Final 2025 - 2026 School Year Transportation RFP SUMMER 2025.pdf

RFP OPENING

DATE: April 8, 2025

TIME: 10:00 AM

BOARD OF EDUCATION

KINGSTON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

21 WYNKOOP PL

KINGSTON, N.Y. 12401

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

TRANSPORTATION FOR THE KINGSTON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

SCHOOL YEAR TRANSPORTATION 2025 - 2026

SUMMER 2025 TRANSPORTATION

NAME OF PROPOSER: _________________________________________________

ADDRESS: ___________________________________________________________

TELEPHONE NUMBER: ________________________________________________

CONTACT PERSON: _______________________________________________

(Please Print)

EMAIL ADDRESS: _____________________________________________________

INVITATION TO PROPOSERS

The Board of Education of the City School District of the City of Kingston, New York, invites the submission of sealed Proposals from reputable and qualified school bus transportation companies for the transportation of students for the Kingston City School District (“District”) for a one-year period:

2025 – 2026

SCHOOL YEAR TRANSPORTATION

SUMMER 2025 TRANSPORTATION

Effective March 26, 2025, the Student Transportation Request for Proposals (RFP), Specifications, and Proposal Forms may be obtained by registering at BidNet or by emailing the Kingston City School District Purchasing Agent sjohnson2@kingstoncityschools.org during weekdays, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. If you need assistance in registering at BidNet, please contact BidNet's Vendor Support Department at 800-835-4603, Option 2.

Sealed proposals will be received, publicly opened, and read at the Kingston City School District’s Administrative Building, 21 Wynkoop Pl., Kingston, N.Y. 12401, by the Purchasing Agent, at 10:00 am on April 8, 2025. Proposals will not be accepted by facsimile or electronically. Any proposal received after this date and time will be returned to the Proposer unopened. If the District is officially closed on the scheduled day of the Proposal Opening due to weather or other emergency conditions, the opening of the Proposals will be held on the next business day that the District is officially open, at the same time and place. There will be a Pre- Bid meeting held on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at 10:00 am, at the Kingston City School Central Administration Building (Meagher School), 21 Wynkoop Place, Kingston, NY 12401.

The Board of Education reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals, and to require the submission of a bond for the faithful performance of any contract. The Board further reserves the right to waive formalities in the RFP process that the District, in its discretion, determines are not material and are in the best interests of the District. Any proposal submitted shall be binding for 90 days subsequent to the day of the proposal opening.

mailto:sjohnson2@kingstoncityschools.org

INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSER

1. Inspect carefully all “general” and “special” provisions of the proposal package. Retain these and “Instructions to Proposer” for your reference.

2. Sign and return the “Proposal Offer” form with specifications and proposal prices together with the proposal guarantee required by Paragraph 7 below, and the following required certifications and references:

a. Non-Collusive Bidding

b. Hold Harmless

c. Sexual Harassment

d. Iran Divestment Act

e. ED-Law 2-D

f. Data Security and Privacy Plan

g. List of References

3. Percentage discounts from list prices and/or subdivisions of the specifications for group discounts will be accepted only if specifically stated on our forms at the time of the proposal opening.

4. All proposals must be sealed. They must be submitted in plain opaque envelopes. All proposals must be addressed to the Purchasing Agent, Kingston City School District, 21 Wynkoop Pl., Kingston, New York 12401. Proposal envelopes must be marked “2025 – 2026 TRANSPORTATION PROPASL” and “SUMMER 2025 TRANSPORTATION PROPOSAL”. Also, the date and time of the proposal opening, as indicated on the “Notice to Proposers,” must appear on the envelope. No e-mail proposals or proposals by facsimile will be accepted.

All proposals must be received in the office of the Purchasing Agent by Tuesday, April 8, 2025, no later than 10:00 am. Any proposal received after this time will not be considered and will be returned to the Proposer unopened. It is the sole responsibility of the Proposer to ensure that their proposal arrives at this office by the date and time indicated.

5. Signing of the “Proposal Offer” constitutes certification of compliance with the conditions of the Proposal Specifications.

6. A Pre-Proposal Meeting will be held at the Meagher Administrative Building, 21 Wynkoop Place, Kingston, NY, on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at 10:00 am. Interested Proposers are strongly encouraged to attend.

7. In order to ensure the faithful fulfillment of its terms, each proposal shall be accompanied by a proposal guarantee in the form of a certified check, or Treasurer’s or Cashier’s check, drawn upon a responsible bank or trust company doing business in New York State or a proposal bond issued by an appropriate agency, in an amount equal to five (5%) percent of the amount of the first year gross annual contract amount in the proposal. Checks or proposal bonds shall be made payable to the Kingston City School District. These will be returned to all Proposers except those being considered for award, and upon awards being made and contracts signed, all other checks/proposal bonds shall be returned. The surety company issuing the proposal bond must be licensed in New York State and rated as a “Secure” carrier (Superior, Excellent, or Good) in the current edition of A.M. Best’s Insurance Guide.

