RFP 2024_12 Liberty Transit Vehicle Maintenan.pdf

City of Hinesville

115 East M.L. King Jr. Drive

Hinesville

Request for Proposals Public Transit Fleet Maintenance and Repair Services/Facility Maintenance and Repair Services

RFP 2024‐12

ADVERTISEMENT

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

RFP 2024‐12

Public Transit Fleet Maintenance and Repair Services/Bus Shelter

Installation, Maintenance and Repair Services

The City of Hinesville, Georgia is issuing a Request for Proposal for a Third‐ Party Contractor to provide fleet maintenance, repair services and Bus shelter maintenance and repair services for Liberty Transit.

The City of Hinesville intends to establish an agreement with an independent provider of fleet maintenance, repair services and bus shelter maintenance and repair services for 3‐years with the option of (2) additional (1) year terms. Any renewal will be based on the same terms and conditions as the initial term with the exception of the price and rates. Initial prices or rates are guaranteed for a minimum of twenty‐four (24) months.

The City of Hinesville seeks proposals from qualified firms or organizations with experience in all aspects of fleet maintenance, repair and bus shelter installation, maintenance and repair.

Potential Proposers can acquire a copy of the Request for Proposal and submit all questions regarding this RFP electronically to Ryan Arnold at rarnold@cityofhinesville.org no later than November 8, 2024. A response to all questions received will be sent to all parties by November 12, 2024, as an addendum to the RFP and posted to City’s website.

PROPOSALS SHALL BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN 11:00 AM, LOCAL TIME, November 18, 2024, AT

THE OFFICES OF THE CITY OF HINESVILLE, CITY HALL, 115 E. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., DRIVE, HINESVILLE, GEORGIA 31313.

Each package or envelope containing proposals shall be properly identified with the following information placed on the outside of the package or envelope:

City of Hinesville

Attn: City Clerk 115 E. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive

Hinesville, Georgia 31313 Proposal for Public Transit Fleet Maintenance and Repair Services/ Bus Shelter Installation, Maintenance and

Repair Services

It shall be the Proposer’s responsibility to submit their proposal by the stated deadline. Proposals received after this date and time will not be accepted. Failure of express mail or package delivery services to deliver Proposer’s information by the designated date and time will not be the responsibility of the City.

Anticipated Proposal Schedule:

Initial Request for Proposals – October 18, 2024 Non‐Mandatory Pre‐bid Meeting – November 1, 2024 at 11:00 am.

Questions due to City of Hinesville – November 8, 2024 at 4:00pm Final Response to questions published as an addendum –November 12, 2024 at 4:00pm Proposals Due – November 18, 2024 at 11:00 am (tentative) Finalist Interviews – November 20, 2024 Contract Award Date – December 5, 2024 Contract Effective Date – December 30, 2024

The City of Hinesville reserves the right to reject any and all proposals/bids, to waive informalities, to re‐advertise and/or to award the contract in accordance with FTA C 4220.1F, and to retain any and all Proposals/Bids for a period of thirty (30) days after opening.

The successful Proposer will be required to comply with all applicable Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws and regulations. Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) shall be afforded full opportunity to submit proposals.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

OBJECTIVES OF THIS REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Proposal Requirements 13

Instructions to Proposers 14

Proposal Guidelines 17

Project Requirements 22

Proposal Evaluation Process 32

Forms 34

Attachments 39

Safety Management

Appendix A: PTASP Relationship to Other Federal Laws & Regulations

Appendix B: Approval by Governing Body

Appendix C: Federal Certification Clauses…………………………………………………….……..75

Scope of Work

Introduction

The City of Hinesville is seeking proposals from qualified contractors interested in providing Fleet Maintenance Services and Facility Maintenance Services for Liberty Transit. The vehicles consist of light and medium duty transit buses, vans, sport utility vehicles and cars. The Facilities consist of bus stop signage, benches and shelters.

Overview The contractor shall provide scheduled preventative maintenance, repairs, parts inventory acquisition and other associated fleet maintenance and facility maintenance services required to ensure the continuity of effective and economical operation of the Liberty Transit vehicles and facilities.

SCOPE OF SERVICES

Vehicles

The successful contractor must be able to provide appropriate staffing resources, tools, and diagnostic equipment to perform maintenance and repair, inspections and other services as needed during Liberty Transits hours of operation. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 6am to 7pm with future Saturday service from 8am‐7pm. Hours are subject to change as service requirements change. Vehicle Preventative Maintenance and inspections must be completed by an ASE certified technician. All work must be reviewed and signed off by an ASE Master Technician. The City of Hinesville’s preference is for the contractor to have the ability to perform all required services, however, work may be subcontracted upon approval of the City.

a. Preventative maintenance inspections must be performed at intervals consistent with governmental requirements and standards that meet or exceed the manufacturer’s recommended standards, procedures, and intervals. The TPO shall provide to the City of Hinesville documentation relative to preventative maintenance at intervals specified by the City of Hinesville. Cost of fleet management shall be included in the Contractor’s proposal.

a. The City of Hinesville shall require the TPO to bring all revenue vehicles to a City designated facility for semi‐annual inspection. The TPO shall repair all safety‐related deficiencies identified in the inspections before placing the vehicle back in revenue service. All non‐safety deficiencies shall be repaired within seven (7) calendar days. Vehicles with deficiencies are subject to re‐inspection by City of Hinesville to ensure that corrective repairs are properly made. All costs associated with the TPO’s personnel in getting vehicles to/from and during inspections shall be the TPO’s expense. All costs associated with correcting identified vehicle deficiencies shall be at the City’s expense.

