RFP: 53-26 Mobile Device Deployment Services

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) issued Request for Proposals 53-26 for Mobile Device Deployment Services, seeking a qualified vendor to provide fully managed staff augmentation supporting the accelerated deployment of iPads (128GB, A16, Wi-Fi + Cellular enabled) to approximately 3,750 frontline Operations employees across Vehicle Maintenance, Engineering & Maintenance, Rail Operations, and Engineering departments. The primary deployment location is 35 Charlestown Street in Somerville, Massachusetts, with potential additional deployments at up to two other MBTA facilities. The project runs from May 2026 through November 2026 and requires the vendor to manage device enrollment in Apple Business Manager, Intune management, and Verizon Wireless portal administration, with staffing consisting of one dedicated Project Manager and seven Mobile Device Specialists from May through September 2026, decreasing to five specialists in October and three specialists in November. Mobile Device Specialists must possess experience supporting iOS devices in enterprise environments and demonstrate proficiency in Microsoft Intune (MDM), Apple Business Manager (ABM), and Verizon Wireless portal, along with strong customer service and communication capabilities. The deployment will occur across three shifts (6:00 AM–2:00 PM, 2:00 PM–10:00 PM, and 10:00 PM–6:00 AM, Monday through Friday) with up to three training sessions per day accommodating approximately forty employees daily. The Pre-Bid Conference was held on March 30, 2026, at 11:00 AM via Microsoft Teams; bidder questions were due April 1, 2026, at 2:00 PM with official answers published April 3, 2026, at 2:00 PM; and proposals are due electronically via COMMBUYS by April 8, 2026, at 2:00 PM, with contract execution estimated for April 15, 2026, and a service start date of April 29, 2026. The MBTA will evaluate proposals on a best-value basis using Pass/Fail Criteria, Technical Evaluation Criteria, and Price Response.

The MBTA requires all contractor personnel to complete security background checks including CORI (Criminal Offender Record Information), Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles checks, and Level II Sex Offenders Registry checks with recertification every two years, and all staff must complete MBTA security awareness training and obtain MBTA-issued identification badges before working on MBTA property. Supplier Diversity represents 25 percent of overall technical scoring, with the MBTA seeking certified Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs), Women Business Enterprises (WBEs), Veterans Business Enterprises (VBEs), Service-Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises (SDVOBEs), Disability-Owned Business Enterprises (DOBEs), and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Business Enterprises (LGBTBEs), requiring bidders to propose specific dollar commitments to be spent with Supplier Diversity Program Partners. The contractor must carry Commercial General Liability Insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $1,000,000 annual aggregate, along with Workers' Compensation Insurance including Employers Liability coverage with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per accident for bodily injury by accident and $1,000,000 per employee for bodily injury by disease, with all insurance obtained from companies licensed by the Massachusetts Division of Insurance with a Best's rating of A- or better. Pricing is submitted separately via Form D as hourly billing rates for Mobile Device Specialists and Project Managers/Leads, with rates remaining firm and fixed for the entire contract duration and fully burdened to include wages, benefits, overhead, profit, travel, equipment, and all other direct and indirect costs, calculated on an estimated 173 hours per month per position. The RFP does not specify a maximum contract obligation value, and the MBTA will pay only for actual hours worked on site; payment will be made via electronic funds transfer within 45 days of invoice receipt, with the MBTA encouraging prompt payment discounts for accelerated payment schedules. All contractor personnel must comply with Massachusetts General Laws, MBTA policies, Commonwealth data protection standards, cybersecurity requirements, and applicable federal regulations.