8. If any successful Proposer fails to execute the contract awarded and furnish any required performance bond within the time limit specified, the Board of Education may, at its discretion, determine that the Proposer has refused to execute the contract; the proposal guarantee shall be forfeited as liquidated damages, and the contract may be awarded to another Proposer.

9. Two copies of the “Proposal Offer” are enclosed. Submit one with prices as your proposal.

10. The proposal will be for roundtrip transportation of students by buses, vans, and option for driver matrons or assistants. The District reserves the right to award a contract based on a Proposal in whole or in part, to a Primary and Secondary vendor, or whatever is in the best interests of the District.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL SPECIFICATIONS GENERAL INFORMATION AND

CONDITIONS

1. Introduction: The Kingston City School District is requesting proposals for the provision of student transportation service herein described. The enclosed specifications outline all the requirements and conditions for furnishing this service. Any aspects of the service not addressed by this document are left for the Proposer to address. It is important for the Proposer to state any assumptions upon which its proposal rests.

2. Proposals will be evaluated using criteria developed within ten (10) categories, consistent with current State Education Department regulations and allowances.

3. The contract will be awarded to the best Proposer as determined by the District. It is appropriate to emphasize that the lowest Proposer may not be the best. The District recognizes the complicated nature of delivering safe, reliable, and efficient student transportation. In order to adequately measure the capabilities of the Proposer, the District will evaluate and score each proposal in accordance with the categories presented below. The maximum point allowance for each category is below. The total possible points is 100. The minimum number of points to be considered for an award is 80.

# Category Points 1 Previous experience of Proposer in transporting students

2 A description of any safety programs implemented by the Proposer

(include supporting documents in the proposal).

3 Record of accidents in motor vehicles under the control of the Proposer.

List insurance runs and the ratio of injury vs. physical damage.

4 Driving history of employees of the company and driving practices.

Include abstracts and driving records.

5 The name of each transportation company of which the Proposer has been an owner or manager

6 Inspection records and model year of each of the motor vehicles under the control of the Proposer. NYS DOT BUSNET score

7 Maintenance schedules of the motor vehicles under the control of the Proposer. List programs and preventive maintenance procedures.

8 Financial analysis of Proposer (include financial statements)

9 Documentation of compliance with the motor vehicle insurance requirements and bonding.

10 Total cost of the proposal over the period of time requested

Total Points 100

4. Proposer’s information must be submitted in the order of each of the ten (10) categories listed above. The responses must be clearly labeled, follow the order of questions asked, and all must be answered. The proposal must contain sufficient information to enable an effective evaluation of the proposal.

5. The School District shall be the sole interpreter of all information.

Categories

1. Previous Experience of the Proposer in Transporting Students (Item I in Categories to which Point Values Are Being Established):

• The Proposer must provide the number of years the company and/or the principal(s) of the Proposer has been in school transportation and the number of vehicles operated by the Proposer. Please provide the number of years for the type of transportation services for which the proposal is being submitted.

• Proposer must include the number of years in school transportation of any of its affiliated and/or related company(ies) presently or previously owned or managed by the Proposer and/or principal(s) of the Proposer.

• It is expected that the Proposer’s company, or its management personnel, have at least five (5) years’ experience in student transportation, including experience in providing special education and homeless student home-to-school transportation as well as Summer Programs transportation in school districts.

• Each Proposer must submit an outline of the experience of its managerial personnel to perform the work under consideration:

A brief resume summarizing the experience and qualifications of the terminal manager and other members of the managerial and supervisory staff who will be directly responsible for the performance of this Contract.

For Proposers not currently providing transportation services to the

Kingston City School District, the Proposer must list the three (3) references for which it has provided student transportation services within the last three

(3) school years. The School District reserves the right to make inquiries through its own resources for reference checks.

Proposer must identify its experience in providing transportation services to other school districts, KINGSTON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, non-public schools, and State or private agencies in New York State for which the Proposer is currently providing, or has provided, transportation services comparable to those services for which the proposal is being submitted.

2. A Description of Any Safety Programs Implemented by the Proposer:

• The Proposer must provide a description of its hiring, training, and safety program(s) for drivers, attendants and monitors, mechanics, and supervisory personnel that will be used in the direct performance of this Contract. Include in this description training mandated by the state or federal government as well as additional or specialized training, if any, for drivers and attendants/monitors in addition to mandated trainings.

• Describe the program(s), frequency and total yearly hours.

• Describe any other in-service or ongoing driver and attendant/monitor training and retraining programs.

• State credentials of the Safety Coordinator/Driver Trainer. At a minimum, it is expected that the Safety Coordinator/Driver Trainer will possess certifications as an Article 19-A Examiner and as a School Bus Driver Instructor (SBDI).

