Addendum 1.pdf

Contracted Services Questions for Pre-Bid Meeting

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● Would the District be interested in bids from cost-effective alternative transportation solutions utilizing sedans and SUVs as a supplement in cases where transportation needs are most efficiently met by smaller vehicles (e.g. special education, IEP, McKinney Vento, and/or other small group and individual rides) provided on an as-needed basis?

○ If so, will the District adjust vehicle and/or personnel requirements in cases where the requirements referenced in the RFP are explicitly non-applicable to non-commercial vehicles and personnel if vendors meet and exceed all pertinent criteria as well as all equivalent applicable standards? For example, sedan-based noncommercial transportation generally does not require first aid kits for 10 or fire extinguishers. No, we will not adjust vehicle and/or personnel requirements. All vehicles and personnel will need to meet requirements stated in the RFP.

● In order to offer the most price competitive and cost-effective transportation solution, our pricing is not based on a traditional bus route per day/hour pricing model. Rather, our pricing is a base price fee + a per-mile fee. May we adjust the proposal to reflect our pricing structure to ensure that the cost is evaluated appropriately? Yes, if your pricing model is different than that listed in the RFP.

● Please provide historical and/or estimated information on the following:

○ Monthly ridership - Currently - 11 students, 23-24 School Year - 34 students

○ Average number of riders per one-way trip - 1 to 5

○ Number of one-way trips per month - Currently - 6 per day, 23-24 School

Year - 29 per day

○ Average mileage per one-way trip - 25 miles

○ Total trip mileage per month - Currently - approx. 164.6 per day , 23-24

School Year - approx 650 miles per day

● How often will contractors be required to share safety and performance data with the District? What type of data will be required? Every thirty (30) days, the Carrier shall have qualified maintenance personnel perform a safety inspection of each vehicle being used to transport students under this contract. The Carrier shall provide to the JCPS Transportation Executive Director a copy of the 30-day inspection checklist for review and approval prior to the first scheduled inspection. The Carrier shall then provide to the JCPS

Executive Transportation Director a report by vehicle summarizing the dates of preventive maintenance inspections, unscheduled repairs, parts and mechanics(s) name(s) who were responsible for such work during those 30 days. For reporting purposes, the first 30 day inspection cycle period starts on the first day of school and the first report is due to the JCPS Transportation Executive Director 35 days after school starts and every 30 days thereafter. Johnston County Public Schools reserves the right to inspect the Carrier’s vehicles at any time.

● In order to assist proposers in offering competitive pricing, please provide the following information:

○ Current and/or previous contractor(s) - Current - Burrell Transit, Sheila’s Transportation & Student Transportation of America

○ Current contractor rates -

■ $330 per van per day,

■ $388 per van per day, $64 per day for safety assistant

■ $269.47 per van per day,

○ Sample invoice(s)

■ See attached

● If operating as a transportation broker, who is responsible for checking that vehicle and drivers meet expected standards outlined on this RFP? Is it the transportation broker or the subcontracted transportation provider? The Carrier(s) is responsible for checking that vehicles and drivers meet expected standards outlined in the RFP. Background information will be shared with the Human Resources Department of Johnston County Public Schools for approval.

● What process or procedures do you require to ensure that subcontractors meet all regulatory insurance requirements? The Carrier(s) shall purchase and maintain insurance as listed in the Insurance Section of the RFP.

● Does the District require contractors to maintain their own primary insurance in addition to those of their drivers? The Carrier(s) shall purchase and maintain insurance as listed in the Insurance Section of the RFP.

● Will the District require real-time GPS oversight for each ride? The Carrier(s) will be required to equip all vehicles with cameras and GPS monitoring devices with live web based tracking software. The devices shall be capable of reporting vehicle location, student ridership and vehicle tracking application for parents and students.

● As public funding often prohibits offshore outsourcing, does the District require customer support and dispatch staff to be located in the United States? Identify the legal entity that would enter into the contract with JCPS and include location of carrier’s headquarters, local office location, type of business (sole proprietorship, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, etc.), state of incorporation or organization and Federal Employer Identification Number, and the name and title of the person(s) authorized to enter into a binding contract with JCPS. Provide an organizational chart identifying the names and titles of the team members assigned to this project. The chart should clearly delineate roles and responsibilities of the various team members. Please indicate the geographical location of any team member whose office is outside Johnston County.

