39709_Nov_5_26_solicitation_doc.pdf

This is a Request for Proposal (RFP) solicitation document issued by the Board of Education (BOE) in Bethel, Connecticut for school transportation services. The Board seeks proposals for a five-year contract term beginning July 1, 2027 and ending June 30, 2032. Proposers may bid on one or both of two service categories: Category 1 covers regular home-to-school transportation using Type I buses with capacity for more than 70 passengers, plus late runs and field and athletic trips; Category 2 covers special education, preschool, Community Partnership Program, and Cooperative Educational Services transportation using Type II vehicles, student transportation vehicles (STVs), and wheelchair-accessible vehicles. The estimated fleet includes 24 Type I buses, 9 Type II vehicles (at least 2 wheelchair-accessible), 1 STV, 4 spare Type I buses, and 1 spare Type II vehicle. All vehicles must be no more than ten years old, with average fleet age not exceeding seven years. Service spans approximately 181 to 186 school days annually across three tiers of runs. An optional information session is scheduled for November 12, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. via Google Meet. Vendor questions are due November 16, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. EST. Proposals must be submitted by December 8, 2026 at 9:45 a.m. EST, with public opening at 10:00 a.m. at the Clifford J. Hurgin Municipal Center in Bethel. Award is anticipated December 17, 2026. Submissions must include three hard copies and one electronic copy on a USB flash drive, with acknowledgment of all addenda and completion of required disclosure forms.

Pricing must exclude fuel, federal taxes, and state taxes, as the Board supplies diesel, gasoline, and propane through an approved vendor. Fuel storage and installation at a new depot will be evaluated as a separate line item. Bid security equals 10 percent of the proposer's total first-year price, and the Board may require a performance bond equal to 100 percent of the projected annual contract cost. Proposers must maintain $5 million primary automobile liability coverage and $10 million umbrella coverage. The RFP encourages proposers to employ the current contractor's drivers, who are represented by United Service Workers Local 455. The contract is contingent on appropriation of sufficient funds by the Town of Bethel. Evaluation criteria focus on safe, reliable, on-time service, dependable route coverage, and competitive pricing. Proposals must include references from similar school transportation contracts and comply with Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles and state education regulations. Direct inquiries to Krista DeOliveira, Transportation Services Coordinator, at 203-794-8514 or deoliveirak@bethel-ct.gov.