• Describe the evaluation and retention criteria that are used for drivers and attendants/monitors.

• The Proposer must identify any established safety organization activities in which its organization or key personnel actively participate.

3. A Record of Accidents in Motor Vehicles Under the Control of the Proposer

• The record of accidents requested is for the Proposer and any of its affiliated and/or related companies presently or previously owned or managed by the Proposer and/or principal(s) of the Proposer for the type of transportation for which the proposal is being submitted.

• The Proposer must submit a copy of its annual Department of Motor Vehicles

ARTICLE 19-A MOTOR CARRIER ANNUAL STATISTICAL REPORT

(present Form DS-3.3 (4/09)) for the last three calendar years (2019, 2020, and 2021).

• The School District reserves the right to request and receive a copy of the

Department of Motor Vehicles form (MV 104F), “Accident Report for School Vehicles”, from the Proposer and/or the DMV for any accident(s) involving the Proposer’s school buses during the present and last three (3) calendar years.

• Describe the accident review process as well as its driver retraining and/or corrective action procedures that are taken.

4. Driving History of Employees of the Company and Driving Practices (Item V in Categories to Which Point Values Are Being Established):

• Provide the criteria the Proposer uses in its review of the abstract of the driving record of prospective drivers and the criteria it uses for the retention of existing drivers. Do these criteria meet or exceed the required standards of New York

State, and if so, in what manner this exists? The criteria requested must be for the Proposer and any of its affiliated and/or related companies presently or previously owned or managed in part or in totality by the Proposer and/or principal(s) of the Proposer within the last five (5) years for the type of transportation to which the Proposal is being submitted.

5. Name of Each Transportation Company of which the Proposer Has Been an Owner or a Manager

• Identify the name and address of each of the transportation companies, affiliated and/or related companies presently or previously owned or managed by the Proposer and/or the principal(s) of the Proposer as well as the years the Proposer and/or principal(s) of the Proposer was an owner or manager of the company(ies)’s, the current status of the company(ies) (e.g., active or dissolved), and the reason(s), if any, if the company(ies) are no longer in business.

• If the Proposer is a publicly held entity, a copy of the most recent Annual

Report is required.

6. Inspection Records and Model Year of the Motor Vehicles Under the Control of the Proposer

• Submit a copy of the previous three State fiscal years (April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2023) of its New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) Vehicle Inspection System Operator Profile Summary for the terminal(s) at which the DOT inspections will be made for this contract and at which major maintenance functions will be performed for this contract. The Profile shall include a copy of any accompanying DOT correspondence, the Defect Summary, the Preventive Codes Summary, and the Inspection Summary, as well as any other Summary Reports the Department of Transportation provided.

• Major maintenance functions are defined as those other than day-to-day running repairs generally based upon defects identified through the Driver Vehicle Inspection Report (DVIR) or an Electronic Verified Inspection Reporting (EVIR) system. Major functions include preventive maintenance, engine and/or transmission repairs and overhauling, body repair, any rebuilding of the aforementioned items, and pre-DOT inspections by the Contractor. A qualified Class A (or ASE certified) Mechanic, as opposed to a mechanic’s assistant or helper, ordinarily performs these maintenance services.

• If there are no terminals from which inspections will be made and from which maintenance functions will be performed for these Contracts, or the terminals do not have a three-year record of bus inspections, the Proposer must submit the Bus Inspection System Operator Profile Summary for all terminals within 100 miles of the School District.

• The New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) Vehicle Inspection System Operator Profile Summary records must be submitted, include those from the terminal(s) of the Proposer and any of its affiliated and/or related companies presently or previously owned or managed in part or in totality by the Proposer and/or principal(s) of the Proposer that operate or have operated the terminal(s) that will be used for these contracts.

• A listing of all vehicles to be used in the performance of this contract must be submitted with this Proposal. If vehicles are not currently owned by the Proposer, provide documentation demonstrating the ability to obtain the required.

• Identify route vehicles and spare vehicles.

7. Maintenance Schedules of the Motor Vehicles Under the Control of the Contractor

• Provide a description of the Proposer’s vehicle maintenance schedule (time and/or mileage) that will be used in the performance of this Contract. Include any checklist used for each type of preventive maintenance program and information on the time/mileage preventive maintenance recommended by the vehicle chassis manufacturer.

• Provide a description of the method(s) used to ensure that each vehicle receives preventive maintenance within the scheduled interval. You must include:

copy of the Driver Vehicle Inspection Report (DVIR) form as well as any other forms that will be used by drivers to pre-check/post-check their vehicles and to report defects to the vehicle maintenance staff.

A descriptive of any other procedures used by the Proposer to ensure that defects on vehicles are identified and corrected and that the vehicles used in the performance of this Contract are maintained in a proper and safe manner.

