26-025

VANGO TRANSIT OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT

Charles County Government

200 Baltimore Street

La Plata, MD 20646

RELEASE DATE: May 7, 2026

RESPONSE DEADLINE: June 18, 2026, 11:00 am

RESPONSES MUST BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY TO:

https://secure.procurenow.com/portal/charlescountymd

VanGO Transit Operations Management

I. INTRODUCTION

II. PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS

III. TECHNICAL PROPOSAL SUBMISSION CONTENT

IV. ORIGINAL PROPOSAL SUBMISSION CONTENT

V. PROPOSAL EVALUATION PANEL AND CRITERIA

VI. AWARD AND CONTRACT FORMATION

VII. GENERAL PROVISIONS

VIII. SPECIAL PROVISIONS

IX. PROPOSAL ITEM DESCRIPTIONS

X. PROPOSAL SUBMITTALS

XI. COST PROPOSAL FORM

XII. INSURANCE

Attachments:

A - FTA Provisions

B - Fleet Vehicle List

C - Fleet Plan - Paratransit FY-25 Thru FY-32 rev. 07-01-25

D - Fleet Plan - Fixed Route FY-26 Thru FY-32 rev. 07-01-25

E - VanGO Schedule Book 09-01-23

F - Performance Labor Bonds

G - Sample Contract - Term & Renewals Specified

Title: VanGO Transit Operations Management #26-025

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. Summary

The County Commissioners of Charles County are hereby requesting sealed proposals from qualified firms to provide VanGo

Transit Operations Management services. The County considers these services essential to the well-being of its residents and the continued provision of safe, reliable, and efficient public transportation. This work is funded at approximately 50% by the Federal

Transit Administration (FTA) with oversight by the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA).

The estimated annual trips stated are provided as a general guide for evaluation purposes and are not guaranteed. Actual quantities may be more or less than those estimated.

1.2. Contact Information

The Purchasing Representative identified below is the SOLE POINT OF CONTACT at Charles County Government for this procurement. All communication between the Offeror and Charles County Government shall be with the Purchasing

Representative until a fully executed contract is delivered to the Contractor. Offerors or any of their authorized representatives may not initiate contact with Charles County Government or County Consultants other than the Contact identified below, for any reason during the bidding process or prior to full contact execution. Any communication outside this process may result in disqualification.

Amanda Willis Assistant Chief of Purchasing 200 Baltimore Street La Plata, MD 20646 Email: willisa@charlescountymd.gov Phone: (301) 645-0657

Department:

PGM - Transit

1.3. Timeline

NOTE: Times and dates are subject to change due to extenuating circumstances, including inclement weather. Offerors may obtain

County operating status by calling 301-645-0600 (meeting times cannot be verified at this number) or by referring to County operations status updates on the Charles County Government website at http://www.CharlesCountyMD.gov.

Release Project Date May 7, 2026 mailto:willisa@charlescountymd.gov tel:(301)645-0657 http://www.charlescountymd.gov/

Pre-Proposal Meeting Registration

Deadline (Mandatory)

May 20, 2026, 8:00am

Firms must register in advance to attend the pre-proposal meeting via the County's eProcurement

Portal RSVP Manager.

Pre-proposal meeting will occur virtually/teleconference, unless otherwise specified.

Firms that have registered timely will receive participation instructions.

If multiple attendees from your firm will be attending the meeting, please have each individual complete the eProcurement Portal RSVP Manager process.

Pre-Proposal Meeting (Mandatory) May 21, 2026, 10:00am

The MANDATORY pre-proposal meeting will occur virtually/teleconference, unless otherwise specified. Firms that register timely and via the

County's eProcurement Portal RSVP Manager will receive participation instructions.

The attendance roster will be published on the

County's eProcurement Portal.

Fleet Inspection Registration Deadline

(Mandatory)

May 28, 2026, 8:00am

Firms must register in advance to attend the fleet inspection via the County's eProcurement Portal

RSVP Manager.

Fleet Inspection (Mandatory) May 31, 2026, 10:00am

The fleet inspection is MANDATORY. Current

Contractor's facility, located at 10745 Demarr Road, White Plains, MD, 20695. This is the only opportunity for Offerors to conduct an inspection.

No questions will be accepted.

Question Submission Deadline (Non-

Mandatory)

June 2, 2026, 4:30pm

Questions shall be submitted via the eProcurement

Portal Question & Answer feature prior to the due date and time specified. The County will not provide responses to questions received after the deadline.

Proposal Submission Deadline June 18, 2026, 11:00am

2. PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS

2.1. Proposal Submission Conditions

Charles County Government is accepting electronic proposal submissions. Offerors shall create a FREE account with OpenGov

Procurement by signing up at https://procurement.opengov.com/signup. Once you have completed account registration, click on

"Draft Response" and follow the instructions to submit the electronic proposal via the County's eProcurement Portal.

