Operations Control Center & Data Collection Services

The City of Phoenix is requesting sealed proposals for operations control center and data collection services under RFP PTD26-003, with proposals due September 2, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. and a commencement date of approximately July 1, 2027. A Disadvantaged Business Enterprise–Neutral (DBE-N) small business participation program applies under 49 CFR Part 26; contractors must demonstrate good faith efforts to utilize small business subcontractors and file annual Small Business Participation Plans with the City's Certification and Compliance System, with no substitutions or scope reductions to SB commitments permitted without prior written approval from the Contract Compliance Section.

The scope encompasses continuous operation of the City's Operations Control Center, which monitors approximately 400 vehicles across 48 fixed-route transit lines and over 21 million annual service miles using Computer-Aided Dispatch/Automatic Vehicle Location (CAD/AVL) systems. The contractor must staff the OCC with one Project Manager, Lead OCC Controllers, OCC Controllers, a Data Collection Coordinator, and Data Collectors, currently totaling one manager and twenty controllers providing nearly 24-hour, seven-day-per-week service, plus three data collection personnel across a seventeen-hour operational window. Data collection includes National Transit Database reporting submissions. The contractor must integrate with City-provided infrastructure including fifth-floor office space in the Public Transit Building, CAD/AVL workstations, HASTUS scheduling software (maintained by vendor GIRO Inc.), and Clever Devices systems. Technical requirements mandate a dedicated, full-time IT Specialist with minimum three years' experience providing 24/7 first-level support, Site-to-Site VPN or reviewed VPN software, structured cabling maintenance, telecommunications circuit management, and business continuity planning. All contractor personnel undergo background checks at Maximum Risk Level under A.R. 4.45, substance abuse testing under A.R. 2.324 (federally regulated positions prohibited from controlled substances including marijuana on or off duty), and security badging ($55 per employee) at City facilities. Contractor performance is measured by a minimum bus-to-controller ratio of 1:50 during peak hours, with liquidated damages of $500 per violation.

The contract term is five years from July 1, 2027, with one optional two-year extension exercisable at the City's sole discretion. The City offers a 90-day transition period requiring retention of incumbent employees at current wage rates, with preferential hiring extending 180 days. Incumbent employees include positions spanning $20.00–$23.00 per hour (Data Collector) to $90,000–$110,000 annually (OCC Project Manager), with standard benefits including two weeks' vacation, five sick days, seven holidays, 401(k), medical/dental/vision coverage, life insurance, and disability options. Pricing is weighted at 30 percent of evaluation criteria. All offers remain firm and fixed for 365 calendar days from solicitation opening. A non-mandatory pre-offer conference is scheduled for July 22, 2026, and a non-mandatory site visit for July 23, 2026. Written inquiries are due July 29, 2026. The solicitation is administered through the City's Procurement Portal; technical support is available at procurement-support@opengov.com.