Title
Resolution Awarding Service Contract to Veolia Transportation Services, Inc. for the Management and Operations of Transit Services Provided by the Greensboro Transit Authority
Body
Department: Transportation
Council District: Citywide
Public Hearing: N/A
Advertising Date/By: N/A
Contact 1 and Phone: Adam Fischer 373-2863
Contact 2 and Phone: Libby James 373-2820
PURPOSE:
The current contract for on-going management and operation of GTA fixed route and ADA paratransit services in the Greensboro Community expires August 31, 2014. In order to maintain continuity of transit services in Greensboro a new service contract needs to be awarded to manage the contracted GTA workforce and operation of transit services.
BACKGROUND:
Currently, the City/GTA has a contract for the management and operations of transit services provided by the Greensboro Transit Authority which expires August 31, 2014. The City/GTA initiated a Request for Proposal (RFP) process on December 18, 2013. The term of the new contract period begins September 1, 2014 and ends June 30, 2017, with two one year options. The RFP calls for a "full service" contract, in which the contractor would provide the following: manage, train and supervise the GTA contracted (unionized) employees; operate and maintain the vehicles; provide dispatch services; staff the customer service call center; provide the ADA paratransit reservations services; maintain the transit amenities and facilities; and other tasks necessary to operate the GTA transit system. The RFP indicated that the work performed under the contract would be paid on an hourly rate per revenue hour for Fixed Route and HEAT transit services, and by a rate per ADA Paratransit trip.
The RFP process was conducted in full compliance with the FTA Circular 4220.1F requirements for "Third Party Contracting." Each proposer submitted a Technical Proposal and a Price Proposal. The Technical Proposal was rated based upon a maximum total score of 500 points or 172.50 weighted points. The Price Proposal was rated based upon a maximum total score of 300 points or 90.00 weighted points. It should be noted that the RFP was designed to enable the City/GTA to select the proposer that provided the "Best Value" through the competitive procurement process.
An Evaluation and Selection Committee (Committee) was established that consisted of eight (8) members including representatives from the GTA Board, City's Purchasing-Contracting Division, Transportation Departments and Guilford County Transportation and Mobility Services. Other Committee members included GTA's Planning Consultant' Dan Boyles Associates. The GTA Board Chair served as the Committee Chairperson. The Contracting Officer for the procurement was the GDOT Director.
Four (4) proposers offered proposals in response to the RFP. They were First Transit, McDonald Transit Associates, Maruti Transit Group and the incumbent contractor Veolia Transportation Services, Inc. However, the Evaluation and Selection Committee determined that the Maruti Transit Group did not meet the minimum qualifications, and did not fall within the competitive range. Therefore, the Maruti Proposal was determined non-responsive.
The Evaluation and Selection Committee performed a technical evaluation of each offer's proposal and determined that the three remaining proposals were within the competitive range. The Committee conducted oral interviews with and received Best and Final Offers (BAFOs) from the three (3) remaining proposers. A need for additional clarification resulted in a second round of interviews and receipt of second BAFOs. For the second BAFOs, the City/GTA requested pricing for two service options, which included changes to the revenue service hours of the first BAFOs.
The Committee focused on cost effectiveness rather than low bid, and evaluated the proposed costs in relation to the quality and level of service provided. The qualifications of the proposers and the proposed staffing levels, the proposed operating methodology and the proposed cost component were considered in evaluating cost effectiveness. Following the review by the Committee of the Technical Proposals, the second BAFOs, the eight (8) committee member rated the submitted Proposals and the total number of weighted points that each proposer could have received; a maximum of 172.50 total weighted points for the Technical Proposal and a maximum of 90.00 total weighted points for the Cost Proposal, for a total of 262.50 weighted points per Proposer.
The total combined weighted scoring is as indicated:
Veolia Transportation Services, Inc. 1,894.70 Total Weighted Points
First Transit 1,821.90 Total Weighted Points
McDonald Transit Associates 1,685.55 Total Weighted Points
It should be noted that five (5) members of the Committee favored First Transit over Veolia in the scoring matrix and three (3) of the members favored Veolia Transportation Services, Inc., in the scoring matrix. However, the Committee decided to use the Total Combined Weighted Score to make the final recommendation. The Evaluation and Selection Committee voted 5-1, with 2 members absent, the following motion: "To recommend to the GTA Board that the final contract award is based on the evaluation criteria as specified in the RFP and use the final Comparison Scoring Matrix that indicates that Veolia Transportation Services, Inc. has the highest Total Combined Weighted Points."
Therefore, the Evaluation and Selection Committee, based on the results of the final scoring and the Total Combined Weighted Points (Veolia = 1,895 points, First Transit = 1,822, and McDonald Transit = 1,686 points), recommended that the City/GTA award the contract for the Management and Operation of Transit Services to Veolia Transportation Services, Inc.
At the May 8, 2014 GTA Board Meeting, the GTA Board approved a final contract award recommendation for the Management and Operation of Transit Services to Veolia Transportation Services, Incorporated. The contract award to Veolia Transportation Services Incorporated will allow GTA operate without any service cuts or fare increases next year
BUDGET IMPACT:
The five year total contract costs are as follows:
Year 1 July 1, 2014 - June 30, 2015 $14,840,367
Year 2 July 1, 2015 - June 30, 2016 $15,228,026
Year 3 July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017 $15,601,177
Year 4 Option July 1, 2017 - June 30, 2018 $16,139,564
Year 5 Option July 1, 2018 - June 30, 2019 $16,605,398
It should be noted that funds in the FY 2014-15 Budget appropriations for Transit Operations includes the funds to support Year 1 expenses without service cuts or fare increases.
Beginning with Year 2 through the term of the contract term, it will be necessary for funds to be approved and appropriated to support the management and operations of the Greensboro Transit Authority.
RECOMMENDATION / ACTION REQUESTED:
Staff recommends the approval of the contract award to Veolia Transportation Services, Inc., for the management and operation of Transit Services for the Greensboro Transit Authority beginning September 1, 2014 through June 30, 2017, with two one-year options.