Proposals shall be submitted by the date and time specified. Late proposals will not be accepted. Submission, modification, or withdrawal of proposals after the due date/time will not be considered.

It is the Offerors’ sole responsibility to ensure that proposals are delivered via County's eProcurement Portal. Offerors shall give yourself adequate time to submit a response. Any technical difficulties or uncertainty with the submittal process will not be cause for accepting a response that was not submitted timely. The County is only accepting electronic submittals. Delivery methods by courier, in-person hand delivered, United States Postal Service, United Parcel Service or Federal Express, and other methods of delivery shall not be accepted. Any proposals not received timely will not be considered.

Proposals shall be valid and irrevocable for a minimum of one hundred twenty (120) days from the due date. An Offeror may submit only (1) proposal in response to this RFP. Offerors shall monitor the County's eProcurement Portal for schedule changes issued via addendum.

2.2. Solicitation Events

A. Pre-Proposal Meeting Registration Deadline: Refer to the Timeline section for date, time, location, participation and registration requirements. Pre-proposal meeting will occur virtually/teleconference, unless otherwise specified. Firms that have registered timely will receive participation instructions.

B. MANDATORY Pre-Proposal Meeting: The pre-proposal meeting is mandatory in order to be eligible to respond to this solicitation. Pre-proposal meeting will occur virtually/teleconference, unless otherwise specified. Firms that registered timely will receive participation instructions. Refer to the Timeline section for date, time, and location, participation, and registration requirements. The attendance roster will be published on the County's eProcurement

Portal.

C. Fleet Inspection Registration Deadline: Refer to the Timeline section for date, time, location, participation and registration requirements.

D. Fleet Inspection: The fleet inspectaion is mandatory in order to be eligible to respond to this solicitation. Offerors' mechanics will have the opportunity to conduct a limited inspection of the entire fleet. The inspection must be conducted on a Sunday, and this is the only opportunity for Offerors to conduct an inspection. No questions will be accepted.

Refer to the Timeline section for the date, time, and location, participation, and registration requirements.

E. Last Day for Questions: The County will not provide responses to questions received after the deadline to submit questions specified in the Timeline section.

F. Proposal Submission Deadline: Refer to the Timeline section for the date and time proposals must be received by.

Offerors must have an account or create a FREE account with OpenGov Procurement to submit a proposal.

2.3. Offeror Certification of Acceptance

By submitting a proposal in response to this RFP, the Offeror certifies their acceptance of all terms and conditions set forth within this document, which will be made a part of the final contract documentation. All work, if any, shown on the contract drawings, specifications, and reports referenced in the RFP or any Appendices is made part of this solicitation package.

2.4. Incurring Costs

The County is not liable for any costs incurred by the Offeror prior to full execution of the contract.

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2.5. Additions/Modifications to Solicitation Forms

Modifications of or additions to the Cost Proposal Form or any other County form may be cause for rejection of the proposal, however, the County reserves the right to decide, on a case by case basis, in its sole discretion, whether or not to reject such a proposal as nonresponsive. As a precondition to proposal acceptance, the County may, in its sole discretion, request that the Offeror withdraw or modify any such modifications or additions which do not affect quality, quantity, price, or delivery.

2.6. Alternate Offers

Offerors must bid only one (1) product and one (1) price per proposal item even though they feel they can offer more than one item that will meet the specifications. Offeror must determine for themselves which to offer. If an Offeror submits more than one (1) product and/or more than one (1) price for a given proposal item or items, it may be cause for the proposal items or items being bid upon to be considered non-responsive and rejected.

2.7. "Or Equal" Interpretations

Identification of an item by manufacturer’s name, trade name, catalog number, or reference is intended to be description but not restrictive in that it is used for the purpose of describing the type, style, quality, performance and minimum specifications of the product desired, and shall not be interpreted to mean the only acceptable product. Proposals on other makes and/or models will be considered provided in the Cost Proposal Form what is being proposed and forwards with the proposal complete descriptive literature indicating the character of the article being offered and addressing all specifications of this solicitation.

The County reserves the right to accept or reject, in its sole discretion, items offered as an “equal”.

2.8. Offeror Investigation

Prior to submitting a proposal, each Offeror shall make all investigations and examinations necessary to ascertain all conditions and requirements affecting the full performance of the contract and to verify any representations made by the County that the

Offeror will rely upon. No pleas of ignorance of such conditions and requirements resulting from failure to make such investigations and examinations will relieve the successful Offeror from its obligation to comply in every detail with all provisions and requirements of the contract documents or will be accepted as a basis for any claim whatsoever for any monetary consideration on the part of the successful Offeror.

2.9. Sole Point of Contact

The Purchasing Representative identified in the Introduction section is the SOLE POINT OF CONTACT at Charles County

Government for this procurement. All communication between Offerors and Charles County Government shall be with the

Purchasing Representative until a fully executed contract is delivered to the Contractor. Offerors or any of their authorized representatives may not initiate contact with Charles County Government or County Consultants other than the Contact identified on the Introduction section, for any reason during the bidding process or prior to full contact execution. Any communication outside this process may result in disqualification.