The contractor must provide an electronic work order system that tracks mileage for preventative maintenance to maintain compliance with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) rules and regulations.

The City will provide the space onsite at the Public Works building 613 Elma G. Miles, Parkway, Hinesville, GA 31313. All services will be performed onsite except for sub‐contracted resources.

The City will provide maintenance training for specialized transit equipment.

Maintenance includes fluid and filter replacement, tire rotations, tune‐ups, brake and belt replacement, and services common to mechanical and electrical systems. The activities are typically in accordance with the original equipment manufacturer’s recommended service.

Repairs include replacement of defective or failed parts and modifications to vehicle repair or replacement of engine, transmission, powertrain, wheels and tires of vehicles.

Other Services include safety checks, roadside assistance, testing, tire replacement and cleaning.

The Contractor will perform inspection during all maintenance work, which includes, but is not limited to

Tires: Visually check size, condition and tread depth while adhering to manufacturer specifications and Department of Transportation (DOT) rules and regulations

Lights: Check turn signals (front and rear), emergency flashers, headlights, brake lights, parking lights, reverse lights, back up lights, and all interior lighting for proper operation

Seat Belts: Check operation of seat belts

Windshield Wipers and Washers: Check condition of wiper blades and level of washer fluid

Fluid Levels: Check and fill fluid levels in oil, transmission, power steering pump, and master cylinder

Battery: Check condition of heatshield, hold‐down clamps and cable ends, electrolyte level and clean top and terminals as needed

Exhaust System: Visually inspect complete exhaust system including catalytic converter and heat‐shielding and inspect for leaks which could allow exhaust fumes to enter vehicle

Steering and Suspension Components: Conduct a “look and shake” inspection

Drive Shaft U‐Joints and CV Joints: Conduct a “look and shake” inspections for seal leakage or failure

Critical Components: Check condition of all under‐hood heatshield and the routing of all hoses and wiring to ensure maximum protection from radiated exhaust heat and generated mileage.

Brakes: Inspect all brake line hoses and master cylinder for signs of leaks or damage • Cooling System:

Visually inspect entire system for leaks, damage, or other signs of needed repair

Safety equipment to include but not limited to horn, fire extinguisher (inspection date), emergency reflectors, seatbelts, seat belt extensions (2 required), seatbelt cutter, first aid kit, and spill kit.

Mirrors, windshield and windows

Wheelchair lift: Hydraulic/electrical components, handrails, controls access (inside and outside) shoulder restraint/lap belt, reflector tape, and emergency manual lift.

Signage: Operator ID and phone number, vehicle number (front and Rear), Title VI posting, and we stop at railroad crossings

AC/ Heating units front and rea.

Upholstery and flooring free from defects

Vehicle cleanliness inside and outside

Testing. The Contractor will conduct a driving or appropriate operations test on all vehicles that have had a safety related repair. Safety related repairs include but not limited to brake, steering system, wheels, tires, springs, shock absorbers/struts, torsion bars, rods/linkages, joints, bearings, arms, anti‐ sway bars and bushings.

Tire Replacement. The contractor will provide comprehensive tire services including replacement, repair, balancing, and field tire service. The contractor will replace tires when a minimum tread depth has been reached or the tires are otherwise unacceptable due to weathering, irregular wear pattens, ply separation, or other conditions that may affect the safety and performance of vehicles.

Cleaning. The contractor will wash the exterior and detail the interior of all vehicles after service when time and resources permit or at least bi‐monthly. The contractor is also responsible for establishing and adhering to a posted cleaning schedule for all vehicles.

Scheduling. The contractor will provide a single point of contact to serve as the responsible contact for daily communication with Transit regarding vehicle scheduling and status updates.

Transit typically schedules regular routine maintenance and services based on the manufacturer's recommendations. Contractor will be responsible for developing and adhering to a Maintenance Plan which will include service mileage intervals, service type (A, B, C etc.) and a detailed checklist defining all inspection/service requirements in accordance with Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) rules and regulations.

Transit will provide Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports (DVIR) to the contractor twice daily. DVIRs are completed by all bus operators during pre and post trip inspections. Contractor will review inspection reports and schedule repairs as needed.

Authorization. The contractor will be required to complete all routine preventative and light maintenance work within 24 hours. Any work required to be sub‐ contracted will require City approval. The contractor will notify the City by phone and email if the initial time estimate must be extended for any reason.

