January 27, 2020

Request for Proposals

PUPIL TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

SCHOOL YEARS 2020-2022

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SPECIFICATIONS FOR PUPIL TRANSPORTATION

SAINT PAUL PUBLIC SCHOOLS

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT No. 625

2020-2021 and 2021-2022

Request for Proposal No. _A20-0547-A__

I GENERAL INFORMATION The Board of Education of the Saint Paul Public Schools, Independent School District Number 625, is

accepting Request For Proposals (RFP) to provide student transportation services for the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school years. Included are specifications, directions for completing RFP and Rate Sheet. The District will have an informational meeting at 10:00 a.m.,Tuesday, February 11, 2020 in the District Offices 360 Colborne Street, St Paul, MN. Attendance at this meeting is required for any party submitting a Proposal.

Proposals will be received by the District, until 2:00 p.m. (CST), Friday, February 21, 2020 for certain Student

Transportation Services. On the above date and time, the District will open all Proposals which will be considered for evaluation per RFP criteria. No details will be shared publicly until there is an official award made following Board of Education approval. Following the time details of said award, details may be obtained by following District policy on request of public data.

II INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING REQUEST FOR (RFP)

1. The Specifications for Pupil Transportation contain the terms and conditions of the Transportation

RFP, as well as the operational requirements of the Contract for Transportation Services. If any part

of the contract is declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unenforceable or void for any

reason, the remainder of the contract shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect and

enforceable to it’s terms.

2. The Specifications for RFP may be downloaded from vendor.spps.org. Other related materials are

available in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) without charge from the Transportation

Department website.

3. The contents of these Specifications for RFP have been revised from those issued in previous

Specifications for Pupil Transportation. It is the responsibility of the individual quoter to carefully

review each page of these Specifications and to request clarification of any questions that they have

regarding these Specifications.

4. The District will not accept competing Prosposals from the same quoter, or from interconnected

corporations, or from quoters with interconnected officers, or quoters with interconnected

ownership.

5. In the event that it is determined that any quoter has intentionally submitted false, misleading, or

grossly inaccurate information under any section of this RFP, the District may reject the entire

Proposal package.

6. Any questions or requests for information concerning the meaning or the intent of these

Specifications must be submitted in writing to Tom Burr, Director of Transportation. Interpretation of

Specifications will be made only by letter mailed, or electronic communication sent, to all

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prospective quoters. The District assumes no further responsibility for interpreting the intent or

meaning of these Specifications.

7. Prior to implementation of the Contract for Transportation Services, successful quoters may be

required to meet with the Saint Paul Public School's Transportation Department personnel on dates

specified by the Transportation Department.

8. Any cost in the operation of a bus, such as insurance, driver's salary, benefits, maintenance, fuel, etc.,

which is not specifically addressed in these Specifications shall be considered to be included as a part

of the Proposal price for each route or category of service.

9. Independent School District No. 625 reserves the right to waive any irregularities and to accept or

reject in whole or in part, and to request new Proposals, or to accept that Proposal, or Proposals, which in its judgment is best for the interest of the School District, conservation of energy, or overall operation of the transportation program.

10. Contractors shall comply with all Minnesota State Laws, Regulations, and Rules, all Saint Paul Board

of Education policies and procedures, all District Administrative policies and procedures that apply to pupil transportation, and with these Specifications.

11. Quoters are required to follow the guidelines set forth in these Specifications. The Proposal will be

submitted on the form Rate Sheet. All entries shall be made in the spaces provided and shall be

typewritten or written in non-erasable ink. All quotes must be entered under the legal name of the

entity submitting the quote. Each page shall be initialed and the a full signature at the end. A quoter

must include a rate for each item on the Rate Sheet.

12. Any alteration, correction, or erasure of a Proposal entry must be crossed out, and the correction

printed in non-erasable ink or typewritten adjacent to the alteration, correction, or erasure. The

person signing the Proposal must initial any alteration, correction, or erasure of a Proposal entry in

non-erasable ink. Any alteration or erasure that is not initialed in ink by the person signing the

Proposal may be rejected.

13. If the quoter wishes to place a limitation on the number of To and From School category routes

(Section III-A of these Specifications) which he/she can accept, and if the quoter is offering a

Proposal price per day on a number of routes that exceeds this limitation, then the quoter must

explain the limitation and the number of available buses (cap) on Rate Sheet.

14. The Proposal shall include Rate Sheet and all documents required. See Section IV Item 17 of

specifications

15. The Proposal shall be submitted in a sealed envelope with the quoters name and RFP No. A20-

0547-A printed on the envelope. The sealed Proposal shall be delivered to the Saint Paul Public

Schools Purchasing Department, 360 Colborne Street, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55102 prior to 2:00

p.m., Friday, February 21, 2020. Submissions are due no later than 2:00 pm local time on February

21, 2020 determined by the time stamp clock located in the Purchasing & Contract Services

department office. It is the sole responsibility of the vendor to ensure delivery of Proposals by the

deadline. It is not the responsibility of SPPS to ensure delivery, internal or external, to the

Purchasing & Contract Services department.

16. No quotes shall be accepted by facsimile or electronic mail. Any Proposal so submitted will not be

accepted.

17. Any modification or amendment to a submitted RFP must be submitted to the District Purchasing

Department in a sealed envelope with the quoters name, corporate address, and RFP No A20-

0547-A printed on the envelope. The amended RFP must be submitted on Rate Sheet and signed

by an authorized officer of the quoter. Quotes may only be modified or amended prior to 2:00 p.m.,

Friday, February 21, 2020.

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18. Any Proposal received after 2:00 p.m., Friday, February 21, 2020 shall be rejected.

19. A Proposal may not be modified, withdrawn, or canceled by the quoter during the time between the

Proposal opening and the award of a contract by the Board of Education. Any quoter who becomes

aware of circumstances which may affect his/her ability to provide the services contained in his/her

Proposal must notify the Director of Transportation of his/her inability to comply with their Proposal

or with these Specifications prior to the award by the Board of Education of Independent School

District No. 625. Notification of the District of inability to comply with the Proposal or these

Specifications does not require the Board of Education to relieve the quoter from their obligations

under the quote.

III COMPLETING THE RATE SHEET Quoters are required to provide rates on the following types of service.

A. To and From School Routes-- Transportation that is provided to eligible students from home to school and from school to home each day that school is in scheduled session. Generally refered to as AM/PM routes. They may include regular education, special education, nonpublic schools, and charter schools. There will be a base of four (4) hours per day and then quarter hour increments. Qualified providers must garage buses that will be providing service to St. Paul Schools either within the district boundaries or no more than 6 miles outside of the St. Paul School District border.

Contractors awarded a contract will be assigned routes annually. The district will assign routes based on

factors such as; cost, proximity to garage, availability, etc. The route assignment process will take place annually on dates, locations, and times determined by the

District.

St. Paul Schools currently contracts 274 yellow school bus routes for the 2019/2020 school year. Total contracted routes can vary from year to year due to many factors. When establishing the number of awarded routes for the 20/21 school year, percentages will be based upon 274 routes that were established for the 2019/2020 school year. For example; if awarded 100 routes, the calculation used will be 100/274 = 36%, so if in 2020/21 school year, the district develops 270 to/from routes, under this calcuation to/from routes would be 36% x 270 = 97 to/from routes.

B. Midday routes Route service which occurs between the periods of AM and PM route service and which is not attached

to an AM or PM route. A midday first run route (trip) may include a route that starts and ends at a school and which performs both take home and pick-up route service. There will be one (1) hour base and quarter hour increments. Midday routes will be compensated at 20% of the four (4) hour to/from rate per contractor. Contractors will be awarded midday routes equal to the percentage of to/from routes. ¼ hours will be equivalent to quoted ¼ hrs for to/from service.

C. Extended Day routes

A route designed to transport students home from after school programs. Many of these routes do not start at the beginning of the school year. If the route starts before 4:30PM and ends prior to 5:15PM the District may include it as part of a To and From Route. The cost would be included in the To and From rate. If it is not included in the To and From route then contractor would be paid at the quoted rate. There will be a one (1) hour base and then quarter hour.

Each contractor would be assigned a number of Extended Day Routes equal to the percentage of To and From routes they run and/or the best interest of The District. The District will assign these routes to the contractor.

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D. Lift Bus Generally the District does the majority of the transportation requiring lifts. However there may be situations

where a lift will be required. On the Rate Sheet indicate the daily cost that would be added to the base route cost.

E. Limitations on the Number of buses available for route service under this quote.

If the quoter wishes to place a limitation on the number of To and From School category routes which he/she can accept, and if the quoter is offering a Proposal price per day on a number of routes that exceeds this limitation, then the quoter on the Rate Sheet must explain the limitation and the number of available buses (cap) under this section. This cap shall be applicable to all AM and PM routes, including routes running only PM route trips. The quoter may not have a different limit (cap) for AM/PM routes and PM only routes.

A contractor will be required to take a minimum of twenty (20) To and From Routes. Quoters under

contract with the District for 2019/2020 school year can select less than 20 To and From Routes but must be at the same 2019/2020 level or more.

F. Summer School Transportation Service: Routes and Field trips, Athletic trips, and Community

EducationTrips

This service will begin with the summer of 2021. Will include routes and trips run between the day after the

last day of the school year and the day before the first day of the school year.

Summer programs tend to vary in length of day and days per week or number of weeks they run. There will

be a two (2) hour base and quarter hour increments. For example, if a bus is put on the road and has a .5

hr “to” school and a .5 hr “from” school, the 2 hr base applies. Once the 2 hr base is exceeded, total live

time will be calculated for a 24 hour period. For example, if a bus is put on the road for a 1 hr “to” school

route and a 3.25 hr “from” school route, the 4.25 hr live time calculation applies.

The quoter will indicate the limits on number of buses available for summer work (see Section III E.

Limitations on the number of buses available for route service under this contract).

The Field trip, athletic trips, and Community Education trips will be quoted as a percentage of the school

year rates. The daily minimum number of buses requirement will not pertain here.

The District will distribute the routes and trips as it deems necessary.

G. Contractor provided special education paraprofessionals

The District generally supplies the bus paraprofessionals. However the contractor may be asked to supply a

para professional on a temporary or permenant basis. The time is figured on route hours of the bus they are

assigned to.

H. Field trips, Athletic, and Community Education Trips

(See Section IV items 44 – 57 of specifications) Quoters shall submit only one rate for each bus size as specified in each category of service, regardless

of the time of day service may be required.

Contractors shall provide daily trip buses that are at a minimum equal to ten percent (10%) of the to and

from school routes awarded under this quote. These buses shall be available for multiple trips in a day.

Quoters may not subcontract field, athletic, or Community Education trips to another carrier without the

permission of the Transportation Department.

District may require a contractor to run field, athletic, or Community Education service between specific trips on District routes. The District shall pay the contractor normal field, athletic, and Community Education service rates for trips performed between District routes.

The vendor may, at their discretion, extend these rates to service for the City of Saint Paul and its

agencies. The vendor understands that the extension of these rates to the City of Saint Paul service is a voluntary action on the part of the vendor and that the School District does not guarantee prompt

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payment of any service performed for the City of Saint Paul and its agencies. In the event that these rates are extended to the City of Saint Paul, and its agencies, it is the responsibility of the vendor to comply with all Tariff regulations contained in Minnesota Statutes and State Agency Rules.

Other Considerations in Field, Athletic, and Community Education Service

a. The Transportation Department will determine the method of transportation and the carrier to be used for all field and athletic trips.

b. When Independent School District No. 625 is involved in a joint venture with other school

districts, or city agencies, on a field trip, activity trip, or Community Education activity trip, the Transportation Department shall have the discretion to determine the method of transportation and the carrier, including carriers not covered by this contract.

c. The School District may obtain additional quotations from various operators for service not

specifically covered under these Specifications including field, athletic, or Community Education trips involving forty (40) or more miles, overnight trips, trips requiring specialized equipment, and service requiring twenty (20) or more vehicles for one activity.

d. The District will pay for two one-way trips or for a round trip, whichever is less, unless the trip

order specifies that the bus is to remain with the transported group at the point of destination. e. Successful quoters may be required to provide buses with seat belts and/or District provided

restraint vest seat mounts for ECFE and ECSE field trips. f. Contractors are authorized to accept Field/Athletic Trip orders only from the District

Transportation Department. Individual schools, principals, or school staff are not authorized to order field trips, athletic trips, or Community Education trips.

g. District may require a contractor to run field, athletic, or Community Education service between

specific trips on District routes. The District shall pay the contractor normal field, athletic, and Community Education service rates for trips performed between District routes.

I. Rates for 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 The District has the right to extend this contract for two (2) additional years. If the School District

elects to extend the contract for the 2022-2023 school year, the rates established for the 2021-2022 school year will be adjusted for the said school year based upon the Consumer Price Index for the State of Minnesota for the 12-month period ending December 31, 2021 or the Contractor quoted percentage increase, whichever is less. If the School District elects to extend the contract for the 2023-2024 school year, the rate established for the 2022-2023 school year will be adjusted for the said school year based upon the Consumer Prince Index for the State of Minnesota for the 12-month period ending December 31, 2022 or the Contractor quoted percentage increase, whichever is less.

IV OPERATING STANDARDS

A General Information and Requirements

1. General Information The Specifications for Pupil Transportation contain the terms and conditions of the Transportation Quote, as well as the operational requirements of the Transportation Contract. If any part of the contract is declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unenforceable or void for any reason, the remainder of the contract shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect and enforceable to it’s terms.

In submitting a quote, the quoter represents his/her Proposal has been prepared in accordance with the terms of these Specifications. It is the responsibility of the individual quoter to carefully read each page of these Specifications and to request clarification of any questions that the quoter may have regarding these Specifications. The failure of the successful quoter to read and understand these Specifications shall not be accepted as justification for nonperformance or noncompliance with the terms of the contract for transportation services. The officer of the quoting corporation who signs the Proposal documents

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acknowledges through completion and submission of this Proposal document that he/she has read and understands each page of these Specifications and that his/her Proposal is based upon the personnel and equipment required in these Specifications and in accordance with all terms and conditions of these Specifications.

Independent School District No. 625 reserves the right to contract with parents, guardians, taxi companies and other Type III providers, and others for to and from school transportation service.

2. Legal Contract Name, Documents, and Billings All quotes must be entered under the legal name of the entity submitting the quote. All documents relative to this contract, including but not limited to, insurance policies, insurance certificates, affirmative action affidavits, recruitment and retention plans, required documents for new quoters, performance bonds, route billings, and field trip billings must be submitted under the legal name of the contractor as shown on the contract for transportation services and the legal name must appear on all documents, including reports and billings.

3. Considerations in Award of Proposal In evaluating the award of this quote, Independent School District No. 625 may take any or all of the following factors into consideration:

A. The Proposal rates as submitted and conditions submitted by the quoter. B. The operational record of the quoter in this District and in other school districts including but not

limited to: - On time performance record - Incidents of unacceptable driver conduct - Previous compliance with contract specifications and conditions - Previous compliance with operational guidelines and directives

C. The safety record of the quoter including but not limited to:

- Previous compliance with the training and supervision of school bus drivers. - The accident/incident history of the quoter in this School District and in other school

districts. - Previous compliance of contract drivers with Minnesota Statutes, Minnesota

Department of Public Safety Rules, District policies, and contract requirements - Previous compliance of the quoter with safety related operational directives - Violations by the quoter of state and Federal laws and regulations, District Policies,

and/or previous Specifications for Pupil Transportation. - The verifiable accident, incident, and performance history of the quoter. - Type and scope of verifiable training and supervisory activities. - The Minnesota school bus inspection record if currently operating in Minnesota.

D. The Quoter's history of cooperation with the School District.

F. Evaluation of materials required for under these Specifications:

1. Insurance documentation required within these Specifications. 2. Statement of Legal Status and Ownership required within these Specifications. 3. Statement of Qualifications required under Section IV item 19 of these Specifications. 4. Statement of Operations as required under Section IV item 20 of these Specifications. 5. Required documentation for new quoters required under Section IV item 17 of these

Specifications. 6. Evidence of availability of equipment required under these Specifications. 8. Terminal Locations and required permits and licenses as required under Section IV

item 58 of these Specifications. 10. Description of training program required within these Specifications.

G. The verifiable ability, capacity, and experience of the quoter to perform the scope of the

transportation service contemplated in the Proposal award, including but not limited to, facilities, equipment (buses) availability and quality, support vehicles, managerial capacity and experience, technical capacity, labor capacity, insurance, bonding, recruitment and retention plan, and plans for implementation of contract requirements.