2.10. Questions

All inquiries/questions concerning technical or bidding information shall be directed via OpenGov Procurement Question &

Answer feature prior to the due date and time specified in the Introduction section . In the event an Offeror has multiple questions, each question must be submitted individually. Please include the section number and title for each question, if applicable. All questions submitted and answers provided will be electronically distributed to offerors following this solicitation on the County's eProcurement Portal. The County will not provide responses to questions submitted after the due date and time specified in the Introduction section. The person submitting the request will be responsible for its prompt delivery. Questions and answers are provided for informational purposes only and are not part of any resulting contract from this solicitation.

2.11. Addenda and Supplements

In the event that it becomes necessary to revise any part of this solicitation, or if additional information is necessary to enable the

Offeror to make an adequate interpretation of the provisions of this solicitation, a supplement to the solicitation will be issued. The

Offeror shall acknowledge in their proposal, the receipt of all addenda, supplements, amendments, or changes to the solicitation that were issued by the County. Oral statements made by County personnel shall not bind the County in any manner whatsoever and cannot be used to protest or otherwise challenge any aspect of this solicitation or subsequent agreement.

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Any interpretation, correction, changes to the solicitation will be made only by addendum duly issued and will be posted on the County’s eProcurement Portal found at www.CharlesCountyMD.gov. Any and all addenda issued prior to the proposal due date/time shall become a part of the contract documents and shall be covered in the Offeror’s proposal prices, unless an alternate schedule is presented by addendum. It is the responsibility of the Offeror to check the County's eProcurement Portal as frequently as necessary to obtain all updates and addenda to the solicitation.

2.12. Ability to Perform

Offeror shall have the capability to perform classes of work contemplated, having sufficient capital to execute the work properly within the specified time. The County reserves the right to request any additional information, utilize references not provided by a

Offeror, and validate any information provided by an Offeror by any means deemed necessary by the County for the purpose of determining the Offeror’s ability to perform the services described herein.

2.13. Errors

Any errors in computations may be corrected during the County’s review of the proposal. The County shall not be responsible for

Offeror computation errors contained on the Cost Proposal Form. All values contained on the Cost Proposal Form remain the responsibility of the Offeror. Where the unit price and the extension price are at variance, the unit price will prevail. In the event that the unit price is not provided, the unit price shall be the extended price divided by the quantity. Errors on any forms submitted remain the sole responsibility of the Offeror.

2.14. County Rights/Disclaimers

The County exclusively reserves the right, but is not limited to the following actions:

A. Reject any or all proposal submissions;

B. Issue a new RFP;

C. Cancel, modify, or withdraw the RFP;

D. Issue addenda, supplements, and modifications to this RFP;

E. Modify the RFP process (with appropriate notice to offerors as described herein);

F. Appoint an Evaluation Committee and evaluation teams to review proposal submissions, G. Approve or disapprove the use of particular subcontractors and/or substitutions and/or changes in proposal submissions;

H. Revise and modify, at any time before the Proposal Due to County date, the factors it will consider in evaluating proposal submissions and to otherwise revise or expand its evaluation methodology. If such revisions or modifications are made, the County will publish an addendum. The County may extend the RFP due date if such changes are deemed by the

County, in its sole discretion, to be material and substantive;

I. Seek or obtain data from any source that has the potential to improve the understanding and evaluation of the RFPs;

J. Disqualify any team that changes its Proposal Submission without County written approval;

K. Retain ownership of all materials submitted in hard-copy and/or electronic format.

2.15. Rejection of Quotes/Bids/Proposals

The County exclusively reserves the right, but is not limited to the following actions:

A. Evidence of collusion among offerors.

B. Lack of competency revealed by financial statements, experience, equipment statements, or other factors.

C. Lack of responsibility as shown by past work, judged from the standpoint of workmanship as submitted or from previous experience with the offeror.

D. Default on a previous similar contract for failure to perform.

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E. Being delinquent in payments due to Charles County Government.

F. Exceptions or exclusions to the requirements of the solicitation.

G. Failure to be in “Good Standing” with the State of Maryland.

H. Previous substandard performance on a County contract.

I. Failure to perform properly or to complete, in a timely manner, contracts of a similar or comparable nature, or if investigation shows the offeror unable or unlikely to perform the requirements.

J. Failure to furnish information requested by the County.

The County reserves the right to reject any/all proposals, to waive irregularities and/or informalities in any proposal, and to make award in any manner, consistent with law, deemed in the best interest of the County.

2.16. Good Standing Requirements

In order to be eligible for award, Offerors shall meet the following conditions prior to contract award:

A. Their firm is not debarred, suspended, or otherwise ineligible for participation in government procurement by the federal government, the State of Maryland, or any other state, county, or municipal government.

