Comprehensive Driver Training for Vehicle Crashes on Fire Equipment

Sarasota County is pursuing a sole source procurement with Smith System Driver Improvement Institute, Inc. for a comprehensive driver training program targeting vehicle crashes on fire equipment. The procurement focuses on a "Train the Trainer" program designed to educate 16 fire department driving instructors using the proprietary Smith Driving System, which employs five core principles to reduce vehicle accidents and improve driver behavior. The solicitation requires electronic responses submitted through the ProcureNow portal by October 27, 2025, at 5:00 pm, with questions accepted until October 24, 2025. The training program aims to address significant historical costs associated with vehicle crashes, including over $214,000 in direct costs and approximately $965,000 in indirect costs incurred by the Sarasota County Fire Department between 2022-2025. Vendors must be specifically authorized by Smith System Driver Improvement Institute, Inc. to sell these products, and the county reserves the right to convert to a competitive solicitation if other vendors can demonstrate comparable service capabilities.

The procurement is a sole source opportunity with strict vendor authorization requirements, effectively limiting potential respondents to those directly approved by Smith System Driver Improvement Institute, Inc. No specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises are mentioned in the documentation. The total estimated expenditure for this procurement is $69,006.08, covering the comprehensive driver training program. The solicitation includes compliance requirements for public records laws, employment eligibility verification, and specific contractual terms. Smith System is presented as the exclusive provider of this training methodology, which has been developed since 1952 and is delivered in nearly 100 countries and multiple languages. The county reserves the right to terminate the purchase order under certain conditions and requires vendors to maintain appropriate administrative, technical, and physical controls for their business and information technology systems.