Final Post.pdf

BID SPECIFICATIONS

BARRINGTON

SCHOOL BUS TRANSPORTATION

Bid No.: 26002

DEADLINE

September 29, 2025

11:00 A.M.

Office of the Superintendent Barrington Public Schools 283 County Road Barrington, RI 02806

(401) 245-5000

Email: mcbridek@barringtonschools.org

BARRINGTON

SCHOOL BUS TRANSPORTATION SPECIFICATIONS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Bidding Schedule 5 Legal Notice 6 Current Contract Information 9 Bus Transportation Contract Specifications 10 1 Proposal 11 2 General 12 3 Definition of Terms 14 4 Equipment 16 5 Operators 21

School Bus Monitors/ Bus Aides 32 6 Operation 25 7 Indemnification and Insurance 28 8 Price Basis 30 9 Authority for Adjustments 30 10 Evidence – Ability to Perform 30 11 Assumption of Loss or Liability 32 12 Remedies of School Committee 32 13 Fuel Adjustment Clause 33 14 Remedies of Contractor 35 15 Performance Bond 35 16 Breach of Contract 36 17 Transportation Manager 36 18 Wage Scales 37 19 Awards 37 20 Laws and Public Policy 38 21 Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action 38 22 Payment 38 23 Time Schedules 39 24 Route Information 39 25 Late Buses 40 26 Field and Athletic Trips 41 27 Termination of Contract 43 28 Force Majeure 44

Emergency Evacuation Plan 44 Bid Form 1- Single Contract Award 46

APPENDICES

A School Calendars B Existing Transportation Routes

In District Regular Routes (2024-25) Athletic and Field Trips (2023-24) Late Bus Schedule

C Athletic/Activity Trip Information D Invoices

FORMS AND SUBMITTALS

1 Bid Submittal Form 1 (Basis of Award) 47 2 Bidder Registration Form 50 3 Certificate of Vote 51 4 Assurance of Non-Discrimination Compliance 53 5 Contractor Information and References 54 6 Authorization for Release of Information 56 7 Non-Default Certificate 57 8 Tax Certification 58 9 Certificate of Non-Collusion 59 10 Bid Deposit & Performance Bond & LOC 60 11 Statement of Understanding 61 12 Terminal Location/Fueling Plans 62 13 Description of Equipment to be Used Under Contract 63 14 Driver Roster 65

OTHER SUBMITTALS

1 CDL Drug Testing Policies and Procedures 2 Accident Records, Past 3 years 3 Insurance Certificates 4 Certificate of Tax Compliance………………………………………………………… 5 Certificate of Standing-RI Secretary of State…………………………………..

BID SUBMITTAL FORM CHECKLIST 68

EVALUATION CRITERIA 69

BARRINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

SCHOOL BUS TRANSPORTATION

BID SCHEDULE

Barrington Approval of Bid Specifications September 2025

Advertisement/Solicitation Date September 16, 2025

Bid Specifications Release Date September 8, 2025

Public Bid Opening Sept.29,2025 @11:00AM Barrington Public Schools 283 County Road Barrington, RI 02806

Bid Award October 2025 Barrington School Committee

INVITATION to BID

General Information

The Barrington Public Schools is requesting Bids from qualified individuals/companies to provide student transportation services to the Barrington Public Schools, in accordance with the terms of this solicitation.

Instructions and Notifications to Proposers:

● Potential offerors are advised to review all sections of this document carefully and to follow instructions completely, as failure to make a complete submission as described elsewhere herein may result in rejection of the proposal.

● Alternative approaches and/or methodologies to accomplish the desired or intended results of this procurement are solicited. However, proposals which do not meet all of the required specifications or depart from or materially alter the terms, requirements, or scope of work defined by this document will be rejected as being non-responsive.

● All costs associated with developing or submitting a proposal in response to this document, or to provide oral or written clarification of its content shall be borne by the offeror. The District assume no responsibility for these costs.

● Proposals are considered to be irrevocable for a period of not less than sixty (60) days following the opening date, and may not be withdrawn.

● All pricing submitted will be considered to be firm and fixed unless otherwise indicated herein.

● Proposals misdirected to other locations or which are otherwise not present at the time of opening for any cause will be determined to be late and will not be considered.

● In accordance with Title 7, Chapter 1.1 of the General Laws of Rhode Island, no foreign corporation shall have the right to transact business in the state until it shall have procured a Certificate of Authority to do so from the Rhode Island Secretary of State (401-222-3040). This will be a requirement only of the successful bidder (s).

● Offerors are advised that all materials submitted for consideration in response to this document will be considered to be public records, as defined in Title 38 Chapter 2 of the Rhode Island General Laws.

● It is intended that an award pursuant to this document will be made by each individual participating School Committee to a prime contractor, who will assume responsibility for all aspects of the work. Joint venture and cooperative proposals will not be considered, but subcontracts are permitted, provided that their use is clearly indicated in the offeror’s bid submission, and the subcontractor(s) proposed subcontractor to be used are identified in the proposal. The District reserves the right to investigate both the financial, managerial and relative transportation experience of any subcontractor so proposed. The Contractor, however, shall remain fully responsible for all aspects of these specifications and contract performance, even if performed by the subcontractor.