B. All payments to Charles County Government have been paid and are not delinquent.

C. Their firm is in “good standing” with the State of Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation.

2.17. Notifications

Legal notice given by the County to the Offeror shall be sent to the Offeror's contact information provided in the County's eProcurement Portal. Notice given by the County by any of the following:

A. A communication delivered by MAIL shall be deemed as having been received by the addressee three (3) business days after the date of mailing.

1. UPS or FedEx or other delivery service; or

2. USPS first class postage mail; or

3. USPS certified, or

4. USPS registered mail.

B. A communication delivered by email shall be deemed as having received by the addressee the same day the email was sent.

2.18. Negotiations

The County may negotiate contract terms, price, statement of work, or other conditions that results in the most advantageous outcome for the County. In the event an agreement satisfactory to the County cannot be negotiated, the County may terminate negotiation and move to another Offeror.

2.19. Performance and Payment Bonds

A Performance Bond and Labor & Material Payment Bond in the amount of one hundred percent (100%) of the contract price will be required for this project and contract, from sureties licensed to do business in the State of Maryland and satisfactory to the

County and shall be submitted to the County at the time of contract execution by the Bidder within the timeframes required herein.

Premiums for the bonds described above shall be paid by the Contractor. Bonds shall contain a provision that it shall not be cancelled, non-renewed or materially altered without at least ninety (90) days written prior notice to the County.

Contract Year: One Two Three Option Years

Bonds Amount (Per bond): 100% 75% 50% 50%

2.20. Prohibition of Discrimination in County Procurement

Charles County is committed to ensuring that Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises are provided equal opportunity to participate in the County's procurement and contracting processes. Any instances of overt or perceived discrimination should immediately be reported to the MWBE/DBE Compliance Manager.

Per Resolution 2023-13, Section 8, Item 4.1, the SLMBE Programs Division is authorized to investigate such complaint. An investigation may also be initiated based solely on a finding of a significant statistical disparity from the Annual Aspirational

Goal or contract/project goal(s), as detailed herein. The details of any investigation, including findings, shall be recorded and maintained by the SLMBE Programs Division.

All Contractors must cooperate with any investigations or audits conducted by authorized entities to assess compliance with anti-discrimination laws and policies. Non-compliance may result in sanctions, including but not limited to contract termination, suspension, or debarment from future contracts.

Certification of Compliance

By submitting a response to this solicitation, the Contractor agrees not to engage in any discriminatory practices and affirms that it has implemented policies and/or procedures to prevent discrimination in its operations. The Contractor further agrees to provide evidence of such policies/procedures upon request.

Reporting Discrimination

Discrimination in any form is strictly prohibited in Charles County. Charles County staff, prime contractors, subcontractors, or any individuals otherwise engaged in the procurement process are strictly prohibited from discriminating against any business or individual based on, but not limited to the following: race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, disability, marital status, political affiliation, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Legitimate denial of a bid or not being selected for a procurement opportunity is not considered discrimination.

If anyone is a victim of discrimination, in any form, a request must be submitted to the MWBE/DBE Compliance Manager.

Anyone submitting a discrimination complaint must submit a complaint using the “MWBE Discrimination Reporting Form”.

You can request a form from the MWBE/DBE Compliance Manager. Any individual or firm discriminating against another could face any of the following penalties including, but not limited to: sanctions, contract termination, suspension, and/or debarment from future contracts. If necessary, the case can also be referred to the County Attorney and/or the County Administrator for further action.

Notification of Accusation and/or Finding of Discrimination

Once a discrimination complaint is received by the Purchasing Division and the MWBE/DBE Compliance Manager, the accused will be notified in writing that they; a) have been accused of discrimination, b) will have an opportunity to provide a defense against the accusation; c) must comply with all requests from investigators; d)are prohibited from taking any adverse actions against an accuser; and e) have a right to appeal a finding of discrimination.

3. TECHNICAL PROPOSAL SUBMISSION CONTENT

Cost information shall not be included in the Technical Proposal.

3.1. Technical Proposal Instructions

At a minimum, each technical proposal shall include the following items in the stated order; all pages shall be numbered; using font size of eleven (11) point or larger, printable one sided on 8.5” x 11” size paper and all the listed components must be included.

Do not provide references to other section/tabs, documents or websites for the information required; information should be specifically included in the RFP response. Technical proposals which do not include all components or use the proper format may be considered non-responsive and therefore not reviewed or considered for award.

Provide a Table of Contents with the specified tabs, page numbers, and content below for each tab.

3.2. Tab 1 - Transmittal Letter

The Transmittal Letter shall include the name of the offeror, address, telephone number, email address, and point of contact. The

Transmittal Letter must be signed by the company official authorized to enter into binding contracts. Any information identified as

“Confidential” shall be noted by reference and appended to the Transmittal Letter. Each item identified as “Confidential” shall be accompanied by an explanation. Refer to Section 6.13 – Public Information Act/Confidentiality Notice. Transmittal letter must state that the proposal is valid for one hundred twenty (120) days from the due date for proposals.