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H. The history of a quoter's management, dispatch, safety, and training staff in this and other

school districts. I. Any other relevant and reasonable criteria that the District feels are necessary.

4. Limitations on Award of Routes The School District may limit the number of routes awarded to a quoter

based upon the past performance record of that quoter in this School District. Factors that may be considered in limiting the award of service under this Proposal include, but are not limited to:

1. Failure to run assigned route sequences or individual trips in route sequences 2. Running route trips later or earlier than the scheduled times 3. Arrival at schools later than scheduled drop-off or pick-up time 4. Failure or refusal to provide equipment meeting the requirements of these

Specifications, including but not limited to, age, mechanical condition, required equipment such as camera systems, child check systems, geo-positioning systems, crossing gates, two-way radios, etc.

5. Excessive mechanical failure and breakdown 6. Compliance by the contractor or contractor’s drivers with the requirements of

Minnesota Statutes and/or these Specifications. 5. Contract Term Except as noted in these Specifications the service period for this contract shall

commence on August 17, 2020 and extend through August 19, 2022. There is an option to extend the contract for 2 years at the School District’s discretion. The School District shall have the right to terminate the contract for cause effective with the beginning of any school year by giving ninety (90) days written notice.

6. Interpretation of Specifications These Specifications were prepared by the Saint Paul Public Schools

Transportation Department. Any questions concerning these Specifications must be directed Tom Burr Director of Transportation. Interpretation of Specifications will be made only by letter or electronic communication that will be mailed or transmitted to all prospective quoters. The District assumes no further responsibility for interpreting the intent or meaning of these Specifications.

7. Supervision of Contract The District Transportation Department is responsible for development,

administration, and supervision of this contract. 8. Proposal Security Requirements Each quoter shall deposit with his/her sealed quote, a certified or

cashiers check in the amount of five thousand dollars ($5,000), or a Proposal bond in the amount of five thousand dollars ($5,000), which amount shall be forfeited to the Board of Education of Independent School District No. 625 and be treated as liquidated damages if the quoter to whom a contract is awarded fails to execute the contract.

9. Performance Bond Except as noted below, successful quoters may be required to provide the School

District with a performance bond equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the estimated value of the contract awarded to them. The amount of the performance bond shall be forfeited to the Saint Paul Board of Education and be treated as liquidated damages if the quoter to whom a contract is awarded fails to fulfill the requirements of the contract. The cost of this bond shall be included on Rate Sheet.

The School District may choose to waive the performance bond requirement for a contractor who has

not previously provided three years of continuous satisfactory service provided that the contractor has provided one or more years of very high quality service. Waiver of the performance bond requirement is a voluntary action on the part of the School District.

10. Insurance Requirements The contractor shall provide and keep in force during the term of the contract,

Automobile (motor vehicle) liability insurance and Property Damage liability insurance, to protect pupils and the public.

The contractor shall indemnify and hold the School District harmless from any claims resulting from the

contractor’s actions in the provision of transportation to assigned pupils on District service including claims involving personal injury or property damage arising from the contractor’s operations.

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The Automobile Liability Insurance policies shall name "Independent School District No. 625" as "additional insured". The limits of the liability insurance policy shall not be less than one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) per individual injury or fatality and four million dollars ($4,000,000.00) per occurrence. The contractor shall also carry property damage coverage in the amount of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00) per occurrence.

In no event shall the insurance coverage provided be less than the minimum requirements contained in

Minnesota Statutes Section 65B, The Minnesota No Fault Insurance Act 65B.47, and/or any other applicable statutes relating to school bus operations or school bus companies. Copies of the insurance policies clearly showing the issuance date and coverage in force shall be furnished to the School District Transportation Department prior to implementation of the contract.

The School District shall be named "additional insured" by endorsement only. All insurance coverage

and documents must be submitted to, and approved by, the District Transportation Department. The contractor shall furnish the School District:

a. A legally signed insurance policy or a legally signed duplicate copy of the insurance policy.

b. A legally signed certificate of insurance showing all coverage and effective dates of the coverage.

c. A legally signed endorsement(s) naming Independent School District No. 625 as additionally insured.

Each insurance policy, certificate of insurance, or policy endorsement shall include a thirty (30) day cancellation notice. All cancellation notices shall be sent to Director of Transportation, Saint Paul Public Schools Transportation Department, 261 Chester St, Saint Paul, Minnesota, 55107.

Copies of the insurance policies and certificates of insurance meeting these standards and clearly showing the issuance date and coverage in force must be furnished to the attention of Transportation Director, Saint Paul Public Schools Transportation Department, 261 Chester St, Saint Paul, MN 55107 no later than August 16, of each year. Failure of the successful quoter to supply the required insurance documentation will result in the withholding of all payments for service under this contract until all required insurance documentation has been provided.

It is the responsibility of the successful quoter to obtain signed insurance policy endorsements and signed Certificates of Insurance that meet the requirements of these Specifications from their insurance carrier(s).

Certificates of Insurance or Policy Endorsements which are incomplete, inaccurate, which contain restrictive language such as "This Certificate is issued as information only", "This Certificate confers no rights upon the certificate holder", and/or "This certificate in no way amends the policy for which it is issued", or which do not meet the requirements of these Specifications, will not be accepted.

Failure of the insurance carrier to issue certificates meeting District standards may result in a delay in payment for route and/or field/athletic trip service until the statutory defined statute of limitations on notification of claims against the School District has expired. In executing this contract the quoter agrees that it shall indemnify and defend the District to the same extent as the specified required insurance coverage in the event that the insurance is not obtained or is not kept in force and a claim arises within the scope of the required insurance.

Independent School District No. 625, its employees, or its authorized representatives, will not assume

any liability resulting from any operations by the contractor on behalf of the School District. 11. Workers’ Compensation Insurance Requirements The contractor shall provide and keep in force

during the term of the contract, worker’s compensation insurance that complies with the requirements of Minnesota Statute §176.181 and any other applicable statute or State Agency Rule.

The contractor shall indemnify and hold the School District harmless from any claims resulting from

injuries to the contractor’s employees during, or relative to, the provision of transportation to pupils, staff, and/or public on District contract service.

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The contractor shall provide the District with original certificates of insurance and/or worker’s compensation insurance policies showing coverage in compliance with Minnesota Statute §176.181. Copies of the insurance policies clearly showing the issuance date and coverage in force shall be furnished to the School District Transportation Department no later than August 16. Each insurance policy, certificate of insurance, or policy endorsement shall include a thirty (30) day cancellation notice. All cancellation notices shall be sent to the Director of Transportation, Saint Paul Public Schools Transportation Department, 261 Chester Street, Saint Paul, Minnesota, 55107.

12. General Liability Insurance Requirements The contractor shall provide and keep in force during the

term of the contract, General Liability insurance in an amount of not less than four million dollars ($4,000,000.00) per occurrence.

. The contractor shall indemnify and hold the School District harmless from any claims resulting from the

contractor’s actions in the provision of transportation to pupils, staff, or public on District contract service including claims involving personal injury or property damage arising from the contractor’s operations.

The General Liability Insurance policies shall name "Independent School District No. 625" as "additional

insured" by endorsement only. All insurance coverage and documents must be submitted to, and approved by, the District Transportation Department.

13. Revision of the Insurance Requirements of These Specifications The District reserves the right to

revise the minimum insurance requirements of these Specifications In the event that the Minnesota Legislature makes a change in the statutory limitations on municipal.

14. Indemnification of District In entering a Proposal for service under these Specifications and signing this

contract the contractor agrees to indemnify and save harmless Independent School District No. 625, it’s board of directors (Saint Paul Board of Education), and it’s employees from and against any claims, demands, expenses, or damages, including claims involving personal injury or property damage, arising out of the contractor’s actions, operations, negligence, default, or omissions in providing service on behalf of the District.

The contractor also agrees to indemnify and save harmless grantors or donors that are funding field or activity transportation service for a program or school from and against any claims, demands, expenses, or damages, including claims involving personal injury or property damage, arising out of the contractor’s actions, operations, negligence, default, or omissions in providing service funded by the grantor or donor on behalf of the District.

15. Notification of Cancellation or Expiration of Insurance Coverage The contractor must ensure that the

District Transportation Department is notified of any change in the status of insurance coverage and is responsible for the consequences of any change in policy status that is not reported to the District. The contractor must notify the Transportation Department at least four weeks prior to the expiration of the insurance coverage and must keep the District apprised of the exact status of renewal or replacement coverage.

16. Insurance Documentation - New Quoters Each Quoter who has not provided pupil transportation

service to the Saint Paul Public under a signed contract within the previous five (5) years must submit evidence of the ability to obtain the minimum insurance coverage required under these Specifications with their quote. Such evidence may consist of 1) certificates of insurance showing coverage of at least the minimum amount of coverage required in these Specifications as being currently in force or 2) a statement from an insurance company licensed to provide school bus liability insurance in the State of Minnesota stating that the quoter is eligible to obtain vehicle liability coverage of at least the minimum limits contained within these Specifications.

Proof of insurability must be submitted with the quote. A statement from an insurance agent, agency, or

broker will not be accepted as evidence of insurability. Failure to submit the required evidence of insurability with the Proposal shall result in the rejection of the quote.

17. Required Documents - Each quoter must submit the documents required in these Specifications. The

documents must be submitted with the Proposal documents or by the date or deadline specified in the individual specification.

The quoter must submit the following documents as outlined in these Specifications with the quote:

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a. Evidence of Insurance Availability b. Statement of Ownership or Corporate Officers c. Statement of Qualifications d. Statement of Operations which includes a listing of all contracts currently in place with

public school districts, nonpublic schools, and charter schools, including the name and principal operating address of those school districts, nonpublic schools, and charter schools.

e. Evidence of Availability of Classroom Facilities f. Description of terminal facilities to be utilized for this contract g. Listing terminal locations and radio frequencies h. Evidence of the Ability to Obtain Equipment i. Affirmative Action Affidavits j. Recruitment and Retention Plan

Failure to submit the required documents by the dates specified in these Specifications may result in the rejection of the quote.

18. Statement of Legal Status and Ownership – Each quoter shall submit a statement of ownership with their quote. The statement must include:

1. The business name and legal business status, i.e. partnership, corporation, etc. 2. A listing of all owners of the company, or if the new quoter is a publicly traded corporation, a listing

of the names of the principal officers of the corporation and of the Board of Directors. 3. A listing of the corporate address(es) of the corporation, as well as the state in which the company

is incorporated. 4. An organizational chart showing company hierarchy extending to the direct supervision of a

contract awarded under these Specifications.

19. Statement of Qualifications - Each quoter shall submit a statement of the quoter’s qualifications to provide the service required under these Specifications with their quote. This statement shall include the quoters scope and experience in student transportation and references that may be contacted by the District. A financial statement with bank references may be required prior to the award of the quote.

The Statement of Qualifications each quoter must include must contain the following information: 1. An overview of the new quoter and of any interlocking or parent corporations including summary

company history. 2. An outline of the new quoter’s background and overall qualifications. 3. The length of time the new quoter has provided student transportation services under formal

signed contracts to a public school district. 4. A listing of all regulatory or criminal actions taken against the new quoter, interlocking

corporations, or parent corporations, by any unit of Federal. State, County, or local government. 5. Client references of public school districts including complete addresses, telephone numbers, and

contact names. 6. A listing of client school districts with 30,000 or more transported students. 7. A listing of all school districts that have discontinued a contract for student transportation services

with the new quoter within the past five years including complete addresses, telephone numbers, and names.

The District shall have the right to take such steps as it deems necessary to determine the ability of the quoter to perform the service required under these Specifications in accordance with the requirements of these Specifications. The District reserves the right to reject any Proposal where an investigation and evaluation of the quoter’s qualifications have determined that doubt exists that the quoter could comply with the requirements of these Specifications.

20. Statement of Operations - Each quoter shall supply the Director of Transportation with the names of all public school districts, nonpublic schools, and charter schools served by the new quoter during the, 2015-2016, 2016-2017, 2017-2018, 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 school years, as well as the term and value of the contract, the scope of operations, and the name, address, and telephone number of the school or school district official responsible for administrating the contract. This information must be submitted with the quote.

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21. Disclosure of Litigation – Each quoter shall submit with their Proposal a statement outlining all litigation by or against the company for the previous five (5) years. The statement shall, at a minimum, contain the case name, case number, Court, summary description, and disposition if the case is concluded.

22. Recruitment and Retention Plan - Each quoter who is notified that they will be recommended to the Board of Education to be awarded service in any of the categories of these Specifications shall submit a Recruitment and Retention Plan to the Director of Transportation within twenty-four (24) hours of notification by the Transportation Department that they will be recommended for the award of service under this quote. The information contained in the Recruitment and Retention Plan will be reviewed by the administration and will be forwarded to the Board of Education.

The Recruitment and Retention Plan must be in narrative form on a maximum of three (3) typewritten pages. The Recruitment and Retention Plan must, at a minimum, provide answers to the following information:

A. Explain the actions you have or will take to recruit qualified drivers for this contract. Include any outreach and advertising efforts made by your company. Explain how you have screened, or will screen, applicants to be certain that they meet the requirements of these Specifications.

B. Explain the training that your drivers receive prior to assignment to the routes awarded pursuant to these Specifications. Describe the systems you have in place to monitor driver behavior and respond to incidents (accidents, traffic, student confrontations, etc.)

C. Explain the actions you have taken as an employer to retain qualified drivers to meet the requirements of these Specifications. Provide any data you have on employment longevity or frequency of turnover.

23. Affirmative Action Affidavits Contractors must show evidence of a nondiscriminatory affirmative action program in the selection of drivers. Such affirmative action program must provide equal opportunity regardless of a person's race, creed, sex, or national origin. A statement outlining the components of the affirmative action program must be submitted with the quote.

24. United States Department of Transportation Carrier Number Each quoter shall submit the USDOT census number assigned to them by the FMCSA Motor Carrier Management Information System.

25. Required Documents - All Quoters All insurance policies, insurance certificates, and insurance endorsements called for in these Specifications must be supplied to the District Transportation Department no later than August 14, 2020. Quoters who are required to furnish proof of ability to obtain insurance under Section IV item16 of these Specifications must submit the required proof with the quote. Failure to supply the required insurance documentation by the specified dates may result in all awarded service being reassigned to the next vendor meeting these Specifications.

Affirmative action affidavits required under Section IV item 23 must be submitted with the Proposal documents. The description of the quoter's school bus driver training program required must be submitted with the Proposal documents if not on file.

Successful quoters who are required to furnish a performance bond under the terms of Section IV item 9 of these Specifications must present the Performance Bond to the Transportation Director, Saint Paul Schools Transportation Department, 261 Chester Street, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55107, no later than August 14, 2020. Failure to respond with the required Performance Bond by August 14, 2020, may result in all awarded service being reassigned to the next vendor meeting these Specifications.

Exhibits "A", "B", and "C," must be furnished to the District no later than August 17, 2020. Exhibits must be updated continuously as things change.

26. Subcontracting The School District may at it’s sole discretion allow the subcontracting of service awarded under this Proposal due to driver shortage or other unusual circumstances. The first recourse for subcontracting of service awarded under this Proposal shall be to a contractor that holds a current contract for pupil transportation services with Independent School District No. 625. The contractor must obtain the approval of the Director of Transportation. The original contractor to whom the work

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was awarded remains responsible for the timely delivery of quality service in conformance with these Specifications and the use of an approved subcontractor shall in no way reduce the obligations and responsibilities of the contractor with respect to this contract.

The District will consider allowing a contractor to subcontract work assigned under this Proposal to a company that does not hold a current contract for pupil transportation services with Independent School District No. 625 if no existing District contractor will subcontract for the service. The General Counsel of Independent School District No. 625 and the Director of Transportation must approve the subcontract agreement before approval by the District.

The contractor requesting the subcontracting of service under this Proposal must include in the subcontract the requirement that the subcontractor follow the Specifications for Pupil Transportation of Independent School District No. 625. This requirement must be stated on the subcontractor's contract forms. All standards contained in these Specifications, including the insurance requirements shall apply to all subcontractors.

The contractor remains responsible for the timely delivery of quality service in conformance with these Specifications and the use of an approved subcontractor shall in no way reduce the obligations and responsibilities of the contractor with respect to this contract.

This clause shall not prohibit a contractor from requesting assistance from another District contractor, or the School District, during periods of school bus driver shortages or other emergency situations. The contractor requesting assistance from another District contractor must notify the Transportation Department as soon as possible that another contractor is covering a specific route(s).