The contractor will contact designated City staff for approval before work can be performed for any repairs that are estimated to exceed $2,500.

Warranty. The contractor guarantees and warranty that all material furnished, and all services performed will be free from defects in material and workmanship. The contractor will not invoice the City for any repeat work that occurs with the following warranty periods:

Description of Service Warranty Period Engine or Transmission overhauls 123-months or 12,000 miles* All other work 180 days, 500 engine hours, or 5,000 miles*

*Whichever occurs first

Parts

The contractor shall procure all parts, materials and supplies required for the maintenance, repair, inspections and other services. These items will be endowed by the City. All repair parts are to be OEM or equivalent. Rebuilt or remanufactured parts must conform to the manufacturers reconditioned tolerances. The contractor shall comply with all FTA and GDOT procurement rules and regulations.

Incidental Use and Storage of Transit Service Vehicles.

b. The TPO is prohibited from using transit service vehicles for any purpose other than transit service. Transit service vehicles shall only be stored at the TPO’s secured facility or at a maintenance subcontractor’s secured facility in the event of subcontracted maintenance to be performed. Responsibility of the any damage during storage remains with the TPO.

Scope of Services Facilities Shelters/Bus stop amenities

Installation and Maintenance. Contractor will provide staff to install all City procured bus shelters, signage, benches, and trash receptacles

Contractor will provide basic service for bus shelters and stops to include but not limited to the following:

Quarterly or as needed

Wash all structures including all exposed surfaces, excluding solar panels, within the footprint of the stip. Towel dry water from the structure to eliminate water spotting. The use of non‐toxic, biodegradable cleaners is mandatory.

Inspect solar lighting equipment for proper function and replacement of batteries and control devices using city supplied components

Bimonthly

Removal of gum from shelter, trash containers, sidewalks and curbs within the footprint of the stop

Empty and clean trash container lids, sides, and tops where present

Remove from premises all debris within the footprint of the stop

Remove sticky food products from all structures within the footprint of the stop

Remove all non‐city authorized postings from the shelter surfaces

Inspect shelters with installed solar or shore‐powered lighting for proper operation

Wash and towel dry all solar panels at shelters with approved cleaning methods

Remove all graffiti from shelters and benches, take photographs prior to graffiti removal, and share them with the Transit Director

Replace bus schedules as needed

Monthly

Submit a Bus Shelter/Stop Monthly Summary Report (checklist) of al bus stop locations that have a bus shelter.

The monthly report shall include the date of service, general conditions of the structures, summary of work completed, recommendations for needed repairs. The monthly report shall also include two‐time stamped photographs of each bus shelter. Reports will be submitted to Transit Operations Supervisor.

As needed or directed by the Transit Director

Painting of shelters and benches

*Other work may be requested as City, State and Federal rules and regulations are implemented

Billing

a. The TPM shall invoice the City of Hinesville on a monthly basis. All invoices are to be fully itemized and, when applicable, accompanied by original receipts and documentation. All invoices shall be timely and correct. Invoices shall be accompanied by a summary explaining all charges and credits.

b. TPM must include a monthly estimate of cost per year for the first three

(3) years of the contract period, and two (2) subsequent years should the contract period be extended.

This estimate should be presented monthly to the City of Hinesville no later than fifteen days after the end of each calendar month.

a. Vehicle Maintenance Records. The TPM shall fully document, in a timely manner, all vehicle preventative maintenance activities, vehicle corrective repairs, vehicle accessibility equipment repairs and preventative maintenance, and vehicle cleaning. Maintenance and inspection reports are to be properly maintained. The TPM shall allow City of Hinesville to review such records immediately upon request.

b. Drug and Alcohol Testing Records and Data. The TPM shall provide the City of Hinesville with a copy of it Drug and Alcohol policies and fully document all testing records in full compliance with the current Federal Transit Administration (FTA) regulations for drug and alcohol testing. This shall include records for pre‐ employment, random, post‐accident, reasonable suspicion, and follow‐up testing. Such records shall be maintained in accordance with FTA regulations and the TPM shall allow the City of Hinesville to review such records immediately upon request. The TPM shall report drug and alcohol testing data to City of Hinesville on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis as may be required by the U.S. DOT or FTA.

Training Records

a. The TPM shall maintain records of all employee training and allow the City of Hinesville to review such records immediately upon request. The TPM shall preserve and make available all such records listed above during the term of the agreement and for a period of three (3) years from the date of final payment. Administrative costs relating to record keeping and data collection shall be at the TPM’s expense.

b. Records which relate to litigation or the settlement of claims arising out of the performance of this agreement, or costs under the agreement as to which exception has been taken by the auditors, shall be retained by the TPM until such litigation, claims, or exceptions have reached final disposition.

c. The TPM shall be responsible for professionally training all personnel necessary to successfully complete the project.

