PURPOSE. This is a Request for Competitive Sealed Proposals (RFP) under Section 125.071 of the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) and Rule 123:5-1-08 of the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC). The Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS), Fiscal/Procurement Services on behalf of the Ohio Traffic Safety Office (the Division or OTSO), is soliciting competitive sealed proposals (Proposals) for OTSO Student Driving Mobile Application and this RFP is the result of that request. If a suitable Proposal is made in response to this RFP, the State of Ohio (State), through ODPS, may enter into a contract (the Contract) to have the selected Offeror (the Contractor) perform all or part of the project (the Project or the Work). This RFP provides details on what is required to submit a Proposal for the Work, how ODPS will evaluate the Proposals, and what will be required of the Contractor in performing the Work.This RFP also gives the estimated dates for the various events in the submission process, selection process, and performance of the Work. While these dates are subject to change, prospective Offerors must be prepared to meet them as they currently stand.Once awarded, the term of the Contract will be from the award date through June 30th, 2025. ODPS also may solely renew this Contract at the discretion of ODPS for a period of one month; this unilateral renewal may be completed by ODPS at any time during the term of the Contract. Any other renewals will be by mutual agreement between the Contractor and ODPS for any number of times and for any period of time. The cumulative time of all mutual renewals may not exceed two (2) years, unless ODPS determines that additional renewal is necessary, and are subject to and contingent upon the discretionary decision of the Ohio General Assembly to appropriate funds for this Contract in each new biennium. ODPS may renew all or part of this Contract subject to the satisfactory performance of the Contractor and the needs of the Division.Any failure to meet a deadline in the submission or evaluation phases and any objection to the dates for performance of the Project may result in ODPS refusing to consider the Proposal of the Offeror.BACKGROUND.Under the direction of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, the Ohio Traffic Safety Office oversees Ohio Driver Training, Motorcycle Ohio and Ohio’s Ignition Interlock program. OTSO is also responsible for administering federal highway safety funds for programs which are designed to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities on Ohio’s roadways.Car crashes remain a leading cause of death for teenagers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, inexperience is the leading cause of teen crashes. In Ohio, parents or guardians are responsible for 86% (50 hours) of the required driving hours teens experience when preparing to obtain an Ohio driver license. Licensed driving instructors are responsible for the other 14% (8 hours). Unlike licensed instructors, parents and guardians lack the necessary training to properly teach new teen drivers. In addition, tracking the 50 hours of supervised driving can be difficult. The primary reason for providing an app-based solution for Ohio families is to guide them through the learning-to-drive process. This can benefit both Ohio parents and teens, and make our roads safer for everyone.New adult drivers can also benefit from guided practice hours. Those that take Ohio’s Adult Abbreviated Program are required to complete four hours of classroom education, along with either four hours of behind-the-wheel training with a licensed driving instructor or 24 hours of supervised driving with a licensed driver, age 21 or older. For those that elect to complete 24 hours of supervised driving, an app-based solution can help track the hours and provide valuable guidance to both the new driver and the adult supervising the driving practice.OVERVIEW.In order to provide the most comprehensive resource for families, OTSO is looking for a mobile application that will track driving progress and provide best practices and Ohio-specific driver education standards. The app will be maintained by the app provider and available for all Ohioans to download for free. It will align with Ohio’s graduated driver licensing (GDL) system, and assist families with tracking supervised driving hours. Later iterations of the app, could also include the ability to monitor driving behavior post licensure. However, this does not need to be included in initial development. Initially, the app should include the following features:• Information about Ohio’s GDL system.• Guided lessons for completing supervised driving hours.• Auto tracking of driving data, including route, duration, date/time, weather, speeding, hard braking, etc.• Driving log, directly tied to the auto-tracked driving data.• Checks of skill progress after drive sessions, with feedback and expert training tips, based on drive performance.• Integration with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) system through an API provided by ODPS, to allow for seamless confirmation of required supervised driving hours.• Accumulation of badges and points as skills and hours are completed.• Defensive driving and safety videos for parents and teens.• Adherence to Ohio data security standardsOBJECTIVES. ODPS has the following objectives that it wants this Work to fulfill, and it will be the Contractor’s obligation to ensure that the personnel the Contractor provides are qualified to perform their portions of the Work. OTSO is requesting to purchase and modify a pre-built mobile application (app) to assist Ohio families in completing and tracking the hours of supervised driving required by law to obtain an Ohio driver license. Additional functions of this app could include enabling eligible adults to continue monitoring their student’s driving after licensure. The contractor will be responsible for providing and supporting a solution that satisfies all the needs identified herein.