27. Assignment of Interests The successful quoter may not assign or transfer any or all interest in this contract without the written approval of the District. Any reassignment of interest in this contract without the approval of Independent School District No. 625 shall be regarded as a default on all routes in question with reassignment of all affected routes to another available quoter and shall result in the forfeiture of the performance bond or retainage withholding.

28. Contractor Not an Agent of District The successful quoter, or authorized sub contractor of the quoter, is an independent contractor hired to provide the services outlined in this Specification and shall not be held or deemed in any way to be an officer, agent or employee of Independent School District No. 625. The successful quoter is, and shall be considered to be, an independent contractor. No officer, employee, or agent of the contractor shall be deemed to be an officer, employee, or agent of the Independent School District No. 625. The successful quoter awarded service under these Specifications agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Independent School District No. 625 from any and all claims, demands, causes of action, and suits against the school district caused by the negligence or intentional acts of the officers, employees, or agents of the successful quoter, or the quoter’s authorized subcontractor. With respect to the contractor’s operations on behalf of the District, the contractor shall be responsible for and shall hold the District harmless from any liability for unemployment taxes or contributions, workmen’s compensation taxes, or other federal or state employment, income, or operating taxes.

29. Contractor Safety Responsibilities Each contractor is responsible for development of appropriate and effective safety management controls, including policies, programs, practices, and procedures, to ensure compliance with all provisions of these Specifications and with all applicable Federal and state laws, rules, and regulations, to ensure the safe transportation of District students, and to reduce the risk of motor vehicle or personal injury accidents.

30. Compliance Review The Director of Transportation may conduct a review of contractor compliance with the requirements of these Specifications at any time. This review, which may be conducted at the contractors terminal, may include drivers hours of service, records of maintenance of vehicles, drivers pre-trip inspection logs, commercial and school bus driver license documentation, school bus driver training documentation, in-service training documentation, annual safety evaluation documentation, accidents involving vehicles on District route service, or other factors determined by the District.

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Review and Monitoring of Route Operations

31. Review of Terminal Procedures Each contractor shall be required to outline to the School District in detail their plans for:

Basic route dispatch procedures

Driver assignment procedures

Procedures for management and supervision of driver report times

Procedures for covering routes of absent drivers

Utilization of Field Standby (pivot) drivers

Radio procedures for both dispatchers and drivers

Coverage of mechanical breakdowns

Vehicle key management including identification, distribution to drivers, return, and storage of bus keys

Parking management including parking assignment plan, management of spare buses, daily tracking of actual bus parking locations, and method of communicating parking locations to drivers.

32. Readiness to Commence Route Operations The successful quoter is responsible for being prepared to perform all service awarded under this contract on time effective with the first day of service. The District may reassign some or all awarded routes to another available contractor if the contractor awarded the routes cannot demonstrate ten working days prior to the start of the school year that they have sufficient capability, including buses and drivers, to successfully execute the service awarded under the contract.

33. Monitoring of Dispatch and Safety Operations When determined necessary by the Director of Transportation, the School District may place experienced Transportation Department staff at the dispatch and other terminal offices of a new contractor, or of an existing contractor significantly expanding in assigned routes or experiencing performance issues, to observe and monitor operations, make suggestions for improvement, or direct changes to resolve performance or safety issues. The contractor shall cooperate with the assigned Transportation Department staff and shall implement changes directed by District staff in a timely manner.

B. Performance, Penalties and Prohibitions 34. Responsibility for Reimbursement In the event that the School District, or any school or school

sponsored organization, suffers economic loss or indebtedness by reason of the contractor’s violation of Minnesota Statutes, State Agency Rules, District Policies, Transportation Department Administrative Procedures and/or guidelines, these Specifications, or the failure of the contractor to perform to contract standards, the contractor shall be required to reimburse the District, school, or organization for all costs, including any fines or legal fees incurred by the District, school, or organization.

35. Failure to Perform Required Service In the event that the contractor fails to perform, or is unable to perform, any or all of the service required under this contract, Independent School District No. 625 shall have the right to reassign any or all of the service to other carriers. In the event that the reassignment results in increased costs to the District, the contractor shall be required to reimburse the District for the difference between the original contract cost and the cost of the reassigned service.

36. Nonperformance It is the responsibility of the contractor to perform all service required under this

contract in strict accordance with the terms of this contract. In the event bus transportation is not furnished in accordance with these Specifications, the Transportation Department shall, at its sole discretion, determine if nonperformance or noncompliance with this contract has occurred and whether extenuating circumstances exist which eliminate the need for application of a penalty.

37. Conditions of Nonperformance and Penalties Conditions of nonperformance include, but are not

limited to, the following:

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A fine of $500 per occurence may be imposed on the Contractor for any of the following:

a. Failure to supply or to utilize equipment in conformance with these Specifications including, but not

limited to, vehicle size and year, required safety equipment, mirrors, seat belts, seat mounts, backup alarms, wheelchair lifts, wheelchair restraint systems, public address systems, video student monitoring systems, working FM two-way radios, student crossing arms, and geo positioning system.

b. Failure to notify the District Transportation Department of school bus accidents or personal injury

accidents.

c. Not running a route due to a lack of equipment or driver.

d. Running a route or trip in a vehicle without a current MN Inspection Sticker.

e. Using a driver that is not properly licensed or has been banned by the District.

A fine of $250 per occurence may be imposed on the Contractor for any of the following:

f. Failure of the regularly assigned driver to perform a “dry”, or practice, run in the school bus during

the week immediately prior to the start of the school year or to assignment to the route.

g. Running a route more than 15 minutes late unless due to vehicle breakdown, poor weather, or act of God.

h. Failure of the school bus driver to follow the bus route(s) and field trip/athletic trip schedules as

issued by the Transportation Department, including missing or skipping one or more stops.

i. Transportation of individuals deemed ineligible for transportation service by the School District.

j. Failure to notify the District Transportation Department of routes running late, as well as the reason for the lateness. Notification of the District Transportation Department does not relieve the contractor of liability under other areas of these Specifications.

k. Failure to maintain school buses in good mechanical condition and in conformance with Minnesota

Laws, Rules, and these Specifications.

l. Failure to maintain proper insurance coverage that meets the requirements contained in these Specifications.

m. Failure of the contract driver to check his/her bus at the end of every trip and to utilize the placard

check system and child check systems required under these Specifications.

n. Any actions by the contractor, or his/her employees or agents, which violates the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, of Minnesota State Agency Rules, Federal Regulations, or School District Policies and/or procedures.

o. Any other incident or condition of noncompliance with the terms of these Specifications as

determined by the Director of Transportation. 38. Application of Penalty For Nonperformance A penalty for nonperformance may be assessed for

serious or frequent route problems resulting in a disruption of service to students and/or school staff. The District will attempt to notify contractors of problem areas through telephone calls, Daily Operational Problems Reports, Problem Report Forms, Incident Report and Observation Report Forms from Safety Staff, and Operational Problems Summary Reports. The failure of the District to notify the contractor of the existence of a problem does not relieve the contractor of responsibility to provide timely and reliable service, and does not prohibit the application of a penalty for nonperformance.

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Successful quoters are cautioned that it is in their interest to notify the District of known problems, and the causes of those problems, such as late buses, accidents prior to route time, traffic delays, discipline problems, late drivers, etc. so that affected schools can be notified and other options explored. An Operational Problem is not necessarily nonperformance. Problems reported by the contractor in a timely manner may not necessarily result in the assessment of a penalty for nonperformance unless frequent, severe, or part of a reoccurring pattern.

39. Reassignment of Service Due to Nonperformance The School District requires and expects safe,

reliable, and timely transportation service in conformance with these Specifications. In the event of frequent or repeated instances of nonperformance or noncompliance with respect to these Specifications, the route(s) affected may be reassigned to another available vendor in addition to any monetary penalties imposed for nonperformance.

In the event that the reassignment of route(s) due to nonperformance or noncompliance results in

increased costs to the District, the contractor shall be required to reimburse the District for the difference between the original contract (quote) cost and the cost of the reassigned service.

40. Exclusive Use Contract The District shall have the exclusive use of all vehicles while that vehicle is

performing service under this contract. The contractor is strictly prohibited from using vehicles contracted to Independent School District No. 625 to provide service to any other group or organization while operating on service under this contract.

41. Notice of Litigation or Legal or Regulatory Action Against Contractor If during the term of this contract any lawsuits or proceedings are filed or initiated against the contractor or any subcontractor before any court, commission, board, bureau, agency, or unit of government which might materially affect or inhibit the ability of the contractor to perform it’s obligations under this contract or to otherwise comply with the requirements of this contract, the contractor shall promptly notify the Director of Transportation of the action, shall provide the District with a copy of the lawsuit or action, and shall keep the District informed concerning all aspects of such lawsuit or action.

42. Termination of Contract Without Default The Board of Education of the Saint Paul Public Schools may terminate the contract for transportation services at any time by written notification of the contractor. If the contract for transportation services is terminated by the Board of Education the contractor shall be paid for services actually provided to the date of the contract termination.

43. Authority to Declare Contractor in Default The Board of Education of Independent School District No. 625 shall, at their discretion, have the authority to declare the contractor in default of the terms of this contract if any of the following actions or events occur:

a. The contractors overall performance and/or compliance with the terms of these Specifications is deficient to the extent that it affects the safety of the transported student and/or the student’s ability to access the educational program and the contractor is unable to correct the substandard performance or comply with the requirements of these Specifications.

b. The contractor is convicted of a criminal act at the felony or gross misdemeanor level which relates to unsafe operations in the transportation of school children under this contract, or under a contract with another school district within or outside the State of Minnesota.

c. The contractor is cited by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for a serious violation of Federal Regulations, or a division of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety for a serious violation of state law or Rule, which involves unsafe operations in the transportation of school children in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area.

d. The contractor becomes insolvent. e. The contractor makes an assignment of the interest in this contract for the benefit of creditors

without the written permission of Independent School District No. 625. f. The contractor makes an assignment of the interest in this contract to a purchaser without the

written permission of Independent School District No. 625 A voluntary or involuntary petition of bankruptcy is filed by or against the contractor.

g. A receiver or receivers are appointed to take charge of the property or affairs of the contractor. h. Contractor refuses to accept assigned service awarded under this contract. i. A receiver or receivers are appointed to assume control of the affairs and/or property of the

contractor. k. Subcontracts, assigns, transfers, conveys, or otherwise disposes of its obligations under the

contract other than provided in these Specifications. l. Fails to provide the performance bond required of specific quoters under these Specifications. m. Fails to provide the insurance and/or insurance documentation required under these

Specifications.

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C. Field, Athletic, and Community Education Trips

44. Field Trips, Activity Trips, Community Education Trips, and Other School District Trips Quoters shall submit only one Proposal rate for each bus size as specified in each category, regardless of the time of day service may be required. Quotes for Field Trip and Athletic Team trips are for service only to the Saint Paul Public Schools and its Departments. Field Trip rates will be applicable to adult trips for the Saint Paul Schools Community Education Department, provided that the quoter holds carrier authority and is insured to provide such service.

45. Limitations on Assignment of Field, Athletic, and Community Education Service The School District may

limit the assignment of field, athletic, and Community Education trips to a quoter based upon the past performance record of that quoter in this School District. Factors that may be considered in limiting the award of field, athletic, and Community Education trips service under this Proposal include, but are not limited to:

1. Failure to run assigned field, athletic, and Community Education trips 2. Arrival at pickup locations later than scheduled pick-up time or return time 3. Failure to provide the type and size of equipment specified in the field, athletic, and

Community Education trip order. 4. Excessive mechanical failure and breakdown 5. Failure to provide requirements and items that are specified in the field, athletic, and

Community Education trip order including trailers, BY license plates on service that is not classified as school bus service under Minnesota Statute §169.011 subd. 71, and public address systems.

6. Violation by the contractor or contractor’s drivers of Minnesota Statutes and/or these Specifications.

46. Assignment of Field, Athletic, and Community Education Trips to Run With Specific Routes The

District may require that a contractor run specific field, athletic, or Community Education trip(s) assigned to the contractor before, after, or in between specific individual school trips of specific AM, PM, or noon routes assigned to the contractor. The District will pay the normal field, athletic, and Community Education trip rates for trips assigned to run before, after, or in between individual school trips of specific routes assigned to the contractor.

Refusal of the contractor to run specific field, athletic, or Community Education trip(s) assigned to the

contractor before, after, or in between specific individual school trips of specific AM, PM, or noon routes assigned to the contractor shall be regarded as a violation of this contract. Refusal of a contractor employed driver to run an assigned trip shall result in the suspension of that driver from all District service for a period of six (6) months.

47. Extension of Field, Athletic, and Community Education Trip Rates to the City of Saint Paul Successful

quoters may, at their discretion, extend the field, athletic, and Community Education trip rates contained in this Proposal to service performed for the City of Saint Paul and its agencies. The District cautions that the extension of these rates to City of Saint Paul service is a voluntary action on the part of the vendor and that the School District does not accept any responsibility for payment for any service performed for the City of Saint Paul and its agencies.

Service for the City of Saint Paul and it’s agencies is not “school bus service” as defined under

Minnesota Statutes and requires charter carrier authority in the form of a Charter Carrier Permit issued by the Minnesota Transportation Regulation Board.

48. Charter and Nonpublic Schools Charter and nonpublic schools are not part of the Saint Paul Public

Schools. Field, athletic, and Community Education trip service under this contract is not applicable to service for charter or nonpublic schools. In certain instances field or athletic trip transportation may be provided by the District to specific nonpublic and/or charter school students who are involved in joint activities with a Saint Paul Public School, or who are receiving counseling or other professional services from School District staff. All such trips shall be ordered through the Transportation Department.

49. Authority to Transport SPPS Students and Staff Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 710.00 all transportation provided to students for field, athletic, and Community Education trips and all school bus

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and motor coach transportation provided to staff, parents, guardians, or participants in District programs and activities shall be ordered by the Transportation Department. This requirement applies to all school sponsored activities regardless of what fund, individual, entity, or corporation is paying for the trip.

Contractors are authorized to accept orders for field, athletic, or Community Education trips transporting District students or staff only from the District Transportation Department. Individual schools, principals, or school staff are not authorized to order any field trips, athletic trips, or Community Education trips.

The District will not guarantee payment for orders placed by any individual, school, or organization except the District Transportation Department and the financial responsibility for an unauthorized trip may be a matter between the contractor and the individual who ordered the trip.

50. Carrier Authority - Non School Related Service The District will not intentionally award non school related service which requires carrier authority to a contractor who does not possess proper intrastate or interstate carrier authority. The District will make every effort to identify non school related trips on the trip orders with notations of “BY PLATES” and/or “ADULTS”. However, it is the driver’s responsibility to notify the contractor before transporting a non-school related group and the District assumes no responsibility for fines or penalties incurred by the contractor for providing non school related charter service without proper carrier authority.

51. Bus Identification on Route or Field Trip Bus Service Each school bus transporting students on field trips or athletic trips shall display the words "SCHOOL BUS" to the front and rear in conformance with Minnesota Statute §169.441 subdivision 3.

52. Bus Identification Non Student Service Each school bus transporting non-students on District service, such as school staff, parents, or participants in Community Education activities, shall have the school bus sign removed or covered with “Charter”, “Special”, or other non-school bus signage as required under Minnesota Statute §169.441 Subdivision 3. Any covering other than “Charter”, “Special”, or a blank sign must be approved by the District Transportation Department.

53. Supervision of Passengers The school bus driver is the person in charge of the school bus. If a teacher or coach is present on a field trip or athletic trip, it is expected that the coach or teacher will provide primary supervision of students and will maintain an orderly environment on the bus.

The driver is responsible for ensuring correction of improper behavior on the school bus and for reporting all incidents of unacceptable conduct by students or staff to the Transportation Department through the dispatcher and for documenting this behavior through completion of a District Incident Report Form. Unacceptable behavior includes unauthorized use of the emergency door, or other emergency equipment, by students or staff without the permission of the driver.

54. Emergency Exit Procedure Briefing Except a noted below in this section, the driver of a field, athletic, and Community Education trip shall conduct a briefing on emergency exit procedures prior to leaving the point of origin highlighting the location and operation of the school bus emergency exits. This requirement shall not apply to trips providing shuttle service between various locations.

55. After Hours Route/Field/Athletic Trip Emergency Contact Each contractor shall provide a means, other than an answering service, for District staff to contact a dispatcher or manager, who has a means to contact individual buses and drivers in a timely manner in emergency situations involving routes or Field, Athletic, or Community Education trips that occur during hours when the terminal is closed. Information on the person(s) designated with this responsibility must be provided to the District.

