SOW_2027_Paratransit_Program_Assessment_Final_26.09.23.pdf

We make lives better through connections.

Regional Transportation District 1660 Blake Street, Denver CO 80202 rtd-denver.com

Statement of Work 2027 Paratransit Program Assessment

Version: V1.0

September 23, 2026 rtd-denver.com

Table of Contents Overview

Project Goals

Project Tasks

Introduction

Task 1: Project Management and Administration

Task 2: Stakeholder Engagement

Task 3: Review of Other Transit Agencies

Task 4: Current Program and Service Performance Analysis

Task 5: Needs and Service Gap Analysis

Task 6: Cost-Benefit Analysis

Task 7: Performance Framework and Strategies for Service Improvement

Task 8: Development of an Accessible Transportation Service Plan

Task 8: Title VI Service Equity Analysis and Reporting

Task 9: Schedules (Optional) ................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.

Location

Period of Performance

Roles and Responsibilities

Project Requirements

A. Work Order Structure ..................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

B. Project Management Requirements

C. Personnel Requirements

D. Project Documentation and Accessibility Requirements

Appendix Materials ............................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.

Overview Pursuant to Senate Bill 25-161, enacted in 2025, a Regional Transportation District Accountability Committee (Accountability Committee) was created to evaluate and make recommendations related to RTD’s governance, workforce retention, and paratransit services.

As a result of the Accountability Committee’s recommendations, Senate Bill 26-150 (SB26-150), Modernizing the Regional Transportation District Act, was enacted in 2026.

Included in SB26-150 was a directive for RTD to contract with an independent third-party entity to conduct a comprehensive paratransit service study (the “2027 Paratransit Program Assessment” or the “Assessment”), that will result in the adoption of an Accessible Transportation Service Plan (the “Plan”).

This Statement of Work (SOW) outlines the requirements for a consultant to perform the Assessment, including the delivery of the Plan. Evaluating accessible transit service delivery holistically will allow RTD to better address customer needs and allocate agency resources where they can have the greatest impact and ensures the agency effectively delivers paratransit mobility services in a manner that supports its mission of making lives better through connections.

The Assessment will analyze current paratransit performance, service gaps and needs, service delivery models, financial resources, and performance framework and service improvement strategies. The final Plan will serve as RTD’s paratransit roadmap, ensuring the agency remains efficient and responsive to community needs.

Project Goals

The overarching goal is to achieve Board adoption of a practical and implementable Plan in accordance with the requirements of SB26-150. The Assessment will conclude no later than December 31, 2027, will comply with SB26-150, and will address the following major sub-goals:

Comprehensive Assessment of RTD Paratransit Services: Identify optimal service standards and performance measures and prepare a comprehensive vision for services.

An Open and Transparent Process Leading to Board Plan Adoption: Ensure successful outreach, stakeholder engagement, public involvement, and communication throughout the Assessment process.

Project Tasks Introduction This Scope of Work describes the consultant’s tasks required to perform the 2027 Paratransit Program Assessment for RTD, to include assessments of both areas of RTD’s paratransit program: Access-a-Ride (AaR) and Access-on-Demand (AoD). The Assessment will provide a data-driven set of recommendations for near-term changes to RTD's paratransit program, as well as lay the groundwork for long-range strategies to better meet the evolving mobility needs of the region. The Assessment includes the following tasks:

1. Project Management and Administration

2. Stakeholder Engagement

3. Review of Other Transit Agencies

4. Current Program and Service Performance Assessment

5. Needs and Service Gap Analysis

6. Performance Framework and Service Improvement Strategies

7. Cost-Benefit Analysis

8. Accessible Transportation Service Plan Development

9. Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT)

Compliance

Task 1: Project Management and Administration The consultant will provide project management services, including:

A Project Management Plan and Project schedule within 30 days from the start date of the Period of Performance, as defined in the Contract, including a payment milestone schedule to be approved by RTD

Developing and maintaining a project schedule and budget Coordinating with RTD staff, other consultants, and stakeholders Preparing and submitting progress reports and invoices Organizing agendas and facilitating project management meetings Delivering presentations and briefings Managing quality control and assurance Resolving issues and risks