● Also, Bidders should be aware of the State’s Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) requirements, which addresses the State’s goal of ten per cent (10%) participation by MBE’s in all State procurements. For further information, contact the State MBE Administrator at (401) 574-8253 or visit the website http://www.mbe.ri.gov. This is a goal NOT a requirement.

Equal Employment Opportunity (RIGL 28-5.1) § 28-5.1-1 Declaration of Policy. – (a) Equal opportunity and affirmative action toward its achievement is the policy of all units of Rhode Island state government, including all public and quasi-public agencies, commissions, boards and authorities, and in the classified, unclassified, and non-classified services of state employment. This policy applies in all areas where the state dollar is spent, in employment, public service, grants and financial assistance, and in state licensing and regulation. For further information, contact the Rhode Island Equal Employment Opportunity Office, at 222-

● The School Committee, individually or collectively, reserves the right to accept or reject any or all options, alternatives, bids, proposals or portions thereof, to award or not award on the basis of cost alone, and to act in its/their individual and/or collective best interests.

● At any point during the review process, any proposal found to be substantially non-responsive will be eliminated from further consideration.

● The School District may, at its/their sole discretion, elect to require presentation(s) by respondents clearly in consideration for award. Other submissions, certifications, or affirmations may be required, as appropriate in order to determine the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.

Prevailing Wage refers to the requirements of Rhode Island General Law (RIGL) 37-13- 1 and the general prevailing rate of pay for regular, holiday and overtime wages to be paid to each craftsmen, mechanic, teamster, laborer or other type of worker performing work on public works projects when state or municipal funds are used in excess of $1,000.

The RI General Assembly amended RIGL 37-13-8 and contractors working on RI Prevailing Wage projects must adjust employees’ hourly rates every July 1st in accordance with updated Davis Bacon rates. These rates may be obtained at the following website: www.wdol.gov/dba.aspx

COPIES

In addition to the original and one (1) hard copy of the proposal, Respondents are required to provide their proposal in electronic format (Flash Drive preferred)

Microsoft Word /Excel OR PDF format is preferable. Only 1 electronic copy is requested.

This flash drive should be included in the proposal marked “original”.

LEGAL NOTICE

BARRINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOL

Barrington Public Schools will receive sealed proposals for the furnishing of School Bus Transportation until Sept.29, 2025 @11:00AM., at which time they will be publicly opened and read in the Barrington School District Conference Room, 283 County Road Barrington, RI 02806.

The proposal requires the furnishing of scheduled School Transportation for all designated school children of the Barrington Public Schools to include “Regular Transportation” and “Special Education “ “Athletic and Extra Curricular Activities” and “Bus Monitors” for a period ending June 30, 2030. The successful bidder shall be required to furnish all services necessary and required, but not necessarily limited to the following in general:

Transportation Equipment, Maintenance of Equipment, Operation, Drivers, Monitors/Bus Aides, Supervision, Inspection, Registration, Licensing, Insurance and conformance to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations of the State of Rhode Island, Department of Motor Vehicles, Department of Public Utilities, State Police and the Barrington Public Schools.

Specifications and Proposal Forms may be obtained electronically from the Barrington Public Schools, 283 County Road, Barrington, RI 02806, (401) 245-5000 ext.: 5, email:

francisc@barringtonschools.org on or after September 9, 2025.

The Barrington School Committee reserves the right to accept or reject any and all bids, in part or in whole, at their sole discretion. The decision of the School Committee shall be final and binding on all bidders without recourse. All awards shall be subject to annual appropriation by the School Committee.

All pricing submitted shall be firm for a 60-day period excluding Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays.

Superintendent of Schools

BARRINGTON SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION

Current Contractor: Ocean State Transit (STA) (FY25 rates provided below)

12 Buses (Type I) at $ 443.15 (No Monitor Included)

4 Type II (20 Passenger Buses) at $ 409.22 (No Monitor Included)

Mini Van at $ 301.25 (No Monitor Included)

Late Buses: 1 Route: $ 73.99, 2 Routes: $147.98, 3 Routes: $ 221.97

Monitors at $ 29.26

Summer Transportation:

$ 409.22 and Monitors at $ 28.26

SCHOOL BUS TRANSPORTATION BID

BID & CONTRACT SPECIFICATIONS

BACKGROUND and DESCRIPTION

It is envisioned that, under this bid, that the Barrington School Committee will award to a single vendor who is the lowest responsive and responsible bidder for all of the school transportation services for the school district., as may be in their best public interests.

The School District may require summer transportation. The summer schedule will be provided to the Contractor two weeks prior to the start of the respective summer programs. The Contractor shall identify the cost of summer transportation on Bid Form 1 where noted.

The primary goal of this bid process is therefore to provide cost effective school transportation at or above the current service levels.