Via

● Would it be possible to attend the Pre-Bid meeting on January 27th virtually, for example through a Zoom or Teams meeting? No, there is no option to join virtually.

● Can the district please confirm if the pre-bid meeting is mandatory? No, attendance at the pre-bid meeting is not mandatory.

● We use smaller vehicles such as sedans, minivans or SUVs to transport students. These cars fit up to 4 students plus the driver. Can the district please clarify how we should fill out Attachment A - Pricing, Item 4 and 5? Please differentiate the costs associated with each type of vehicle that may be used if your pricing model is dictated by vehicle size.

○ Would it be okay if we put 'N/A' for these two items as they would not apply to the type of vehicle we provide? Yes

● We use a driver-owned vehicle model, and ensure each vehicle we utilize meets all state inspection criteria in order to provide the safest and most flexible transportation possible.

Carrier(s) shall not assign, subcontract, or otherwise transfer any interest in this contract without the prior written approval of the School System.

Would the district allow us to provide the vehicle criteria we use for selection as part of this proposal, then provide a list of vehicles and drivers to be used upon receipt of this award? Yes, vehicle criteria can be provided as part of your proposal.

● Can the district please confirm if vendors are allowed to deny routes that require an assistant? The Carrier(s) will provide safety assistants for students as requested by JCPS. In the event a safety assistant does not report for work, the Carrier must make every attempt to find a replacement. The replacement must be approved by JCPS Transportation Services. If the Carrier cannot find a replacement safety assistant, he/she must advise the JCPS Transportation Executive Director prior to dispatching the vehicle on its assigned route.

● Can the district please confirm their current provider(s) and rates for this type of transportation? Burrell Transit, Sheila’s Transportation & Student Transportation of America

Current contractor rates

$330 per van per day $269.47 per van per day $370 per van per day

● Can the district please confirm if the items listed on p.16 are required to be provided in smaller vehicles for up to 4 passengers (sedans, minivans, SUVs) or if those requirements only apply for minibuses (7 or more passengers)? Yes, all items listed in the RFP are required on all vehicles.

● Can the district provide the estimated number of students who require transportation as part of the program?

○ If the District’s needs are currently undefined, can the District provide the number of students that required similar transportation last year?

Currently - 11 students

23-24 School Year - 77 students

● Can the district please confirm if they intend to award a single provider or multiple? As stated in the RFP, JCPS plans to contract with one or more service carriers to provide student transportation. JCPS currently utilizes 3 contract service providers.

● Can the district please confirm if they would allow submissions to be emailed to the district? Please refer to the submittal requirements as stated in the RFP.

● Can the district please confirm if there will be an opportunity to negotiate contractual terms associated with this RFP post award? Negotiation of contractual terms to resolve any legalities or legal concerns is possible if needed.

Everdriven

● Would the district be willing to add cooperative purchasing language to this solicitation? No

● Does the solicitation currently require the ability to transport students in wheelchairs?

If so, approximately how many? (+/- 5 students?) The ability to transport students in wheelchairs is not required but is welcomed.

● Would awarded vendors be required/be requested to provide monitors? The Carrier(s) will provide safety assistants for students as requested by JCPS. In the event a safety assistant does not report for work, the Carrier must make every attempt to find a replacement. The replacement must be approved by JCPS Transportation Services. If the Carrier cannot find a replacement safety assistant, he/she must advise the JCPS Transportation Executive Director prior to dispatching the vehicle on its assigned route. If so, approximately how many?The number of monitors needed is unknown at this time.

● Does the district anticipate having many students who cannot ride with other students (i.e. solo riders)? No

● Who are the current vendors? Burrell Transit, Sheila’s Transportation & Student Transportation of America

● What are the current vendor rates?

$330 per van per day

● What, if any, significant challenges did the district face regarding its alternative transportation vendors during the previous contract term? Cost

● Can you please provide a copy of the current contracts and 3 months of invoices?

○ See attached

● Can you provide student data for the most recent school year? This can be limited to student pick up/drop off addresses, school addresses, and bell times. If applicable, please provide equipment requirements (car seats, safety vest, wheelchairs, etc.), and monitor requirements.

○ See attached

● Can you provide an estimated/average number of students to be transported under this contract? There is no minimum set number of students or routes that will be awarded for contract services. The number of riders fluctuates throughout the school year.

