Charter Bus Services

Atlanta Public Schools (APS) is seeking charter bus services through Invitation for Bid (IFB) number 25-01022-B-DH, targeting transportation for students, staff, volunteers, and chaperones for various extracurricular activities including athletic events, band trips, and field trips. The procurement requires vendors to be licensed interstate and intrastate carriers with a minimum of five years of experience operating charter bus services, complying with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. Vendors must provide buses across four passenger capacity ranges (72-84, 44-60, 36-48, and 29 and under passengers), with comprehensive pricing structures including hourly, mileage, and daily rates. Key deliverables include providing buses with qualified drivers, maintaining proper vehicle inspections, and meeting stringent driver background check requirements. The solicitation's critical dates include a pre-bid conference on July 31, 2025, via Teams, with bid submissions due on August 25, 2025, at 11:00 AM ET. Evaluation will focus on determining the lowest responsive and responsible bidder deemed in the best interest of APS, with an initial one-year contract term and potential four additional one-year renewal options.

While there is no mandatory Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) goal, APS encourages maximum MWBE participation and offers local preference advantages for businesses registered in Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, or Gwinnett counties for at least 12 months. Vendors must complete registration through the APS Business Diversity Management System, providing comprehensive documentation including W-9 forms, insurance certificates, and compliance documents related to the Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act. The solicitation prohibits travel agents without motor coach ownership from bidding and requires vendors to use the APS-provided pricing sheet. Although specific contract value is not explicitly stated, the pricing structure allows for flexible billing based on trip requirements, with a maximum cancellation fee of $250 for trips canceled less than five business days in advance. The contract will be non-exclusive, meaning APS is not obligated to purchase a specific volume of services, but will pay for services actually rendered and accepted.