The following Bid Specifications include:

Regular In District School Bus Transportation Late Buses Special Education In District Transportation Athletic and Activity Trip Transportation Bus Monitors Summer Transportation

Prospective bidders MUST bid on all of the transportation services required for Single Contractor.

It is the intent of the District to have a single contractor for all of its required school bus transportation services. Award shall be based upon the lowest responsible and responsive bid for ALL of the specified transportation categories, as may be in the District’s best financial interests.

Bidding Methodology: The District anticipates awarding the bid to a Single vendor based upon the comparison of the lowest total cost for all specified categories for the five (5) year contract term to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.

In addition, the cost of fuel (diesel and gasoline) will be adjusted semiannually during the term of the contract.

1 PROPOSAL

1.1 The bidder for the furnishing of scheduled transportation for all designated school children of the Barrington Public Schools (hereafter referred to as the District), shall include the furnishing of all services necessary and required, consisting of and not limited to the following:

transportation drivers, transportation equipment, fuel, maintenance of equipment, operation, supervision, inspection, registration, licensing. Insurance and conformance to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations of the State of Rhode Island, Department of Motor Vehicles, Department of Public Utilities, and/or the District School Committee(s).

1.2 Bidders submitting bids for School Transportation must provide a complete bid package. The District requires that an original plus one copy be submitted, along with an electronic copy (flash driver preferred).

1.3 Specifications and Proposal Forms may be obtained electronically from the Barrington Public

Schools, 283 County Road, Barrington, RI 02806, (401) 245-5000, Email:

francisc@barringtonschools.org on or after March 28, 2025.

1.4 The School Districts operate of the following schools with the following current bell schedule:

SCHOOL BELL SCHEDULES

(See Appendix B)

CURRENT TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS

The Districts currently operates the following:

Barrington:

12- Type I 83 Passenger Buses 4- Type II Buses (Special Education)

1- Van (Special Education) 1- Type II Mid-Day 1- Type I Late Bus (High/Middle School) 1- Type I Late Bus (Elementary )

1.5 NOTE: The Barrington School District anticipates a school closing/ new school, bell times reconfiguration which may require the reconfiguration of current grade school assignments.

The Contractor agrees to work with the District relative to redistricting and subsequent route revisions and to minimize both transportation disruption and the required number of buses for those students affected.

NOTE: The District(s) may choose to revise school start/end times during the term of this contract. Any change in the number of buses required will be consistent with these specifications and subsequent contract. Any cost resulting from a change in the number of buses required will be at the effective rate during the year of implementation.

1.6 The spreadsheet contained previously (Current Contract Information) describes the current number and configuration of vehicles being used in the performance of the current school configuration. The 2024-25 routes are contained in Appendix C.

1.7 Bidders must certify that they are not currently in litigation with any community in which they provide transportation services or if in litigation, bidders must provide a summary of such litigation, the status of that litigation, the court of jurisdiction, case identifying information necessary for the District and/or its agent to obtain such information as may be helpful in determining the bidder’s status as responsible.

1.8 Bidders must certify that they are not currently in bankruptcy or if in bankruptcy (or in contemplation of bankruptcy), must provide a summary of the nature of such bankruptcy, the status of that bankruptcy, the court of jurisdiction, case identifying information necessary for the District and/or its agent to obtain such information as may be helpful in determining the bidder’s status as responsible.

2. GENERAL

The contract shall be for a period beginning October 14, 2025, and ending June 30, 2030.

Any amendment or agreement beyond the contract’s original terms shall be in writing, signed by the parties and shall be in accordance with the provisions of State law.

Payment and performance obligations by the School Committee are subject to annual appropriation and availability of funds.

The School District reserves the right to terminate or modify this agreement upon thirty (30) days written notice to the Contractor in the event that funds are not available in subsequent fiscal years.

The contract periods contained within these specifications are as follows:

Year #1 October 14, 2025 to June 30, 2026 #2 July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 #3 July 1, 2027 to June 30, 2028 #4 July 1, 2028 to June 30, 2029 #5 July 1, 2029 to June 30, 2030

The School Committee reserves the right to accept or reject any and all bids; in part or in whole, at the School Committee’s sole discretion, without any advance notification or discussion with any prospective bidder(s). The decision of the School Committee shall be final and binding on all bidders, without recourse.

Routes and schedules are to be compatible with current policies and class schedules which shall be determined by the Contractor in conjunction with the School District.

The Bidder/Contractor agrees to work with the School District relative to minimizing the number of vehicles required to provide high quality, cost effective, safe and efficient transportation services. This includes efforts by the Contractor for the cost sharing of routes with other area school districts.

Ridership capacity shall be determined by current industry standards for seating capacity: 2 students per seat for high school/middle school age students and adults and 3 students per seat for elementary age students.

NOTE: In the future, the District may choose to reconfigure and redistrict its schools, including school zones, school times and/or transportation times. Any resulting increases or decreases to the number and configuration of buses/vans required shall be in accordance with these specifications.

