Special Education Transportation RFP

The Bi-County Collaborative (BICO), on behalf of its thirteen member districts in Massachusetts, is soliciting proposals for special education transportation services for approximately 300-500 students, with questions due November 20, 2026 and sealed proposals due December 2, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. local time at the BICO office in Walpole, Massachusetts. The source names no set-aside or preference program. Contractors must comply with Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 30B, and all personnel are subject to CORI and national background checks approved individually by member districts. BICO may award to a single vendor or multiple vendors and may designate primary and secondary backup vendors.

Member districts are Attleboro, Blackstone-Millville Regional, Dedham, Hopedale, Foxborough, King Philip Regional, Mansfield, Needham, Norfolk, North Attleboro, Plainville, Walpole, and Wrentham. Services cover safe, reliable, and timely transportation to various destination schools and educational programs. Pricing is due as vehicle-based daily rates for seven-passenger vans, wheelchair-accessible vans, mini-buses with 14-29 passenger capacity, and monitors, plus any clearly defined additional charges. A fuel adjustment of $2.00 per vehicle per day applies for each $0.25 increment above a $0.50 per gallon threshold, measured against the U.S. Energy Information Administration New England Regional Average as of November 2, 2026.

Pre-award requirements include a surety letter confirming bonding capacity, insurance certificates, fleet ownership documentation, and routing software documentation. The awarded contractor must post a performance bond equal to 80 percent of annual contract value and carry $5.0 million automobile liability, $2.0 million general liability aggregate, statutory workers' compensation, $1.0 million employer's liability, and $5.0 million umbrella/excess liability.

The contract runs September 1, 2027 through August 31, 2030, with two one-year renewal options and extended school year services for summers 2028, 2029, and 2030. A readiness period runs May through August 2027, ahead of service start at the 2027-2028 school year. The source states no contract value and no incumbent.

Evaluation uses weighted scoring: Safety & Compliance (20%), Staffing & Training (20%), Technology, Communication & Routing Systems (20%), Experience & Historical Performance (15%), Operational Capacity (15%), and Transition & Implementation Plan (10%). Proposal opening is December 4, 2026, optional interviews run December 4-9, 2026, and award is scheduled for December 10, 2026.