Service provider for Link Transit Fixed Route & Paratransit System

The City of Burlington is seeking proposals for a comprehensive transit service provider to operate the Link Transit Fixed Route & Paratransit system in the Burlington-Graham Urbanized Area of North Carolina. The selected service provider will be responsible for providing all personnel, maintenance, materials, supplies, training, and management necessary to ensure safe, courteous, and reliable passenger transportation. Critically, the contractor must maintain a fleet of up to 12 city-provided vehicles and potentially provide additional vehicles to support future operational expansion. The contract term spans from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2028, with two optional one-year extensions possible through June 30, 2030. While specific evaluation criteria are not detailed in the available documents, the pricing form suggests a comprehensive review of staffing, operational costs, and financial feasibility will be central to vendor selection. The proposal is due on January 17, 2025, with the contract anticipated to commence on July 1, 2025.

The procurement appears to be open to qualified transit service providers without explicit set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises. The pricing form indicates an estimated 30,500 vehicle revenue hours annually, suggesting a sizeable operational scope. The contractor will be required to manage a complex cost structure including staff headcount across management and non-management positions, payroll taxes, benefits, insurance, and operational expenses. While incumbent vendor information is not provided, the city will supply the initial vehicle fleet and require the contractor to potentially supplement vehicle resources. The comprehensive pricing form suggests the contract could have a substantial annual value, with potential total contract value ranging between $3-5 million over the base three-year period, depending on fully loaded operational costs. Proposers must submit a detailed, unprotected Excel pricing form with all formulas and links intact to enable a thorough cost analysis.