3.3. Tab 2 - Executive Summary

A summary of the proposal stating the Offeror’s understanding of the requested services and highlights of the proposed services.

3.4. Tab 3 - Organizational Structure

Provide a brief description of your firm (and any subcontractors) stating:

A. Name of firm, business address, telephone number, names of corporate officers, the contact person for this project and title, person(s) with the authority to sign a legally binding contract, and legal status of the organization (profit, non-profit, etc.)

B. The major functions of the firm.

C. The firm history including the number of years the firm has been in existence and in transit related work.

D. The organizational structure of the firm, and the location of satellite offices.

E. Number of personnel by discipline.

F. Legal representation.

3.5. Tab 4 - Financial Status

The purpose of this section is to establish the Offeror’s financial ability to satisfactorily perform the required work. The Offeror shall include evidence of financial responsibility and the ability to perform the contract to the County’s satisfaction. The awardee resulting from this solicitation may also be required to submit additional evidence, as required, throughout the term of the contract, as determined by the County. The Offeror shall submit at a minimum the following for the prime and each subcontractor:

Tab Section 4.1 - Provide financial statements to include the last year end income statement and balance sheet.

This should include an independently audited statement of income and retained earnings statement of cash flow and any other documents that will attest to the financial stability of the firm. This information will be kept strictly confidential.

Tab Section 4.2 - Evidence of Insurability

This shall include a copy of a current policy, or letter of insurability from a broker attesting to the firm's insurability for the limits detailed in the scope of work. Please also provide your firm's vehicular loss record for the past five (5) years for all of Offeror’s properties.

Tab Section 4.3 - Credit References

Names, addresses, titles, and telephone numbers of a minimum of three (3) credit references, including the Offeror’s principal bank.

3.6. Tab 5 - Required Plans and Other Information

Tab Section 5.1 - Plan to Address Scope of Work

The scope of work details the start-up and on-going tasks required of the Contractor. Offerors must include detailed discussion in their proposals, explaining how they will the scope of work as well as the items below. Describe how your firm will accomplish the reservations, scheduling, and dispatch functions, in accordance with the requirements contained in Part III – Special

Provisions.

Tab Section 5.2 - Staffing Plan

A. Pay Scales (Bus Operators)

Proposals shall include discussion regarding the approach to recruiting and the proposed pay scales of bus operators (See Part III, Section 4.10 for additional requirements). Bus operator pay scales shall be included as part of the technical proposal.

Tab Section 5.3 - Maintenance Plan

Describe how you will accomplish the requirements identified in Part III, Section 4.18 - Maintenance.

Tab Section 5.4 - Safety, Security, & Emergency Preparedness Planning

Describe how you will accomplish the requirements identified in Part III, Section 4.21 - Safety, Security, & Emergency

Preparedness Planning.

Tab Section 5.5 - Implementation Plan

The Offeror shall address, in great detail, how your firm typically addresses transition/implementation issues and defuses potentially explosive problems, including:

• Transition of the fleet from outgoing vendor

• Transition of Trapeze client data

• Documentation of deferred maintenance and body damage

• Transition of employees hired from outgoing vendor

The plan is to include all of the tasks necessary to successfully assume the project and a detailed time line of when critical details will be concluded. This plan should include each detailed step, when it will be implemented and by whom. Particular detail should be given to hiring staff, setting up the reservation and scheduling system, and training staff.

The following will be specifically required:

A. Describe in detail your staffing plan during the transition and up through the implementation. To be included in this, detail the types and numbers of staff that will participate and when they will be phased into the project. Supply organizational charts.

B. Provide resumes and descriptions of the General Manager candidates. The County needs to be assured that the persons proposed for this project are the persons that actually intend to take the job.

Tab Section 5.6 - On Board GPS Equipment

The Contractor shall install Zonar GPS equipment on all County owned vehicles for purposes of automated timepoint reporting, automated on time performance reporting summary and communication with TripShot, the publicly accessed GPS data. Real time data shall be available to County staff for purposes of monitoring. System shall be on line the first day of the Contract.

Tab Section 5.7 - TripShot

The Contractor will establish a contract with TripShot for twenty five (25) vehicles prior to the start of the contract. These costs may be passed directly to the County through a separate line on the monthly invoice.

Tab Section 5.8 - Paratransit Intake and Scheduling

Pricing proposals should assume that the Contractor will handle para-transit intake calls and will batch schedule rides to create the most efficient routes. At some point during the contract period, the County is considering bringing this function in house, which would reduce the Contractor’s expenses. It is expected that the contract would be open for renegotiation should these events take place.

Tab Section 5.9 - Paratransit Management and Dispatching Software

The Contractor shall provide Trapeze software for the management and dispatching of paratransit services. In addition, Contractor shall make access to this system available for three

(3) County users for purposes of monitoring.

