Intercity Bus Operating Contract

The Michigan Department of Transportation issued a Request for Proposal (RFP 240000001778) to procure daily intercity bus operating services across Michigan's Lower and Upper Peninsulas on five designated routes: Sleeping Bear (Grand Rapids to St. Ignace), Straits (East Lansing to St. Ignace), Huron (Bay City to St. Ignace), Hiawatha (St. Ignace to Ironwood), and Superior (Hancock to Escanaba). The procurement seeks a qualified contractor to operate these services under a three-year contract with an option for up to three additional one-year renewal periods at the State's discretion, with an anticipated commencement date of October 1, 2024. Prospective bidders must demonstrate a minimum of two years of prior experience managing or providing regular interline intercity bus route service and must hold a certificate of authority pursuant to Michigan Public Act 432 of 1982 or equivalent from another state for at least two years. Key evaluation criteria include demonstrated experience with intercity bus service, ability to maintain scheduled service times, interline coordination capabilities, online ticketing services, facility access for vehicle maintenance within two hours of routes, financial capability including insurance and tax compliance, and fleet replacement capacity. Bidders must secure ticketing agents at ADA-compliant locations and provide climate-controlled facilities at specified transfer points. A mandatory pre-proposal meeting is scheduled for April 4, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern via Microsoft Teams, with questions due by April 25, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. Eastern, answers posted by April 30, 2024, and proposals due by May 6, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. Eastern. Proposals receiving 80 or more technical evaluation points proceed to price evaluation, and the State reserves the right to conduct site visits, require oral presentations, and perform reference and background checks.

The RFP documents do not specify set-aside designations or restrictions limiting participation to particular types of organizations or disadvantaged enterprises; therefore, the procurement appears open to any qualified contractor meeting the stated requirements. No incumbent contractor or current vendor information is identified in the available solicitation materials. Pricing is structured as firm and fixed for the entire contract duration, with quarterly annual cost pricing required for each of the five routes, and monthly payments made at a fixed price regardless of ridership or unredeemed ticket sales. The project will be funded through Federal Transit Administration Section 5311(f) funds and Michigan Comprehensive Transportation funds, though specific budget ranges or total award values are not disclosed in the RFP documents. Contractors must meet all FTA reporting and certification requirements and state vehicle application standards, and if awarded the contract, must transition state-owned vehicles from the previous contractor as part of the service continuity.