Residential Student and Chaperone Weekly Transportation Services

The Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI) is soliciting proposals for weekly transportation services to support residential students who are visually impaired and in some cases medically fragile, along with their chaperones, across Texas. Services are scheduled on a consistent weekly basis during the academic year, primarily on Thursdays or Fridays for homegoing trips and Sundays or Mondays for returns, as outlined in Exhibit C, the 2026–2027 Weekends Home Travel Calendar. Bidders must provide fully equipped 56-passenger charter buses with air conditioning, clean lavatories, safety restraints, and DVD players or media monitors with closed captioning; a wheelchair lift is mandatory for the Dallas route and may be required for others based on student needs. All vehicles must operate at or below 60 MPH, and contractors must ensure vehicle repair or replacement occurs within two hours of notification, including before departure from TSBVI. Drivers must be state-certified with at least three years of experience working with individuals with disabilities, and all personnel must pass background checks and adhere to the Texas Education Code §22A.055, including the TEA Pre-Service Do Not Hire requirements as detailed in Exhibit H. Professional attire is mandated, with strict prohibitions on inappropriate clothing, slogans, or visible tattoos. The contract term begins August 21, 2026, and ends August 31, 2027, with up to four optional one-year renewals available at TSBVI’s discretion. Bidders must submit detailed pricing per route cost per mile, inclusive of all charges, and a total term estimate based on approximately 36 travel days per route, with potential for price adjustments tied to the Consumer Price Index once per state fiscal year, subject to 60-day written notice. Proposals must be submitted electronically by July 3, 2026, at 3:00 PM Central Time to villegasc@tsbvi.edu with a specified subject line, and failure to include all required exhibits—including Execution of Proposal, Price Sheets (B1 & B2), Company Profile, Key Personnel, Past Projects, Technical Proposal, TEA Affidavit, Insurance documentation, and the Vendor Onboarding Package—will result in disqualification. Evaluation will be based on a best-value determination with pricing and compensation weighted at 40% each, and past performance, qualifications, and experience at 20%, subject to mandatory pass/fail gates