Tab Section 5.10 – Vehicle Utilization Plan

The Contractor must provide and maintain a vehicle utilization plan. The plan must also address how the Contractor handles breakdowns of in-service vehicles, including:

• How the Contractor will address on-board passengers

• The notification process for potential passengers that will be missed

• Expectations for service continuance

Tab Section 5.11 - Mobile Data Terminals (MDT)/Automatic Vehicle Locators (AVL)

The Contractor shall install MDT and AVL equipment on all paratransit vehicles. Equipment shall be compatible with Contractor’s paratransit scheduling and dispatching software and shall be accessible to authorized County staff. System shall be on line within thirty (30) days of the date of commencement of the contract.

Tab Section 5.12 - On Board Camera System

The Contractor shall install Drive Cam or approved equal camera systems on all County owned vehicles. These cameras are mounted on the windshield and shall provide exterior and interior views, sound and be impact and/or driver activated. Camera system shall be operational within thirty (30) days of the date of commencement of the contract.

The County installs Angel Trax which consists of eight (8) cameras, providing external and internal views.

Tab Section 5.13 - Collective Bargaining Agreement

The Contractor shall honor the existing Collective Bargaining Agreement with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local

639 and shall negotiate in good faith at the conclusion of each contract period (currently every three years, expiring on June 30, 2028).

Tab Section 5.14 - Computed Value of Vehicle Fleet for Insurance Purposes

The Offeror shall submit their estimate of the total value of the County’s vehicle fleet, listing the value for each individual vehicle, based upon Kelly Bluebook values.

3.7. Tab 6 - Experience

Please detail your experience as an operator of rural and urban deviated-fixed route services, demand responsive, and medical assistance services. The Offeror, at a minimum, shall respond to each of the following for the prime and any subcontractors. Provide description of related experience, including:

Tab Section 6.1 – Representative Projects

A. Detail the type of work performed, with ridership numbers, productivity measures, types of vehicles, service area size, vehicle maintenance responsibilities and number of service hours.

B. When the work was performed and any problems associated with the service, and if the contract was not renewed, why?

Tab Section 6.2 – Terminated Projects

For all of your firm's transit experience was there ever a contract or service terminated prior to the initially agreed upon date, if so, why?

Tab Section 6.3 – Labor Management

Discuss experience managing an organized labor force and labor action at contracts. Response should include corrective action taken and the Offeror’s capability to maintain operations in the event of threatened or actual labor action.

Tab Section 6.4 – Client List

Name and address of each client over the past five years, contact name, and telephone number. Indicate whether current or past client.

Tab Section 6.5 – Resumes of Key Personnel

Include resumes of key personnel of the firm including the General Manager, Operations Manager, Safety Manager, and

Maintenance Manager.

3.8. Tab 7 - Other Factors Pertaining to Qualifications

In this section, please describe any other reasons why your firm should be selected.

1. Address your firm's success in improving productivity while maintaining quality.

2. Innovation is important, please describe any innovative approaches used by your firm.

3. Other reasons to select your firm.

4. ORIGINAL PROPOSAL SUBMISSION CONTENT

Any information identified as “Confidential” shall be noted by reference and appended to the Proposal Submission. Each item identified as “Confidential” shall be accompanied by an explanation. Refer to Public Information Act/Confidentiality Notice section.

A complete original proposal package shall include all information and forms identified on the County’s eProcurement Portal, including but not limited to:

4.1. Original Proposal Instructions

The original proposal shall be considered the items listed in this Section. All forms must be completed. signed, and submitted.

Indicate "NA" on the form if it is "Not Applicable" and sign and date it. Original proposals which do not include all components or use the proper format may be considered non-responsive and therefore not reviewed or considered for award.

4.2. Cost Proposal Form

Proposal pricing shall be submitted on the Itemized Pricing Form and "Option A , Option B, Option C" submitted in the Cost

Proposal Form. All cost columns of the table and Itemized Pricing Form shall be fully completed to be able to submit a proposal response. Total Proposed Pricing shall be submitted on the Cost Proposal Form. All cost columns of the table shall be fully completed to be able to submit a proposal response. All pricing shall be rounded to the nearest whole cent (e.g. $.01). There shall be no hidden costs. Prices shall include all profit, overhead, equipment, transportation cost, etc. An Offeror may only submit one

(1) Cost Proposal Form in response to this solicitation. Each item on the form shall contain only one value.

4.2.A Itemized Price List

Offerors shall submit the Itemized Price List fully completed and signed by the official certified to legally bind the Offeror.

4.3. Vendor Disclosure Form

This form shall be completed in legible ink or typewritten and signed.

4.4. Reference Form

Offeror shall be required to complete and submit the County provided Reference Form. A qualified Offeror must have requisite experience for the work as described in the Special Provisions and must be actively engaged as a legal entity in this field for a period of no less than ten (10) years at the due date for quote/bid/proposal. Offerors shall demonstrate their experience on the

Reference Form. Offerors shall provide no less than five (5) projects completed within the past ten (10) years of equal or greater magnitude, as deemed acceptable by the County at its sole discretion, as specified in Item A below. All blank spaces of the form shall be fully completed in legible ink or typewritten.