Insurance Requirements

a. The TPM shall be required to maintain at its expense the following insurance coverage:

b. Workers Compensation and Employer’s Liability. Workers Compensation and Employer’s Liability Insurance shall be maintained at the minimum levels required by the State of Georgia.

c. Comprehensive General Liability. The TPM shall provide and maintain comprehensive general liability coverage for bodily injury and property damage of $1,000,000 combined single limit for any one occurrence.

d. All insurance coverage required to be maintained or provided by the TPM must be with insurance companies licensed and admitted by the State of Georgia. All comprehensive general liability policies must name the GDOT and the City of Hinesville as additional named insured.

Certificates of insurance for all the above‐listed coverages shall be submitted to City of Hinesville on an annual basis and when carriers or coverage limits change.

2. Vehicle insurance will be provided through the City’s fleet coverage. All insurance costs shall be at the expense of the TPM. Failure to maintain all insurance coverages for the duration of the project as listed above may result in immediate termination of contract. The TPM’s insurer must provide 30 day written notice to the City of Hinesville in the event of cancellation for any cause other than non‐renewal and 45 days written notice in the event of non‐renewal.

3. Accident/Incident Reporting.

a. All vehicle and/or personal injury accidents that exceed $500 in combined damage to the City of Hinesville vehicle and/or other involved vehicles/property, or if there is personal injury regardless of severity, shall be reported verbally by phone or fax to City of Hinesville immediately.

A complete written report shall be forwarded to City of Hinesville providing details within forty‐ eight (48) hours of the accident. The TPM shall make its employees available to the City of Hinesville for interview as part of City of Hinesville’s efforts to determine if the accident was preventable. All requests for information from the media concerning accidents or incidents shall be directed to and the responsibility of the City of Hinesville. An accident analysis shall be performed by the TPO and any changes resulting from the accident incorporated immediately.

The TPO is not to comment on any facts related to the accident until a final determination and accident analysis is completed.

b. All other incidents or occurrences which happen in the course of service operations involving passengers, altercation, odd behavior, threats, or disputes must be reported verbally by phone or fax to City of Hinesville immediately.

4. Performance Monitoring.

a. The City of Hinesville shall periodically monitor Contractor’s activities relative to preventative maintenance adherence, availability of safety and accessibility equipment on vehicles, adherence to recordkeeping requirements, vehicle appearance, functionality of vehicle heating and air conditioning, availability of vehicle communications equipment, and other performance categories.

5. Safety and Security.

a. The TPM shall establish, document, and manage all aspects of a safety and security program including, policies, administration and procedures, personnel and training, safety reporting, and safety training. The TPM shall document and report security expenditures, manage and account for identifying security problems, employee selection, training, audits and drills, document control, access control and homeland security as it pertains to 49 USC Chapter 53, Federal Transit Act, Section 5307(D)(1), Security Expenditures; 49 CFR Part 630. “Uniform System of Accounts and Records and Reporting”; 49 CFR Part 659, and “Rail Fixed Guideway Systems, State Safety Oversight”, appropriate.

b. The TPM shall participate in monthly safety meetings that conform to the Public Transit Safety

Plan.

6. Drug and Alcohol Testing.

The TPM agrees to establish and implement a drug and alcohol testing program that complies with 49 CFR Part 655, produce any documentation necessary to establish its compliance with Part 655, and permit any authorized representative of the United States Department of Transportation or its operating administrations, the State Oversight Agency of Georgia, or the County, to inspect the facilities and records associated with the implementation of the drug and alcohol testing program as required under 49 CFR Part 655 and review the testing process.

The TPM agrees further to certify annually its compliance with Part 655 before December 30 and to submit the Management Information System (MIS) reports before March 1 to Ryan Arnold, Assistant City Manager.

To certify compliance the TPM shall use the "Substance Abuse Certifications" in the "Annual List of Certifications and Assurances for Federal Transit Administration Grants and Cooperative Agreements," which is published annually in the Federal Register. The TPO agrees further to (a) submit before October 1 a copy of the Policy Statement developed to implement its drug and alcohol testing program.

CITY OF HINESVILLE RESPONSIBILITIES

The City of Hinesville shall be responsible for developing and establishing all policies related to the provision and operation of transit service. Additional responsibilities of the City of Hinesville include the following:

1. Operations.

a. The City of Hinesville shall appoint a Transit Director who shall serve as the TPO’s point of contact and the person responsible for overseeing the TPO’s performance. The Transit Director shall be responsible for addressing all inquiries, etc. pertaining to the service.

2. Payment of Invoices.

a. The City of Hinesville shall review monthly invoices submitted by the TPO to ensure accuracy of requested reimbursement. Adjustments may be made by City of Hinesville based on monthly audits. The City of Hinesville shall pay TPO’ approved invoices, as adjusted, within thirty (30) days of receipt of an approved invoice from the TPO.

3. Marking of Contractor Vehicles.

a. The City of Hinesville is responsible for the installation of striping and logos on all new transit vehicles. All costs associated with such installation and materials shall be paid by the City of Hinesville. The TPO is responsible for the costs associated with the installation of striping and logos resulting from accidents of damage to vehicles.