Only the School Committee, acting through its administration, reserves the right to rearrange, reassign, or adjust routes and schedules when it is in the best interest of the School District to do so, at no additional cost to the District. All changes in routes are to be made and authorized by the designated School District Administrator.

The successful bidder must have a telephone connection through which the School Department may make quick contact with the Contractor or his agent from 5:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on days when schools are in operation. In addition, an emergency telephone number must be provided for emergency communication on other days or at other times. The Contractor or his agent must be willing to appear for conferences with the School Committee, Superintendent, and/or Director of Finance, Transportation Director, as necessary and when requested.

The bidder shall provide written reports of routes, schedules and bus counts showing the number of riders on each bus and each round trip and these are to be supplied when requested. The reports will detail the pickup and drop off locations for all eligible riders. These reports are to be compiled by the bidder and turned into the Director of Transportation or Transportation Director within two days of the request.

Prior to the opening of school, the Contractor’s Manager shall meet with the Transportation Department to determine safe student loading and unloading areas and procedures and to discuss any other transportation related issues. In addition, if requested, the Manager shall attend the annual student orientation meeting.

The bidder shall designate a particular staff member, i.e., Manager, who shall be assigned to coordinate transportation arrangements under the contract and to carry out instructions submitted by the School Department from time to time. In addition, the Contractor must have a minimum of one (1) full time Mechanic on site at their bus depot/maintenance facility. The Mechanic need not be exclusive to the District.

The Manager, if not known at the time of the bid, may be left as “to be designated” but must be provided prior to the signing of the contract. This person must have at least five years’ experience managing a school bus operation similar in size and be located at the site/depot/maintenance facility on each and every school day from 5:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

He/she shall be responsible for the day-to-day coordination of such transportation with the Superintendent of Schools and/or Transportation Director. The Manager need not be exclusive to the School District.

Should any bidder to whom an award is made fail to enter into a contract within ten (10) days after notice of the award is mailed to him, the amount so received from such bidder through his certified bid deposit check shall become the property of the School District as liquidated damages for such failure.

All vehicles utilized in this contract shall be registered and parked within 30 minutes to the High/Middle Schools and/or the District Elementary Schools.

Replacement vehicles must be able to reach a break down or accident within 30 minutes from the time of notification. Failure to do so will result in a $ 100 reduction in payment, at the discretion of the Superintendent.

Buses are NOT allowed to be out parked at employee’s homes within the District unless local policy allows. However, vehicles may be fueled and maintained outside of the School District.

All routes will be submitted by the Contractor to the Director of Transportation Director no later than August 1st of each year of the contract (starting in 2026).

The School Districts are exempt from Federal Excise Tax and Sales Taxes.

Tax certificates are available upon request.

3 DEFINITIONS OF TERMS:

3.1 School Committee - refers to the Barrington School Committee, collectively or individually.

3.2 Awarding Authority - refers to the Barrington School Committee

3.3 School Department, District - refers to the Barrington Public Schools Administration to which responsibility for this contract has been delegated.

3.4 School Administrators refers to School Administrators who are approved by the School Committee and oversee the daily operations of the School District.

3.5 District Superintendent refers to the Superintendent who is the School Administrator approved and appointed by the School Committee and oversees the full operation of the School District.

3.6 Director of Finance refers to the Director of Finance who is an Administrator that may oversee specific contracts and operations in addition to the Superintendent and Director of Transportation.

3.7 Agent refers to any individual or organization retained by the School Committee or District for the purposes of providing technical assistance relative to school transportation services.

3.8 Contractor/Vendor/Conveyor - refers to the successful bidder and collectively to the legal entity, its officer(s) and/or representative(s), which are legally bound to the bid and resulting contracts.

3.9 Mileage - the term mileage for the purpose of the bid and contract shall mean the total miles traveled daily by the Contractor's vehicles in providing transportation for those students so authorized by the District, to and from the public schools located in the School District, Athletic or Field Trips to other locations as designated. However, mileage shall not include any mileage incurred in traveling from the Contractor's garage to the beginning of a route, or, from the end of a route to the Contractor's garage. Said miles shall be referred to as “Live Miles” and shall be the miles utilized in the calculation of any fuel adjustments.

3.10 Route Time - for the purpose of the bid and contract travel time shall mean the total hours or fraction thereof, for student travel encompassing the period between student pickup and drop off.

3.11 Bus Driver - shall refer to the properly licensed operator of any vehicle used by the Contractor under the contract, including, school bus drivers, van drivers and spare drivers.

3.12 Bidder - Each proposal shall contain the name of every person, firm, or corporation interested in the bid, and in the case of a corporation, shall state the name and title of the official or officials of the corporation by whom the Contract can legally be signed. If an agent submits the bid, his/her authority to contract must be clarified by attaching a copy of the existing Power of Attorney.

3.13 Bid Price Figures - Care should be exercised to ensure that all dollar figures are as intended by the bidder.

3.14 Receipt of Bids - Bids submitted prior to the date and time set for the opening may, upon written request signed by the bidder, be withdrawn, and if resubmitted they shall fully comply with all other conditions and requirements.