• State the ratio of full-time dedicated vehicle mechanics (include the number of mechanics, mechanics’ helpers, and full-time inventory storeroom help separately) that it will have to the number of DOT-inspected vehicles.

• Identify the Proposer’s use of industry-standard vehicle maintenance software and/or vehicle maintenance tracking systems at the terminal from which this Contract will be operating. State the name of the software used and the extent of the record-keeping that exists.

8. Financial Analysis of the Proposer

• Provide in a separately sealed envelope the financial information specified below.

Documents for all items must be included in a sealed envelope for review by an outside audit firm. Failure to provide this information may result in a Contract not being awarded to the Proposer.

Professionally prepared financial statements in accordance with Generally

Accepted Accounting Practices (GAAP) or International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) for the past three (3) full years of the Proposer’s companies presently or previously owned or managed by the Proposer and/or principal(s) of the Proposer. These statements must contain financial information specific to the Proposer and each of its affiliated or related companies. The statements must contain all the formal parts of a financial statement, including, but not limited to, Balance Sheets, Profit & Loss Statements, Statements of Cash Flow, and notes to the financial statements.

If these statements do not include information about the financial viability of the Proposer for the size of the Contract over the time period, the Proposer must include other documents that provide this information.

Only the School District's independent auditor or a comparable independent and qualified person will analyze this financial information, and a report will be presented to the School District on the financial strength of the Proposer.

Identify any pending claims or lawsuits against the Proposer and any of its affiliated and/or related companies presently or previously owned or managed by the Proposer and/or principal(s) of the Proposer that would be material to this Contract, as well as any outstanding judgments and liens that could result in financial loss to the Proposer.

A description of any bankruptcy filings (including reorganization under

Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code) or assignments for the benefit of creditors under State law, by the Proposer, any of its affiliated and/or related companies presently or previously owned or managed in part or in totality by the Proposer and/or principal(s) of the Proposer, within the last seven (7) years. The School District reserves the right to reject any Proposal submitted from an entity that has filed for bankruptcy protection within the past seven (7) years.

A statement as to whether the Proposer, its affiliated companies, and/or any related companies presently or previously owned or managed in part or in totality, or principal(s) of the Proposer, has ever been denied a Performance Bond. If yes, provide information about the situation, the name of the bonding company that denied the bond, an explanation for the denial, and what resolution was achieved.

A statement regarding the termination of any Contract of the Proposer, its affiliated companies, and/or any related companies, presently or previously owned or managed by the Proposer and/or principal(s) of the Proposer with a School District or other municipal entity prior to its expiration date.

A statement identifying any notification of default received by the Proposer, its affiliated companies, and/or any related companies presently or previously owned or managed by the Proposer and/or principal(s) of the Proposer.

9. Documentation of Compliance with Motor Vehicle Insurance Requirements

• Provide proof, along with the completed proposal package, the Proposer can provide the required insurance coverage as outlined in the Specifications. This proof can be in the form of a certificate of insurance naming the Kingston City School District as an additional insured, showing all the requested types and levels of coverage required, or a letter from the insurance company(ies) or an agent authorized to bind the insurance company, guaranteeing what types and levels of coverage they will provide in the event the Proposer is awarded the Contract.

10. Total Cost of the Proposal

Provide the information on the Forms in clear, legible numbers:

• Proposal for School Year (Home-to-School) Transportation for the 2025-2026

School Year.

• Transportation (Extended School Year) (2025).

SPECIFICATIONS FOR TRANSPORTATION OF THE CHILDREN OF THE

KINGSTON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

GENERAL PROVISIONS

A. SCOPE

1. The specifications are intended to describe the conditions, equipment, and places involved in transporting students under the jurisdiction and control of the Kingston City School District Board of Education.

2. Transportation shall be provided on any and all school days during this period that would ensue from these specifications. A school day is defined as each and every day of the school year when sessions are actually held, estimated to be approximately 180 days.

3. The District reserves the right to reject, accept or re-advertise the same work, or to award a Contract to other than the lowest Proposer in appropriate circumstances. The District may reject any Proposal not prepared and submitted in accordance with the provisions hereof and may waive any informalities or irregularities in the proposal when in the best interests of the District. Any Proposal may be withdrawn prior to the opening of the Proposals. Any Proposal received after the time of the opening of the Proposals will be returned to the Proposer unopened.

4. Prior to the signing of a contract awarded hereunder, the successful Proposer may be required to submit a performance bond in a sum equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the contract price for the faithful performance of the contract. The performance bond must be maintained in full force and effect until the contract has been fully performed.

The cost of the bond must be shown. Proof of bondability must be submitted with the Proposal. The Board, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to waive the requirement of a performance bond when it deems it in the public interest to do so.

