Student Bus Transportation

Ipswich Public Schools is seeking bids for student bus transportation services under solicitation BD-25-1486-IPS09-IPS09-130729, with responses due by July 13, 2026. The contract requires the provision of daily regular route transportation, field trips, and charter services for students across multiple schools in Ipswich, Massachusetts, with the performance period beginning August 1, 2026, and extending through June 30, 2029, with two optional one-year extensions. Bidders must submit pricing for two contract alternates: Alternate A, a three-year base term; and Alternate B, a five-year term that includes mandatory replacement of all 11 existing diesel buses with electric buses by December 31, 2027, along with full responsibility for installing and financing the necessary charging infrastructure. All buses must meet a minimum seating capacity of 77 passengers for four vehicles and 71 for others, be no older than seven years from the current model year, and be equipped with GPS tracking, real-time data access, and three-camera video systems. Contractors must maintain a local parking facility within one hour of Ipswich High School and provide annual inspection reports and driver credentials by August 15 each year. Drivers must be over 21, hold valid licenses, pass CORI and fingerprinting checks, undergo medical evaluations, and comply with drug and alcohol testing protocols. The district requires proof of insurance, a performance bond, and certifications confirming non-collusion and state tax compliance. Evaluation will focus on the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, considering both price and qualitative factors such as experience, equipment suitability, route familiarity, safety record, and operational reliability, with no formal scoring weights applied. Payment for regular routes will occur in ten equal installments from September through June, while charter trips are billed monthly. Submissions must be physical, sealed, and delivered to the Office of Finance & Operations in Ipswich by the deadline; electronic submissions are not accepted. No federal acquisition regulation clauses apply; the contract follows Massachusetts municipal procurement rules under M.G.L. c. 30B. The district reserves the right to award one or both alternates, and performance under Alternate B is contingent upon the contractor securing EPA funding, with termination possible if such funding is withdrawn.