Bids received prior to the time established for the receipt of bids will be securely kept, unopened. The Director of Finance or their Designee, whose duty it is to receive all bids, will decide when the specific time has arrived for the opening of bids, which shall be at 11:00 a.m.

at the date and place so specified.

No bid received by the Director of Finance or their Designee after the time and date established herein for the opening of bids will be considered, regardless of the cause for delay in the receipt of any such bids. Bids received after the time and date for receipt of bids will be returned unopened.

3.15 Bid Period - After public opening no bidder may withdraw their bid prior to the execution and delivery of the contract unless no award has been made at the expiration of sixty (60) business days after the opening of bids.

3.16 Incomplete Documents - The School Committee, /District do not assume any responsibility for errors, omissions, or misinterpretations, which may have resulted in whole or in part from the use of incomplete bid documents, to include any addenda.

3.17 Document Interpretation/Correction - Questions arising from the Bid Specifications should be directed to:

Superintendent of Schools

283 County Road Barrington, RI 02806

(401) 245-5000 who has the option of providing written answers to all prospective bidders. Oral answers are provided only for the purposes of clarification and should be viewed as clarification rather than superseding the bid specifications. Corrections and/or additions to the bid document will be made by written addendum and sent to all prospective bidders. All other corrections, interpretations, or changes made to the bid document in any manner will not be binding.

3.18 Addenda - Addenda will be issued by Email to all known bid recipients. No addenda will be issued within the immediate five (5) business day period prior to the date of receipt set for such bids, except an addendum which withdraws or otherwise postpones the date of the bid opening. The official notice of withdrawal or postponement shall be the reading of record at the time and date set for receipt of such bids.

3.19 Bid Envelopes - Bid documents submitted by bidders to the Barrington District Business Office shall be by sealed envelope clearly marked with "BID DOCUMENTS: BARRINGTON SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION BID”. Also, the date and time of the bid opening, as indicated on the “Invitation to Bid”, should appear on the envelope. The District, its officials, agents or employees shall not be liable for premature opening of a bid not properly addressed and identified.

3.20 Nonperformance: Nonperformance is defined as 10 consecutive school days where the Contractor is unable to operate any of the District routes.

3.21 Under Performance: Under performance is defined as 5 consecutive or 10 cumulative school days where the Contractor is unable to operate or cover one (1) or more of the District routes.

In the event of continued Under Performance, the District reserves the right to outsource those routes which the Contractor has been unable to operate and charge such actual cost to the Contractor contract or to their performance bond. Notice shall be provided verbally and followed with a written notice of performance default. The Contractor shall have ten (10) days in which to remedy the performance default. If, at the sole discretion of the Superintendent, the offense is considered serious in nature, the remediation must be immediate.

NOTE:

● Commercial General Liability

▪ $ 1,000,000 each occurrence

▪ $ 2,000,000 aggregate

● Liability Excess Coverage (Umbrella)-- $ 10,000,000

The preceding rates and limitations MAY be reduced or revised at the sole discretion of the School Committee. Any increase of insurance premiums, as a result of such a revision, will be paid by the District. Any decrease in premiums shall be credited to the District.

a. All bidders shall submit a Certificate of Insurance, as outlined, for the first year of the contract prior to contract signing and annually thereafter during the term of this contract.

b. By July 1st of each year of this contract the Contractor will furnish a copy of its insurance for the payment of compensation and the furnishing of other benefits under Chapter 152 of the General Laws (Workmen’s Compensation Law) or equal insurance to all persons to be employed under this contract and shall continue such insurance during the term of this contract. Failure to provide and continue such insurance as aforesaid shall be deemed a material breach of this contract and shall be cause for immediate termination.

c. The bidder’s accident record for the previous three (3) years for Rhode Island /Massachusetts where they have operated or have held contracts must be prepared by the bidder’s insurance carrier and submitted with the bid.

d. The certificate of insurance submitted by the bidder shall contain the following language:

“No cancellation of or change of or revision in the insurance by the Insurer or the Insured, the existence of which insurance is evidenced by this certificate, shall be valid unless written notice thereof is delivered to the School District at least thirty (30) days prior to the intended date of cancellation, change or revision, by mail, postage prepaid, and evidenced by a return receipt, or the insurance is cancelled, the contract is null and void.”

e. Within 30 business days after notice of acceptance of proposal is given or mailed by the School District to the successful bidder, the Contractor shall deposit with the District Superintendent, certificates from the insurer to the effect that the insurance policies required in the above section have been or will be issued to the Contractor prior to the first date of service. The certificates must be satisfactory to the School District.

f. The Contractor must file with the Superintendent or Designee a copy of these policies by July 1st of each school year during the contract period.

4. EQUIPMENT

4.1 Failure to properly maintain buses and/or vans in a manner satisfactory to the School District as directed below may result in termination of the contract. The Contractor may not transport students on buses unless all equipment, including cameras, are verified as working prior to departure

4.2 The bidder agrees to use only buses and/or vans which have been carefully maintained and are in satisfactory operating condition, and must keep the buses and/or vans in good working condition at all times. The Contractor must also agree to furnish all necessary spare vehicles, fuel, oil, grease, tires, maintenance, and repairs throughout the entire period of this contract.