5. Interpretation or Correction of Proposals: Proposers shall promptly notify the District of any ambiguity, inconsistency, or error which they may discover upon examination of the Specification or of the local conditions. Proposers desiring clarification or interpretation of the Specifications shall make a written request to the District at least seven (7) days prior to the closing date for receipt of proposals: Any interpretation of, or correction, or change to the Specifications will be made by addendum, issued by the District, to all known Proposers. Interpretations of, or corrections, or changes to the Specifications made in any other manner will not be binding, and Proposers shall not rely upon such interpretations, corrections, and changes.

6. Proposers are not required to submit a proposal on every item.

B. GENERAL - IMPORTANT

1. The successful Proposer shall provide a competent supervisor to be on duty at the base of operations, equipped with a radio to communicate with drivers and a land-line telephone to communicate with parents, from a reasonable time prior to the departure of the first bus of the day until the last bus has completed the last run and has returned to the base of operations. The successful Proposer further agrees to replace any local supervisor controlling personnel and/or buses under this contract if and when such supervisor has been found to be performing in an unsatisfactory manner as may be determined by the School District.

2. The successful Proposer shall provide adequate training of personnel to ensure a dependable and high-quality service. A timely operation with adherence to route stops and schedules is mandatory. Unofficial changes in routes and stops, failure to start the route at the precise time as scheduled, or failure to operate within a reasonable consistent schedule will subject the contract to cancellation at the option of the School District.

3. The successful Proposer agrees to take prompt positive action to correct deficiencies that are brought to their attention by the District.

4. The successful Proposer shall comply fully and immediately with procedures for reporting accidents and incidents to all agencies concerned. The District will be notified immediately by telephone and will be furnished with a copy of the accident report within six (6) hours after the accident unless an extension in time is authorized by the District.

C. PROVISIONS FOR FUEL SUPPLY

1. For Summer Transportation and School Year Transportation (Home-to-School): The Kingston City School District furnishes gasoline/diesel to the carrier; Gasoline to be supplied on the basis of 4 miles per gallon for all 60-72 passenger vehicles; 8 miles per gallon for all private cars, station wagons and carry-all type vehicles; diesel to be supplied on the basis of 7 miles per gallon for all 60-72 passenger vehicles; 10 miles per gallon for vehicles that carry 30 passengers or less including but not limited to private cars, station wagons and carry-all type vehicles.

2. The contractor is required to provide gasoline/diesel for Athletics and Field Trips

Transportation.

3. Fuel will be calculated from the first student pick up to the last scheduled building drop off for an AM run. For the PM run, fuel will be calculated from the first building being picked up to the last student drop-off location.

D. EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS

1. Buses to be used shall be subject to the inspections required by the Department of Transportation of the State of New York (NYS DOT) and shall meet all requirements of the State of New York governing the transportation of school children.

2. The successful Proposer must furnish a description of the vehicles to be used by make/model, VIN number, year of manufacture, seating capacity, and mileage.

3. Vehicles used in providing service:

a. Shall be the National School Bus Chrome Color in accordance with the standards set by the Department of Motor Vehicles of the State of New York.

b. Shall be marked front and rear with the words “SCHOOL BUS” in the size and in the locations as required by the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles (NYS DMV). Shall include the words “operated by (name of vendor) at the lower front panel of each side of the bus and shall include the phone number on the back of the bus as required by NYS DMV/DOT.

c. Shall be equipped with stop lighting arrangements in strict conformity with the regulations established by the Department of Motor Vehicles. Conformity shall also include regulations concerning braking, the exit door, and the arrangement of both front and rear lights.

d. Shall be equipped with window arrangements that conform with the regulations of the Department of Motor Vehicles.

e. Shall be equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS) to monitor the location of the buses. In addition, all buses must be equipped with a Check-Mate system (or equivalent) which ensures that no child will be left on a bus.

f. Shall conform to all other statutes and regulations not listed here pertaining to school buses and specified by the State of New York.

4. Vehicles used to transport students shall not be used to display any advertisement, political or otherwise, either inside or outside of the vehicle.

5. The Vehicles must be adequately serviced and inspected prior to operation. No bus will be sent out on the road with a serious defect as determined by NYS DOT regulations.

6. The Board of Education reserves the right to inspect all buses or to assign such functions to the Superintendent of Schools, all in its discretion. The Board further reserves the right to reject a bus for service in their contracts for good cause and delegates the authority to the Superintendent of Schools to reject school buses. In the event of rejection, the Contractor will be fully responsible for replacing those rejected buses.

7. Tires used on buses must be in a condition to satisfy safety standards, regarding tread and condition. A tire that is smooth and without tread shall be deemed to be unsafe. Recut or regrooved tires are not acceptable.

8. Tires with snow grip tread must be used between November 1 and April 1 of each year.

9. Route number shall be posted on both right and left front side windows. Numbers on the signs must be at least four inches high.

