Coach Busing for UW Eau Claire, UW River Falls, and UW Stout

The University of Wisconsin System Administration is soliciting a Request for Bid (RFB) for charter busing services to support the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, University of Wisconsin-River Falls, and University of Wisconsin-Stout. The procurement seeks a vendor to provide coach busing for local, regional, and national trips involving students, staff, and faculty across various athletic, academic, and other venues. An estimated 300 to 600 individual trips are anticipated annually, with bids required for two distinct service lots: Lot 1 covering local single-day services and Lot 2 addressing multi-day service requirements. Bidders must submit firm pricing for five bus size categories ranging from 24 to 81 passengers, with pricing to remain fixed for the initial three-year contract term. Mandatory vendor qualifications include three years of prior charter busing experience, current Interstate Commerce Commission tariff documentation, Federal Highway Administration Carrier Profile, and compliance with Department of Transportation and Wisconsin Administrative Code standards. The solicitation was issued on November 12, 2019, with written questions due by November 18, 2019, and final bids due December 13, 2019, at 2:00 p.m. CST via email.

The University reserves the right to award contracts to multiple vendors and intends to rank bidders from lowest to highest aggregated costs, with campuses booking trips from the lowest available bidder. Certified Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses (DVBs) and Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) may receive contract preference if their bids are within 5% of the lowest bid. The contract involves federal funding, requiring contractors to maintain $1,000,000 in commercial general liability insurance, provide criminal background checks for workers, and comply with nondiscrimination and affirmative action requirements. Potential contractors must also maintain worker's compensation insurance and meet extensive operational standards. The contract's scope extends beyond the three named universities, allowing all University of Wisconsin System campuses, State of Wisconsin agencies, and Wisconsin municipalities to potentially utilize the contract. While specific award values are not explicitly stated, the broad scope and estimated 300-600 annual trips suggest a potentially significant contract value for the selected charter busing service providers.