● Can you provide your average one-way mileage per trip for the most recent school year? 25 miles

● Will you accept any alternate pricing models? Will you accept models that charge a base fee + a price per mile? Yes, if your pricing model is different than that listed in the RFP.

FirstAlt / First Student, Inc.

● Who is the current vendor(s) and what are their rates? Current - Burrell Transit, Sheila’s Transportation & Student Transportation of America

$330 per van per day

● Is this RFP intended to supplement or replace existing contracts with current vendors?

This is not meant as a supplement to current contracts. All vendors are required to participate in this bid process to be considered for use of contracted services going forward.

● How many current transportation vendors does the district work with? 3

● On average, how many routes per day does the district use contracted transportation vendors for?

Currently - 2 vans, 6 one way runs (12 runs - AM & PM)

Previous Years (22/23 & 23/24) - 15 vans, 45 runs (AVERAGE)

○ What is the average route mileage?

Currently - 25 miles (AVERAGE)

● On average, how many students utilized the service outlined in this RFP for SY 23-24?

77 students

● Is there a need for monitors/aides? The Carrier(s) will provide safety assistants for students as requested by JCPS. In the event a safety assistant does not report for work, the Carrier must make every attempt to find a replacement. The replacement must be approved by JCPS Transportation Services. If the Carrier cannot find a replacement safety assistant, he/she must advise the JCPS Transportation Executive Director prior to dispatching the vehicle on its assigned route.

○ If yes, on average how many routes required a monitor/aide for SY 23-24? 6

● Is there a need for wheelchair accessible vehicles? Yes

○ If yes, on average how many routes required a wheelchair accessible vehicle for

SY 23-24? 1

● How many routes is the district currently utilizing contractors for this school year?

2 vans, 6 runs

● Given that potential bidders may not offer every vehicle type in Attachment A (Fee

Schedule), is a potential bidder able to only provide pricing for vehicles they are able to provide? Yes, if your pricing model is different than that listed in the RFP.

● Is the district open to adding a “Termination for Convenience” clause to the agreement?

If the services the Carrier(s) provides do not comply with the Request for Proposals specification requirements, the Carrier’s contract shall be terminated, or at the option of JCPS, will be required to furnish immediately, at its own expense, services which meet the requirements of the specifications. Either party may terminate this agreement upon sixty (60) days’ written notice to the other;

provided, however, whenever the party seeking to terminate has previously given the other party sixty (60) days’ written notice of an alleged default in the performance of any required obligations under the agreement and such default has not been cured, either party may terminate immediately. The Carrier(s) may be terminated from the contract immediately for cause of misconduct. JCPS may cancel the contract and seek to procure the same services from other bidders for this contract. The Carrier(s) will be held responsible for any excess cost occasioned thereby.

Franca Jalloh’s Consulting Firm

● Vehicle Specifications:

○ What types of vehicles are permissible for this contract (e.g., buses, vans, SUVs)? cars, 7 to 8 passenger vans, and mini buses

○ Are there specific requirements for vehicle capacity, model year, or fuel type (e.g., electric or low-emission vehicles)? All vehicles used for transporting JCPS students shall be identified by company name on the outside of the vehicle in a highly visible area. All vehicles used for transporting JCPS students must also display vehicle numbers in a highly visible area.

Vehicles shall be classified as compact or larger. No subcompact vehicles shall be used to transport students. All buses must meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for school buses. 12 and 15 passenger vans may NOT be used to transport students for Johnston County Public Schools.

Prior to vehicles becoming sixteen (16) years old, the Carrier shall replace them with newer vehicles acceptable to JCPS at the Carrier’s sole expense.

○ Is there a preference or mandate for wheelchair-accessible vehicles or other ADA-compliant features? Our preference would be a minibus with wheelchair accessibility.

● Budget and Funding:

○ Is there an established budget for this contract? If so, can you share the estimated budget range? There is not an established budget at this time. The budget will be based on end of year expenditures.

○ Are there any funding constraints or considerations we should be aware of for the five-year period? Unknown at this time

● Past Awards:

○ Was this contract previously awarded? Contract Service contracts were last awarded in 2022.

○ If so, who was the vendor for the prior contract, and what was the total award amount? Burrell Transit, Student Transportation of America & Sheila’s Transportation - Awarded amount varies per vendor.