56. Vehicle Capacity The number of passengers carried on a field trip, athletic trip, or Community Education trip shall not exceed the manufacturer's rated seating capacity adjusted for the individual size of the passengers. No student or other passenger may stand, or sit in the lap of another person, while the bus is in motion.

It is the responsibility of the driver to report overloads to the dispatcher before leaving the point of origin. The driver shall be responsible for any traffic citations issued, and fines levied, for field/athletic trip overload situations. Under no circumstances should a driver transport an overload.

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57. Drivers of Field Trip, Athletic, and Community Education Service All drivers of field trip, athletic, and Community Education service must meet all requirements for regular route drivers as contained in the Transportation Manual.

Drivers providing service to the Community Education Department which is not classified as school bus service under Minnesota Statute §169.011 Subdivision 71 shall also meet all requirements for charter drivers as contained in Minnesota Statutes, Department of Public Safety, and Department of Transportation Rules. All driver discipline and disqualification standards contained in the Transportation Operational Manual shall be applicable to all field trips, athletic trips, or Community Education service.

Early Childhood and Family Education Route

The Saint Paul Public Schools may provide daily transportation service for routes to and from programs

serving the Early Childhood and Family Education Program (ECFE) operated by the Saint Paul Public

Schools Community Education Department. Each ECFE trip will pick-up at various addresses within a

limited area, normally no larger than a normal junior high school attendance area. ECFE trips will

transport adult parents and one or more of their infant to preschool age children to an ECFE class site.

Several ECFE trips will be combined for each daily route

Service will be based upon the use of 71 passenger units.

ECFE routes transport adult parents, and one or more of their infant to preschool age children, to and

from family education classes at an ECFE site. Some ECFE routes may transport only adults.

ECFE transportation does not come under the definition of school bus service as defined under the

provisions of Minnesota Statute §169.011 Subdivision 71. Therefore the carrier providing this service is

not exempt from the requirement for motor carrier authority.

Buses used on ECFE service must display BY license plates and operate with the SCHOOL BUS lettering

covered pursuant to the provisions of Minnesota Statute §169.441 Subdivision 3.

It is contemplated that ECFE routes may operate daily Monday through Friday.

ECFE route times will operate during prime time and evening hours and may be in direct conflict with

regular to and from school route service for Independent School District No. 625.

It is currently anticipated that a maximum of three (3) routes (buses) will be needed for this service,

however this number may increase or decrease if program needs change

The trips operated and the sites serviced will vary by day. More than one site will normally be served each

day.

ECFE routes may operate on days when student route service does not operate.

ECFE routes require the use of car seats. These seats will be issued to the bus contractor and must be

left on the school bus overnight and on weekends. The car seats remain the property of the District

Community Education Department and may only be used on ECFE service ordered through the District

Transportation Department.

The contractor awarded ECFE route service may be issued, and required to store and use, additional car

seats beyond the number required for ECFE routes. If issued, these car seats are for exclusive use on

District ECFE field trips. The car seats shall remain the property of the District Community Education

Department and may not be used on any service other than ECFE field trips ordered by the Transportation

Department

The contractor must supply equipment to secure Child Safety Restraint Systems (CSRS) (car seats).

The CSRS must be installed on a seat-belt-ready-seat that meets the requirements of FMVSS 210 and

be restrained utilizing a cam belt, as defined in these Specifications, or lap type seat belt attached to the

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seat frame. A 110 inch wrap around seat belt may be utilized in addition to a cam belt or lap belt as an

additional restraint attached on the top portion of a car seat. The contractor may, at their option, utilize

buses equipped with seats that have integrated child restraint systems meeting the requirements of

FMVSS 210, FMVSS 213, FMVSS 222, FMVSS 225, and FMVSS 302, such as the CR-26, CR-30, CR-

37, and CR-39 school bus seats manufactured by the C.E. White Company.

A regular driver must be assigned to this service.

Routes transporting ECFE students may also transport students attending Early Childhood Kindergarten

classes operated by the Community Education Department.

D. Terminal Facilities, Vehicles, and Equipment Standards

58. Terminal Facilities Each contractor operating route service under this contract must maintain terminal facilities within the boundaries of Independent School District No. 625, or within 6 (six) miles of the School District boundary.

Terminal facilities shall include: administrative offices, dispatch facilities with both land line and FM or digital two-way radio capabilities, overnight storage for the majority of the vehicles operated for the District, storage of spare equipment, repair facilities, and fuel storage tanks. The fuel storage requirements of this section will not apply in a situation where the contractor uses an outside vendor to fuel buses.

59. Terminal Facilities - New Quoters Quoters that are not currently providing route service to the Saint Paul Public Schools under a signed transportation contract must provide the District with a physical description of all terminal facilities to be used under this contract and a copy of the signed and executed lease or purchase agreement. This description must be submitted with the Proposal and must include:

a. Address of Facility b. Amount of acreage at the facility c. Number and type of buildings on the property d. Type and capacity of fuel storage facilities e. Number of buses that can be housed in inside storage f. Number of buses that can be stored outside

If the property or properties described in the Proposal have not been secured by signed purchase or lease agreement at the time the Proposal is submitted, the quoter shall present copies of the signed and executed lease or purchase agreements to the Director of Transportation at least fourteen (14) days prior to the award of the Proposal by the Board of Education of Independent School District No. 625.

The quoter must also present evidence that the quoter has obtained, or will be able to obtain, all necessary permits for the operation of the terminal including necessary zoning changes or waivers, conditional use permits, hazardous waste generator permits, building permits, storm water management permits, and certificates of occupancy.

The submission of false or misleading information by a quoter shall result in rejection of the quote, or the

cancellation of any contract awarded as a result of a Proposal containing false or misleading information. 60. Telephone lines Terminal shall have enough outside lines to handle volume related to the number of

assigned routes. 61. Dedicated Telephone Line Each contractor awarded thirty (30) or more routes shall be required to

supply an unlisted telephone number, which rings at the Saint Paul dispatcher's desk, for the exclusive use of the District Transportation Department. The successful quoter shall provide these telephone numbers to the Transportation Department on Exhibit "E" (available on the Transportation website) no later than August 16th of each school year.

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62. Facsimile Capability at Terminal Locations All terminals as defined in Section IV item 58 shall have the capability to send and receive facsimile transmissions of route changes, problem reports, and other operational matters. It is strongly suggested that this capability be a plain paper machine. Facsimile machines shall be connected to a dedicated telephone line that is not shared with voice, data, or other non facsimile transmissions.

63. Electronic Mail Account Each contractor must provide a dispatch and safety electronic mail account

(e-mail address) to electronically receive route changes, schedule variations, reports, notices etc. from the District. The contractor may establish separate electronic mail addresses for route and safety operations. Electronic mail account mail boxes required under this section must be accessible to all pertinent personnel at each terminal servicing this contract.

64. Management Communications Equipment Each contractor shall provide senior terminal management, including the terminal safety director, with a means of immediate communication with the District Transportation Office while absent from the terminal office. All managers and dispatchers, including the terminal Safety Director, shall have electronic mail capability.

65. Terminal Static IP Address(es) The School District may require each successful quoter to provide a

static IP Address (Internet Protocol Address) for each computer accessing District data systems.

66. Access to District Data Systems During the term of this contract the School District may authorize and allow the successful quoter to access District Transportation data systems, including route and student information, for the legitimate use of the contractor in fulfilling it’s obligations under these Specifications. The contractor may not share or distribute access information, including internet protocol addresses and passwords, except as specifically authorized by the Transportation Director.

The contractor shall follow all security and operational protocols established by the School District or

third parties acting on behalf of the School District. Authorized contractor staff shall attend and successfully complete all training specified by the Director of Transportation.

All School District data accessed by the contractor is confidential and may not be shared with third

parties including, but not limited to, nonauthorized employees of the contractor, law enforcement, parents of transported students, insurance companies, attorneys, or news media.

No information obtained from District data systems may be provided to an insurance carrier or legal

council representing the contractor without the authorization of the School District. In the event that the contractor is served with a subpoena seeking access to information in, or

obtained from, District data systems the contractor shall notify the Director of Transportation of the service of the subpoena before complying with the terms of the subpoena.

In the event that the contractor deliberately or accidentally releases information which is classified as

private data under the provisions of Section 34 of United States Code or Chapter 13 of Minnesota Statutes, and which results in civil or criminal action against the School District, the contractor shall be responsible for the reimbursement to the School District of all expenses incurred by the School District including all legal fees, penalties, or fines.

EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS 67. Emergency Radio System Power Each contractor shall have a means of providing emergency power

in the event of a power failure to the base station at each terminal for the FM or digital two way radio system.

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VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT 68. Effective Date of Equipment Requirements Unless otherwise noted in individual sections of these

Specifications, all equipment operating under this contract must comply with all requirements of these Specifications effective with the starting date of this contract unless granted a written waiver by the Director of Transportation.

All equipment that is not in compliance with the requirements of these Specifications shall be subject to

the penalties.

69. Vehicle Capacity Unless otherwise ordered or authorized by the Transportation Department, all school buses utilized for the transportation of students on routes must be Type C or D equipment as defined in Section 169.011, Subd 71, of Minnesota Statutes. This includes all lift buses. The minimum capacity for vehicles assigned to each route shall be a minimum of 71 passenger.

70. Right to Make Adjustments The District Transportation Department retains the right to make adjustments in the type or size of vehicle required on any contract route at any time prior to, or during the term of, the Pupil Transportation contract. Adjustments to contract rates shall be based upon the Proposal rates submitted by the successful quoter.

71. Equipment Age and Standards - School Bus All Type A, B, C, and D, school buses that are regularly assigned to Saint Paul Public School routes, field trips, and activity trips, shall have an actual date of manufacture of no more than 12 years old on the first day of school for each school year. Exhibit “A” listing all equipment to be used under this contract must be submitted to the Director of Transportation no later than August 17, 2020, and must be updated as changes in equipment occurs. Spare buses must be designated as “spare” under the Route Number on Exhibit “A”.

All contractors must maintain an annual equipment replacement schedule and the average age of all

approved equipment must not be more that 7 years from the date of manufacture shown on the body manufacturer’s plate based upon the starting date of this contract.

All contractors must maintain an annual equipment replacement schedule. The average age of all

approved equipment regularly assigned to routes must not be more that 7 years from the date of manufacture shown on the manufacturer’s plate based upon the starting date of the transportation contract.

Type A, B, C, and D vehicles used solely as spare equipment shall have an actual date of manufacture

of no more than 12 years old on the first day of school for each school year, and may not be utilized on a regular basis. Spare equipment may be utilized on field, athletic, and Community Education trips.

All Type III vehicles approved for use must comply with the age requirements contained in Minnesota

Statute §169.454. Under no circumstances shall a nonconforming vehicle, as defined in these Specifications, be used to transport District students.

72. Waivers of Contract Age The equipment age requirement contained in Section IV item 71 of these

Specifications may be subject to waiver under extraordinary circumstances. Waivers may be based upon unique equipment, or equipment which required higher than normal capital investment and which is designed for a longer service life. Waivers will only be granted under exceptional circumstances.

The Director of Transportation must approve each waiver in advance. Each vehicle granted a waiver

under this clause shall be subject to periodic unannounced inspection by the District. 73. Failure of Contractor to Supply Required Equipment If the contractor is unable to supply a vehicle of

the size and/or type specified on the rate sheets that meets the requirements of these Specifications for the routes awarded, the contractor shall be deemed to be in violation of the contract and the affected route(s) shall be reassigned to another vendor with available equipment of the size and/or type required to service the route(s). In the event that the reassignment of route(s) results in increased costs to the District, the contractor shall be required to reimburse the District for the difference between the original contract (quote) cost and the cost of the reassigned service.

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74. Lift Buses Unless otherwise specifically authorized and noted on the route copy, all lift buses utilized on District routes and field trips shall be Type C or D equipment.

In the event that the reassignment of the route(s) due to noncompliance with this clause results in

increased costs to the District, the contractor shall be required to reimburse the District for the difference between the original contract cost and the cost of the reassigned service. Under no circumstances shall a school bus with a fold up or pull out ramp be used in lieu of a bus equipped with a power lift.

75. Road Coaches, Transit Equipment, Other Non School Bus Type

Such vehicles may be utilized for the transportation of pupils on field trips or athletic trips by a contractor possessing charter carrier authority only when specifically ordered by, or authorized by, the District Transportation Department. This section does not prohibit the use of the type D school bus, also called "transit type", or forward control (FC), conforming to the provisions contained in Minnesota Statutes.

76. Notification of Fleet Assignments Before being placed into service the contractor must advise the

Director of Transportation of all new and used buses operating under this contract. 77. Evidence of Availability of Equipment- Quoters must provide evidence with their Proposal of their

ability to supply equipment meeting the standards contained in these Specifications.

Evidence may consist of:

a. A listing of currently owned or leased equipment meeting Minnesota school bus standards and these Specifications, including model year, chassis make, body make, Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), and license plate numbers, and a notarized statement signed by the chief operating officer of the quoting corporation guaranteeing that the equipment shown on the list submitted with the Proposal document will be available to be utilized on District route service awarded to the quoter.

b. A signed and notarized certification from an authorized officer of the school bus body manufacturer, or its authorized representative, stating that there is an unconditional agreement between the manufacturer and the quoter for the quoter to purchase new equipment meeting Minnesota school bus standards of sufficient quantity to service the submitted quote, that this equipment will be provided to the quoter prior to the scheduled date of the start of service under this contract, and that satisfactory arrangements have been made for financing the bus purchases, and;

A notarized statement signed by the chief operating officer of the quoting corporation

guaranteeing that the equipment referenced in the manufacturer’s letter will be utilized on District route service if the quoter is awarded service. The agreement for the purchase of equipment may include a contingency allowing the quoter to reduce the number of vehicles purchased to the number of routes awarded to the quoter and the number of spare buses required under these Specifications.

c. A listing of used equipment meeting Minnesota school bus standards and these Specifications,

including model year, chassis make, body make, Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), and license plate numbers, that are currently owned by another person or corporation, written on the letterhead of that person or corporation, certifying that the equipment contained on the listing is available to the quoter for purchase or lease; and a notarized statement signed by the owner, or chief operating officer of the owning corporation, guaranteeing that the equipment contained on the equipment list submitted with the Proposal document will be provided to the quoter prior to the start of the school year; and a notarized statement signed by the chief operating officer of the quoting corporation guaranteeing that the equipment referenced in the equipment owners certification letter will be utilized on District route service if the quoter is awarded service.

The agreement for the purchase or lease of equipment may include a contingency allowing the quoter to reduce the number of vehicles purchased to the number of routes awarded to the quoter and the number of spare buses required under these Specifications.

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All vehicles submitted as available equipment by a new quoter must meet all applicable Federal Motor

Vehicle Safety Standards, all Minnesota State School Bus Standards as specified in Section 169 of Minnesota Statutes, Chapters 7400 through 7470 of Minnesota Department of Public Safety Rules, and the equipment requirements contained in these Specifications.

The District may require that the quoter provide a fully executed and irrevocable lease agreement prior

to the award of service under this quote. 78. Variances From Minnesota School Bus Standards Any vehicle equipped with experimental

equipment, or other modification, that has been installed under a variance from the Minnesota Standards for school bus design and construction and approved by the Commissioner of Public Safety pursuant to Minnesota Statute §169.4501 Subdivision 4 may be operated on any Saint Paul Public Schools route, field trip, athletic trip, or Community Education trip only with the written approval and permission of the Director of Transportation. Violation of this clause shall be regarded as a serious incident of noncompliance with the transportation contract and may result in the loss of the route(s) involved and may affect the award of future service.

79. Appearance Each school bus shall be free from excessive corrosion and the paint and reflectorization

shall be maintained in good condition. The interior and exterior of each school bus shall be maintained in a clean and neat appearance. The interior shall be swept daily and every effort shall be made to clean dirt and dust. The exterior of each school bus shall be washed on a regular basis and shall reflect a positive image of the contractor and the School District to the public.

In the event that the interior or exterior of any school bus operating under this contract is marked with gang related graffiti (markings), or offensive language or graphics, the vehicle shall be removed from service following the route sequence in which the graffiti is discovered. The vehicle shall remain out of service until such time as the graffiti is removed.

VEHICLE INSPECTIONS 80. Minnesota State School Bus Inspection Each school bus shall be inspected by the Minnesota State

Patrol and shall have a valid State of Minnesota school bus inspection certificate, or temporary inspection certificate, affixed to the lower left windshield, as required by Minnesota Statute §169.451. A Type III school bus operated under the special written permission of the Director of Transportation shall also comply with this section.