4.3 All buses and/or vans shall be constructed, maintained, operated, and inspected in conformance with all applicable laws, regulations, and rules of the Department of Motor Vehicles and/or Department of Public Utilities. Inspection reports must be forwarded, upon request, to the District Superintendent or Designee in charge of transportation.

4.4 No bus and/or van shall be used under this contract which does not have a sign bearing the words “School Bus” attached to the front and rear of the vehicle, as required by law.

4.5 There shall be no substitution of buses without permission of the School District’s Superintendent or Designee in charge of transportation for the duration of the contract period, except in the case of emergency breakdown, and then only for a period not to exceed one week. All substitute buses shall be subject to all contract requirements and must be properly marked to identify the District, the accurate bus number and route.

4.6 All buses/vans shall be equipped with a minimum of three (3) cameras on existing buses and, with a minimum of four (4) digital video cameras (front, rear. middle and exterior) on any new buses purchased during the term of this contract. Vans shall have a minimum of 2 cameras: one facing forward from the rear and one facing back from the front. Digital recording devices are required. A monthly audit must be provided to the district to ensure that video equipment is operational. Videotapes/recordings will be maintained by the Contractor for a minimum of twenty-five (25) days and will be available to school personnel upon request. A video recording notice shall be prominently displayed in all buses/vans having cameras. Videotape/recording copies will be provided to school personnel upon request. In addition to the State requirement for school bus safety checks, all bus drivers and van drivers shall be required to check the camera operation on their vehicle at the beginning and end of every day. If the camera is not working properly, it will be reported immediately to the person in charge of vehicle maintenance. The camera MUST be repaired or replaced prior to the vehicle transporting any Barrington students.

Failure to do so shall be considered nonperformance and breach of contract. The District may also request video footage at any point during the month for additional monitoring purposes.

4.7 All buses shall be equipped with an External P.A. System.

4.8 All buses shall be equipped with crossing gates. This requirement MAY be waived by the School

District for existing vehicles.

4.9 All buses shall be equipped with an electronic Child Check System.

4.10 All vehicles shall be equipped with a two-way radio on a dedicated frequency capable of reaching all areas within the school district. If required, a base station and a portable radio will be provided to the District at no cost.

4.11 All buses shall be equipped with an active Global Positioning System (GPS) with AVL

(Automatic Vehicle Locator) such as Zonar or equivalent. In addition, the Bidder/Contractor shall provide the District with a parent bus locator application (First View or Equivalent).

4.12 The bidder shall furnish buses and/or vans which meet the following requirements:

a. All vehicles available for use at time of the bid, or which are to be available for use and added to the fleet after submission and anytime during the length of the contract, must have minimum seating capacity conforming to the standard specifications. Chassis and body must conform to all Federal Standards and fully meet or exceed all requirements of the State of Rhode Island.

b. Vehicles furnished must comply with the General Laws of the State of Rhode Island and the rules and regulations of the Registry of Motor Vehicles and the Department of Public Utilities relating to the transportation of public-school children.

c. At the start of the contract and during the term of this contract, no bus shall be older than ten

(10) years or have accumulated mileage of more than 150,000 miles. At the start of the contract no van shall be older than 3 years old. During the term of the contact no van can be older than 7 years or exceed 150,000 miles.

d. All buses used in the performance of this contract, exclusive of coach buses for athletic and field trips, will be type B, C, or D and have a minimum seating capacity as defined by 540 CMR

7.03. All vans shall meet both the State and Federal requirements for the transportation of public-school children. Any exception to this requirement will be with direct approval of the District Superintendent or Designee in charge of transportation.

e. The bidder shall see that all buses and/or vans are kept at all times in a condition of cleanliness, interior and exterior, satisfactory to the Superintendent or Designee. In addition, the temperature of the bus/van interior shall be maintained at a reasonably comfortable temperature when the vehicle is occupied by students.

f. All buses shall maintain a temperature not less than 40 degrees while children are on board.

This minimum temperature will be maintained while conforming to the State and District idling and anti-idling laws and regulations.

g. Each bid shall contain a detailed description of each bus/van to be used, including the year of manufacture, model number, present mileage, and make of body, make of bus/van, seating capacity, and present condition. The School District reserves the right to reject any unacceptable vehicle at any time during the term of this contract.

h. In the event that the successful bidder does not have a fleet currently available to meet these requirements, documentation which provides proof that the Contractor can acquire the required vehicles, as specified in the requirements, must be provided with the Bidders response. Proof of purchase, satisfactory to the School District, must be delivered to the District Superintendent within ten business days after notice of acceptance of the proposal is given to the bidder.

i. If known, the bidder must submit with bid data documentation identifying the composition of the bus/van fleet to be used during each of the years of the contract, and/or must give clear evidence of a commitment to purchasing, replacing or updating the fleet to be used during the contract consistent with these specifications. The fleet used must have annual approval of the School District.

