RFP 99-25 Pre-Bid Conference The RIDE TRAC.pptx

PPTX presentation 18 MB Posted

Attached to
RFP 99-25 The RIDE Access Center ("TRAC")
Solicitation number
BD-26-1206-MBTA-MBTA-121335
Issued by
Suffolk County, Massachusetts

About this file

This is a pre-bid conference presentation for Request for Proposals 99-25 issued by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) for The RIDE Access Center (TRAC), a paratransit service management contract. The MBTA seeks a single contractor to manage service delivery oversight for the Authority's ADA-mandated paratransit transportation service, which currently serves approximately 30,000 customers across 58 communities and completed 1.7 million trips in 2024. The contractor will be responsible for trip reservations via phone and Interactive Voice Response (IVR), assignment of trips to schedules and vehicles, Transportation Management System (TMS) scheduling oversight, and supervision of trip service delivery. The RFP was issued on October 2, 2025, with a deadline for bidder questions via COMMBUYS Q&A on October 27, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., official answers published by October 31, 2025, and responses due on November 10, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. The pre-bid conference was held on October 8, 2025. The contract has an estimated service start date of July 1, 2026, with a base term of three years plus four one-year renewal options, potentially extending the engagement to seven years. Contract execution is estimated for March 1, 2026.

The compensation structure is a cost-plus-fixed-fee model with monthly management fees, performance incentives, and penalties based on monthly and quarterly performance assessments. The current TRAC facility relocated to an MBTA-owned building in North Quincy in April 2025, eliminating previous lease and utility costs. The existing technology environment includes Five9 unified call-center-as-a-service, UDI IVR and notification services, Slack for internal and external messaging, Orion Push-to-Talk for driver communication, 42Gears Mobile Device Management for 700+ vehicle tablets, and Sonim phones for backup driver communication. Supplier Diversity Program requirements account for 25 percent of the overall technical scoring, requiring bidders to propose specific spending commitments with certified diverse businesses from recognized certifying organizations including GNEMSDC, CWE, Boston MBE/WBE, VetBiz, NGLCC, and Disability: IN. Bidder evaluation will be based on Pass/Fail criteria, technical evaluation criteria, and price responses using a best-value selection approach, with all responses submitted through COMMBUYS.

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Other files

File Type Posted
RID 2.25.17 - TRAC Call Center Performance and Volume Data for Past Year.pdf PDF
Form D - Price Proposal - Cost Model RFP 99-25.xlsx XLSX spreadsheet
RID 2.25.11 - Key Performance Indicators.pdf PDF
RID 2.25.8 - Drug and Alcohol Policy.pdf PDF
RFP 99-25 The Ride Access Center.pdf PDF
RID 2.25.10 - RIDE Definitions.pdf PDF
RID 2.25.21 - Current TRAC Org Chart.pdf PDF
RID 2.25.9 - 2024 Transit Safety Plan.pdf PDF
RID 2.25.18 - Complaint Volume Data for Past Year.pdf PDF
RID 2.25.3 - Service Planning Policy Document.pdf PDF
RID 2.25.13 - In-vehicle Technology list.pdf PDF
RID 2.25.14 - Additional Metrics.pdf PDF
RID 2.25.2 - Pre-employement Requirements.pdf PDF
RFP 99-25 Confidentiality and Non-Disclosures Agreement.pdf PDF
RID 2.25.7 - MBTA Language Access Plan.pdf PDF
RFP 99-25 Pre-Bid Meeting Details.docx DOCX document
Pre-Bid Meeting RFP 99-25 - Attendee Listing.xlsx XLSX spreadsheet
Amendment 5 - Extension of Response Date.docx DOCX document
RID 2.25.20 - Trip Data for Past Year.pdf PDF
Amendment 8 - Revised Cost Model for Bidders 11.19.2025.xlsx XLSX spreadsheet
Amendment 7 - Revised Cost Model for Bidders.xlsx XLSX spreadsheet
RID 2.25.6 - Sample Standard Operating Procedures.pdf PDF
RID 2.25.5 - NSLC Policy.pdf PDF
RID 2.25.15 - TRAC Facilities and Floorplan.pdf PDF
RID 2.25.19 - Monthly Payment Call Volume Data for Past Year.pdf PDF
RID 2.25.12 - List of TRAC Assets.pdf PDF
RID 2.25.1 - The RIDE Guide.pdf PDF
Amendment 4 - MBTA Minimum Insurance Requirements RFP TRAC.docx DOCX document
RID 2.25.16 - Current TRAC Contract.pdf PDF
RID 2.25.4 - RIDE Contractors and Teams.pdf PDF
Amendment 6 - Extension of Response Date.docx DOCX document
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Text version

PRE-BID CONFERENCE

for RFP# 99-25 The RIDE Access Center (TRAC) Wednesday October 8, 2025

Update the RFP # and RFP title Enter the day, date and time of the Pre-Bid Conference

Introductions

Tracey Dionne, Strategic Sourcing Senior Manager Procurement & Logistics

Chris Jurek, Deputy Chief of Paratransit Services Transportation Access / The RIDE

10/8/2025

Update the section highlighted in yellow with the name & title for all speaking during the pre-bid. Delete any text not being used.