Experience shall be that of the prime contractor unless otherwise specified. Experience of subcontractors may not be used as experience of the prime. The County shall accept experience of subcontractor only in those areas specified otherwise, if applicable.

As applicable: On-going service contracts for the services specified may be considered a “Completed” project if the base term of the contract has been fully completed, purchase orders issued and tasks fully completed during the contract term, and the contract renewed by the issuing agency. Each Offeror is solely responsible for providing any and/or all information/documents demonstrating completion and/or requested by the County in order to confirm the validity of references provided.

A. A minimum of five (5) completed representative projects that demonstrate the Offeror's experience in all of the following areas:

1. Managing transportation services of similar size and operation to VanGO. This includes the operation of public and para transit services, trip scheduling, dispatching, and maintenance of the fleet.

4.5. Small Local Business Enterprise (SLBE) Program – SLBE Certification Form and SLBE

Letter of Intent

Charles County Government has established a Small Local Business Enterprise (SLBE) Program, which registered Charles County

SLBE firms responding to this solicitation may receive a preference in accordance with the provisions of the Program that may apply to a formal solicitation resulting in an award of less than $500,000.00. This solicitation is exempt from the SLBE Program.

4.6. Proposed Sub-Contractors Form

This form shall be completed in legible ink or typewritten and signed. “NA” shall be noted on the form if it is Not Applicable.

4.7. Non-Collusion Affidavit Form

This form shall be completed in legible ink or typewritten, signed, and notarized.

4.8. Addendum Certification

Offerors shall be required to acknowledge the addenda when responding to this request for proposals.

4.9. Lobbying Restrictions

This form shall be completed in legible ink or typewritten and signed.

5. PROPOSAL EVALUATION PANEL AND CRITERIA

All materials, conferences, proposals, and other matters related to this project shall remain confidential until the contract is executed with the selected firm. The County may use any appropriate technical resources to assist during any part of the evaluation process.

5.1. Responsiveness Review

The County will review the proposal for minimum responsiveness criteria. Proposals that do not meet the minimum responsiveness criteria may be rejected as non-responsive, at the sole option of the County. Any deficiencies will be reviewed and determined by the Chief of Purchasing.

5.2. Evaluation Criteria

Proposal evaluation will include, but is not limited to, the following:

Item # Evaluation Criteria Description Points

1 Offeror's Organizational Structure 10

2 Offeror's Financial Capability 5

3 Required Plans and Other Information 15

4 Offeror's Experience 15

5 Other Factors 5

6 Cost 50

7 Total 100

5.3. Evaluation

Offerors’ proposals will be evaluated by an evaluation committee who will evaluate and score the proposals in accordance with the criteria specified above. The County reserves the right to conduct the evaluation in any manner considered in the best interest of the County. The County may utilize any information obtained as a result of reference checks, proposal clarification or additional information requests, offeror negotiations or any other means deemed necessary at the sole discretion of the County to identify the proposal that best meets the County’s needs.

6. AWARD AND CONTRACT FORMATION

The County reserves the right to award a contract by individual items, in the aggregate, or in any combination thereof, or to reject any or all proposals and to waive any informality in proposals received whenever such rejection or waiver is in the best interest of the County. Any contract awarded is contingent upon completion of the protest period.

6.1. Award of Contract

The County intends to award this solicitation on the basis of a combination of the evaluation of the Offerors’ experience and qualifications, as well as the proposed price. Award will not be based upon cost alone, and this solicitation does not commit the

County to award a contract or to award to that firm which has submitted the lowest fee. The evaluation criteria may include: the

Offeror’s demonstration of their understanding of the work to be performed, past experience, technical ability, other resources, qualifications of personnel, results of reference checks, and record of similar work performed satisfactorily. In addition, the County reserves the right to accept any proposal either in part or in its entirety.

At any time, the County may request an offeror to provide additional items such as: additional information, clarification, references, interviews/presentations, and any other documentation needed to assist the County in the award selection process. Failure of an offeror to furnish requested information may constitute grounds for determining an offeror as non-responsive at the sole option of the County. Any contract awarded is contingent upon completion of the protest period.

The County reserves the right to reject any/all proposals, to waive irregularities and/or informalities in any proposal, and to make award in any manner, consistent with law, deemed in the best interest of the County.

6.2. Term of Contract

The Contractor selected shall provide the services and all requirements contained herein for a base period commencing on the date of contract execution, after expiration of the award protest period, unless notified otherwise by the County in writing and end June

30, 2029, with three (3) optional 2-year renewals at the sole option of the County. Each 2-year renewal shall commence on July 1 and end on June 30.