Failure to procure or maintain such equipment after contract award will be sufficient cause for the cancellation of the contract and surrender of the performance bond. Procurement shall mean that all necessary vehicles shall be in the physical possession of the Contractor, duly registered and having all necessary safety equipment installed as prescribed by the State RMV.

j. Written reports of conditions of buses/vans, as determined at the time of inspection, shall be presented to the District Superintendent or Designee in charge of transportation no later than ten days following the date of inspection.

k. The “BARRINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS” shall appear on both the driver and passenger sides of all buses used in the performance of this contract, including buses used for athletics and field trips (exclusive of coach buses). Route numbers shall also be prominently displayed on each vehicle.

l. The District reserves the right to require a certificate at any time from a garage/mechanic of its choosing that the buses/vans under contract are in good order with respect to brakes, lights, horn, mufflers, steering gear, windshield cleaners, doors, tires, windows, bodies, and any other safety related items.

m. In carrying out the performance of the contract, the bidder shall guarantee a 10 percent reserve fleet (spare vehicles), a minimum of two (2), housed within the District, at the terminal, at no cost to the School District. Such a fleet shall comply with all provisions of the specifications.

n. The total number of buses required under this contract requires adequate spare buses, plus a minimum of two (2) buses required for athletics and field trips (spare buses may be utilized for athletics and/or activity trips when not otherwise utilized. From time to time the District(s) may require additional buses for Athletic and/or Activity trips. The District expressly reserves the right to acquire transportation for athletic, field trips, and/or other school activities from sources other than the Contractor, when the Contractor is unable to provide sufficient buses required.

o. All vehicles utilized during the term of this contract shall meet or exceed any and all State and federal requirements and emission standards for heavy-duty highway diesel engines and vehicles.

p. There shall be no idling of school buses on school grounds in excess of 5 minutes or as permitted by State or local regulations.

q. Any bus utilized to replace an “on road” breakdown must be capable of reaching the vehicle within 30 minutes of such notification. Failure to do so will result in a $ 100 reduction in payment, at the discretion of the Superintendent.

4.13 School transportation services covered under this contract shall be under the complete authority and control of the Superintendent or Designee so identified by the School District.

4.14 Seatbelts: The Contractor shall comply with all State and Federal requirements regarding the installation and use of seat belts by students on buses. In addition, all special education vans/buses and special education-wheelchair vans/buses shall be equipped with seat belts. Drivers shall ensure that all students wear their seat belts at all times. All students riding in wheelchairs shall be properly restrained to minimize injury in the event of an accident. Wheelchair locking devices shall be of the forward-facing type only. The District currently requires seat belts on the Type C/D school buses.

4.15 Car Seats/Booster Seats: When required, the Contractor shall supply a car/booster seat for students who are under 4 years old and under 40 pounds in weight and who may require them. The Contractor shall also provide booster seats for ALL students who may require such. Drivers or monitors/aides, if applicable, are expected to secure the student in the car seat via an approved seatbelt and to assist in offloading students at their destination (school or home). Car seats and booster seats shall meet all current regulations for the safe seating of children. The Districts currently require the following car/booster seats:

4 Point Star Seats: 6 (District Owned) & Booster Seats: Based on IEP requirements

4.16 Harness Type Restraint System: When required, the Bidder/Contractor agrees to provide appropriate student harnesses (Buckle Buddy or equivalent) for special needs students who may require such restraint. Such harnesses will be connected to the seatback per State and manufacturer’s specifications. The body portion of the harness will be placed on the student by the parent/teacher prior to the student loading the vehicle and shall attach to the seat back by clip or other method which will easily allow for connection and disconnection. The Districts currently require the following number of harnesses:

Harnesses: 2

4.17 Wheelchair Lifts: All hydraulic, electrical, or mechanical wheelchair lifts or ramps used by the Contractor are subject to the continuous approval of the School District. Drivers and Monitors/Aides assigned to operate wheelchair equipped buses shall be trained in the proper operation of the lifts. All wheelchairs shall be front facing.

4.18 Wireless or Radio Communications: The Contractor shall provide each bus/van and spare bus with a two-way radio to maintain continuous contact with the bus dispatcher and have a 50-mile radius minimum. Radios shall have an individual distinct frequency, discrete private channel, discrete private carrier, or coded squelch. UHF radios must have a minimum power output of twenty-five (25) watts with 800 Mhz or fifteen (15) watts with 900 Mhz. The Contractor shall also provide at his own expense whatever electronic devices are necessary in order to provide radio coverage within the vehicle’s area of operation. If requested, a base station OR a portable two-way radio will be provided to the District at no cost.

4.19 First Aid/Bodily Fluid Clean Up Kits: Each vehicle shall be equipped with a State/RMV approved first aid kit, bodily fluid clean-up kit and any other State RMV required medical supplies or equipment. First Aid and Bodily Fluid Kits are to be inspected and supplies replenished on a systematic basis by the Contractor.

