RFI Bike Share Program 2025_2.pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

for the

BIKE SHARE PROGRAM

CITY OF DURANGO, COLORADO

September 16, 2025

City of Durango Purchasing Department

949 E 2nd Ave Durango, CO 81301

970–375-4994 www.durangoco.gov purchasing@durangoco.gov http://www.durangoco.gov/ mailto:purchasing@durangoco.gov

DISCLAIMER

THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) IS ISSUED SOLELY FOR INFORMATION AND PLANNING

PURPOSES AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FORMAL SOLICITATION OR CONTRACT. THE RFI

DOES NOT GUARANTEE OR COMMIT THE CITY OF DURANGO (CITY) TO ANY SOLICITATION OR

CONTRACT OPPORTUNITIES. ALL INFORMATION SUBMITTED TO THE CITY BECOMES PUBLIC

INFORMATION AND THEREFORE ANY INFORMATION SUBMITTED IN RESPONSE TO THE RFI

SHOULD NOT CONTAIN PROPRIETARY AND/OR CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. RESPONSES TO

THE RFI WILL NOT BE RETURNED. ACCORDINGLY, RESPONSES TO THIS NOTICE ARE NOT

OFFERS AND CANNOT BE ACCEPTED BY THE CITY AS SUCH OR TO FORM OR SUGGEST A

CONTRACT OR COMMITMENT OF ANY NATURE. RESPONDENTS ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR

ALL EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH RESPONDING TO THIS RFI.

OBJECTIVE

The City’s objective is to enhance the City’s sustainability and accessibility-focused transportation efforts.

This Request for Information (RFI) is intended to collect company information and to understand options for bike share delivery models. Any price estimates provided in this RFI will also assist the City in budgetary and planning purposes for fiscal year 2026. This RFI represents a unique opportunity to provide input that may help shape a future Request for Proposal (RFP). We invite all qualified vendors and others with experience and expertise in operations and maintenance of a bike share program and related services to provide information on potential bike share system options.

The initial bike share system would operate through a pilot program and, from there, decide the feasibility and community responsiveness for a long-term program.

BACKGROUND

The deployment of these devices will bring the City closer to achieving its sustainable transportation and emission-reduction goals outlined in the Sustainability Plan and Multimodal Transportation Plan. The City recognizes that if an acceptable partnership is agreed to, the introduction of shared mobility devices into Durango could help fill first-mile/last-mile gaps in the city's transit system, reduce motorized vehicle emissions, improve air quality, expand sustainable travel throughout the city, and provide additional sustainable travel options for those who are mobility-challenged.

TIMELINE AND PRELIMINARY SCHEDULE

Responses must be submitted online at www.rockymountainbidsystem.com.

Timeline for RFI :

https://www.durangoco.gov/DocumentCenter/View/24083/City-of-Durango-Sustainability-Plan_FINAL-no-appendix-ADA?bidId= https://www.durangoco.gov/DocumentCenter/View/28012/2023-City-of-Durango-Multimodal-Transportation-Plan-Final-ADA?bidId= https://www.durangoco.gov/DocumentCenter/View/28012/2023-City-of-Durango-Multimodal-Transportation-Plan-Final-ADA?bidId= http://www.rockymountainbidsystem.com/

BIDDING TIMETABLE

Project Goals Due Dates

Publication Released on Bidnet September 17, 2025.

Vendor Questions Due October 7, 2025, 3:00 p.m. (Local Time)

Final Addendum Issued by Purchasing October 10, 2025, 3:00 p.m. (Local Time)

Request for Information Due October 14, 2025, 3:00 p.m. (Local Time)

Future Request for Proposal (RFP) TBD, 2026.

A pilot program and/or contract with a vendor will be developed based on the future procurement process, effective on or after January 1, 2026.

If you would like to receive notifications regarding future procurements, including any potential updates to this RFI, please register your name, affiliation, and email address through the City’s e-procurement system: www.rockymountainbidsystem.com.

RESPONSE CONTENT AND ORGANIZATION

Form of responses Questions and Responses must be submitted through the City’s e-procurement system at www.rockymountainbidsystem.com.

Respondents may respond to all or some of the questions listed below.

For questions that may not be applicable to a particular respondent, please mark N/A. In addition to the specific questions below, respondents are encouraged to provide any additional comments or information on the proposed bike share program.

RFI QUESTIONS

1. Vendor Information

A. Company name, address, email, and phone number for the respondent, along with a principal contact. Also, list contact information for key partners or subcontractors.

B. Describe the type of services your company provides (including any subconsultants), e.g., bikeshare, scooter share, TNC, carshare, transportation planning, etc.

2. System Planning and Governance

The City is interested in Operator feedback based on previous experience with comparable shared mobility device programs on the following:

A. Program Recommendation:

• Is an e-bike-only system (no scooters) financially feasible for operators?

• Are there other more feasible mobility sharing programs available?

• The City prefers docked. Is this model still viable? If not, what are the other options to ensure bikes are not scattered around?

NOTE: Durango, as a community, has unclear, but negative trending views about e-scooters in town. What type of barrier would this pose for a successful program?

B. Number of Deployed Devices:

• Is a range of 40-100 bikes in line with best practices for a city of Durango’s size?

• What market research is necessary to determine the optimal fleet size for

Durango?

• How many are necessary for a financially sustainable program?

• What does program success look like for e-bike providers?

C. Operating Seasons:

• Please provide feedback on seasonal deployment (removing during winter months)?

• Is it possible to have a seasonal deployment docked?

• What is the impact of seasonality on program success?

D. Balancing and Geofencing:

• What is the best practice for removals and rebalancing for community perceptions and needs and program success?

• What is the standard frequency of rebalancing?

• Does geofencing work to keep bikes where you want them?

• Can speeds be restricted based on location?

• Does geofencing and balancing impact program success?

E. App:

• Does an app have to be required for use?

• Can an app pair with existing apps the City uses, like Via or Token Transit?

3. Marketing & Sponsorships

• Briefly describe your approach to marketing to potential riders, including users from disadvantaged communities.

• Describe your process for soliciting local or national sponsorships if this is proposed.

4. Budget/Cost

• What would pricing look like?

• Are there options to provide adaptive equipment?

• How can free/reduced fares be provided for underserved populations?

• How are users typically charged for use?

• What are the typical costs for users?

• What costs, if any, are required to be covered by a public partner (e.g., bicycle purchasing, system leasing, ongoing operations fee, infrastructure purchasing/leasing/installation, etc.), and which entity collects user/member revenue?

• On what do you base your cost estimates for launching and operating a bike share system (e.g., number of bikes, number of stations, station density)?

5. Additional Information and/or Comments

Feel free to add or attach additional comments or information not covered in the responses above, including links to your systems.