Consulting Services - Comprehensive Operations Analysis for SUNTRAN

The City of Ocala is soliciting consulting services through RFP #SUN/260384 to develop a Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) for SunTran, its public transit system. The analysis will evaluate service improvements based on changing ridership patterns, development, population, employment trends, and service performance to enhance system efficiency and effectiveness. Core deliverables include a detailed work plan and schedule, up to five Transit Steering Committee meetings, twelve monthly progress reports, eight public meetings, technical memoranda documenting data collection and analysis results, route-by-route evaluation reports, service improvement plans with run cuts and cost estimates, and a final COA Report with Executive Summary and board presentations. The project requires extensive data collection including field surveys of all bus routes, comprehensive on-board and stop-by-stop ridership data collection with ride check surveys and transfer analysis for both weekday and weekend operations, interviews with SunTran personnel across all operational functions, and detailed analysis of system characteristics including planning, scheduling, dispatching, maintenance, supervision, facilities, and staffing levels. A critical component is a comprehensive feasibility study evaluating the costs, risks, and organizational impacts of transitioning transit operations and maintenance functions in-house compared to the current contracted delivery model. Minimum qualifications require proposers to demonstrate at least seven years of experience developing COA studies for transit operations for governmental agencies, with completion of at least three directly comparable projects, and to provide at least three public transit agency references attesting to their experience. The evaluation criteria allocate 40 points to experience, qualifications, and past performance; 40 points to project understanding, approach, methodology, and schedule; and 20 points to the price proposal. Questions must be submitted by February 17, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. EST, with proposals due March 17, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. EST via the City's e-procurement portal. The contract term is two years, with the study duration not to exceed nine months from the kick-off meeting.

No local consultant preference applies to this solicitation; however, minority and disadvantaged business enterprise participation is encouraged with a 2.55% DBE utilization goal required unless the proposer documents good faith efforts to meet this threshold. All DBEs must be certified through the Unified Certification Program to qualify for DBE counting purposes. The RFP is federally funded through the Federal Transit Administration, requiring compliance with all FTA regulations, policies, and procedures outlined in FTA Circular 4220.1F, including mandatory Federal clauses covering equal employment opportunity, Title VI civil rights compliance, Clean Air and Water Act adherence, and audit and inspection rights for three years post-contract. Contractors must maintain professional liability insurance for five years post-acceptance and comply with all City of Ocala General Terms and Conditions. This is a fixed-price contract requiring detailed cost breakdowns for all tasks specified in the RFP and Exhibit A, with proposers submitting a lump sum cost plus optional services pricing based on professional recommendations. No incumbent vendor or current contractor is identified in the solicitation materials, indicating this is a new procurement. The City reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and will conduct negotiations with the highest-ranked proposer following a protest period.