Ohiopyle State Park Shuttlebus Services

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is seeking a shuttle bus operator to provide whitewater boater transportation services at Ohiopyle State Park in Fayette County. The operator must transport boaters approximately 2 miles from the Bruner Run Take-out Area to the Old Mitchell Parking Area using two large buses with capacity up to 48 passengers each, two trailers for boat hauling, and valid Pennsylvania Utility Commission Certificates of Public Conveyance. Services are required on weekends (Saturday and Sunday) from the Saturday preceding Memorial Day through the Sunday before Columbus Day, plus designated holidays (Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, and Labor Day), with optional weekday operations (Monday through Friday) available between Memorial Day and Labor Day at the Park Manager's discretion. The operator must ensure boaters do not wait more than one hour for shuttle service and must maintain Workers' Compensation Insurance, Public Liability and Property Damage Insurance with minimum coverage of $250,000 per person and $1,000,000 per occurrence, and Automotive Liability Insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence. All quoted prices must include equipment, fuel, employees, and licenses, with payment made monthly on a reimbursement basis for actual services performed at unit prices bid. A mandatory pre-bid conference is scheduled for April 6, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at the Ohiopyle Visitors Center (124 Main Street, Ohiopyle, PA 15470), with attendance required for bid eligibility. Electronic bids must be submitted through the Commonwealth's SRM system no later than April 16, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., with award based on the lowest responsive and responsible bid; the initial contract term runs through December 31, 2026, with options for four additional one-year renewals through December 31, 2030, allowing annual price increases not to exceed 2.00 percent.

The procurement is open to all qualifying vendors, including small businesses and small diverse businesses that meet Commonwealth criteria (for-profit U.S. entities with no more than 100 full-time equivalent employees and no more than three-year average gross revenues exceeding $47 million), which may participate through the Commonwealth's race and gender-neutral Small Business Reserve program. All contractors must comply with Pennsylvania's Worker Protection and Investment requirements, including Workers' Compensation Law, Unemployment Compensation Law, prevailing wage standards, and child labor laws, and must certify compliance through the Worker Protection and Investment Certification Form submitted with their bid. Contractors must be registered in the Commonwealth's Vendor Master file and must provide background checks for all employees and subcontractor personnel with access to Commonwealth facilities; employees must be paid no less than $15.00 per hour with annual cost-of-living adjustments beginning July 1, 2023. Historical passenger count data from 2024 and 2025 indicates annual ridership of approximately 6,500–6,800 passengers, with peak demand in July and August, providing bidders with baseline operational planning information. No specific budget range or award value is disclosed in the solicitation documents; however, the contract structure is based on unit pricing for actual services performed on a monthly reimbursement basis. No incumbent vendor or specific technology integration requirements are identified in the available documentation.