Upper peninsula intercity bus routes/

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is issuing a Request for Proposal to procure intercity bus service operations across Michigan's Lower and Upper Peninsulas through contracts with Livingston County and Sterling Heights City. The procurement seeks contractor(s) to operate five established daily intercity bus routes: Sleeping Bear (Grand Rapids to St. Ignace), Straits (East Lansing to St. Ignace), Huron (Bay City to St. Ignace), Hiawatha (St. Ignace to Ironwood), and Superior (Hancock to Escanaba), with all service provided seven days per week including holidays. The contractor must operate state-funded, lift-equipped, and ADA-compliant vehicles; maintain ticketing agents at secure, accessible locations; provide online ticketing for in-state and out-of-state destinations; create and distribute public schedules; coordinate interline agreements with connecting carriers ensuring maximum two-hour passenger transfer wait times; designate a dedicated account manager; and maintain vehicles according to manufacturer and federal/state safety specifications. Contractor responsibilities include assuming all costs for fuel, oil, maintenance, licensing, and registration while maintaining adequate financial reserves and replacement vehicles eligible at 500,000 miles or twelve years of service. Evaluation will be conducted on a 100-point technical scoring system allocating 75 points for intercity bus service experience (including minimum two years of interline service management, scheduled time compliance, interline coordination capabilities, and online ticketing systems) and 25 points for financial capability, with only proposals scoring 80 or more technical points eligible for pricing evaluation. The deadline for bidder questions is January 28, 2019, with answers posted by February 1, 2019; proposals are due by 3:00 p.m. Eastern on February 25, 2019; the anticipated contract commencement is October 1, 2019; and the contract term extends through September 30, 2021, with provision for renewal for up to three additional one-year periods at the State's discretion.

The RFP does not identify specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises, though the State may consider qualified disabled veteran status under MCL 18.1261(8) as part of overall economic impact evaluation. Bidders must demonstrate a minimum of two years of intercity bus service experience, possess a valid certificate of authority under Michigan Public Act 432 of 1982 or equivalent state certification, maintain current federal and state tax compliance, and provide detailed descriptions of vehicle maintenance plans, safety controls, and interline agreement experience. No incumbent vendor or current contractor information is specified within the available documentation; however, the RFP references existing master timetables for five routes effective as of August 29, 2018, suggesting established operational infrastructure and service patterns. Contracts exceeding $500,000 require State Administrative Board approval, and payment will be made monthly on a firm, fixed-price basis regardless of ridership or costs, with invoices due within twenty-five days of month-end including ridership counts, miles operated, and revenue data. The procurement is funded through Federal Transit Administration Section 5311(f) funds and Michigan Comprehensive Transportation funds. While specific budget ranges or award values are not disclosed in the available documentation, liquidated damages of $5,000 plus $100 per day apply for late or improper contract completion, and the State reserves the right to conduct site visits, require oral presentations, and perform reference checks during the evaluation process.