The Contractor shall supply the Director of Transportation with the results of the Minnesota State School Bus Inspection Report covering each vehicle under contract to the District. The District must receive the results within ten (10) days of contractor receipt of the inspection report.

No school bus may be operated under this contract while displaying a rejection sticker affixed to the vehicle by a Commercial Vehicle Inspector or Trooper of the Minnesota State Patrol.

81. Spot Inspections by State Patrol In the event that Commercial Vehicle Inspectors of the Minnesota State Patrol conduct spot inspections of equipment assigned to District service, the contractor shall supply the Director of Transportation with a copy of the inspection results within ten (10) days of receiving the results of the inspection.

82. Out of Service Declaration by State Patrol In the event that a Commercial Vehicle Inspector, or member of the State Patrol, declares a vehicle to be "Out of Service" due to mechanical defects while transporting students or staff on District service, the contractor shall immediately notify the Director of Transportation of the incident. The contractor shall file a written report with the Director of Transportation detailing the location and time of the inspection, and the defects cited by the Inspector, within two (2) working days of the incident.

83. Inspection(s) by District The condition of each school bus, and the safety/emergency equipment on the bus, shall be subject to inspection at all times by School District personnel or by independent mechanical inspectors employed by the District. Inspections may occur on the road (enroute), at school sites, at the contractor’s terminal, at the District School Bus Garage, or at other locations and times specified by the District. Buses will be subject to the same inspection criteria as is contained in

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the Minnesota State School Bus Inspection Manual, plus all additional equipment and requirements contained in these Specifications.

The Director of Transportation may require a contractor to immediately bring a specific vehicle to the District School Bus Garage for mechanical inspection on any regular school day at a time specified by the District between the hours of 9:30 AM and 1:30 PM, or after 4:30 PM.

84. Out of Service Declaration - Defective Equipment The School District Transportation Department may order, either verbally or in writing, the immediate removal from service of any equipment that it deems unsafe, undesirable, or which it does not believe meets District vehicle specifications or Minnesota school bus requirements. The District may notify the Commercial Vehicle Inspector (CVI) assigned to that contractor's fleet, or the State Patrol Officer assigned as Pupil Transportation Safety Director, of its findings.

The vehicle shall remain "Out of Service" from use in the school district until such time as the

contractor repairs the defects and notifies the District that the vehicle is being returned to service. 85. Monitoring of Pre-trip Inspections The contractor shall allow the Director of Transportation, or his/her

designee, to monitor pre-trip inspections on contractor property by drivers operating under this contract.

VEHICLE SERVICE RECORDS 86. Vehicle Service Records Each contractor shall maintain records of each vehicle serviced for

mechanical failure, normal maintenance, preventive maintenance, or manufacturer's recall or advisory. The maintenance records of all vehicles operating under this contract shall be retained for a minimum of three years following the end of the term of this contract and shall be subject to inspection by the District at any time upon request.

87. Inspection of Maintenance Records The contractor shall make the vehicle service records required

under Section IV item 86 of these Specifications available to District Transportation Department administrative and safety staff at any time and shall supply copies of specific records upon request.

WINTER WEATHER VEHICLE STORAGE, FUEL, and PREPERATIONS

88. Winter Blend Fuel The Saint Paul Public Schools will not normally close due to winter weather

conditions, including sub zero conditions. When school is in session it is expected that each contractor shall take the necessary actions and precautions to fulfill their obligations under this contract. Each contractor must understand the properties of Ultra Low Sulfur BioDiesel fuel and is responsible for having the proper winter fuel blends in storage tanks and vehicle fuel tanks that reflects the temperatures anticipated for the following immediate days.

89. Monitoring of Winter Weather Conditions Each contractor must monitor the weather conditions that are predicted for Saint Paul and surrounding areas during the winter months for predictions of inclement weather conditions, including extreme cold conditions.

90. Winter Weather Preparation and Precautions It is the contactors responsibility to be prepared and able to operate all routes on days on which transportation service is scheduled to occur. Each contractor must take proper precautions to ensure that all vehicles assigned to routes operated by the District and spare equipment assigned to District service are operable during periods when severe winter weather conditions are predicted or occurring, including periods of extended sub zero temperatures.

The District shall regard any instances where a contractor fails to comply with the requirements of this

section and subsequently fails to run one or more routes because of gelled fuel or failure of the engine to start as nonperformance.

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SCHOOL BUS EQUIPMENT

91. Contractor Identification Required on Each Vehicle Each school bus shall be identified by the name of the contractor or operating bus company. The contractor's name shall be clearly displayed on the belt line on each side of the vehicle as required under Minnesota Statute §169.4503 subd, 13 (a). The lettering shall be in a solid block or solid script lettering style that is easily readable from a distance.

The specific unit number shall be clearly displayed in solid block or solid script lettering style on the forward section of each side of the bus, or on the areas under the windshield on the left and right side of the front of the bus, and on the rear of the vehicle. The contractor shall have twenty (20) days from the date of the motor vehicle registration of new or used equipment to comply with the requirements of this section.

92. Two-Way Radios and Communications Devices All vehicles transporting students, whether handicapped or nonhandicapped, to and from school, midday, on field trips, extended day trips, or on between buildings programs, must be equipped with working FM or digital two-way radio equipment. The radio equipment must be turned on and monitored by the driver whenever transporting District students or staff. The radio system must be adequate to provide effective communication between the contractor's operational office and any route vehicle anywhere within the areas of the School District where the contractor receives route assignments.

The contractor is responsible for the monitoring of radio equipment by the dispatch staff. There is no

excuse for unanswered calls from drivers dealing with emergency situations. The contractor is responsible for developing standards for radio system etiquette and for enforcing

those standards with all staff. Drivers must keep radio systems clear for important traffic and must monitor the radio and respond when called.

The contractor shall know the reasonable performance range limitations of the two-way radio system

and shall provide a cellular telephone to any driver who is assigned a field, athletic, or Community Education trip that will extend beyond the realistic reliability range of the system.

The District may designate a standard communication system to be used by all vehicles transporting

students. The District will work with the contractors to reimburse any additional costs. 93. Numbered Seating All vehicles transporting students to or from school must have the number of the

individual seats clearly displayed above the seats on the area above the inside roof line. District will provide critera for uniform application.

94. Crossing Control Gates All Type A, B, C, and D school buses providing service under this contract

shall be equipped with a student crossing control arm (gate) which meets the technical and performance specifications of the Safety Guard® student crossing arm manufactured by Specialty Manufacturing Company or the Safety Cross® crossing control arm manufactured by Transpec, Inc. The arm shall be mounted to the bumper of the school bus, constructed of noncorrosive or nonferrous material or shall be treated in conformance with the school bus sheet metal standards contained in the 2015 National School Transportation Specifications and Procedures.

The arm shall be controlled through the eight-light system and may be electrically, vacuum, or air

operated. All components of the crossing control arm shall be weatherproof. The crossing gate must be maintained in good working condition and shall be operative whenever the school bus is performing route service.

Contractors wishing to use an arm other than the Specialty Manufacturing Safety Guard® or the

Transpec Safety Cross® must receive written approval of the crossing control arm from the Director of Transportation or designee.

95. Child Check System Each school bus operating under this contract shall be equipped with a automatic system which requires the school bus driver to go to the rear of the school bus and perform a physical action at, or near, the rear emergency door/window prior to leaving the school bus. The system shall be at least the operational equivalent of the Child Check-Mate System manufactured by Child Check-Mate Systems, Inc., and shall contain the following requirements:

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1. System shall sound an alarm horn if not deactivated as outlined in item No. 4 within a timed period.

2. System shall be activated by the eight-light system or the application of the brake system.

3. System shall not be capable of being bypassed by the driver. 4. System shall use the rear emergency door handle or a push switch located by the

rear emergency door as the means of deactivation. 5. System shall not be capable of being disarmed until the ignition switch has been

turned off. 6. There shall be a visible indicator on, or in, the dashboard to remind the driver to

check the bus for sleeping students. 7. System shall turn on the interior lights upon activation. 8. The time limit to check the bus before activation of the alarm system shall be

adjustable relative to the capacity of the bus. 9. System shall monitor all exits and shall not be capable of being bypassed by a key,

dashboard area switch, having a student raise the handle or push a button, or by walking around the outside of the school bus and opening the rear door.

10. System shall be certified to work in extreme cold weather conditions.

Installation of a system other than the Child Check-Mate System manufactured by Child Check-Mate Systems, Inc., shall require the written approval of the Director of Transportation or designee.

96. Interior and Exterior Public Address Systems All vehicles transporting students under this contract shall

be equipped with working interior and exterior Public Address (PA) systems, with at least two (2) interior and one (1) exterior speaker, that are at least equivalent to the technical and operational specifications of Midwest Electronic Industries, Inc. MobilPage® Model 442-E.

The PA system must be turned on during all route operations and the speaker selector switch must

normally be set to the outside speaker. The microphone must be mounted in a location that is easily and rapidly accessible to the driver.

97. Backup-Alert Alarm All Type A, B, C, and D school buses must be equipped with an automatic backup alarm system. Backup alarms shall be at least 85-decibel sonic type and shall be hard wired into the reverse gear electrical interlock or the back-up light circuit.

98. Wireless Internet (WiFi) Service Equipment The District may during the term of this contract install wireless internet access equipment (WiFi) on a trial basis on designated route buses. The equipment shall remain the property of the School District and must be returned if the project is terminated.

99. Geo Positioning (GPS) System All buses providing service under this contract must be equipped with a

geo positioning system that is approved by the Director of Transportation. The geo positioning system must be equivalent in capability to the geo positioning systems manufactured by Zonar Systems,18200 Cascade Avenue South, Seattle, Washington or Synovia Corporation, 9339 Priority Way West Drive, Indianapolis, Indiana 46240, or GeoTab (sold by Tyler Technologies-VersaTrans). District may in the future require a standard system through out the District.

All geo positioning systems must be capable of access to GPS data via Internet browser with no more than a 45 second refresh lag time and of customer specified events, such as ignition on or off, braking, activation of the eight-light system, opening of entrance door, etc. All GPS systems must be capable of exporting data to VersaTrans OnScreen. A Geo Positioning System may be combined with an electronic pre-trip inspection system meeting the requirements of Section III-J-508 of these Specifications. Failure to comply with this section shall be regarded as non performance and may result in the loss of some or all routes assigned to the contractor. The District requires that each school bus providing route, field trip, Family Education, and Community Education service have a working GPS system at all times.

100. District Access to GPS Information Each contractor must provide the District Transportation Department staff with on line access to the data from the GPS System required under Section IV item 99 without charge to the District. The contractors shall provide the following:

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1. Access to GPS information on all buses performing route and field, athletic, Family Education,

and Community Education via web browser. 2. A dedicated administrative account on the GPS server for the VersaTrans OnScreen

application to access the GPS data. 3. The GPS transponder be equipped with data input for specific events, such as the opening of

the entrance door, activation of the pre-amber warning lights of the eight-light system, or activation of the red eight-lights and/or stop arm.

4. Prior to the earliest AM, noon, or PM departure the contractor shall provide the Transportation department, or an application site provided by the District, with data on which school bus is actually being utilized on each specific assigned route. This data must be updated continuously as substitutions occur due to breakdown or other cause.

VIDEO STUDENT MONITORING SYSTEMS

101. Digital Video Systems All school buses placed into route service under this contract must be equipped with a digital video system that meets the specifications contained in this clause. Seon system or equivalent.

The digital camera systems must at a minimum:

1. Be constructed of durable industrial grade components 2. Record both video and audio 3. Record a minimum of seven hours of video 4. Be equipped with at least three cameras inside the school bus mounted in the front, back,

and over the door covering the drivers area of the bus. 5. Be capable of recording from multiple cameras without reduced recording quality or time 6. Be activated by the school bus ignition switch, not a driver controlled switch 7. Be designed for high vibration school bus use 8. Be certified for operation in extreme cold weather conditions 9. Record in a manner that is exportable using standard media, including DVD or flash drive. 10. Record in a format that is compatible with, or easily convertible to, standard viewing

formats including Quicktime®, windows media player, or AVI.

Video must be converted to DVD or a viewable format before the recording is sent to the Transportation Department. Effective with the 2020/2021 school year, buses brought in to service this contract will be required to equip four (4) cameras with one outward facing from the driver’s windshield.

102. Video Monitoring System Coordinator Each contractor shall designate a specific person to coordinate

requests for video system assignments on specific routes and shall notify the Director of Transportation of the name of the person designated with this responsibility.

103. Video Monitoring System Security No driver shall have access to recordings from digital video systems.

104. Policy - Video Monitoring System Recordings All digital video recordings which are taken by in-bus video student monitoring systems constitute an “education record” and must be treated as reequired under FERPA.

The following guidelines shall apply to all recordings taken by in bus student monitoring systems used on District contract service:

1. All recordings must be retained for a minimum of 30 days before media is reused. Contractors are required to retain recordings of specific dates for a longer period when requested by the District Transportation Department. Digital video recordings may be retained by archiving on CD or DVD media. All recordings must be viewed by the contractor and cued to the requested school trip before being sent to the Transportation Department to ensure that the video is actually of the requested route trip.

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Information or recordings requested by District will be delivered/uploaded no later than 3:00 PM the following business day.

2. Education information collected on District students is classified as an education reord.

Video review conditions must follow FERPA.

a. Copies of video recordings may not be provided to any school principal or staff person without the approval of the Director of Transportation

b. All requests from parents to view recordings must be referred to the District .

c. No recording may be shown to anyone not directly related to the education record including unauthorized employees of the contractor, without the permission of the Director of Transportation .

d. No recording may be shown or released to any law enforcement agency, including

local police, State Patrol, City or County Attorney, or other jurisdiction. Any law enforcement agency requesting to view or obtain copies of video recordings on District contract service must be referred to the Director of Transportation.

e. In the event that the contractor is served with a subpoena seeking access to a video recording(s) made while on District contract service the contractor shall notify the Director of Transportation of the service of the subpoena before complying with the terms of the subpoena.

f. No recording may be released to any news media organization at any time.

In the event that the District incurs financial expense or penalty as a result of the contractor's violation of this section, the offending contractor shall be responsible for reimbursing the District for all expenses, including fines and legal fees.

AGAPE AND HIGH SCHOOL CHILDCARE ROUTES

105. Route Service for the AGAPE Program and High School Childcare Centers The routes serving the AGAPE (Adolescent Girls and Parenting Education Program) and the high school child care centers transport high school students and their children to and from school. The children will range in age from infants to toddlers and are transported in age appropriate child safety restraint systems (car seats) meeting Federal requirements.

It is anticipated that only the high school childcare center at AGAPE will operate for the 2020-2021 school year. Routes serving the AGAPE Program are clearly marked as AGAPE.

Vehicles assigned the AGAPE Program and the high school childcare routes must meet the following requirements:

1. Each school bus shall have seats configured for the maximum seat spacing under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 222.

2. Each school bus shall at a minimum be equipped with seatbelt ready seats on one side of the bus for the entire length of the bus. This is to allow the parent to sit in a regular seat across the aisle from their child. This does not preclude assignment of a bus with seat belt ready seats in all seating positions.

3. Each seat belt ready seat shall be equipped with removable cam belts, as defined in these Specifications, or with conventional seat belts.

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WHEELCHAIR LIFTS AND SECUREMENT SYSTEMS

106. Wheelchair Lifts The make and model of all wheelchair lifts utilized on Saint Paul Public Schools routes and field trips is subject to approval by the District Transportation Department.

All power lifts shall be installed on the right side of the school bus. All lift buses ordered after June 1,

2006, shall be equipped with a lift that meets Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 403 for a Public Use wheelchair lift and shall bear a label affixed by the lift manufacturer with the words “DOT-Public Use Lift” certifying compliance with the requirements of §49CFR571.403 and in compliance with §49CFR571.403S6(b)(2).

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RADIOS, PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS, AND TAPE PLAYERS 107. Use of Broadcast Radios, Tape, CD, and MP3 Players The District shall approve all radio stations

that are played while transporting Saint Paul Public Schools students, staff, and parents. No driver shall play a radio station that has not been approved by the District. Drivers playing Tape, CD, or MP3 players shall play appropriate music that is free from profane, sexual, or other unacceptable language. Drivers playing stations that are not approved by the District or playing prohibited content while transporting students, staff, or parents may be removed from all further service to the District.

108. Use of Public Address Systems No driver operating under this contract shall utilize the public

address system required on all Type A, B, C, and D school buses under these Specifications in a harassing, verbally abusive, profane, or objectionable manner toward students or public. This includes using the system to vent anger at other motorists. Further no driver should use the public address system in an obviously unnecessary manner, especially during early morning hours. This requirement is not intended to limit the use of the public address for legitimate safety or disciplinary reasons.

