Commercial Carrier Services

Pinellas County School District is soliciting sealed electronic bids for commercial carrier services under RFP #26-TM-034, with bids due by 4:00 p.m. on November 30, 2026, through the District's OpenGov e-Procurement portal. The District will establish a pre-qualified vendor list to serve all Pinellas County school sites on an as-needed basis.

The scope is charter bus transportation for in-county and out-of-county extracurricular activities, field trips, and athletic events for students, staff, and chaperones. Buses must be 2003 model year or newer, air-conditioned, and seat 20 or more passengers. Vehicles must remain with passengers on trips of 10 or more hours or beyond 150 miles from the vendor's nearest station. Vendors must hold a USDOT identification number, demonstrate Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration compliance, provide driver Level 2 screening evidence and Florida Public Schools Contractor Badges, and submit three customer references. Pricing covers in-county flat rates for 4-, 5-, and 6-hour trips by seating tier (47/50, 51/55, and 56+), out-of-county hourly and mileage rates, daily rates for multi-night trips, limousine service, and miscellaneous vehicle hourly rates. The District will give consideration to prices established by the State of Florida Department of Management Services through its contracts and negotiated agreements.

Minimum insurance is $1 million per occurrence and $2 million general aggregate for general liability, and $1 million combined single limit in-state or $5 million interstate for automobile liability, with Pinellas County Schools as additional insured. Attached insurance specifications require certificates approved by the School Board's Risk Management Department within ten working days of award and before work begins.

The District has valued the contract at approximately $2.0 million for protest bond calculation. The contract term runs January 27, 2027 through January 26, 2028, with three optional one-year renewals by mutual consent and unilateral extensions of up to three 30-day periods on the same terms. Bid samples, where submitted, follow the same November 30 deadline.

Evaluation totals 100 points: regulatory and company documentation (10), vehicles, policies, procedures, and programs (25), safety program information (25), customer references (15), and cost proposal (25). Award goes to the responsive and responsible proposer with the highest score. Evaluation runs December 1–22, 2026, with an estimated notice of intent to award on December 18, 2026, and estimated School Board approval on January 27, 2027. Protests require written notice within 72 hours after bid tabulation posting, followed by a formal protest within 10 days and a bond of 1% of estimated contract value (minimum $500, maximum $5,000).