The consultant will develop monthly progress reports, invoices and schedules and track the project in close coordination with RTD project management staff. This will include a project Kick-Off Meeting and a Project Management Plan to be submitted to RTD within 30 days of the start date of the Period of Performance and a project schedule that will include deliverable due dates, including delivering Tasks 2-7 no later than June 30, 2027, and the final Accessible Transportation Service plan no later than November 30, 2027. The consultant will conduct analysis update meetings periodically to provide RTD stakeholders with interim analysis updates. The consultant will hold bi-weekly meetings to discuss ongoing activities and track progress against schedule and budget.

DELIVERABLES: Project Management Plan and Project Schedule; Progress reports and invoices

Task 2: Stakeholder Engagement A robust stakeholder engagement approach is paramount to the success of the Assessment.

RTD expects the consultant to develop a comprehensive approach that incorporates a variety of different techniques for engagement. Nontraditional approaches to engagement are encouraged. The stakeholder engagement approach should be centered on key milestones and getting diverse input for informed decisions throughout the project. RTD’s preferred method of engaging stakeholders is a bottom-up approach that starts with customer feedback and allows different stakeholders to discuss and debate how customer input can and should be incorporated into plan decisions.

The following lists the categories of stakeholders that should be considered in developing a stakeholder engagement strategy:

Stakeholders providing policy direction:

RTD Board of Directors The RTD Board will approve the final Accessible Transportation Service Plan. Board briefings should be planned at key milestones. This may occur in the form of a Board Discussion Item or Board Study Session depending on the topic and the level of information to be reviewed. Consultant will provide progress updates to the Board at least quarterly. The consultant will be expected to prepare meeting materials and attend all Board meetings and Study Sessions to take notes and record any follow-up actions.

RTD staff will make all presentations to the Board of Directors.

Elected Officials Elected Officials should be engaged as part of the Assessment process. This group will help identify key issues facing their communities and provide input to policy approaches to future transit service. Existing boards and committees may be utilized as part of the engagement approach. Consideration may also be given to setting up a separate policy advisory committee if necessary.

Stakeholders providing technical direction/support:

RTD Staff RTD staff will be involved with the Assessment on multiple levels and provide direction for the technical analysis and support the policy discussion with the RTD Board, elected officials, and Community Advocacy Groups. Primary input from RTD staff will flow through the Paratransit Division, Planning Department and the Service Development Division. Staff from these groups will work with the consultant to effectively involve other departments and/or divisions within RTD. Staff from other work units will be relied on to provide direction and input on key department- and division-specific lines of effort or areas of oversight. Expertise from within RTD should be utilized to ensure that current practices are recognized and understood while alternative future scenarios for the agency are considered.

The broader RTD staff population should be given the opportunity to provide input throughout the Assessment process. RTD Paratransit Division, Planning Department and Service Development Division staff will take the lead in the engagement of the broader RTD staff population with support from the consultant team for meeting materials, surveys and other engagement tools. Consultants will collaborate with RTD Communications staff to ensure that ongoing communication about the efforts is shared with RTD staff on a timely and consistent basis. All survey work for RTD employees will be led by RTD staff.

Paratransit Contractors Paratransit contractors, to include service providers and the teams that handle reservations, scheduling and dispatching, will provide insight and context surrounding day-to-day operations and areas where they face challenges, but also see opportunities for change.

Local Jurisdiction and Regional Agency Staff Local jurisdiction and regional agency staff will provide technical expertise and local context to the Assessment. Staff from these agencies should be looked upon to provide critical input on current opportunities and challenges facing their communities. They should identify strategies their communities are employing to support and compliment future transit service.

Transit Advocacy Organizations and Special Interest Groups Transit advocacy organizations and special interest groups should be relied upon to provide specific and diverse perspectives on future transit services. Transportation management associations/organizations, transit advocacy groups and special interest groups representing key RTD customer groups such as the disability community can provide important and unique perspectives on future transit services.