E. Contractor Management, Dispatch and Safety Staff

109. Contract Manager Each contractor shall designate a specific management employee approved by

the School District as the designated manager for this contract that is responsible for the compliance with all standards contained within these Specifications, for the provision of all services required under this contract, and for the supervision of subordinate management and support staff. The Contract Manager is responsible for providing and supervising adequate management, safety and support staff to fulfill the requirements of this contract. The District reserves the right to require a change in Contract Manager when the assigned individual’s performance, attitude, or abilities do not in the sole opinion of the District meet the needs of this contract.

110. Terminal Manager Each terminal providing service under this contract shall be managed by a

Terminal Manager approved by the School District that is responsible for the day to day operations of the terminal. The Terminal Manager may also serve as the Contract Manager. The terminal manager shall be responsible for daily supervision of the terminals staff responsible for providing service under this contract. The District reserves the right to require a change in Terminal Manager when the assigned individual’s performance, attitude, or abilities do not in the sole opinion of the District meet the needs of this contract.

111. Dispatch Coverage The contractor shall provide continuous dispatcher coverage in terminal during all

AM, Noon, PM, and after school activity route times. A dispatcher must be available and monitoring radio transmissions from buses under this contract until all vehicles have completed daily routes and have returned to the terminal. The dispatcher shall be responsible for answering telephone lines serving this contract in a timely manner and responding to breakdowns and late bus reports in a timely manner. Failure to answer calls from the District Transportation Department shall be regarded as nonperformance

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112. Saint Paul Route Dispatch Contractors must have appropriate dispatch and support staff levels to ensure reliable performance on District route and field/athletic trip service. Each Dispatcher must be competent by means of training or experience to manage the dispatching of drivers employed under this contract.

The staffing levels must be commensurate with the number of routes or field/athletic trips operated for the District. Each contractor awarded thirty (30) or more routes must employ an exclusive dispatcher, approved by the District Director of Transportation, plus appropriate support staff to service this contract. Contractors operating multiple terminals, which are assigned thirty (30) or more AM/PM routes, and/or thirty (30) or more noon routes, must have an exclusive dispatcher, approved by the Director of Transportation, plus appropriate support staff at each terminal to service this contract. Dispatcher(s) assigned to supervise routes under this contract shall not be required to drive routes or field/athletic trips during periods of driver shortages.

The District may require that any dispatcher, or dispatch support staff, be immediately removed from supervision or coordination of District service whose actions, performance, or attitude are not satisfactory to the District.

113. Safety Director/Coordinator Each successful quoter is required to employ at least one (1) person, approved by the Director of Transportation, in the capacity of Safety Director/Coordinator who is assigned exclusively to service the safety needs of this contract. The Safety Director/Coordinator shall be a licensed school bus driver and shall meet all school bus driver requirements contained in these Specifications. The Safety Director/Coordinator must be assigned full-time to school bus driver training, safety, and enroute supervision. The Safety Director/Coordinator may not be a school bus driver performing safety duties on a part-time basis.

Contractors operating multiple terminals, which are assigned thirty (30) or more AM/PM routes, or forty (40) or more noon routes, shall have a full-time Safety Director/Coordinator, approved by the Director of Transportation, assigned exclusively to service the safety needs of this contract.

The District may require that any Safety Director/Coordinator or safety support person be immediately

removed from supervision of District service whose actions, performance, or attitude are not satisfactory to the District.

114. Field/Route Supervision Each successful quoter is required to have safety/route supervisory personnel monitor the performance of contract drivers providing District service through route observation and ride-a-long observations. This supervision is in addition to the Safety Director/Coordinator required under Section IV item 113 of these Specifications. The personnel assigned to route/field supervision under this section are subject to approval by the Director of Transportation.

Contractors are required to have safety/route supervisory personnel available to respond to specific requests and problems related to route safety and nonperformance. It is expected that the amount of time spent in on the street safety/route supervision will correspond to the number of buses under contract to the District. Contractor safety personnel must work in close cooperation with the District Transportation staff.

The District may require that any field/route supervision personnel be immediately removed from supervision of District service whose actions, performance, or attitude are not satisfactory to the District.

115. Dispatch, Safety, and Route Supervisory Personnel The District has an absolute right under this contract to require that any dispatcher, route supervisor, or safety staff person be immediately removed from supervision or coordination of District service whose actions, performance, or attitude are not satisfactory to the District. Failure to comply with a District directive to remove a dispatcher, route supervisor, or safety staff person from supervision of District service shall be considered noncompliance with the terms of these Specifications and may be considered in deciding the award of service under future quotes.

Each contractor is required to submit all appointments for the positions of route dispatcher, Safety

Director/Coordinator, and field/route supervisor that are required under to the Director of Transportation for approval. Prospective appointments must be submitted to the District for approval prior to appointment to the position.

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116. Documentation of Safety/Route Supervision and Activities The contractor shall supply the District

Transportation Department with Exhibit "B" no later than August 17, 2020, listing the names and titles of all supervisory personnel assigned to 1) Dispatch, 2) Safety, and 3) Field Supervision positions under this contract. The contractor shall immediately inform the Director of Transportation of any proposed changes in the personnel supervising routes or field trips under this contract.

The contractor shall maintain a record of route supervisory activities conducted under this contract.

These records shall contain the name of the route supervisor, date, and summary of all route supervisory activities conducted on that date including school unloading/loading zones observed, routes followed, contact with drivers, responses to accidents and incidents, and other activities. Route supervision records are subject to audit by the District.

117. Meeting(s) with Contractor Dispatch Staff Contractor staff involved in dispatch activities may be

required to meet with the appropriate District Transportation Department staff at a date and time established by the District to review District policies and procedures, discuss potential problems or conflicts, and to review areas of concern to either the contractor or the District. Additional meetings may be held at any time during the school year at the request of either the District or the contractor.

F. Bus Drivers and Related Matters

SCHOOL BUS DRIVER QUALIFICATIONS 118. Approval of Drivers Independent School District No. 625 must approve the assignment of all

drivers to service under this contract. Each contractor must report the initial assignment of regular route drivers, substitute drivers, and field, athletic, and Community Education service drivers to District service on Exhibit "D" (available on the Transportation website) no later than August 16th of each school year. The District will treat personal information on contractor school bus drivers which is derived from driver’s license information as confidential information as required by Drivers Privacy Protection Act, Public Law 103-322(18USC§2721) and the agreement between the District and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

No driver may be placed in service for Independent School District No. 625 if he/she has a conviction(s) for any of the following offenses:

1. Operating a commercial vehicle under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances.

2. An implied consent conviction while operating a commercial vehicle. 3. Careless or Reckless Driving while operating a commercial motor vehicle. 4. Two convictions for DUI, Implied Consent, Careless Driving, or Reckless Driving while

operating any vehicle within the previous ten (10) years or three convictions within any period of time.

5. Three or more moving violations in any vehicle within the previous three calendar years.

6. Vehicular homicide while operating any vehicle. 7. Any crime involving assault or the use of a motor vehicle as a weapon. 8. Serious traffic violation as defined in § 49CFR383.51 while operating a school bus. 9. Two or more speeding convictions classified as serious traffic violations in

§49CFR383.51 while operating a commercial vehicle within the previous ten years.

119. Required Updated Listings of Drivers Each contractor shall supply the Director of Transportation with updated listings as new drivers are added and weekly changes occur using the Contract Driver Assignment Form or a form developed by the contractor containing the driver’s Commercial Driver’s License number and date of birth. Updated listings must be supplied at times outlined within these Specifications, and when requested by the School District.

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120. Driver License Record Checks by Contractor Successful quoter(s) shall run a Minnesota Department of Public Safety commercial motor vehicle driver license record check on each applicant who seeks to operate a school bus under this contract prior to employment as a driver. A copy of each pre-employment license check shall be provided to the District along with the Contract Driver Assignment Form.

Each contractor shall also run a minimum of two driver license checks on each driver operating under

this contract annually. This includes substitute drivers and drivers who will be operating field trips, athletic trips, and Community Education service. A copy of each license check shall be provided to the District.

121. Driver License Record Checks by District The District Transportation Department may perform driver

license record checks on all drivers operating under this contract at times during the school year The District will treat drivers license information on contractor employed drivers that is run by the

District as confidential information as required by the Drivers Privacy Protection Act, Public Law 103-322 (18 U.S.C. § 2721).

The employment history must be made available to the Director of Transportation, upon request. Failure to provide the information when requested shall be deemed to be noncompliance with the terms of the transportation contract. The District will treat employment history information that is supplied by contractors as confidential information to the extent possible under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act.

122. New Drivers - Status with Saint Paul Public Schools Each contractor that is in the process of hiring

a driver who has previously been employed as a school bus driver by a bus company that operates under contract to the Saint Paul Public Schools shall contact each prior employer who holds, or have held, pupil transportation contracts with the District, and request reference material including 1) the drivers status with respect to any prohibition from driving under contract to the Saint Paul Public Schools; and 2) the drivers status with respect to driving under contracts with other school districts.

Each contractor that is in the process of hiring a driver who has previously been employed as a school

bus driver by a bus company that operates under contract to the Saint Paul Public Schools shall verify with the District that the driver is eligible to operate on service under contract to the District and that the driver is, or is not, in compliance with the in-service training requirements of these Specifications.

The District reserves the right to exclude any applicant from service for the District based upon his/her

past performance, attitude, or record, including verifiable incidents in other school districts and on non-school related service.

123. Personal Driver Information As outlined in various sections of these Specifications, the District will treat personal information pertaining to school bus drivers employed by contractors operating under this contract, including personal information and employment history, as confidential information to the extent possible under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act. The District will treat driver’s license information and all information derived from driver’s license records as confidential data as required by the Drivers Privacy Protection Act, Public Law 103-322(18USC§2721), and the District’s agreement with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

124. Driver Discipline and Disqualification The School District requires that all vehicles performing District transportation service will be operated in a safe and defensive manner so as to reflect a positive image of the School District and the employing contractor. Drivers violating the provisions of these Specifications, or District operational and safety guidelines, including those making unauthorized stops, speeding, misusing the eight-light system, committing repeated moving violations, or engaged in other unsafe or illegal activities shall be subject to suspension or removal from service for the District. Review Transportation Operational Manual.

125. Compliance with Laws, Rules, Policies, Procedures, and Guidelines All route operations and field,

athletic, and Community Education service shall be conducted in accordance with the laws, ordinances, and regulations of the jurisdiction in which the route or trip is operated. All route and field, athletic, and Community Education service shall be conducted in accordance with Minnesota State Rules and with the policies, procedures and guidelines of the Saint Paul Public Schools. Drivers failing to follow the requirements of this section shall be subject to the penalties contained in the

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various sections of these Specifications, including suspension and permanent removal from all District service.

126. Access to District Technology Contractor employees may be able to access District data networks at District schools and sites. Access to these networks is governed by the District Board of Education Policy on Technology Usage and Safety, which is a supplemental attachment to these Specifications. This policy includes, but is not limited to, the security of District data system; material that is harmful to minors; abusive or threatening materials, including hate mail, or harassing or discriminatory materials; publishing or distributing materials without the authors permission; using District technology resources for a commercial, political, or profit making purpose except as specifically approved by the District; using technology for any illegal act or violation of local, State, or Federal Statute, law, or Rule; monitoring other user’s information, attempting security breaches, or disrupting communications; or providing, assisting, or gaining unauthorized access to the District’s technology resources.

Any contractor employee who willfully violates this Policy is subject to removal from all service to the

Saint Paul Public Schools. In the event that actions by an employee of a contractor, whether willful or unwillful, result in legal or enforcement action against the School District the employing contractors shall be responsible for all fines, legal costs, and/or administrative costs incurred by the District as a result of the contractor employee’s access to District data networks.

DRIVER TRAINING 127. In-service Training - All Drivers Experienced drivers must receive a minimum of nine (9) clock hours of

in-service training during the school year and summer school program in subjects and formats approved by the District. This in-service training is in addition to the training that is offered by the School District.

Attendance at each in-service training session shall be documented with a sign in sheet or similar document that also contains the date of the in-service session. The record of attendance and the agenda of the in-service training session shall be retained by the contractor for at least two years following the close of the school year in which the session occurred. Copies of the sign in sheet or document shall be provided to the District upon request.

128. Driver Orientation Sessions All drivers operating under this contract may be required to attend a

mandatory orientation session. If required, sessions will be presented on dates and at times specified by the District. Each contractor is responsible for the attendance of all drivers operating under this contract at one of these sessions. There will be no excused absences.

129. Failure of Drivers to Comply With Training Requirements Any driver who fails or refuses to comply

with the in-service training requirements contained in these Specifications shall be removed from further service to the District until all requirements have been satisfied. This is in addition to the penalties outlined in other sections of these Specifications.

130. Description of Training Program Required Unless on file with the District , bidders must submit a

detailed description of the program utilized in the training of drivers with the bid documents. The description of the training program must include an outline of classroom instruction, behind the

wheel training, licensing, route supervision, and in-service training activities, including the amount of time specified in each of these areas. Quoters not currently providing service to the District under a signed transportation contract must submit the description with the bid documents. The District will treat driver training program information submitted under this clause as confidential when declared proprietary information by the bidder.

131. School Bus Driver Training Materials The District retains the right to specify additional school bus

driver training materials that must be utilized in the training of drivers assigned to District routes. Additional training materials may be in the form of video, film, or printed media and are in addition to the materials normally utilized by the contractor in school bus driver training activities.

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Copies of all District mandated training materials are available on a loan basis from the District Transportation Department. Contractors are also reminded that the District offers a wide selection of pre-service and in-service school bus driver training materials that are available on a loan basis.

132. District Required In-service Training Seminars All drivers operating on District routes, field trips, and

athletic trips are required to attend all in-service driver-training seminars held by the District Transportation Department. In-service driver training seminars may be held periodically throughout the school year and cover such topics as normal school bus operational areas, human relations, alcohol and chemical awareness, effective discipline, wheelchair securement, and sexual harassment. All drivers assigned to special education lift routes shall participate in all scheduled in-service training sessions dealing with the planning and execution of emergency evacuation of handicapped students.

Each contractor is responsible for the attendance of all drivers employed on Saint Paul contract routes

at all District sponsored in-service training sessions. The School District must approve each request for an authorized absence on an individual basis. Failure of drivers operating under this contract to attend mandatory in-service training sessions shall be regarded as noncompliance.

133. Registration of Drivers for District In-service Training It is the responsibility of each contractor to register all drivers who are newly assigned to District service for all mandatory in-service training required under this contract in a timely manner. It is the responsibility of the employing contractor to register drivers operating under this contract for refresher or recertification in-service training courses as required under the various sections of this contract.

Failure to comply with the mandatory in-service training requirements of this contract shall be deemed to be noncompliance with the requirements of the contract and may affect the award of service under future bids in addition to the penalties outlined in these Specifications.

134. Assignment of Drivers to In-service Training Sessions In the event that a driver, or drivers, fails to register for and attend required in-service training in a timely manner, the District may assign the driver, or drivers, to attend specific in-service sessions. Failure of the driver, or drivers, to attend an assigned session shall be deemed to be noncompliance with the requirements of the contract and may affect the award of service under future bids in addition to the penalties outlines in these Specifications.

135. Knowledge of Policies, Procedures, and Guidelines Each successful quoter is responsible for ensuring that all drivers operating under this contract are familiar with all applicable Saint Paul Public Schools policies, procedures, and guidelines pertaining to the operation of routes, athletic trips, and field trips. These policies, procedures, and guidelines are contained in the Transportation Operational Manual, and in these Specifications.

The school bus driver's responsibilities include, but are not limited to, knowledge of the policies and procedures pertaining to route stops, route changes, prohibited actions, unauthorized riders, unauthorized route stops and unauthorized changes, the reporting of student discipline problems, proper use of the eight-light system, emergency evacuation procedures, and possession of weapons. Special education drivers must have knowledge of the policies and procedures dealing with special education transportation procedures and, where applicable, use of wheelchair lifts and restraint equipment.

In the event that a driver violates a policy or procedure covered by the manual, the District shall assume that the driver was familiar with the policy or procedure by virtue of the contents of the manual and training provided by the contractor in the requirements of these Specifications.

136. Blank 137. Blank

138. District Driver Identification Cards All school bus drivers employed on Saint Paul Public Schools

contract service, including routes, field trips, athletic trips, and Community Education service, must carry a photo identification card issued by the School District which identifies the driver as an employee of a contractor performing service for the School District.