4. Performance Monitoring.

a. The City of Hinesville is responsible for monitoring the performance of the TPO and the

TPO’s employees in the provision of transit service. Such performance monitoring shall be used to determine compliance with performance standards and performance norms as well as the award and assessment of financial incentives, penalties.

5. Complaint Resolution.

a. The City of Hinesville is responsible for receiving customer complaints regarding the provision of transit service and responding back to the customer upon investigation by the TPO. In unusual cases, the City of Hinesville may require the Contractor to be involved in the customer response process.

6. Facility.

a. The City of Hinesville provides space at the Hinesville Public Works facility for the maintenance needs associated with the Liberty Transit system.

7. Fuel.

a. The City of Hinesville will provide all fuel necessary for the operation of the Liberty Transit system.

8. Capital Equipment Acquisition.

a. The City of Hinesville will provide matching funds for approved procurement of capital equipment.

9. Vehicle Insurance:

a. The City of Hinesville will provide vehicle insurance for transit vehicles as prescribed by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT).

ALL PROPOSALS, TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR CONSIDERATION, MUST BE DELIVERED TO THE CITY

OF HINESVILLE NO LATER THAN November 18, AT 11:00 AM.

END OF SECTION I

I. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Proposers must submit proposals in two (2) parts. The first part includes, but is not limited to, a technical and contractual proposal, including all required submittals. The second part includes, but is not limited to, proposed price and cost data, including all required submittals. All information including the number and names of Proposers is kept confidential, within legal constraints.

Proposals shall consist of five (5) copies of the respondent’s technical proposal, less cost information, and the proposal should be submitted in a sealed envelope to the City of Hinesville for review. Cost information (1 copy) should also be submitted in a sealed envelope, separate from the Technical Proposal, but may be included in the same mailing package. All proposals shall be directed to Ms. Estella Roberson, City Clerk, City of Hinesville, 115 East M.L. King, Jr. Drive, Hinesville, Georgia, 31313.

The City of Hinesville will not be responsible for any costs incurred by Proposers in response to this Request for Proposals (RFP) and the city reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received.

Proposing firms must not be on the Comptroller General’s list of ineligible firms. The successful proposer will be required to comply with all applicable Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws and regulations. Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) shall be afforded full opportunity to submit proposals.

Any requests for deviations, approved equals, or exceptions to the RFP must be received by City of Hinesville, in writing, not later than November 8 at 4:00 PM, local time. Any such request must be fully supported with technical data or other pertinent information as evidence to support that such exception is equal or superior to the specification requirement. The City of Hinesville shall notify in writing those firms submitting such requests of their specific acceptance or rejection, item by item, by November, 12 2024. If formal requests for deviations, approved equals, or exceptions are not received in writing by the due date, submitted proposals will be interpreted to comply with and meet exactly the City of Hinesville RFP and Scope of Work.

This procurement is funded by Federal dollars and is therefore subject to all Federal requirements. A list of Federal requirements can be found in Attachment 4 of this RFP. At the end of the attachment is a signature line stating that the vendor acknowledges the federal requirements. This attachment and signature line must be returned with your bid.

The City of Hinesville has included a sample contract for review of the proposers. This sample contract can be found in the Attachment 5 of this RFP.

Required forms have been included in the Attachments section of this RFP and must be included in the proposal package along with copies of all Addendum issued during the RFP process.

The selected firm must attain a Unique Entity ID through www.sam.gov. The selected firm is not required to register with sam.gov but only need to attain the ID.

GDOT’s goal for this project is 6.02%. Proposers must utilize Form D as part of their proposal to indicate how they plan to reach the goal.

END OF SECTION II

II. INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS

Proposals shall contain information that is relevant and demonstrates the proposers experience in similar types of projects and supports their capabilities to successfully undertake the project.

Proposers are responsible for meeting all requirements described in Section IV Proposal Guidelines and in Section V Scope of Work in this Request for Proposals (RFP). Proposers shall limit their proposals to thirty (30) pages, excluding cover letter, tabs (if any), resumes, and forms. Proposers should provide this information in the order described below. Proposers should not simply “cut and paste” from this

RFP. However, they are encouraged to submit unique proposals that may include innovative ideas and/or any proposed cost‐saving measures for the existing Liberty Transit system. For a proposal to be accepted as responsive, the following items shall be included:

1. Description of Firm or Organization’s Capabilities and Experience.

a. Proposals shall include a description of the organization or firm including its legal status, authority and or licenses to operate. The description shall include the major business functions, history, and organizational structure including location of firm’s headquarters, management organization with names and locations of managing director(s) for this project. The description shall include a list of current and past clients for which similar services have been provided. Such client list shall include references, including the client organization name, address, contact person, telephone number, number of vehicles operated for client, etc. The Proposer’s responsibilities for the client (i.e. vehicle operations, vehicle maintenance, scheduling/dispatching, etc.) and years that service was provided should also be identified.