Pre-Bid Logistics Thank you for being here and for your interest in partnering with the MBTA This RFP will be managed via COMMBUYS. Instructions for log-in and use of COMMBUYS are described in Instructions for Vendors Responding to Bids.

For COMMBUYS assistance please contact the OSD Help Desk at 888-MA-State (627-8283) or osdhelpdesk@mass.gov.

This presentation in part or in whole is not meant to take precedence over the RFP documents in RFP 99-25 as posted on COMMBUYS, please refer to COMMBUYS for the most accurate information.

All communication regarding this bid must be submitted to the MBTA Procurement & Logistics point of contact via COMMBUYS.

Make sure that the bidders know that they cannot not contact stakeholders or other MBTA staff regarding this bid; all communication must come thru Procurement & Logistics via COMMBUYS or email. Make mention of section 3.2.1 for the MBTA Designated Representative

Agenda

Please follow this format – no adjustments should be needed.

Overview of the Contract

Documents to be included in Your Response

Training & Additional Resources

General Q&A

Overview of the Diversity & Inclusion Requirements

Session Expectations

Request for Proposal (RFP) Structure

Important Dates

Session Expectations

No changes to this slide should be made.

Today’s session is not a substitute for reading the Request for Proposal (RFP) document. The RFP includes important contract and response details that will not be covered during today’s meeting.

Although we will take general questions about the authority’s bidding process, at the end of today’s session, questions about the bid must be submitted through COMMBUYS using the Q&A feature before the Q&A deadline.

The COMMBUYS Q&A feature and important deadlines will be covered later in the presentation.

RFP 99-25 The RIDE Access Center (TRAC) Overview

Update the RFP # & Title, products or services , Contract or Service Effective Date (choose contract or service), Term of the contract and number of awards (us only if more than one award will be made)

Service delivery oversight for the Authority’s paratransit service

Service Start Date (estimated): July 1, 2026

Contract Form: Cost Plus Fixed Fee

Number of Awards: 1

Term: Three (3) years (plus mobilization) with 4 one-year options

About The RIDE 10/8/2025 ADA-mandated mode of transit for people with disabilities Door-to-Door service Shared rides Reservation-based trips Statistics 30,000 customers

1.7 million trips in 2024 $160 million Budget Serves 58 communities Contracted Service TRAC, Dedicated Service Providers (2), Non-Dedicated Service Providers (3), Mobility Center, Transportation Management Software

Include a brief description of each phase or category if more than one are called out in the RFP. Please use a separate slide for each category.

RFP 99-25 The RIDE Access Center (TRAC) The RIDE is seeking a single contractor responsible for:

The reservation of trips via phone and IVR Assignment of trips to schedules and vehicles and oversight of TMS scheduling Supervision of trip service delivery A successful bidder will demonstrate the ability to both manage day-to-day operations and take initiative to drive operational change and partner with the MBTA for continuous improvement of the RIDE system and structure

Scope of Work Overview

Include a brief description of each phase or category if more than one are called out in the RFP. Please use a separate slide for each category.

RFP 99-25 The RIDE Access Center (TRAC) 10/8/2025 Software-driven changes to scope Reduced need for manual workaround and interactions in scheduling and dispatch Increased self-service options for customer trip booking Elimination of related IT infrastructure and costs Monthly and Quarterly Performance Assessment Structure Monthly penalties designed to prevent major failures Quarterly system performance assessment balancing penalties and incentives Call center add alternate scope items RIDE feedback calls RIDE customer payment calls

Key Changes to Scope Requirements

10/8/2025 Facility In April 2025, TRAC moved from a third-party leased office space to MBTA-owned building in North Quincy.