A variety of approaches should be considered for engagement of technically focused stakeholders. At a minimum, existing RTD committees such as Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities (APCD) and Access-A-Ride Paratransit Advisory Committee (APAC) should be used as feedback loops throughout the process. Consideration may be given to forming a technical advisory committee or issue specific feedback panels depending on the consultant’s experience and proposed approach to engagement.

RTD Customers and the General Public

RTD customers, including paratransit users and riders with disabilities, as well as the general public will be engaged to provide foundational input to the Assessment. This group is at the center of RTD’s mission statement, “Making lives better through connections.”

Multiple methods may be used to engage RTD customers and the general public, including online resources such as an Assessment website to disseminate information, pop-up events to get first-hand input, online surveys, and open house-style public meetings. The consultant will take into consideration that online survey offerings are not necessarily always the preferred method and will also offer written or phone methods for any surveys. RTD will be looking to consultant teams for expertise on innovative methods and inclusive practices for engaging customers and the public on different elements of the Assessment. There is an expectation that there will be public meetings at major milestones in this effort. Consultants will be responsible for production of all public meeting materials, maintenance of the Assessment website, assisting with staffing at public meetings, organizing all public meeting logistics, addressing requests for language assistance and disability-related accommodations, and providing notes/meeting summaries following the events. The consultants will be asked to work with RTD’s Communication Department on social media efforts and will be expected to take a primary role in the utilization of social media tools. The consultants will also be asked to collaborate with RTD Communications staff to ensure that all materials follow RTD brand guidelines to avoid confusion for the public.

As part of RTD’s 2025-2028 Title VI Program, the Public Participation Plan (https://cdn.rtd-denver.com/image/upload/v1750258321/Public_Participation_Plan_az3ib9.pdf) was designed to ensure accessible and equitable participation in public engagement activities from all individuals within the service area. In addition to the Public Participation Plan (PPP), the agency has a language access plan and disability community engagement plan that further enhance the PPP.

These documents provides guidance and requirements to consultants on RTD standards in key areas such as approaches to engaging historically underserved populations, language assistance measures for linguistically diverse populations, accessible practices and effective communications for engaging with the disability community, project materials and other forms of communication, document accessibility, roles and responsibilities of RTD departments, and various methods for inclusive and culturally competent engagement. This plan is a guide, and consultants have the flexibility to propose unique and innovative approaches to engagement based on their experience and expertise with similar projects. On an as-needed basis, the consultants will be asked to collaborate with RTD Civil Rights Division staff to ensure meaningful participation with historically underserved populations, to receive guidance on language assistance measures and disability-related accommodation requests, and to receive resources that may support engagement with diverse communities.

Documentation of Findings: The consultant will document the findings from stakeholder input. This will inform the development of strategies for service improvement.

DELIVERABLES: Stakeholder engagement plan; meeting materials including power point presentations, handouts, and meeting minutes; feedback collection and key metrics reporting;

cumulative expense report of language assistance measures and disability-related accommodations; meeting logistical support; project website support and maintenance

Task 3: Review of Other Transit Agencies The consultant will engage with at least 2, but no more than six, other transit agencies to understand best practices and gain insights into addressing common challenges. This will include:

Develop Criteria to Identify Other Transit Agencies for Comparison The consultant will develop criteria to identify other transit agencies that have similarities to RTD. In selecting the comparators for analysis, the project team shall seek transit agencies serving major metropolitan markets with a similar array of service types/modes. These systems should be selected based on shared characteristics, such as a bus network that feeds into a rail network, a fleet size of several hundred vehicles, and a large service area covering millions of people. The selection should also include factors such as weather, geography, and the built environment (e.g., exclusive guideway vs. street-running rail, mountainous terrain, or seasonal/tourism-driven service). The consultant should consider the use of normalized measures, such as the number of boardings per revenue hour, or to look at the data in terms of percent change from a base year.

Benchmarking and Performance Comparison: The consultant will compare RTD's paratransit productivity metrics and service delivery models with those of other agencies facing similar operational and demographic contexts and constraints. This will involve analyzing data related to ridership, cost-efficiency, service utilization, speed, reliability, and equity.

