Janesville Transit Request for Proposals for Paratransit Services

Janesville Transit, a division of the City of Janesville, Wisconsin, is issuing a Request for Proposals to procure paratransit services for eligible riders within the Janesville service area. The procurement seeks qualified vendors, including private firms, non-profit agencies, or public transit agencies, to provide door-to-door paratransit services compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act for approximately 115 registered ADA paratransit users. Services must operate Monday through Friday from 6:15 AM to 6:15 PM CST and Saturday from 8:45 AM to 6:15 PM CST, utilizing approximately 2-3 vans or minibuses to accommodate an average of 7,000 annual trips. The contractor must demonstrate strong qualifications and experience in paratransit operations, develop and implement comprehensive employee training and safety programs, maintain vehicles in optimal condition, manage efficient scheduling and reporting systems, monitor service quality, and handle customer complaints effectively. Evaluation criteria allocate 30% weight to qualifications and experience, 20% to pricing, and 50% combined to operational factors including training, safety, maintenance, scheduling, reporting, and complaint handling. The question submittal deadline is March 23, 2026, with addenda posted by March 30, 2026; proposals are due April 24, 2026 at 12:00 PM noon, followed by anticipated interviews and negotiations scheduled for May 11-15, 2026 and contract award anticipated for May 18, 2026. The contract term spans approximately 30 months commencing no later than July 1, 2026 and ending December 31, 2028, with two optional one-year extensions available if mutually agreed.

The RFP does not explicitly specify set-aside designations or restrictions limiting response eligibility to particular business categories or disadvantaged enterprises. Rock County, the previous contractor providing paratransit services for several decades, will no longer provide these services as that contract has concluded. Pricing shall be submitted on a per-trip basis as the City's preferred model, though alternate pricing models will be considered; the contractor retains all fare revenue collected and invoices the City for the difference between trip costs and fares collected. Historical cost-per-trip data ranges from $18.96 to $20.17 over the five-year period from 2022-2025, providing reference points for budgeting purposes. The contractor must obtain comprehensive insurance including minimum limits of $1,000,000 general liability, $1,000,000 automobile liability, and workers' compensation coverage as required by Wisconsin law. Federal funding is anticipated through FTA assistance, with the contract incorporating all applicable FTA terms and federal civil rights requirements.