10. All buses shall be equipped with a functioning two-way radio with the capability of transmitting and receiving the District’s frequency. The District reserves the right to monitor radio traffic.

11. No buses older than ten (10) years and/or with more than 150,000 miles are acceptable.

12. All vehicles dedicated to the Kingston City School District are to be equipped with a GPS (Global Positioning System) that includes Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) services to monitor the movements and locations of the fleet vehicles. The GPS system must be able to be operated with the School District's routing software, Transfinder, and must provide the School District with real-time access to the AVL services at the School District's offices. The GPS must be designed for school bus management/tracking and must be able to provide real-time data for house or school pick-up/drop-off occurrences. The Contractor is to provide Kingston City School District access to its web-based GPS tracking to view the location of buses and the status of route completion. There is to be at no additional charge to the School District for access to this information.

13. All vehicles dedicated to the Kingston City School District are to be equipped with front and rear-mounted interior cameras that record audio and video. The contractor is to provide Kingston City Schools requested videos in a timely manner. The contractor is to equip and maintain the audio-visual cameras at no additional cost to the District.

E. LIMITATIONS TO USE OF EQUIPMENT

1. Vehicles used for student service, under the specific provisions of the Transportation

Specifications, shall be restricted to the transportation of school children authorized by the Superintendent of Schools and the Board of Education according to the limits of these specifications.

2. Students shall not be carried for pay or otherwise by private arrangement with parents while the bus is being used to fulfill the requirements of these specifications and any contract that might ensue from these specifications.

F. CONDITIONS FOR RETENTION OF THE CONTRACT

1. The contract will be null and void if at any time the Department of Transportation refuses to approve the conveyor or the conveyance, or the conveyor is unable or unwilling or fails to meet the requirements of the NYS DOT or is unable or unwilling or fails to comply with the applicable regulations and statutory provisions of the State of New York.

2. If the contractor is unable, unwilling, or otherwise fails to timely transport all the scheduled students present on their route for three successive days, then the Board of Education, at its discretion, shall have the right to terminate this contract and to exercise any or all remedies available to it, including enforcing the conveyor’s performance bond.

3. If the contractor should be declared bankrupt or insolvent according to law, or if any assignment shall be made of their property for the benefit of creditors, or if an assignment of the contract is made without the consent of the Board of Education, or if the contractor should die, the contract shall automatically be terminated.

4. Any change of ownership, conduct or management, or transfer of a portion or the entire interest in the business of the contractor shall be sufficient basis for a cancellation of the period remaining under the contract after the date of such a change in ownership or management as above described, at the discretion of the Board of Education.

5. Termination of insurance policies or performance bond requirements specified in Section

I of the Transportation Specifications during the period covered in these specifications shall be a breach of contract and forthwith result in termination of the contract.

G. PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS

1. Each contractor shall file with the Superintendent of Schools for his approval by August 30th, just preceding the contract year, a list of all drivers, both regular and substitute, for the contract year, together with drivers’ applications. Contractors must also submit Motor Vehicle Records of any violations on any driver. Should changes in the driver list occur during the year, the school district must be notified immediately, and all requirements shall be met.

2. Drivers shall be thoroughly indoctrinated in all facets of their duties and responsibilities prior to operating buses for this District. The successful Proposer shall indoctrinate each driver in maintaining good relations at all times with school staff, parents, citizens and students in the performance of their duty. Failure of a driver to get along with others, conduct on the part of a driver that reflects adversely on the District, or action on the part of a driver that hinders good community relations for the District will be sufficient grounds for ordering their removal. The contractor further agrees that the District or its Superintendent of Schools shall have the right to direct the contractor to remove any person. The Board reserves the right, in the exercise of its sound discretion, to reject drivers or to direct that they be replaced, without being limited to considerations of health and driving records.

3. Drivers must be of suitable age, physically fit, properly trained, and evaluated consistent with Part 6, Sec. 6.11 of the Commissioner’s Regulations and Article 19A of the Vehicle and Traffic Law.

4. No contractor is permitted to operate a bus unless the driver of the vehicle has had a complete medical examination, including an x-ray/tine test, certified by the school physician and currently approved by the Superintendent of Schools and the Board of Education.

5. The physical examination will be performed by a school physician with the cost to be paid by the District. All exams must be completed prior to starting to drive. Any alternate physical must be authorized in advance by the District.

6. All drivers, attendants, and monitors must also comply with any Federal drug and alcohol testing requirements which compliance will be solely at the Contractor’s expense and any physical ability tests that may be mandated during the term of this contract.

7. Each driver will remain aboard their assigned bus at all times that students are loading, unloading, or aboard said bus.

8. All school bus drivers are prohibited from smoking and other tobacco use on school buses at any time, whether students are on board or not. All school bus drivers are prohibited from smoking and other tobacco use on school property and within 100 feet of the boundary of any elementary or secondary school at all times.

