract documents https://www.westportps.org/departments/business-office/bids

18. What is the estimated volume for this service for the school year?

At the time the RFP was issued, the District anticipated transportation to approximately 17 active destinations servicing approximately 30 currently enrolled students, in addition to the listed contingency destinations with no students currently attending. These figures are estimates only and are subject to change based on student enrollment and placement decisions during the contract period