Best Practices and Innovation in Paratransit Service Delivery: The consultant will conduct first-hand outreach to selected other agencies, including the participation of relevant RTD staff, to gather qualitative insights into innovative solutions and strategies, particularly in the following areas:

Integration with Private Mobility Providers: Understanding approaches to working with private mobility services such as transportation network companies (e.g., Uber and Lyft), taxi-cab companies and micromobility providers to enhance overall system efficiency.

Regional Partnerships and Service Coordination: Gaining insights into successful collaborations with regional public agencies to address gaps in service, optimize inter-agency transfers, and expand service coverage.

Addressing Operational Challenges: Learning from other agencies experiences in tackling difficult operational problems, including technology adoption for service improvements, infrastructure limitations, fleet availability, maintenance capacity, and adapting to changing travel patterns.

Funding Strategies and Grant Acquisition: Exploring successful methods for securing federal, state, and local grants, and innovative funding mechanisms.

Technology Adoption and Innovation: Investigating new technologies implemented for service improvements (e.g., real-time passenger information, mobile ticketing, on-demand services, etc.) and lessons learned from their integration.

Documentation of Findings: The consultant will document the findings from the review of other transit agencies. This documentation will include detailed notes from interviews, a comprehensive analysis of findings, a summary of best practices, lessons learned, and their applicability to RTD's context. This will inform the development of strategies for service improvement.

DELIVERABLES: Review of Other Transit Agencies Report (OTAR); Review of Other Transit Agencies Presentation

Task 4: Current Program and Service Performance Analysis The Current Program and Service Performance Analysis (CSA) will be a review of the existing conditions of paratransit service at RTD. The analysis should identify deficiencies, and opportunities in service based on: rider- and trip-level data for service reliability, trip denials, wait times, on-time performance, rider experience, capacity constraints, service limitations, and other measures of system performance.

Data to be provided by RTD:

Revenue and service hours and miles Average ridership Ridership over the past five years Vehicle requirements Operating costs by revenue and service miles and hours Operating costs per passenger On-time performance Fare media utilization Customer satisfaction surveys On-board survey Safety incidents Other available data as required

The CSA should analyze the efficiency of the paratransit program. Measures and factors of success may include:

Productivity Cost efficiency Utilization

Reliability Directness of travel Connectivity with other services Minimizing travel times and wait times Identify gaps/deficiencies/opportunities in service and service attributes

DELIVERABLES: Current Program and Service Performance Analysis report; Current Program and Service Performance Analysis Presentation

Task 5: Needs and Service Gaps Analysis The consultant will provide a comprehensive analysis of RTD’s communities’ population, transportation needs, and service gaps for customers with disabilities at the rider and trip level, including trip frequency, identification of high-utilization and high-need customers, changes in ridership patterns following the January 1, 2026, Access-on-Demand fare and subsidy changes, and the impacts on those changes on access to service. The analysis will also identify barriers for customers to access low-income fare discounts as well as accessibility of the fixed-route network related to associated community infrastructure.

DELIVERABLES: Needs and Service Gaps Analysis Report; Needs and Service Gaps Analysis Presentation

Task 6: Performance Framework and Strategies for Service Improvement Based on the analysis of the OTAR and CSA, the consultant will create performance framework and strategies that will serve as guidance for RTD to continuously adapt its paratransit services.

The performance framework and strategies will incorporate industry best practices for the efficient operations of paratransit services, to include alternative service delivery models or other innovative or technology-based approaches. The analysis should review the existing RTD framework for the provision of paratransit service. It will establish measurable performance metrics and develop strategies to improve the paratransit program, with a focus on access, reliability, equity, and cost-effectiveness.

DELIVERABLES: Performance Framework and Strategies for Service Improvement Report

Task 7: Cost-Benefit Analysis Based on the results of the OTAR and CSA, the consultant will create an analysis with long-term projections between cost reductions and service availability or access of paratransit service delivery models for AaR and AoD, including integrated, hybrid, stand-alone, and alternative service scenarios, and including analysis of changes to fare levels, subsidies, and service limits.