9. Under no circumstances shall a driver refuse to pick up or discharge a student at an established school bus stop, unless authorized in advance by the District, nor shall a driver remove a student from a bus providing services hereunder before reaching the student’s intended destination, except in the case of an emergency.

10. Those drivers not now in possession of a certificate of satisfactory completion of a school bus driver’s training course will be expected to attend and complete satisfactorily such a course as offered by the district or under the auspices of the Board of Cooperative Educational Services in as adjacent district. Those drivers in possession of the certificate must attend a refresher training course prior to the opening of school. In addition, all drivers will be required to attend one additional training session during the school year, at times designated by the district.

11. All contractors operating 8 or more bus routes will be required to have at least one spare bus.

12. All contract carriers and their drivers will cooperate fully and completely when information is required regarding routes and students carried. Such information must be accurately compiled. The school system will not ask for “unreasonable” cooperation.

13. All carriers or their representatives must attend any meeting called for their presence.

This will be at a reasonable time.

14. The Contractor will comply with the provisions of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education pursuant to Education Law sections 207, 305, and 3637 and Chapter 670 of the Laws of 2007 Subdivision (h) of section 156.3 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education is added, effective July 1, 2008, Idling school buses on school grounds. Each driver shall have on file with the District a signed copy of the School Bus Driver Acknowledgement and Receipt of Education Law Section 3637 and Commissioner’s Regulations 156.3 (h).

15. The Contractor is required to have access to internet communications and periodically throughout school days able to check an email address that the Contractor will supply to the District. In addition, the Contractor must provide the District with an emergency phone number to reach the Contractor 24 hours a day/7, days a week.

H. SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

1. School transportation vehicles must be operated at all times by capable and competent personnel at safe and reasonable rates of speed.

2. The Board of Education, through its officials, reserves the right to enforce any and all provisions of safety in the transportation of students to and from school.

3. All students must enter and leave crossing in front of the bus, and at the roadside.

4. Vehicles shall stop at all railroad crossings as required by law and shall at all times comply with the rules and regulations of the Public Service Commission applying to such vehicles.

I. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

1. Notwithstanding any terms, conditions, or provisions in any other writing between the parties, the contractor hereby agrees to effectuate the naming of the Kingston City School District as an additional insured on the contractor’s insurance policies, with the exception of Workers’ Compensation and NY State Disability Insurance.

2. The policy naming the School District as an additional insured shall:

• Be an insurance policy from an A. M. Best rated “secure” or better insurer, licensed to conduct business in New York State.

• State that the organization’s coverage shall be primary and non-contributory coverage for claims of negligent hiring, training, and supervision, which may arise in the context of sexual molestation, abuse harassment, or similar sexual misconduct.

• The School District shall be listed as an additional insured using endorsement CG 2010 11 85 or equivalent. Examples of equivalent ISO additional insured endorsements include using CG 20 33 10 01 or CG 20 26. The certificate must state which endorsement is being used, and a copy of the endorsement must be attached to the certificate of insurance.

3. The contractor agrees to indemnify the School District for any applicable deductibles and self-insured retentions.

4. The insurance producer must indicate whether or not they are an agent for the company providing the coverage.

5. Required Insurance:

• Commercial General Liability Insurance $1,000,000 per occurrence/ $3,000,000 aggregate $1,000,000 for sexual misconduct.

• Automobile Liability $5,000,000 combined single limit for owned, hired and borrowed, and non-owned motor vehicles

• Workers’ Compensation, Employers Liability and NYS Disability Insurance

Statutory Workers’ Compensation, Employers Liability, and NYS Disability Insurance for all employees. Proof of coverage must be on the approved specific form, as required by the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board. ACORD certificates are not acceptable.

6. Contractor acknowledges that failure to obtain such insurance on behalf of the School District constitutes a material breach of contract and subjects it to liability for damage, indemnification, and all other legal remedies available to the School District. The contractor is to provide the School District with a certificate of insurance evidencing the above requirements have been met, prior to commencement of work.

7. Independently of the above insurance requirements and in addition thereto, the contractor, being the successful contractor herein, shall indemnify and save the School District harmless from any and all claims and damage for bodily injury, including death and property damage to any person or persons arising from the ownership, operation, use including loading and unloading, and control of the contractors owned, hired and non-owned vehicles in its performance of this transportation contract whether due to acts of negligence or other culpable conduct, omission or commission, breach of warranty, or strict liability in regard to its said action of any owned, hired and non-owned vehicles, in whole or in part, of such contractor, and whether or not due to contributing negligence of said School District, if any, so long as not due solely to the negligence, if any, of said School District.

