Transit Subsidy RFI PWS.docx

Transit Subsidy Benefits Program Media Fare Program

PWS

Specific Tasks

5.1 Services:

The contractor shall provide services for transit fare media administrative and technical support services for its employees to use on public and private commuter service transportation in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. The transit fare media program consists of electronic fare media (smart benefits) being provided by the contractors, which may be used to pay for transit fares necessary for employees to use on any of the local area commuter service providers to commute to work.

The vendor shall enroll the DOL for participation in the transit fare media program, which is a web-based program that will allow the DOL to assign the dollar value of participants’ monthly benefits for commuting to and from their worksite directly to the participants’ transit fare media cards. Commuting benefits may include transit for Metrorail, Metrobus, regional commuter bus, vanpools, and CommuterDirect for VRE and MARC rail systems as applicable.

The DOL will access the transit fare media program via the internet and will enter the amount of transit benefit approved for each participant no later than the fifteenth calendar day of each month. The vendor shall make the DOL-designated amounts of transit benefits available for each participant between the 1st and 5th day of each month that the benefits are effective. The DOL will pay the vendor on a monthly basis for the actual amount of transit benefits it allocated for its participants for the given month. Credits will be applied for those funds left over from previous months (i.e., transit subsidy funds that were not used in full by employees receiving the benefit). There is no cost to the DOL for participation in the transit fare media program.

The DOL will manage its transit subsidy program, to include determining which of its employees are eligible for commuting benefits and ensuring that the DOL is administering the program in accordance with Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations (Qualified Transportation Fringe Benefits Law, Title 26, USC section 132(f)).

The DOL will provide the following information to the vendor through the web-based transit fare media program so that transit fare will be added to participants’ transit fare media cards:

The DOL agrees that the value added to the transit fare media cards through the transit fare media program may only be used by qualified employees who receive the benefit from their employer. Use by any other person invalidates the value added to the transit fare media card, is illegal, and subjects the person to arrest and/or prosecution.

There shall be no minimum purchase imposed on the DOL for participation in the transit fare media program.

The vendor shall provide training on the transit fare media system when applicable when enhancements and/or any other changes are made to the system either via web-based training or in-person training at the DOL. The purpose of the training will be to educate the administrators of the program on enhancements, and/or changes made to the transit fare media system by the vendor.

The vendor shall provide for those DOL employees using the smart benefits system the initial registration as requested by the national office transit subsidy coordinator and DOL will enroll the participant in the transit fare media system.

Each participant’s transit fare media card must be enrolled with the vendor under the transit fare media system database and each participant will be assigned an account number. Once each participant has been assigned to a specific card number and account, the DOL will add the dollar value to each individual’s account according to their eligible monthly subsidy. This monthly subsidy will be available between the 1st and 5th day of each month to all employees enrolled in the program.

All postage and fees related to submitting information including forms, reports, etc. to DOL shall be paid by the contractor. All information and or deliveries submitted to DOL shall clearly indicate the contract number and any other relevant identification information when necessary.

5.1 REPORTING REQUIREMENTS The contractor shall provide the Program Manager with Monthly Progress Reports as applicable. The monthly progress reports are due the 5th of each month and shall cover all work completed during the reporting period. The report shall also identify any problems that arose and a description of how the problems were resolved if applicable. If problems have not been completely resolved, the Contractor shall provide an explanation. The Contractor shall notify the Program Manager and COR in writing immediately if problems arise adversely impacting the performance of the SOW.

5.2 QUICK REACTION CAPABILITY The Contractor shall provide quick reaction to modifications of, additions of, and/or deletions of, tasks resulting from requirements placed upon it by the Government within 10 business days. Work shall begin upon the effective date of the contract.