Onalaska Shared Ride Program 2022-2026

The City of Onalaska is seeking qualified contractors to provide a Shared-Ride Taxi Service for the communities of Onalaska, Holmen, and West Salem, with service extending to a five-mile radius. The procurement is a Request for Proposal (RFP OSR 2021-1) for a door-to-door, demand-responsive taxi service available to the general public seven days per week from 6:30 AM to 7:00 PM, with specific accommodations for elderly and disabled passengers. The contractor must provide approximately 607.78 weekly scheduled vehicle/driver hours using a minimum fleet, with the municipality providing 14 accessible vehicles. Key deliverables include telephone services, dispatching, driving, maintenance, training, record keeping, and quality control. Evaluation criteria will assess professional competence (20 points), capacity (25 points), experience (25 points), and price (30 points). The RFP was issued on November 3, 2021, with proposals due by 5:00 PM on December 6, 2021. The initial contract period spans 24 months (January 1, 2022-December 31, 2023) with three potential one-year renewal options.

The contract is subject to federal funding of $296,334 for 2022 under Section 5311 from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration, supplemented by state and local transit operating funds. Contractors must comply with federal and state regulations, including equal opportunity and disadvantaged business enterprise regulations, Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, and Omnibus Employee Testing Act provisions. Minimum qualifications require offerors to maintain an automated dispatch system, demonstrate at least three years of ground transportation experience, possess ridership tracking software, and house vehicles in an enclosed facility within the service area. The contractor will be responsible for assisting disabled passengers and must certify eligibility for federally assisted contracts. All revenues collected (passenger fares and package delivery charges) will be credited to the municipality and deducted from invoices. The contract will be awarded to the highest-scoring responsive and responsible proposal, with hourly service rates subject to a fixed 1.0 percent CPI-U increase for potential renewal years.