2. Description of the firm’s management organization and personnel to be assigned to the project.

a. Proposals shall include a description of experience, and qualifications of the supervisory personnel assigned to manage the project, successfully detailing the positions and the number of employees in each position. In addition, the proposal shall identify by name and describe the experience and qualifications for the individual assigned locally to manage the project. A resume for each key person having a supervisory role must be included.

3. Track Record with Safe Vehicle Maintenance

a. Proposals shall include a description of the safety history of the Proposer with respect to the provision of contracted vehicle maintenance services at 3 previous or current providers. Firms which may have operated under another business name should include their experience under all business names if it is to be used as a reference.

4. Description of the Key Financial, Management, and Technical Resources ‐ Proposals shall include a description of the firm or organization’s financial resources and history of financial stability. Proposer shall demonstrate financial stability by providing financial statements and/or audits including an income statement and balance sheet, supplemented, if necessary, by evidence of credit line or other resources to demonstrate financial capacity to successfully undertake the project. Proposals shall also include a description of the insurance coverages to be provided for

Workers Compensation insurance, comprehensive general liability, and automobile liability consistent with the requirements of the proposal. Such description shall include the name of the insurer, A.M. Best rating, and limits of insurance.

5. Description of the Proposed Staffing, Training, Start‐up, and Implementation Plan

a. The Proposer shall submit a staffing plan detailing how it proposes to locate and hire, mechanics and utility personnel to carry out the project successfully. The staffing plan shall identify and describe the number of mechanics, utility and any other personnel necessary to carry out the project. The proposal shall include a description of its management plan indicating how it proposes to successfully manage the project, including technical resources. The Proposer shall submit a training plan to be used to ensure that the employees in each of the positions are properly trained in the performance of their duties with emphasis on safety, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements, and good customer service. A brief description of the proposed training content and schedule shall be included. In addition, the Proposer shall address refresher training including frequency and content. The proposal shall also include an overall project schedule including milestones and proposed completion dates. This project schedule shall identify and describe the key milestones and activities required to assure progress toward successful start‐up and on‐going implementation of the project.

6. Description of the Proposed Vehicle Maintenance Plan

a. The FTA vehicles under this agreement must be maintained in safe, good mechanical condition and in a state of good repair. The Vehicles will follow the preventive maintenance schedule as written in the county maintenance agreement and meet this schedule 80% of the time for all system vehicles. Vehicles shall be subject to inspections by GDOT representatives. GDOT inspections will occur on an annual basis and in accordance with the Vehicle Monitoring Form. Vehicles utilized for the Section 5307 Program shall be parked overnight and on weekends at places to be designated by the City of Hinesville. Mechanics must meet all requirements for a safety‐sensitive employee described in the City of Hinesville’s Zero Tolerance Drug and Alcohol Abuse Policy.

b. The Proposer shall describe its approach to vehicle maintenance that adheres to a detailed Vehicle Maintenance Plan that meets or exceeds the manufacturer’s recommended service plan for vehicles being used as a part of the project. The Vehicle Maintenance Plan shall include how and where the maintenance/repair work is to be successfully completed (i.e. in‐house vs. subcontracted) and details regarding the steps in the preventative maintenance program, including scheduled inspection intervals, maintenance program for preventative maintenance, and repair of vehicle accessories, such as wheelchair lifts and communications equipment.

7. Management, Operating and Equipment Costs

a. The Proposer shall submit a complete Cost Proposal Form A that includes Annual Cost and future year cost. The proposer must fully complete, sign, and date the attached Cost Proposal Form. Proposers shall include all project costs as part of their completed Cost Proposal Form, including management and supervisory costs. Any deviations or exceptions made by a Proposer to the Cost Proposal Form not approved by City of Hinesville in advance may render the Proposer’s cost proposal as non‐responsive.

END OF SECTION III

III. PROPOSAL GUIDELINES

The following guidelines will apply to information included in the proposal.

1. Addendum

Any change in the conditions or terms of this RFP will be accomplished by written addendum sent to prospective Proposers and posted to the website. All such addenda shall be acknowledged in the proposal and shall become part of the contract.

2. Rights of rejection

The City of Hinesville reserves the right to postpone the proposal opening date for its own convenience and to reject any or all proposals for any reason.

3. Responsive proposals

The City Council of the City of Hinesville or its designee shall solely determine if each proposal is responsive. The responsiveness of each proposal shall be determined by its conformance to the scope of work, instructions to Proposers, legal requirements of the RFP, and the best interests of the City.

Any proposal that fails to conform to the essential requirements of the RFP shall be deemed non‐ responsive, and accordingly rejected.

4. Responsible proposers

The City of Hinesville shall award contracts only to responsible and responsive Proposers who possess the potential to perform successfully under the terms and conditions of this RFP.