○ Were there any issues or challenges identified in the previous contract that should be addressed in this RFP? Cost

● Scope of Work and Service Areas:

○ Will the contractor be responsible for route planning, or will the district provide specific schedules and routes? All routes will be provided by the Transportation Office.

● Driver Requirements:

○ What certifications, training, and background checks are required for drivers under this contract? Please refer to pages 19, 21 & 23 of the RFP

○ Are there specific policies for driver conduct, uniforms, or customer service?

Please refer to pages 19 & 20 of the RFP

● Pricing and Invoicing:

○ What specific pricing structure is expected (e.g., flat rate, per mile, or per passenger)? Please submit your preferred pricing structure. How should invoices be submitted for payment? Carrier(s) shall submit electronic invoices for payment to Johnene Bender, Office Support, by email at johnenebender@johnston.k12.nc.us by the first day after each billing period which should include daily attendance logs for each vehicle. The billing periods shall be the first day of each month through the last day of each month.

● Passenger Volume:

○ What is the estimated average number of passengers to be transported monthly, and does this vary significantly throughout the year? The number varies significantly throughout the year. Historically, we have had more riders added as the school year progresses.

DriveCST

● Is the pre-bid meeting mandatory? No, the pre-bid meeting is not mandatory.

Student Transportation of America

● Is there a Minimum/Maximum capacity for “Mini-Buses” Maximum capacity for mini bus is 14

● Are all vehicles required to have cameras?The Carrier(s) will be required to equip all vehicles with cameras and GPS monitoring devices with live web based tracking software. The devices shall be capable of reporting vehicle location, student ridership and vehicle tracking application for parents and students.

● Is GPS required? The Carrier(s) will be required to equip all vehicles with cameras and GPS monitoring devices with live web based tracking software. The devices shall be capable of reporting vehicle location, student ridership and vehicle tracking application for parents and students.

● Can the District provide an estimate of the number of vehicles that will be needed? The number of vehicles needed varies throughout the year.

● How many vehicles for this service are currently being operated? 2 mailto:melissaplace@johnston.k12.nc.us

● There is no pricing for WC equipped vehicles. Will the District request pricing for WC equipped vehicles? If your pricing model includes wheelchair accessible vehicles, please include in your proposal.

● You can only make up leave if you were out due to inclement weather.It appears the District will allow a vehicle to be up to 16 years old. Is there an average vehicle age requirement? There is no average vehicle age requirement.

● Is the purpose of this contract to establish a capacity for the District for the availability of vehicles on as needed basis? The purpose of this contract is to secure contract transportation on an as needed basis when a school bus is not an option. Would the District consider awarding a contract for a minimum number of vehicles for the term of the contract? Given the difficulties of obtaining drivers and vehicles on a short term/temporary basis, it is difficult to forecast pricing for “as needed”service. It is also very difficult to retain drivers under this scenario. No, the contract is not for a minimum number of vehicles.

● Is a sample Certificate of Insurance evidencing coverage limits as required by the

RFP required with the bid submission? Certificate of Insurance will not be required prior to the bid being awarded.

● Is a bid bond required? No

● Is a performance Bond required? No

Additional Questions Asked at the Pre-Bid Meeting on January 27, 2025 at 1:00

● Do we anticipate the volume of our students increasing or decreasing next school year?

It varies from year to year. There is really no way of knowing. The volume is based on need.

● What caused the decrease in the number of students transported this year as compared to last year? Have more special needs students returned to regular ed buses? The decrease is not necessarily a change in special needs transportation requirements but more so the decrease of McKinney Vento students JCPS has experienced this year.

● With 11 students transported this current school year, how does this work with 3 vendors? Do the vendors alternate weekly? Even though we are under contract with 3 vendors only 2 are being utilized thus far. Each of the 2 companies being utilized are using 1 van each with multiple students assigned.

● Would the district be willing to offer alternate pricing with different scenarios? Yes, when the district evaluates proposals we evaluate corner stops versus house stops versus community stops.

● On the sample invoices, why doesn’t the price per van include the number of students?

The invoice illustrates a per vehicle per day rate.

● Is there ability for any follow up questions after today? No, the deadline to submit questions was January 21, 2025. Any additional questions should be asked and answered at this meeting.