This analysis will use the performance metrics associated with costs established in Task 6 while identifying key cost drivers and distinguish between fixed and variable costs.

DELIVERABLES: Cost-Benefit Analysis Report; Cost-Benefit Analysis Presentation

Task 8: Development of an Accessible Transportation Service Plan Building on the Assessment results, and the Performance Framework and Strategies for Service Improvement, the consultant will work in partnership with RTD Paratransit staff to develop an Accessible Transportation Service Plan (Plan) to include: (a) a holistic vision for accessible transportation for customers with disabilities; (b) a framework for future paratransit decision making including measurable performance metrics for access, reliability, equity and cost effectiveness; (c) a fiscally sustainable framework based on long term cost projections, tradeoffs between services, and peer comparisons; (d) a framework for innovative and technology enabled service models; and (e) an implementation strategy with timelines, priority actions, and progress reporting. After finalizing the Plan, Consultant may also be tasked with presenting the Plan to the Board for adoption.

DELIVERABLES: Accessible Transportation Service Plan

Task 9: Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT) Compliance Report The consultant will provide a report demonstrating that all elements of the Accessible Transportation Service Plan comply with all applicable FTA and US DOT regulations and associated guidance.

DELIVERABLES: FTA and US DOT Compliance Report

Location The project area includes the RTD service area.

Services will be performed on-site and remotely via phone or video calls, with the possibility of in-person meetings at RTD offices. The consultant shall deliver the final work products electronically via email or secure file share.

Period of Performance

The period of performance will be through December 31, 2027.

Roles and Responsibilities All files will be transmitted via Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox, file transfer protocol (FTP), or e-mail as appropriate. All products (draft and final) developed within the course of this contract will be transmitted to RTD upon completion.

Project Requirements

A. Project Management Requirements

The consultant, RTD Project Manager, and involved RTD staff shall have a kick-off meeting to discuss the deliverables associated with the contract in greater detail immediately after the Contract effective date. The consultant shall work at the direction of the RTD Project Manager. The consultant shall provide the RTD Project Manager with progress updates on a periodic basis as determined by the RTD Project Manager.

B. Personnel Requirements

Contractor personnel must have experience conducting paratransit program assessments, researching best practices, strong knowledge of all Federal Transit Administration and U.S. Department of Transportation regulations and guidance, report writing and slide deck development.

C. Project Documentation and Accessibility Requirements

Requirements for documents or presentations produced by the consultant team in coordination with RTD Staff include the following:

All presentations and reports presented to the Board of Directors or to the public shall adhere to 508 Compliance and comport with RTD’s Brand Book and Style Guide. To ensure documents are accessible, the consultant team shall use the web content accessibility guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA particularly if the documents will be posted on the website or submitted for Board presentations.

Documents presented at public meetings are required to be translated into Spanish at minimum and other languages on an as-needed basis. Translations of these documents are the responsibility of the consultant team. The need for translation services will be determined based on several factors, including, but not limited to, the demographics of the location of the meeting and whether translation services were requested by the public prior to the meeting. A notice for disability accommodation requests (e.g., ASL interpretation, Braille, large print, or accessible online documents) must be provided in advance of public meetings, and the consultant team are responsible for arranging for these services.

A website shall be created and maintained by the consultant team with links to RTD’s main website. The website must adhere to web content accessibility guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA as this is the accessibility standard for all public facing content. Language assistance measures for Spanish and other languages shall be considered through automated website translation platforms (RTD uses

DeepL) or posting translated documents throughout major milestones of the project.

A digital copy (in pdf or other agreed-upon format) and 20 hard copies shall be provided to RTD for any final reports for significant elements of the Plan as described in the Deliverables section of this work scope.

Interactive tools, such as sli.do, may be used for engagement activities during the Plan process. License fees and documentation for such tools will be the responsibility of the consultant. Accessibility factors (e.g., customers with visual impairments or who rely on keyboard navigation) should be highly considered for the selection of the interactive tool.