Consideration shall be given to such matters as Proposer’s integrity, qualifications of Proposer’s staff, experience with similar projects, record of past performance, and accessibility to financial and technical resources. The Proposer shall affirmatively demonstrate its responsibility and, when necessary, the responsibility of any proposed subcontractors. If information obtained by City of Hinesville clearly indicates that the Proposer is not responsible and the City of Hinesville has doubts about the productive capacity, financial strength, or past performance of a Proposer which cannot be resolved affirmatively, a determination that the Proposer is non‐responsible shall be rendered.

5. Withdrawing proposals

After proposals are opened by the City of Hinesville, the Proposer may not withdraw proposals for sixty (60) calendar days. However, prior to the date/time set for the proposal opening, proposals may be modified or withdrawn by the Proposer’s authorized representative in person, or by written notice. If proposals are modified or withdrawn in person, the authorized representative shall make his/her identity known and shall sign a receipt for the proposal. Written notices shall be received in the City of Hinesville no later than the exact date and time for proposal opening.

6. Basis of evaluation and contract award

Proposals shall be scored by an evaluation committee consisting of City of Hinesville City Council members and/or their designee(s) which may include City staff, Ft. Stewart representatives, representatives of the City of Flemington, and/or consultants, or other parties. The evaluation criteria for the proposals and associated point values are shown in Section V of this RFP.

7. Timely completion

All Proposers by virtue of submitting a proposal agree to meet the project schedule as outlined in this RFP.

8. Assignment of contract

This contract may not be assigned in whole or in part without the written consent of the City of Hinesville.

9. Subcontracting

Subcontracting to other firms, corporations, partnerships, agencies, or individuals for the actual provision of transit service or vehicle maintenance is not allowed without the advanced written approval of the City of Hinesville.

10. Applicable law and venue

The work performed by the successful Proposer in response to this RFP shall comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and their respective rules and regulations. This compliance shall be at the successful Proposer’s expense. Venue for any legal action arising out of this contract and between the parties hereto shall be exclusively in Liberty County, Georgia.

11. Indemnification

The selected firm shall indemnify and hold harmless the City of Hinesville, as well as any of its agents, officials, and employees, from all claims, demands, actions, liabilities, losses, suits, judgments, costs, and expenses, which may directly or indirectly arise from, or be incurred as a result of the firm's acts or omissions, including acts or omissions of its employees, servants, and agents. The City of Hinesville will give prompt notice of any suits or claims instituted and will give all needed information to the firm for defending itself through counsel.

12. Protest procedures

Protests may be made by prospective Proposers whose direct economic interests would be affected by the award of a contract or by failure to award a contract. The City of Hinesville will consider all protests requested in a timely manner regarding the award of a contract, whether submitted before or after an award. For a copy of the full Liberty Transit Procurement Guidelines please email Ryan Arnold at rarnold@cityofhinesville for the latest copy.

An interested party wishing to protest a matter involving a proposed procurement or contract award shall file a written submission with the City Manager by certified mail or other delivery method by which receipt can be verified. Electronic submission of protests is not acceptable unless an original signed copy of the protest is received by the City Manager within 24 hours (not including weekends and holidays) after receipt of the electronic copy. The City Manager may, however, permit the electronic provision of supplemental information after the initial protest submittal. All protests are to be submitted in writing to the City of Hinesville, 115 E. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, Hinesville, Georgia 31313. Protest submissions shall be concise, logically arranged, and clearly state the grounds for the protest. Protests must include at least the following information:

a. The name and address of the protesting party and its relationship to the procurement sufficient to establish that the protest is being filed by an interested party.

b. Identity of the contact person for the protestor, including name, title, address, telephone, fax and e‐mail addresses. If the contact point is a third party representing the protester, the same information must be provided, plus a statement defining the relationship between the protester and the third party.

c. Identification of the solicitation section or contract section which the protest concerns.

d. A detailed statement of the legal and factual grounds of the protest, including copies of relevant documents.

e. A description of the nature of the protest, referencing the portion(s) of the solicitation involved.

f. A statement as to what relief is requested.

g. A notarized affirmation by the protestor (if an individual) or by an owner or officer of the protestor (if not an individual) as to the truth and accuracy of the statements made in the protest submittal.

The protestor is solely responsible for the completeness and validity of the information provided.

Any documents relevant to the protest should be attached to the written submission. Documents which are readily available on the Internet may be referenced to an appropriate link.

Protests shall be submitted in accordance with the requirements of this chapter and any directions included in the solicitation and shall be addressed to the City Manager at 115 East M.L.K Jr. Drive, Hinesville GA 31313 within five (5) business days of the issuance of the notice of intent to award. The City shall respond within five (five) business days and the determination will be final.

Protests may be reconsidered should additional information become available within ten (10) days of the notice of final determination.

Liberty Transit Staff Responsibilities

The following staff responsibilities shall be assigned in all protests:

City Manager– Serves as the Agency's Authorized Official and official Point Of Contact regarding a procurement protest.