This contract shall be automatically renewed unless notice of nonrenewal shall be made to the Contractor by Charles County

Government or to Charles County Government by the Contractor at least forty-five (45) calendar days prior to the contract anniversary date which is the date in the Notice to Proceed, contract begin date, or otherwise indicated by Charles County

Government.

6.3. Pricing Adjustment for Extension Years

Upon expiration of the base Contract term, rates for contract extensions shall be determined prior to the start of each contract extension year. The unit rate for the contract extension year shall be the current unit price multiplied by the increase or decrease in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) during the previous year. For the purposes of this Contract, the CPI is defined as the Consumer

Price Index for all Transportation Services, as published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. For purposes of adjustment, the CPI used for each contract extension year shall be that published as of January 1 prior to the extension year rates calculated.

6.4. Quantity Contracts Awarded

The County intends to award a contract to one firm. The contract entered into with the successful offeror shall meet all standard provisions required by the County.

The County intends to contract with a single firm and not with multiple firms doing business as a joint venture. Where two or more

Offerors desire to submit a single proposal in response to this RFP, they should do so on a prime-subcontractor basis rather than as a joint venture.

6.5. Contract Execution

The successful Offeror to whom the contract shall have been awarded shall be required to execute the County contract (or as authorized by the County) and shall furnish all requirements due at contract execution, which may include, but is not limited to performance bonds and/or payment bonds, insurance certificates, equipment inspections, licenses, etc., as specified herein.

6.6. Contract Documents

All work under this project shall be in accordance with the contract documents. The Contract documents for this project includes, but is not necessarily limited to, this solicitation package, project plans and specifications as shown in RFP and other referenced ordinances, manuals and specifications. Contract Documents shall also include:

A. All written modifications, amendments and change orders to this Agreement issued in accordance with the General

Provisions.

B. Contractor’s proposal and accompanying exhibits submitted in response to the County’s Project Criteria and

Solicitation; and any solicited and/or unsolicited Alternates to the Solicitation accepted by the County in writing.

The Contract Documents are intended to permit the parties to complete the work and all obligations required by the Contract

Documents within the specified time(s) for the proposal price. The Contract Documents are intended to be complementary and interpreted in harmony so as to avoid conflict, with words and phrases interpreted in a manner consistent with construction and design industry standards. In the event of any inconsistency, conflict, or ambiguity between or among the Contract Documents, the

County will make a determination on which item of discrepancy shall take precedence. Within listed documents or group of documents, the later dated shall have precedence over the earlier requirements, and specific requirements shall have precedence over the general requirements.

6.7. Default and Suspension

If an Offeror who has been selected for award and offered a contract refuses or fails to execute the contract and/or fully comply with all requirements of this solicitation within fourteen (14) consecutive calendar days after receipt of formal notice of intent to award or an alternate date specified by the Chief of Purchasing, the Offeror may be considered to have defaulted with respect to execution of the contract, and to have abandoned all rights and interests in the contract. In such instance the bid security, if any, may be declared forfeited to the County without further notice to the Offeror. In the event of such default, award may then be made to another Offeror determined to be in the best interest of the County, or the solicitation may be cancelled and/or re-advertised for proposals as deemed if deemed in the best interests of the County.

A Contractor, who has executed a contract with the County, may be considered to have defaulted in the performance of the Contract, by: failure to comply with the requirements of the contract, sub-standard performance, failing to complete the contract, and/or by other significant errors and omissions as determined by the Project Manager and the Chief of Purchasing. In such instance, the

Contractor’s performance and/or payments bonds, if any, may be exercised, and the Contract terminated and awarded to another

Offeror if determined to be in the best interest of the County.

An Offeror/Contractor, who has defaulted as discussed above, may be declared by the Chief of Purchasing to be ineligible to bid on future County solicitations for a period of up to two (2) years from the date the County determined the Offeror/Contractor to have defaulted. This determination by the Chief of Purchasing shall be final, and not subject to appeal.

6.8. Offeror/Award Protests

A. All protests made pursuant to solicitations must be in writing and delivered to the Chief of Purchasing within the timeframes specified:

1. Protests must be delivered to the Chief of Purchasing no later than seven (7) consecutive calendar days after the basis for the protest (i.e. notification of rejection of Offeror's proposal, notification of removal of Offeror from consideration, etc.) is known or should have been known, whichever is earlier.

2. If protesting contract award, the protest must be delivered to the Chief of Purchasing within seven (7) consecutive calendar days after the Purchasing Division has publicly posted the proposed contract award. This provision shall only apply to “aggrieved” Offerors.

3. If Offeror seeks as a remedy the cancellation or amendment of the solicitation, the protest must be delivered to the

Chief of Purchasing before the submission date for quotes/bids/proposals.

4. If the County is closed for business at the due date and time, for whatever reasons, protests will be accepted on the next business day of the County prior to 12:00 p.m. (Eastern Time).

Protests shall be considered timely only if received in the Purchasing Division office prior to close of business within the timeframes specified above.

B. All protests made pursuant to solicitations shall be delivered to…