Eliminated lease and utility costs Current TRAC Technology Environment Decommissioning Adept-related servers and equipment Slack: internal and external messaging (DSPs, other vendors/agencies) Orion Push-to-Talk (PTT): driver communication Sonim phones and cell service: backup driver communication 42Gears: Mobile Device Management service for 700+ vehicle tablets Five9: Unified call-center-as-a-service provider UDI: IVR and notification provider

Current Conditions

RFP Structure

Introduction Scope of Work Bidders Instructions & Procurement

ProcessSubmission of ResponseSelection
Process & EvaluationContract

Terms & Conditions Attachments Response Forms

DescriptionIntroduction
of RFPDescribes the

Scope of Work

Provides overview of procurement
process of RFP and instructionsDirects the vendors how and what
documentation to submit with a proposalResponsiveness

Review and Evaluation Contains the contractual terms by which Bidder is expected to abide

Supporting
DocumentationRequired Forms to be included with submission
Key
InformationDuration of Contract

(3-Year Base Term) Background Scope of Work Deliverables Bid Conference RFP Calendar Rules of Contact Insurance Submit on Commbuys Technical Proposal Price Proposal Pass/Fail Criteria Technical Response Criteria

Evaluation ApproachStandard Terms and Conditions
Forms and AttachmentsForm B: Technical Proposal

Price Proposal

Update the Duration of the Contract

10/8/2025 Submission of Response

The specific requirements for submissions of the Technical Response are included in Form B.

The specific requirements for submission of the Price Response are included in Form D.

RFP Bid Submission

Adjust the requirements for submission and the section for the Power of Attorney as needed for each Procurement.

Technical Response including:

Bid Cover Letter

Power of Attorney (as described in Section 4.2 of the RFP)

Form A: Pre-Award Bidder Evaluation Data Form

Form B: Technical Response

Form C: Small Business Attestation Form

Other items as applicable

Price Response as a separate document, including:

Form D: Price Response

Bidder Evaluation Criteria Bidder must complete all required forms and submit all other required forms listed in the RFP

10/8/2025 The MBTA will evaluate each Response based on a combination of Pass/Fail Criteria, Technical Evaluation Criteria and Price Responses to determine the Best Value for the Authority.

All Responses will be reviewed for:

The responsiveness of the Bidder to the requirements set forth in the RFP.

Conformance to the RFP instructions regarding organization and format.

Deficiencies and minor informalities, apparent clerical mistakes which are unrelated to the substantive content of the Response for clarification.

Pass/Fail

Price

Technical

Supplier Diversity

Basis of Award Bidders are advised that the MBTA is not bound to accept the lowest priced Response or the Response with the highest Technical Response Score.

The selection will be made on a best-value basis, evaluating price along with other factors.

Each criterion will be evaluated considering all the information included in the Bidder Response related to the criterion, as well as other information gathered from references, presentation, and on-site visits if requested.

Responses will also be evaluated based on the Supplier Diversity Criteria which will account for 25% of the overall technical scoring.

Best – Value Proposal

Remove the last bullet if the solicitation is less than $250K. Later in the presentation we will provide resources and information for the Supplier Diversity Program.

What Makes a Compliant Proposal Response?

Be sure to read the RFP.

Pay attention to the mandatory requirements.

Note maximum page limits (see Form B).

Ensure all required documents are submitted.

Complete the bidders’ response forms in their entirety.

Remove or update this statement based on the requirements in the RFP.

Important Dates 10/8/2025

RFP CALENDAR
Procurement ActivityDateTime
RFP issued10/2/2025
Deadline for submission of Bidder questions via COMMBUYS Q&A10/27/20252:00 p.m.
Official Answers for Bid Q&A published by MBTA on COMMBUYS10/31/2025E.O.D.
Response Due Date11/10/20252:00 p.m.
Contract Execution (estimated)3/1/2026N/A
Service Start Date (estimated)7/1/2026N/A

Include all milestone dates and times that the bidders are required to meet as part of the bid response. (Ex: Samples, Site Visits, etc.)

Overview of Supplier Diversity & Inclusion

In this section we will provide an overview of the Supplier Diversity & Inclusion requirements which are 25% of the points in the evaluation process. This requirement strengthens and increases business opportunities for partnership with companies certified by the Supplier Diversity Office. There are many resources in this section that will guide all bidders to further understand the program, its importance and the resources for help from the SDO office if needed.

Supplier Diversity & Inclusion Program

The Commonwealth's Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) promotes business-to-business relationships between awarded Contractors and diverse businesses and non-profit organizations (SDP Partners) certified or recognized by the Supplier Diversity Office (SDO). The MBTA seeks Proposals that incorporate participation by SDP Partners in as many aspects of the services as possible.

Section five of the RFP provides bidders with detailed information and resources relating to:

Program background Financial Commitment Requirements Eligible SDP Partner Certification Categories Eligible Types of Business-to-Business Relationships Program Flexibility SDP Spending Reports and Compliance

Key Supplier Diversity Contract Requirements Bidders must propose a specific commitment to be spent with certified diverse companies (SDP Partners).