The identification cards will include the driver's photograph, operator number, employing contractor,

and expiration date of the card. It is the responsibility of the contractor to schedule drivers to be photographed prior to the start of the school year. The contractor is responsible for scheduling newly

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employed drivers, or drivers who transfer to District service from another contract, to be photographed within one (1) week of starting service in the District. The contractor shall hold the driver responsible for possession of their identification card while performing service for the District.

Each driver must have the photo taken for the card within one (1) week of beginning service on

District routes or field/athletic trips. Each Driver is required to wear the District identification card in plain sight when inside any School District facility and is required to produce the card when requested by School District officials. There will be no charge to the contractor for the initial card, however replacements for lost or damaged cards may be subject to a $5.00 charge.

Any driver who habitually fails, or refuses, to wear his/her identification card while in School District

facilities shall be subject to disciplinary action including suspension or removal from all District service. 139. Recovery of Identification Card Upon Termination of Employment All identification cards issued to

employees of District school bus contractors remain the property of the School District and must be recovered by the employer and returned to the Transportation Department upon termination of employment. The contractor shall be held responsible for any misuse of a District driver identification card that the contractor has failed to recover from a driver no longer employed by the contractor.

G. Routes 140. Bus Routes Bus routes may transport students who vary in age from birth to 22 years old who attend

public, nonpublic, and charter schools. The District or designee shall schedule all routes. All routes shall be performed in the stop and trip sequence specified by the Transportation Department. Except as noted in item Section IV item 142, routes trips must not be altered, split, and/or added to other routes. The bus doing the first trip must also do the second and third trips, etc. as assigned by the Transportation Department. Noncompliance with this clause shall result in a penalty per occurrence and/or loss of route in addition to the normal nonperformance penalties contained under Items various sections of these Specifications.

In the event that one or more routes are reassigned to another contractor, and the reassignment of

the route results in increased costs to the District, the violating contractor shall be required to reimburse the District for the difference between the original contract (quote) cost and the cost of the reassigned service.

141. Assignment of Midday and Extended Day Routes The District may at it’s sole discretion assign Midday and Extended Day Routes in the same proportion as the number of AM/PM routes operated by the contractor. Failure of a contractor to accept assigned routes shall be regarded as a nonperformance of the contract between the District and the contractor. Penalties may be assessed. Assignments can also be made in the best interest of The District.

142. Contractor Operation and Extended Day Routes Extended Day routes may be run in different route

combinations than that assigned by the Transportation Department, including by drivers assigned to routes in other school districts. All drivers must meet the requirements of these Specifications and must comply with all preservice and in-service training required by these Specifications. The District will assign these routes to the “best fit” package. Contractors who choose to move the routes and fail to perform “on-time”, will be subject to nonperformance penalties.

143. Reserve Buses and Drivers In addition to the Field Standby (pivot) drivers required under Section IV item 147 of these Specifications, each contractor shall maintain a minimum reserve (spare) factor of substitute drivers and equipment equal to at least ten percent (10%) of the total routes for which the contractor is awarded contracts. The reserve drivers and buses shall meet all standards contained within these Specifications. Failure to cover a route, breakdown, or accident in a timely manner due to insufficient reserve drivers and/or buses is a violation of this contract and is subject to the penalties contained in these Specifications.

144. Route Elimination/Consolidation The Saint Paul Public Schools Transportation Department reserves the right to increase, decrease, consolidate, or eliminate routes when it is in the best interest of the School District.

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145. Special Notice Concerning the Crossroads Elementary Magnet School The Crossroads Magnet School is a year round magnet school located at Front Avenue and Kent Street in Saint Paul.

The Crossroads Magnet School will not follow the traditional Saint Paul Public Schools calendar. Route service will be provided to students attending the Crossroads Magnet School on some of the days when the rest of the Saint Paul Public Schools are not in session. The number of routes serving the school may be reduced on these days from the number of routes operated on a normal school day.

Some reduced route service will also be provided on days when Crossroads Magnet School is on break. The number of routes serving the school during these periods may be reduced from the number of routes operated on a normal school day. Route service on these days may be assigned to any contractor, or to School District owned equipment.

146. Route Status Each contractor must report any route that is running 10 (ten) minutes or more late as

well as the specific reason that the route is running late. The status of any route running 10 (ten) minutes or more late must be updated every 20 minutes or prior to the start of the next route, whichever is less.

MECHANICAL BREAKDOWNS AND EMERGENCY ROUTE COVERAGE

147. Field Standby (Pivot) Drivers Field Standby Drivers, as defined in this clause, are drivers who are

assigned to wait (standby) at a specific location in the school district to cover breakdowns, overloads, missed routes, etc. These drivers are expected to be chosen for their knowledge of the city and school district. The selection of Standby Drivers is subject to Transportation Department approval. Standby drivers are required to carry a three ring binder containing a current copy of all routes awarded to their company on their vehicle. The contractor is responsible for having sufficient standby drivers to cover all breakdowns and route emergencies in a timely manner. Failure to cover a route in a timely manner due to insufficient standby drivers is a violation of this contract and is subject to the penalties contained in these Specifications.

Contractors that run 30 to 75 To and From routes shall have at least one (1) Field Standby Driver. 76

to 125 routes at least two (2) Field Standby drivers, and 126 routes or more shall have at least three (3) Field Standby drivers. Contractors must submit the names of the standby drivers and the primary standby location in writing when requested by the Transportation Department.

148. Dry Runs Prior to Opening of School or Assignment to a Route Successful quoters for both regular

and special education routes must require that each regularly assigned driver travel over the assigned routes on a "dry run" at least twice during the week prior to the start of the school year or assignment to a route. The dry run must include both the AM and PM routes. If a route includes both the AM and PM trip for a school the driver must run the AM trip in the stop order of the route copy and the PM trip in the return stop order. The District may require that the driver sign in at the school office at the end of the dry run and show the office staff the route copy used in the dry run. There shall be no cost to the District.

The District may designate a standard day that routes will be run in actual time. The District will reimburse contractors.

Drivers must bring any concerns or issues that are identified during the dry runs to the attention of the

dispatcher. The dispatcher must forward appropriate concerns to the Transportation Department. Drivers are expected to be familiar with the routes on the opening day of school. Contractors are

responsible for all errors committed by drivers who are unfamiliar with the routes and who did not complete the required "dry runs" prior to the start of service.

One of the dry runs shall be done on a specific day at actual route times by the assigned driver. The

school district shall work with the contractors to determine the time and date annually. These dry runs

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shall be verified by the required GPS system on the buses and failure to run any part of the dry run shall be regarded as nonperformance.

SPECIAL EDUCATION TRANSPORTATION

149. Assignment of Drivers Many special education students have unique needs which include a regular

and predictable environment. To the extent possible, the contractor must utilize regularly assigned AM and PM drivers, and regularly assigned school buses, on District routes transporting special education students. Contractors should be highly selective in choosing drivers for these assignments

150. Child Safety Support Vests Many students transported by the district utilize safety support vests because of lack of upper body strength or control. A support vest is a Child Safety Restraint System under §49CFR Part 571. The use of child safety support vests is preferable to the use of a lap seat belt. The child safety support vest is secured to the school bus seat utilizing a School District provided seat mount. Under no circumstances may a vest be attached to a seat by any device other than an appropriate seat mount. The contractor and the school bus driver are responsible for ensuring that sufficient seat mounts are present on all routes transporting students using safety support vests to allow securement of the vests with one seat mount per vest.

151. Lap Belts or Cam Straps The contractor is required to provide school buses equipped with seat belt ready seats equipped with lap belts or cam straps on designated special education routes to secure restraining vests, harnesses, and car seats. Lap belts may only be used with students who are designated by the District and are never to be utilized with regular education students.

EMERGENCY SITUATIONS AND EMERGENCY PLANNING 152. Evacuation Drills Minnesota Statute §123B.90 and Saint Paul Public Schools operating policies

require that students transported by school bus participate in emergency evacuation drills twice during each school year. Emergency Evacuation Drills will be scheduled by the Transportation Department and must be completed by the driver on the day specified for the specific school. Each contractor shall cooperate in conducting the Emergency Evacuation Drills and must to the extent possible have management staff present at school sites during the drills. At no cost to the District.

Prior to the emergency evacuation drill each contractor will ensure that drivers are aware of what will occur and of their responsibilities in conducting the drill. Refusal by any contract driver to participate in the Emergency Evacuation Drill shall be deemed a violation of this contract and Minnesota Statutes and shall result in possible suspension or removal of the driver from further service for the School District.

153. Evacuation Drill Coordinator Each contractor shall assign a management employee to serve as Saint Paul Emergency Evacuation Drill Coordinator. This employee, whose appointment is subject to approval by the Transportation Department, shall work closely with the Transportation Department, in the planning and execution of the drills and shall be responsible for ensuring that all drivers are aware of the drills, that they participate in the drills, understand their role as drivers on the day the drills are conducted, and for the submission of any required documentation by the contractor.

The Evacuation Drill Coordinator shall attend all planning meetings, and/or training workshops, scheduled by the Manager of Transportation Logistics pertaining to emergency evacuation drills.

154. Emergency Preparedness Planning The contractor shall cooperate with and participate in all emergency preparedness meetings, planning activities, drills, and other functions as may be requested or deemed necessary by the District. Each contractor shall designate a specific management staff person to act as the primary contact and liaison with District Transportation Department and Safety and Security Department staff for all such activities.

H Security Requirements and Considerations 155. Terminal Security Assessments The School District has the authority to conduct security

assessments of contractor terminals and operations at any time. The contractor shall cooperate fully in these assessments and shall implement all operational and policy changes required by the District.

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156. Terminal Security Each terminal servicing this contract shall be secured in a manner to stop and detect intrusion by unauthorized persons. All buses used on Saint Paul contract service shall be stored in a secured terminal. Terminals secured with a security fence shall utilize materials that at minimum conform to American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) standards for security fences.

157. Terminal Security Plan Each contractor shall conduct a risk assessment of facilities utilized under this contract. The assessment shall evaluate risk to terminal yards, repair facilities, dispatch offices, driver areas, and storage areas. Each contractor shall develop a security plan for each terminal operating school buses under this contract that includes:

1. Provisions for securing the facility including perimeter and access point control. 2. Restricted access for non-employees to facilities, equipment, and school buses. 3. Controlled access to bus garages and bus parking areas. 4. Security lights, cameras, and other security precautions. 5. Security of bus keys. 6. Identification cards for terminal personnel 7. Checks of the inside and outside buses for foreign objects. 8. Requirement that employees report suspicious incidents or persons at the terminal

or enroute.

The District shall treat the Terminal Security Plan as a confidential proprietary document. Quoters must submit this plan for review by Transportation safety staff no later than August 23, 2016 if not on file with the District .

158. Additional Operational and Terminal Security Requirements The District Transportation Department may adopt additional operational and terminal security requirements beyond those contained in these Specifications at any time. Upon written notification to the contractor by letter, memorandum, or Operational Directive all additional operational and terminal security requirements are incorporated in the contract for transportation services and become part of these Specifications by reference.

Any penalties for nonperformance or noncompliance with the terms of this contract that are contained

in these Specifications shall apply to failure of the contractor to follow additional operational and terminal security requirements.

I. Schedules

159. Schedule Revisions The time schedules set forth in these Specifications may be revised at any time by the Transportation Department. The contractor shall be required to adhere strictly to the designated route schedules except in cases of emergency, occasional days of extreme weather conditions, parent-teacher conferences, compensatory days, scheduled early release days, emergency early dismissals, and other changes approved by the Transportation Department.

160. Route Operations in Other School Districts The Saint Paul Public Schools may, in certain specific circumstances, operate route buses within another school district. Route operations could include Interdistrict integration transportation, transportation required under the McKinney-Vento No Child Left Behind Act, transportation of a special education student(s), transportation for care and treatment, or transportation provided to District students due to a Metro Transit work stoppage. The District may provide this transportation by extending an existing route trip into another District, by adding an additional trip to an existing route combination, or by adding additional service where necessary. Use of the school bus eight-light system while operating in other school districts will be governed by that school district’s policy on eight-light use.

161. Emergency School Closings The District will attempt to notify contractors of emergency school closings due to inclement weather conditions or other emergency situations in time to notify school bus drivers. Contractors must supply the Director of Transportation with accurate home, pager, and/or cellular telephone numbers of management personnel responsible for closing operations in a weather emergency. WCCO Radio is the official school closing notification station for the District and contractors are encouraged to require drivers to listen to WCCO for closing information prior to leaving home enroute to work in severe weather conditions.

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J. Records, Reports, and Reimbursement 162. Records Each contractor shall maintain the records required in the Specifications for Pupil

Transportation at a minimum for the periods required in each specific section of the Specifications. After the expiration of the required retention period the records may be destroyed at the discretion of each contractor’s management.

The contractor shall protect all required records from accidental destruction, fires, or floods, and shall

safeguard required records from unnecessary deterioration due to excessive humidity, dryness, or lack of ventilation.

The contractor shall notify the Director of Transportation if any records required to be maintained

under these Specifications are substantially destroyed or damaged before the end of the required retention periods.

163. Right to Audit or Copies of Records The District has the right to audit all records maintained by the

contractor that are related to the contractors operations under this contract and/or the requirements of these Specifications. The contractor shall provide access to these records when requested by the District and shall provide copies of records when requested by the Director of Transportation.

164. Contractor Ceasing Operations In the event that a contractor ceases operations, goes out of

business, or is liquidated, the contractor shall maintain all records required under these Specifications until dissolution is final, all pending claims against the contractor are completed, and the District Director of Transportation has consented to the destruction of the records.

When a contractor is merged or sold to another company, the successor company shall preserve all records for the periods required in these Specifications.

165. Financial Records All contractors shall keep accurate and detailed records of expenditures, including payroll expenses and benefits, fuel and lubrications, vehicle purchase, vehicle maintenance, facilities, infrastructure, utilities, and all other expenses related to the contractors operations on behalf of the District. The School District shall have the right to examine such records at any time. Such records shall be maintained for a period of not less than three (3) years following the close of the contract period or three (3) years following the conclusion of any claim or litigation relating to the contract taken by the District or a third party.

166. Route, Field Trip, Athletic Trip, and Community Education Trip Records The Contractor will maintain

accurate daily records showing the specific driver who actually performed, and the specific vehicle actually used on, each District route, field trip, athletic trip, or Community Education trip. The records must reflect all instances when a route was split due to an emergency, breakdown, or other operational problem, as well as field, athletic, and Community Education trips where different drivers performed the over and return trips.

Route, field trip, athletic trip, and Community Education trip records must be retained in an accessible

location for a period of at least three (3) years following the close of the term of this contract, or three (3) years following the conclusion of any claim or litigation relating to the contract taken by the District or a third party. Copies of records of specific routes or trips must be provided to the Director of Transportation upon request.

The district reserves the right to implement a Trip scheduling software system to be used by all

parties. 167. Reports Each Contractor shall furnish the School District with such reports (discipline, mileage,

accident, load counts, etc.) as are deemed necessary by the School District. It is the responsibility of each contractor to forward the reports to the Transportation Department in a timely manner. Failure to submit the reports specified in these Specifications shall be considered to be nonperformance and shall be subject to the penalties outlined in these Specifications, including monetary penalty and loss of routes.

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168. District Information and Reports The School District may issue information and reports to contractors in electronic format or via facsimile. This includes daily operational problems reports, periodic Operational Events Reports, missed stop reports, etc.

169. Mileage Reports The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) may require school districts to

adopt a cost allocation method based upon route and field trip mileage. If MDE does require school districts to allocate costs using mileage each contractor may be required to report the daily mileage of each individual trip in a route sequence broken down by deadhead miles and live route miles by individual trip. Depending upon MnDOE requirements and District accounting needs the District may require that the reports may be taken on a daily, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis.

If the District is required to include field, athletic, and Community Education mileage in the cost

allocations, each contractor shall also be required to report the actual mileage for each individual field, athletic, and community education trip performed for the District.

Refusal of a contractor to comply with the mileage reporting necessary for District compliance with

MDE cost allocation requirements, or submission of inaccurate route, field, athletic, or Community Education trip mileage, will be regarded as nonperformance.

170. Electronic Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports Driver Pre-trip inspection reports required under

Minnesota Department of Public Safety Rule 7470.1300 and Section III-D-93 of these Specifications, Post-trip Inspections required under Section III-D-96 of these Specifications, and the record of these inspections required under DPS Rule 7470.1300 and Section III-D-95 of these Specifications may be performed using an electronic system that meets the requirements of §49CFR396.11 and §49CFR396.13 that has been approved by the Minnesota State Patrol. The system must store the report in a file that is non-alterable. Saint Paul Public Schools Transportation Safety staff must have access to these files and records.