Finance Director – Responsibilities include: ensuring that the Liberty Transit Protest Procedure is included in all solicitation documents; and providing information to and assisting the City Manager and City Attorney with the resolution of protests.

City Attorney – Responsibilities include: reviewing all procurement protests; and advising and assisting the Liberty Transit as needed with the resolution of all procurement protests.

The Finance Director shall be responsible for overseeing the decision process and for the content of the decision. The Director shall ensure that all relevant parties within AGENCY have been involved in the decision‐making process.

Pre‐Proposal Protests

All protests concerning solicitation specifications, criteria and/or procedures shall be submitted in writing (defined as being sent or received via letter or facsimile on official firm/agency letterhead or by electronic mail) to the Finance Director as specified below not later than ten

(10) business days prior to the deadline for submission of bids/proposals.

The Finance Director may, within his or her discretion, postpone the deadline for submission of bids/proposals, but in any case, shall provide a written response to all protests not later than five

(5) business days prior to the deadline for submission of bids/proposals. If the deadline for submission of bids/proposals is postponed by the Finance Director as the result of a protest the postponement will be announced through an addendum to the solicitation.

The decision by the Finance Director shall be the final agency decision on the matter but shall be subject to judicial review as set forth by FTA below.

Pre‐Award Protests

With respect to protests made after the deadline for submission of bids/proposals but before contract award by Liberty Transit, protests shall be limited to those protests alleging a violation of Federal or State law, a challenge to the bids/proposals evaluation and award process, Liberty

Transit's failure to have or follow its protest procedures or its failure to review a complaint or protest. Such protests shall be submitted in writing (defined as being sent or received via letter or facsimile on official firm/agency letterhead or by electronic mail) to the Finance Director as specified below not later than five (5) business days after the Recommendation for Contract

Award announcement by Liberty Transit.

The Finance Director may, within his or her discretion, postpone the award of the contract, but in any case, shall provide a written response to all protests not later than three (3) business days prior to the date that Liberty Transit shall announce the contract award.

The decision by the Finance Director shall be the final agency decision on the matter but shall be subject to judicial review as set forth or review by GDOT as specified below.

The Finance Director shall issue written responses to all protests received by the required protest response dates. All protest responses shall be transmitted by first‐class U.S. Postal

Service to the address indicated in the protest letter.

For convenience, Liberty Transit will also send a copy of the response to a protest to the

Protester by facsimile and/or electronic mail if a facsimile number and/or electronic mail address are indicated in the protest letter. The protest response transmitted by U.S. Postal

Service shall be the official Liberty Transit response to the protest and Liberty Transit will not be responsible for the failure of the Protester to receive the protest response by either facsimile or electronic mail.

Protests to Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Under certain limited circumstances, an interested party may protest to FTA the award of a contract pursuant to an FTA grant. FTA's review of any protest will be limited to alleged failure by City of Hinesville to have written protest procedures or alleged failure to follow such procedures.

Protesters shall file a protest with FTA not later than five (5) federal working days after a final decision is rendered under the City of Hinesville protest procedure. In instances where the protester alleges that City of Hinesville failed to make a final determination on the protest, the protester shall file a complaint with FTA no later than five (5) federal working days after the protester knew, or should have known, of City of Hinesville's failure to render a final determination on the protest.

Protests should be filed with the appropriate FTA Regional Office with a concurrent copy to City of Hinesville. Any protest filed with FTA shall include the name and address of the protester and the City of Hinesville project which the protest concerns and contain a statement of the grounds for the protest and any supporting documentation.

Protests filed with the FTA shall also include a copy of the local protest filed with City of Hinesville and a copy of the City of Hinesville decision, if any.

When a protest has been timely filed with FTA before award, City of Hinesville shall not make an award prior to five (5) federal working days after the resolution of the protest, unless City of

Hinesville determines that the items to be procured are urgently required; delivery or performance will be unduly delayed by failure to make the award promptly; or failure to make prompt award will otherwise cause undue harm to the grantee or the Federal Government.

All forms included with this RFP must be completed and returned to the City of Hinesville with the Proposal.

END OF SECTION IV

IV. PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

1. Charter Service Operations ‐ The TPM agrees to comply with 49 U.S.C. 5323(d) and 49 CFR Part 604, which provides that recipients and subrecipients of FTA assistance are prohibited from providing charter service using federally funded equipment or facilities if there is at least one private charter operator willing and able to provide the service, except under one of the exceptions at 49 CFR 604.9.

Any charter service provided under one of the exceptions must be "incidental," i.e., it must not interfere with or detract from the provision of mass transportation.

2. School Bus Operations ‐ Pursuant to 69 U.S.C. 5323(f) and 49 CFR Part 605, recipients and subrecipients of FTA assistance may not engage in school bus operations exclusively for the transportation of students and school personnel in competition with private school bus operators unless qualified under specified exemptions. When operating exclusive school bus service under an allowable exemption, recipients and subrecipients may not use federally funded equipment, vehicles, or facilities.

3. Energy…