Contractors must report spending with SDP Partner(s) for the duration of the contract.

SDP Partners utilized by Contractors must be listed in one of the two directories identified in this presentation.

10/8/2025 The SDP requirements apply even if your company:

Does not have SDP Partners at the moment.

Is a certified diverse business.

Recognized Third-Party Certifying Organizations

Certifying OrganizationsCertification Category
Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council (GNEMSDC)MBE
Center for Women & Enterprise (CWE) (New England – WBENC)WBE
City of BostonMBE/WBE
VetBiz/U.S. Department of Veterans AffairsVOSB/SDVOSB
NGLCC – National LGBT Chamber of CommerceLGBTBE
Disability: IN (formerly the US Business Leadership Network – USBLN)DOBE and SDVOBE

Finding Partners

The SDO Directory of Certified Businesses More than 3,700 certified businesses

MBE, WBE, VBE, SDVOBE, DOBE, LGBTBE

www.mass.gov/sdp The U.S. Veterans Administration Vendor Information Pages (VIP) More than 14,000 certified businesses

VOSB, SDVOSB

https://vetbiz.va.gov/basic-search/

Online Directories of Certified Businesses

Finding Eligible Certified Partners Download the lists of eligible SDP partners from the SDO and VetBiz directories and compare your current suppliers to those lists.

Find current suppliers that are certified On an ongoing basis, closely monitor incoming state orders and projects for the potential to hire diverse businesses as subcontractors.

Identify subcontracting needs that may be met by a new diverse business partner Survey your suppliers to find diverse companies that are not certified or are certified by an organization other than the Massachusetts SDO. Connect them with the SDO (sdp@mass.gov) and encourage them to get certified.

Find current suppliers that may be certified On an ongoing basis, review your company’s business needs, including one-time purchases, to find areas where you may include new diverse suppliers.

Identify general business needs that may be met by a new diverse business partner

Online Certification Self-Assessment Tool:

https://www.mass.gov/forms/take-the-certification-self-assessment

Training Resources

COMMBUYS Q&A

Please watch this short video that demonstrates how to use the tool to ask questions about the bid.

COMMBUYS Q&A is a tool to manage dialogue between buyers and bidders.

Link to the video

To all Bidders: Please watch this short video that demonstrates how to use the tool to ask questions about the bid.

COMMBUYS Training Pre-recorded Webcast How to Locate and Respond to Bid Solicitations in COMMBUYS Link to the recording.

10/8/2025 Job Aids How to Create a Quote in COMMBUYS Using the Q&A Tab within a COMMBUYS Bid How to Withdraw, Reopen, and Resubmit a Quote Basic COMMBUYS Navigation and Searching for the Seller Role

View

Read

Participate Link to the Vendor Training Schedule;

On this slide we have a variety of methods to review the training material, you can View the webcast Participate in Vendor Training or Read the job aids

Important steps to follow for bid submission Acknowledge the Bid Bidders are encouraged to Acknowledge the bid to be notified of any updates/amendments to the bid, including changes to the bid opening date/due date.

To receive these updates:

Login to COMMBUYS Navigate to the bid using the Advanced Search Select "Yes" on the Acknowledge Receipt and View Solicitation window.

You must be registered in COMMBUYS to take this action.

10/8/2025 Questions?

OSD Help Desk Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

888-MA-State (627-8283) OSDHelpDesk@mass.gov Plan to Submit Your Response All responses must be submitted in COMMBUYS by the Bid Opening Date and Time; late responses may not be accepted.

It is imperative that bidders allow sufficient time to submit their quote, and bidders are advised – at a minimum – to begin well in advance of the Bid Opening Date and at a time when OSD Help Desk staff are available for questions.

Move this to the end

Questions?

Closing This presentation in part or in whole is not meant to take precedence over the RFP documents in RFP 99-25 as posted on COMMBUYS, please refer to COMMBUYS for the most accurate information.

RFP Schedule and any dates mentioned are subject to change at the discretion of the MBTA. Please refer to COMMBUYS for the most accurate information.

Questions should be posted on COMMBUYS (Deadline – 10/27/2025 2PM)

Any and all communication during the non-mandatory Bidders’ Conference of 10/8/2025 represents no favor to attendees. All Bidders’ responses will be treated equally regardless of attendance.

This Presentation will be posted on COMMBUYS in the File Attachments section.

Thank You for your interest in partnering with the MBTA

Update the highlighted dates, time and RFP #

Thank you for attending!

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