Transportation services - DSS

The South Carolina Department of Social Services (SCDSS) is soliciting fixed-price bids for comprehensive transportation services across the state, specifically targeting transportation for children in foster care, medical transport, and emergency placement scenarios. The solicitation, numbered 5400028028, seeks to establish a contract with multiple providers to deliver transportation services covering five distinct transportation lots: Regular Foster Care, Therapeutic Foster Care, Medical Transport, and Emergency Placement Foster Care. Providers must meet extensive qualifications including robust driver screening, vehicle maintenance standards, bilingual capabilities, dispatching systems, vehicle tracking, and compliance with stringent safety and operational protocols. A virtual non-mandatory pre-bid conference is scheduled for April 8, 2025, at 10:00 AM ET, with final proposal submissions due by May 15, 2025, at 11:00 AM ET. The contract term will run from July 7, 2025, to July 6, 2030, with an initial one-year term and potential for four additional one-year renewals. Evaluation criteria will likely include provider capability to meet comprehensive transportation service requirements, vehicle and driver qualifications, background check compliance, and adherence to operational guidelines designed to ensure child safety.

While the solicitation does not explicitly mention set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises, it establishes a Qualified Providers List with multiple contract awards anticipated. Providers must pass extensive background checks, with disqualifying factors including specific criminal convictions related to offenses against persons, morality, and child-related crimes as detailed in Attachments E and H. The pricing structure is complex, with rates varying by transportation lot: Regular and Therapeutic Foster Care at $2.00 per mile, Medical Transport at $3.84 per mile, and Emergency Placement Foster Care rates ranging from $2.50 to $3.00 per mile. Additional fees are specified for scenarios like cancellations, wait times, and extra passengers, with medical transport services including hourly rates for professional medical personnel. While the solicitation emphasizes that inclusion on the Qualified Providers List does not guarantee utilization, the comprehensive nature of the contract suggests significant potential service volume across Richland County and the broader South Carolina jurisdiction. The state's approach indicates a budget range likely exceeding several hundred thousand dollars over the five-year contract period, with flexibility for providers to serve multiple transportation lots.