The School District shall give the contractor reasonable notice of any such claim received by the School District and will cooperate with the contractor in the contractor’s defense, litigation, or settlement of such claims or lawsuits at the contractor’s sole expense without recourse

J. CONDITIONS FOR PAYMENT

1. The District will be billed monthly, in ten (10) installments, only for those school bus vehicles actually used, as calculated on a daily basis. Payments will be made on the last day of each month subsequent to the period for which service has been rendered. Buses that are scheduled for an AM and PM run and only fulfill partial assignment, will be paid at one-half (½) rate of the daily cost.

2. Should the conveyor be unable or unwilling to convey students on any school day during the term of any contract, whether because of breakdowns, motor difficulties, unsafe buses or other motor vehicles, negligence on the conveyor’s part, strikes, riots, acts of God, or any other reason, then the daily compensation rate shall not be paid to the conveyor for such school days.

3. The District will pay the contractor only for runs that are being utilized. Student attendance on single home-to-school routes will not be paid if the student does not go to school and the Transportation Department/contractor is notified in a timely manner.

K. USE OF VEHICLES FOR EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

1. The Board of Education, acting through its agent, reserves the right, from time to time, to request transportation services for students for athletic functions, music rehearsals, clinics, and field trips. Conveyors providing regular transportation services under the provisions of the transportation specifications shall provide such transportation at a reasonable compensation rate.

L. EMERGENCY CLOSINGS

1. Adequate provisions shall be taken by the conveyor for service to the Kingston City School District in the performance of the regular bus runs at times other than that scheduled, which may be required by emergency closing due to changing weather conditions, emergencies, curriculum days, or other reasons deemed necessary by the Kingston Board of Education.

2. With regard to a declared snow day, should the call to close school come after the buses are on the road, the District will pay the contractor only for those buses already on the road prior to the announced snow closing.

M. ROUTE SCHEDULE

1. Route scheduling will be performed by the District for all regularly scheduled transportation. The schedule will contain directions for transporting students to and from school according to the special provisions of the transportation specifications.

The location of student pick-up points and the number of riders may vary during the period of the transportation contract. All drivers will adhere to the route instructions of the transportation office without exception.

2. The District reserves the right to make changes to any proposed routes, and reserves to itself the right of approval of all routes. All routes shall be designed to maximize efficiency and minimize costs to the District.

3. The Contractor may not make route changes without the District's prior written permission. The District reserves the right to notify the Contractor of reasonable changes in the starting and dismissal times of a school or schools, and services required by such changes shall be without additional charges except as provided for in the specifications.

4. In the event that any trip or portion of a trip is discontinued during the contract period, the amount of compensation paid to the contractor may be adjusted if the total daily mileage for the vehicles affected is more than 10%. The compensation adjustment shall be equal to the product of the number of daily miles involved and the average per mileage rate charged by all contractors providing services with equivalent vehicles.

5. In the event that any school does not open for the summer of 2025 or the school year

2025-2026, the contract will be canceled or modified.

N. SCHOOL DAY

1. Transportation must be provided in accordance with the Special Provisions of the Transportation Specifications.

2. In the event that changes in the duration of the school day or the starting and dismissal times of any of the schools are made, the conveyor will be required to provide service according to any modified school day plan until such time as the normal school pattern can be re-established. No increase in daily compensation rate shall be made should this situation occur, nor shall a decrease in compensation rate be made in the event that the modified school day plan requires fewer miles of daily driving for a vehicle.

3. Buses must arrive at the receiving schools at such times as designated in the route specifications.

4. If a school calendar specifies early dismissal on any particular day, all contractors are expected to provide timely transportation on those days.

O. TRIAL RUNS

1. At a time established by the District within three (10) days prior to the first day of service under the Contract, each regular driver will make at least one (1) trial AM and PM run to include all stops assigned on the route. The Contractor will identify any routes where there is an indication of an inability to regularly perform to schedule and to safely serve the students, and the Contractor shall advise the District of the same. Contractor must provide written verification of this trial run process to the District no later than September 1st of each contract year. Trial runs must be conducted during the typical AM and PM times to replicate common traffic issues and related times. The cost of providing these mandated trial runs shall be borne by the Contractor, with no charge to the District, and no billing for these runs shall occur.

P. FINANCIAL REPORTING

1. Successful Proposers who are awarded contracts shall consent to an audit of any and all financial records relating to the contract, as authorized by the Department of Audit and Control. Successful Proposers shall also submit cost factor forms if requested by the New York State Education Department.

2. Any contractor who has not previously done business with the Kingston City School District must submit a financial statement by a certified public accountant and/or accounting firm.

Q. OPERATOR PROFILES

1. The Proposer shall provide a copy of its latest 12-month period, DOT Operator Profile report of the terminal that is proposed to operate this contract. If the terminal will be a new location of the Proposer, the Proposer shall furnish comparable reports for its (up to) three (3) terminals located in closest proximity to this proposed location.

If awarded the contract, the Contractor shall supply the District on an annual basis a copy of its latest DOT Operator Profile report for the terminal that is…