4.20 Specialized Equipment: The School District requires a Global Positioning System (GPS) with an Automated Vehicle Locating System (AVS) on every bus utilized in this contract. Zonar/ First View or equivalent is preferred which is compatible with Traversa or Transfinder computer routing software.

4.21 A parent app is required, which provides parents with “live time” identification of their child’s bus may also be required. The parent app must be compatible with the Bidder GPS/AVL software and also with Traversa/Transfinder routing software.

4.22 Child Check System: The District requires an electronic Child Check System in order to ensure that no child is left on a bus after the route is completed.

4.23 Other Equipment Required by Law or Regulation: Contractor shall supply and ensure that all of the vehicles have all such equipment, not otherwise specifically mentioned in these specifications, which is required by federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations, including equipment required by regulations adopted by the State.

4.24 ELECTRIC/ALTERNATIVE FUEL BUSES/VANS. In the event that the District acquires electric or alternative fuel buses or vans, the District and Contractor agree to negotiate in good faith any cost or performance impact. Bid Form 1 requires an alternative cost for the provision and operation of electric buses.

4.25 In the event that, during the term of this contract, Rhode Island institutes a restriction on the sale or purchase of diesel buses (CARB) , it will remain the responsibility of the Contractor to continue to provide buses/vans which meet those specifications.

5. OPERATORS

5.1 The Contractor shall furnish fully and properly licensed drivers to operate any vehicles used in carrying out the transportation services under the terms of this contract; including spare drivers, unless otherwise noted. The District can request that any employee be removed from Barrington buses for any reason and the bidder will comply.

5.2 The Contractor shall establish a suitable wage scale that is designed to attract, employ and maintain experienced school bus drivers and monitors/aides. Assigned route drivers and monitors/aides shall be compensated on an hourly basis for route driving times as well as daily vehicle inspections as required by law, normal post trip inspections and daily bus cleaning. It is the intent of this requirement, to the extent possible, to allow the Contractor to retain existing drivers and bus monitors/aide personnel, where otherwise qualified and meeting the hiring qualifications of said Contractor.

5.3 All persons assigned as regular drivers must be submitted, and be acceptable, to the District

Superintendent prior to August 15th of each year. The list of drivers, including a copy of their license, finger print record, driving record, and CORI and SORI report shall be provided to the District Superintendent prior to August 15th of each year of this contract. The bidder shall supply the same documentation for all personnel, including management staff, mechanics, and any replacement drivers prior to their start of employment under this contract.

5.4 The District reserves the right to accept or reject any and all drivers, if it is deemed in the best interest of the School District to do so. Further, the District reserves the right to require any operator to submit to a “fit for duty” test at any time, at the sole cost to the Contractor, by a Doctor of Medicine selected by the School Committee.

5.5 The District reserves the right to request a change of a driver at any time with cause. The request shall be made in writing and state the reason(s) therefore and shall not be in violation of any applicable local, state or federal law or regulation. The Contractor shall be obligated to comply within 24 hours of notice being provided by the District Superintendent or their Designee. The temporary or permanent removal of drivers from the Contractor’s roster of drivers for that School District shall not relieve the Contractor of its responsibility to fulfill all the terms of the contract.

5.6 The bidder shall see that all drivers have on file with the bidder a report, made by a registered physician, that he/she is in sound physical condition and capable of performing the duties of a school bus/van driver. The physical examination certificate must be submitted once a year, as required by law.

5.7 As it is the intent of the District to have the Contractor provide professional drivers, evidence of the safety program used to meet the RMV requirements of required “in-service” training per driver per year must accompany the bid. This program shall be in compliance with all state and local transportation requirements. Such training sessions are to be scheduled throughout the year, as it is not in the best interest of the schools or their students to have all the training hours provided in one or two lengthy sessions. Any other safety/training programs, which the bidder uses, (not necessarily limited to drivers) should also be included with the bid package.

5.8 The Contractor shall agree, if required by the School District, that any or all drivers, including van and substitute drivers, shall be trained in First Aid, CPR, Seizure, Assertive Discipline, Ch. 51A Procedures (Child Abuse/Neglect), Restraint Training, Allergic Reaction, Epi-pen administration, or any other areas required by the District. The District shall supply this training at a date and time mutually agreeable to the District and the Contractor.

If required and authorized by the Director of Pupil Personnel and Director of Transportation, drivers of special education students shall be provided with medical information and the driver shall maintain a log for all designated students (by route) listing known medical conditions, and if applicable, the type of medication the child takes. The log will also include the child’s address and emergency contact and telephone number(s) and any other information designated by the Director of Pupil Personnel.

5.9 Bidders must provide evidence that they have in place and are in compliance with all requirements for drug and alcohol testing, in accordance with the Federal Highway Administration regulations regarding Commercial Driver’s License. This requirement shall also include van and any spare drivers. The description of this program should list company policies regarding substance abuse and company procedures on drug testing.

5.10 A thorough background check is required for all drivers, including driving record and Criminal

History Records (Expanded CORI)…