Milford Public School Transportation IFB

Milford Public Schools in Massachusetts is seeking a transportation services contractor through an Invitation for Bid (IFB) to provide comprehensive school bus transportation for students. The procurement requires furnishing 21 seventy-seven-passenger buses and 2 forty-seven-passenger buses with car seats for 180 school days annually, covering regular school routes, athletics, extracurricular activities, and field trips. Key procurement requirements include maintaining a maintenance facility within 10 miles of Milford's center, providing substitute buses within 20 minutes of notification, and maintaining a fleet with an average age not exceeding five years. Bidders must submit a sealed bid with a $20,000 certified check deposit and provide extensive documentation including insurance certificates, financial statements, references demonstrating five years of school transportation experience, dispatcher resume, and equipment questionnaires. The bid submission deadline is January 28, 2026, at 10:00 AM, with a voluntary pre-bid conference scheduled for December 17, 2025, at 10:00 AM. Written questions are due by January 7, 2026, at 11:00 AM, with answers to be released by January 14, 2026. The anticipated contract award date is February 5, 2026, with a contract commencement on July 1, 2026.

The contract will be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder based on a fixed per-bus-per-day rate that remains constant for the entire contract term. The initial contract period is three years (July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029), with a potential two-year renewal option at the School Committee's discretion. Contractors must meet extensive insurance requirements, including $1,000,000 per person and $10,000,000 per accident in public liability insurance, $1,000,000 per vehicle in property damage insurance, and a performance bond equal to 100% of the annual contract value. Technology requirements include providing computer-assisted scheduling software compatible with the District's Student Information System, two-way radios, and potential video monitoring systems. All drivers must hold current School Bus Driver Certificates with cleared CORI checks and current medical examinations. While no specific set-aside designations are mentioned, the contract appears open to qualified transportation providers meeting the comprehensive technical, operational, and financial requirements. The procurement does not specify a precise budget range, but the $20,000 bid deposit and extensive operational requirements suggest a significant annual contract value for school transportation services.