Request for Student Transportation Services

The Berlin Public Schools is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) to secure a qualified transportation vendor to provide comprehensive, safe, and reliable student transportation services for the district. The scope of work encompasses daily home-to-school and school-to-home bus transportation for K–12 public school students, in-district non-public school students (such as St. Paul School), and eligible regional technical and vocational-agricultural school students. Additionally, the selected contractor will provide specialized transportation services for students with individualized education programs (IEPs) through Pupil Personnel Services, out-of-district placements, late-bus routes, and charter transportation for athletic events and field trips. All operations must strictly adhere to Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles regulations, State Department of Education safety standards, and Berlin Board of Education policies. Proposals must demonstrate contractor capacity, operational qualifications, and financial stability to manage a full-service school transportation contract. Requirements for the awarded vendor include providing a modern, well-maintained vehicle fleet equipped with essential safety technologies—such as GPS tracking, two-way radio communication, digital video surveillance, and automated stop-arm enforcement equipment—alongside route optimization and dispatch management. Responding contractors must detail driver recruitment, background vetting, and ongoing safety training programs, as well as local administrative oversight to manage daily operations and customer service. Bidders are expected to present transparent, multi-year pricing structures detailing daily per-bus operational rates, fuel adjustment mechanisms, and hourly rates for athletic and extracurricular charters.