The electronic driver vehicle inspection reports must be certified by drivers using electronic

signatures, unique passwords, personal identification numbers (PINS), or similar means approved by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Minnesota State Patrol in lieu of signatures on paper copies of the required reports.

171. Driver Turnover Rate Each contractor shall report the annual driver turnover for the contract year at

the time specified by the School District. 172. Annual Summary Report of Results of Testing Program for Presence of Controlled Substances Each

contractor shall provide the Director of Transportation with a copy of the Biannual or Annual statistical report from the controlled substance testing laboratory showing the results of the tests conducted during the period of the report. The names, social security numbers, employee numbers, or other identifying information on employees tested must be redacted before submission. This report must be provided within ten (10) days of receipt by the employer.

This report shall, at a minimum, include:

1. The number of specimen results reported by testing category 2. The number of specimens reported as negative 3. The number of specimens rejected by category of rejection. 4. The number of specimens reported as positive 5. The number of specimens reported as adulterated 6. The number of specimens reported as substituted 7. The number of specimens reported as invalid

173. Annual Summary Report of Results of Testing Program for Presence of Alcohol Each contractor

shall provide the Director of Transportation with a copy of the Biannual or Annual statistical report from the alcohol testing program provider showing the number of the tests conducted for the presence of alcohol during the period of the report, dates of tests conducted, and the results of the tests. The names, social security numbers, employee numbers, or other identifying information on employees tested must be redacted before submission. This report must be provided within ten (10) days of receipt by the employer.

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174. Falsification of Reports to District by Contractor Any contractor who knowingly falsifies a report to the District shall be subject to a penalty and possible loss of the route(s), involved. The violating contractor shall also pay any additional costs incurred by the School District including legal fees and penalties.

175. Falsification of Reports by Driver Any driver who falsifies a report to the District, or other agency at

the request of the District, including but not limited to, discipline reports, accident reports, stop arm violation reports, and load counts shall be subject to suspension or permanent removal from further service to the District. The contractor employing a driver who has submitted false reports to the District shall be responsible for any additional costs incurred by the School District including legal fees and penalties.

176. Third Party Billing Each contractor must fully cooperate with the District in furnishing all reports,

including daily ridership reports, which are necessary for Third Party Billing purposes. Failure of the contractor to provide the reports necessary for Third Party Billing when requested by the District shall be regarded as nonperformance. The District may penalize a contractor an amount equal to the amount of Third Party Billing reimbursement that is lost by the District due to the contractor's failure to provide the required reports.

177. Load Counts Each contractor shall take load counts by stop, both AM and PM, on each route

operated under this contract at such time(s) as specified by the Transportation Department. The load counts must be promptly submitted to the Transportation Department.

178. Route Billings Each contractor shall invoice the Transportation Department for route service on a

monthly basis using itemized billings in a format approved by the Transportation Department. The contractor must submit invoices for route billings 15 days following each monthly transportation service period and may not submit multiple months simultaneously. Invoices for service and all supporting documents must be cross referenced to each other by invoice date and invoice number.

Failure to invoice in an approved format shall result in rejection of the invoice until properly formatted and resubmitted. Invoices containing inordinate numbers of errors shall be rejected until corrected and resubmitted.

All billings will be audited for correct contract rates and schedule variations. Over billings detected during invoice audit will be adjusted to reflect contract rates. Invoices containing under billings will be returned to the contractor to be corrected and resubmitted. Billings that are submitted late, that contain errors requiring correction, or that lack required documentation may result in a delay in payment.

179. Payment for Field, Athletic, and Community Education Trip Orders The Transportation Department will make payment for field trips, athletic trips, and Community Education service which is ordered by the District Transportation Department and which is submitted on invoices in a summary format approved by the Transportation Department according to District specifications.

Each field, athletic, or Community Education invoice must include the unit number(s) of the bus(es)

that actually performed the trips. Vehicle field trip starting and ending mileage readings must be provided on any trips above the base mileage rate.

Invoices for service and all supporting documents must be cross referenced to each other by invoice

date and invoice number. Failure to invoice in an approved summary format shall result in rejection of the invoice until properly formatted and resubmitted.

The District may require the contractor to provide supporting documentation in the form of

photocopies of the actual drivers trip ticket to substantiate charges for excess time and/or mileage on field, athletic, or Community Education trips. Payment for trips for which supporting documentation has been demanded will not be made until the documentation to support the excess time and/or mileage charges has been received and approved by the District.

Billings for field trips and athletic trips must be submitted twice a month. All billings will be audited for

correct contract time and mileage ranges. Over billings detected during invoice audit will be adjusted to reflect contract rates. Invoices containing under billings will be returned to the contractor to be

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corrected and resubmitted. Billings that are submitted late, that contain errors requiring correction, or that lack required documentation may result in a delay in payment.

Field, athletic, and Community Education trips are charged against a variety of school and department

budgets that fund a number of school and District functions. Serious budgetary problems occur when field, athletic, and Community Trips are not billed on a timely basis. Failure to submit properly formatted billings for field, athletic, and Community Education Service is consided nonperformance and may result in the assignment of trips to other available vendors, including carriers not under contract to the School District.

All field trip, athletic trips, and Community Education trips for Independent School District No.

625 must be ordered by the Transportation Department. Contractors are cautioned that schools, departments, school staff, parents, and students are not authorized to order field trips, athletic trips, or Community Education service buses and that the District will not guarantee payment for any trips which are not ordered by the Transportation Department. The financial responsibility for unauthorized trips may be a matter between the vendor and the person ordering the trip. An individual who orders a trip without proper authorization from the Transportation Department may bear personal responsibility for payment.

180. Minnesota Sales and Use Tax Independent School District No. 625 is a government agency of the State of Minnesota that is exempt from Minnesota Sales and Use Tax under Minnesota Statute §297A.70 Subd. 2 (2).

181. False Claims Against the School District Successful quoters are cautioned that it is a criminal offense in the State of Minnesota to present a false claim against a government agency. Minnesota Statute §609.465 states:

609.465 Presenting false claims to public officer of body.

Whoever, with intent to defraud, presents a claim or demand, with knowledge that it is false in whole or in part, for audit, allowance or payment to a public officer or body authorized to make such audit, allowance or payment is guilty of an attempt to commit theft of public funds and may be sentenced accordingly.

Independent School District No. 625 will regard the willful presentation of a false claim or demand for payment as a violation of Minnesota Statutes and this contract and shall present evidence of such false claim to the appropriate state and/or local law enforcement agencies.

182. Schedule Variations The School District shall not be liable for payment for scheduled service, including route service and/or scheduled field, athletic, or Community Education trip service, that is canceled due to school closings, inclement weather conditions, holidays, special events, or other disruptions of the normal school schedule. Please not exception item 184.

Bus schedules which are canceled in part because of school closings, special and/or religious holidays, or program cancellations within a building(s) shall be subject to a rate adjustment.

183. Early and Emergency Dismissal Days There may be days during the school year in which District schools or self contained programs dismiss at a time which is earlier than their normal scheduled dismissal time. This may be due to building emergencies or other unanticipated situations that require a variation in the normal school day.

If the entire route sequence dismisses early, the District shall pay the contractor the normal daily amount specified in the quote.

184. Emergency School Cancellation The School District shall not be liable for payment for scheduled

service, including route service and/or scheduled field, athletic, or Community Education trip service, that is canceled due to school closing due to an act of nature, flood, fire, war, civil disturbance, governmental action or restrictions, or other situation that necessitates the closing of some or all of the District’s facilities.

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If school is cancelled due solely to a weather decision, contractor will be reimubursed 25% of the daily

to/from school rate per bus.

185. District Operation of Contractor Vehicles In the event that Transportation Department administrative staff, or District employed school bus drivers, assist the contractor in emergency situations in fulfillment of the contractor’s obligations under this contract by operating contractor owned buses performing service under this contract, or wait on a standby basis at the contractor's terminal, the contractor shall reimburse the District for the payroll costs incurred by the District plus mileage on District vehicles traveling to and from the contractor’s terminal.

The contractor further understands that it is the contractor's responsibility to fulfill all service

obligations required under this contract and agrees that District staff who may assist the contractor by operating contractor owned buses that are performing routes, field trips, or athletic trips assigned to the contractor, are acting as employees of the contractor while driving the contractor's assigned school bus routes, field trips, or athletic trips and that the liability for any accidents, either vehicular or personal injury, shall remain with that contractor.

186. Assignment of Sums Due Contractor The contractor may not assign any sums due for service

provided under this contract to a Factor or 3rd party without the written authorization of the District.

187. Failure of Contractor to Return District Property In the event that the contractor fails to return items which are the property of the District, including but not limited to, seat belts, car seats, traffic laser equipment, radio equipment, training aids, video tapes, GPS units, tablets, or any other District property issued to the contractor, the District may withhold payment from any contractor route or field trip billing(s) for an amount equal to the value of the District property held by the contractor. This amount shall be held in retainage for a period of six (6) months after which time it shall be forfeited to the District for replacement of the property.

188. Damage to District Equipment The contractor shall be responsible for the cost of repair or replacement of District owned equipment which is loaned to the contractor and which is damaged due to the actions of contractor staff.

189. Reimbursement for Increased Fuel Costs Contractor shall furnish all fuel to be used in its performance of the Contract. The contractor will be reimbursed if the “rack” diesel cost per gallon (minus all taxes, fees, and freight) exceeds $4.25. The contractor will reimburse the District if the rack cost per gallon is below $2.25. Propane autogas range is $1.50 to $2.50 per gallon. The fuel escalator will be reviewed yearly and adjusted as necessary.

The District will determine the local “rack” cost for the month and notify the contractors if a monthly adjustment will be required.

The per gallon cost of fuel may not include any expenses related to on site fueling of school buses by

company employees or by a fuel supplier. If a contractor contracts with a fuel supplier to fuel school buses under this contract all expenses related to the fueling, including charges for the fuel truck and the labor to fuel the buses on site, may not be added to or included in the per gallon cost of fuel.

Calculation of gallons used will be determined by the following method. Total live miles as determined

by the Versatrans software as of first day of school year. Total live miles are then divided by 7 miles per gallon in order to get the total gallons. Propane will be calculated at 4 miles per gallon. The Contractor will develop a monthly spreadsheet to determine the fuel clause. There will be no fuel charges for non-route service.

The District at it’s discretion may pay a bill for reimbursement of fuel costs under this contract beyond 35 days of the receipt of the invoice or receipt of the service.

The District has the right to extend this contract for 2 additional years (2022-2023 and 2023-2024).

Future rates will be based upon reasonable negotiations relating to labor conditions, cost of living indexes and the CPI of the preceding school year.

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K. Regulatory Actions 190. Regulatory Actions Against Contractor The contractor shall notify the Director of Transportation or

designee of any instance in which the contractor, and/or driver employed by the contractor, is cited by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for any civil or criminal violation of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, or a division of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety for a violation of state law or Rule, which involves unsafe operations in the transportation of school children in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area.

L. Labor Relations 191. Labor Relations - Contractor In the event that the contractor is unable to perform services on behalf

of the District due to any labor dispute between the contractor and its employees, Independent School District No. 625 shall at the discretion of the District temporarily or permanently reassign any or all routes to other carriers. The District shall also have the authority to revise all route assignments and school schedules as necessary to make maximum utilization of buses and drivers from contractors not involved in the labor dispute and to place secondary students on public transportation as necessary to facilitate attendance at school.

Adjustments in billing for revised routes shall be based upon the quoters additional service rates. The contractor experiencing the labor dispute shall be responsible for all additional expenses incurred by the District, including staff overtime expenses incurred in developing, implementing, and managing emergency route operations.

192. Labor Relations - District In the event that the School District is forced to close schools and disrupt normal scheduling due to any labor dispute with any employee organization, then the District reserves the right, upon notice to the contractor, to cancel or suspend any services contemplated by this agreement. No payments shall be made to the contractor for days or periods of time that schools are not in session.

M. Other Considerations 193. Information, Documents, Forms, and Copies of these Specifications Information of interest to

contractors, including forms, definitions, documents, training materials, eight-light prohibited streets, and copies of these Specifications is available in the contractors section of the Transportation Department website

194. Access to Contractor Radio System Each contractor shall allow the School District to install two-way

radio equipment owned or leased by the School District in School District safety and police vehicles that are programmed with the radio frequency, or frequencies, assigned to the contractor by the Federal Communications Commission and utilized by contractor buses serving this contract. The contractor shall allow District safety staff to utilize the equipment under the contractor’s radio license in critical and emergency situations involving contractor buses.

Use of the equipment under the contractors radio license shall conform to all applicable Federal Rules, Regulations, and Laws pertaining to use of the radio service under which the license was issued to the contractor, including, but not limited to, the Communications Act of 1934 as amended and Part 90 of the Federal Communications Commissions Rules and Regulations (§47CFR90).

195. Right to Negotiate, Quote, or Bid Separately Independent School District No. 625 reserves the

authority to negotiate, obtain quotes, or to Bid separately for specialized equipment, for service that it deems to be outside the parameters of these Specifications, or in situations where the contract carriers covered under this contract are unable to supply equipment of the size or type necessary for particular route(s), field trips, or athletic trips(s).

This includes the right to negotiate separate agreements with parents, other school districts, nonpublic

schools, bus contractors, taxi cab companies, STS (Specialized Transportation Service) providers, or other motor carriers, for specialized services which it deems are not within the normal parameters of

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this contract or for service to a single student or a limited number of students. This may include specialized service to handicapped or nonhandicapped students and may involve service to and from school or on field trips or athletic trips both inside and outside of the District boundaries.

Independent School District No. 625 reserves the right to negotiate or obtain quotes for service that it

is unable to place with existing contractors due to driver or equipment shortages or contractor labor disputes.

196. Legislative Changes in Driver License and/or Qualification Standards In the event that the Minnesota

Legislature, Department of Public Safety, or Department of Education adapts standards for commercial vehicle drivers through the legislative or rule making process which are more restrictive than those standards contained within these Specifications, those revised standards are hereby incorporated by reference into these Specifications and shall be considered the standard for service under this contract whether or not the revised standards apply specifically to school bus drivers. The application of such standards shall be at the sole discretion of the School District.

197. Material Changes District may increase or decrease services to be provided by Contractor under this

Agreement, provided however that where such increases or decreases materially impact the service levels or equipment levels required of Contractor under the assumed routes, schedules and vehicle requirements contained in this Agreement, Contractor and District shall negotiate in good faith regarding adjusting rates at which services are provided to cover increase or decreases in cost structure associated with such changes by District.

198. Addenda Addenda may be issued to modify or interpret these Specifications by addition, deletion,

correction, or clarification. Any addendum that is issued to these Specifications shall be mailed, E-Mailed, or delivered to all individuals or corporations who were in attedance at the required Informational Meeting.

N. RFP Timeline 199. RFP Published January 27, 2020 and February 3, 2020 200. RFP Mandatory Informational Meeting February 11, 2020, 10:00 a.m., 360 Colborne St, St. Paul MN

55102. Interested parties are required to attend in order to respond to the RFP. 201. RFP Response Deadline February 21. 2020, 2:00 p.m. Responses must be received in the St. Paul

Schools Purchasing Department no later than 2:00 p.m. 202. RFP Review February 24, 2020 – March 10, 2020. 203. Recommendation to St. Paul Board of Education Anticipated March 10, 2020 204. Anticipated Board of Education Approval St. Paul Schools Board Meeting March 24, 2020.

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Specifications for Pupil Transportation 2020-2021

Exhibits “A”, “B”, “C”

Exhibit A The District requires successful bidders to provide a list of all vehicles that will be used for

service for the St. Paul School District transportation service. This list can be provided via

Excel Spreadsheet and must list in the following order; Model Year, Bus Model, Capacity,

VIN, License Number.

Exhibit B Contractors operating under these Specifications must agree to employ at least one (1)

person who is assigned full time to school bus driver training, safety, and route supervision.

Please provide this information listing names and titles of all supervisory personnel

assigned to 1) Dispatch, 2) Safety and 3) field supervision positions under this contract.

This information shall be supplied to the District Transportation Department yearly no later

than the third Monday of August prior to the start of school.

Exhibit C The District requires successful bidders to provide a list of all school bus drivers that will be

employed for service for the St. Paul School District transportation service. This list can be

provided via Excel Spreadsheet and must list in the following order; Driver’s License

Number, Date of Birth, Years as School Bus Driver. This information shall be supplied to the

District Transportation Department yearly no later than the third Monday of August prior to

the start of school.