Procurement of contactless fare collection platform and supporting services

The Connecticut Department of Transportation is issuing a Request for Proposal for the procurement of a Contactless Fare Collection Platform and supporting services for bus services throughout Connecticut. The platform must include validators capable of accepting contactless EMV payments (EMV Level 1, 2, and 3 certified for major card brands), comprehensive fare calculation software, mobile ticketing applications, and associated support services. Key deliverables include 730 validators with installation components across eight CTtransit garages, migration of existing Go CT account data, native iOS and Android mobile applications supporting up to 20 transit agencies, integration with existing cash farebox systems, support for university pass programs (U-Pass) and reduced fare programs for seniors and persons with disabilities, CTrail rail ticketing integration with Amtrak, payment processing solutions, training (minimum 80 hours), digital marketing assets, and ongoing software updates throughout the contract term. The validators must support mobile wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay), QR code scanning, anti-pass back mechanisms, offline transaction storage for 96 hours, and physical durability suitable for New England climates with a 5-year expected lifespan. The mobile ticketing application must be revenue-ready within three months of contract notice to proceed and provide real-time analytics and reporting with fare capping capabilities across multiple agencies. The solicitation opened January 22, 2026, with a mandatory pre-proposal conference scheduled for February 5, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. EST via Microsoft Teams (registration required by 3:00 p.m. on February 4, 2026); a vendor question and answer period runs from February 6, 2026 through February 19, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. EST; and proposals must be submitted electronically to dot.transit@ct.gov and received by April 7, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. EDT, with six mailed copies postmarked by the same date. Evaluation criteria include technical compliance with 84 distinct requirements organized into five categories (Validators, Fare Calculation Software, Mobile Ticketing, Other Services, and CTrail Mobile Ticketing Options), pricing and payment terms competitiveness, and vendor capability to support simultaneous implementation across 13 different Connecticut transit agencies.

The solicitation indicates that all vendors are eligible to respond with no specific set-aside designations or restrictions on organization types mentioned in the available documentation. No incumbent vendor or current contractor information has been identified in the procurement materials. The platform must integrate with existing CTtransit infrastructure, cash farebox systems, Go CT account data from current systems, and Amtrak's CTrail rail ticketing system. The contractor will be required to provide separate merchant IDs for each of the 13 transit agencies and implement transparent fee pass-through using optimal Merchant Category Codes for credit card processing. The initial contract term is five years with the option for two additional five-year extensions, extending the potential maximum contract term to fifteen years. Regional transit agencies in Connecticut may enter into separate agreements with the selected contractor. While no estimated total contract value is provided in the solicitation materials, contracts anticipated to exceed $50,000 in annual value will require completion of OPM Form 1, the State of Connecticut Campaign Contribution Certification, at the time of contract execution, suggesting a substantial project investment. Pricing and payment terms, including transaction fees for both open-loop and mobile ticket transactions with potential price breaks based on transaction volume, are to be specified by vendors in their proposal responses using the provided price schedule template with cost categories for hardware, installation, implementation, annual fixed fees, and annual SaaS support fees.