Title
Month to Month Extension to the Contract for ADA Paratransit Service with MV Transportation (B)
This item is a request for the City Commission to authorize a month to month extension with MV Transportation Inc. as the provider of ADA complementary paratransit service until the pending Request for Proposal (RFP) is completed and a new agreement is executed.
Explanation
In 2003 MV Transportation Inc. (MV) was awarded the Community Transportation Coordinator (CTC) contract by the North Florida Regional Planning Council (NFRPC). The City of Gainesville Regional Transit System (RTS) participated in the selection process and piggy backed on the NFRPC Request for Proposal (RFP) to maintain the coordinated system and get the best price possible for the demand response and ADA paratransit service. On February 1, 2008, the NFRPC staff at the direction of the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization (MTPO) for the Gainesville Urbanized Area issued another RFP for the CTC under Florida's Transportation Disadvantaged (TD) Program for Alachua County. The RTS staff participated in the selection process and MV was again selected in an open bid process to be the Alachua County CTC on May 14, 2008. On July 17, 2008 the MTPO approved the nomination of MV to go forward to the TD Commission.
RTS underwent the Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) Triennial review during June 16-18, 2008. The FTA inspector reviewed the procurement process used to select MV in 2003 as the ADA Paratransit provider and deemed it did not meet the required procurement guidelines because the RFP did not contain required federal clauses. RTS contacted the FTA to ask for an exemption to allow RTS to send the three companies who responded to the February 1, 2008 RFP a letter asking if they would be willing to include the required federal clauses in any contract they may negotiate with RTS. This solution was acceptable to the FTA. Unfortunately, this was not acceptable to the TD Commission staff who said the RFP would not be modified and could not contain the federal clauses because the TD Commission did not have statutory authority to enforce the clauses.
RTS sent another letter to the FTA requesting an exemption to try and salvage the coordinated system. RTS requested to be allowed to enter into a contract which contained federal clauses to provide paratransit service with the MTPO approved CTC selection, MV. The FTA denied this request stating that RTS needed to issue an RFP including the required clauses for paratransit service.
The existing ADA paratransit service contract with MV expires September 30, 2008. RTS will be submitting a request to the City of Gainesville Purchasing Division to issue an RFP to procure ADA paratransit service. It is anticipated that the ADA paratransit service provider will be selected by the end of the year; however RTS will need a month to month contract with MV to continue service until then.
Fiscal Note
ADA Paratransit services are approximately $70,000.00 monthly. Funding is available in the FY09 RTS Operating budget.
Recommendation
Recommended Motion: The City Commission authorize the City Manager to execute the month to month extension with MV Transportation, Inc., to provide ADA Complementary Paratransit service, subject to approval by the City Attorney as to form and legality.