The Indian River County Metropolitan Planning Organization is seeking letters of interest and statements of qualifications from qualified agencies or firms interested in coordinating transportation services for the transportation disadvantaged in Indian River County, Florida. Subsequent to submittal of letters of interest, qualified firms will be asked to submit a formal response to a request for proposals. The selected firm will be the designated Community Transportation Coordinator for the Transportation Disadvantaged Program, as authorized by Chapter 427, Florida Statutes, and more fully described in Rule 41‑2 of the Florida Administrative Code. State statutes mandate the competitive selection of a Community Transportation Coordinator for the Transportation Disadvantaged Program every five years.

The Community Transportation Coordinator is defined by Chapter 427, Florida Statutes, as a transportation entity recommended by the appropriate designated official planning agency to ensure that coordinated transportation services are provided to the transportation disadvantaged population in a designated service area. The Community Transportation Coordinator has full responsibility for the delivery of transportation services for the transportation disadvantaged as outlined in Section 427.015(2), Florida Statutes.

The transportation disadvantaged are defined by Chapter 427, Florida Statutes as “those persons who because of physical or mental disability, income status, or age are unable to transport themselves or purchase transportation and are, therefore, dependent upon others to obtain access to health care, employment, education, shopping, social activities, or other life sustaining activities, or children who are handicapped or high‑risk or at‑risk as defined in Section 411.202, Florida Statutes.”

Interested firms/agencies are required to have capabilities to coordinate all transportation disadvantaged trips within Indian River County. The interested firm/agency could function as a COORDINATOR only (acts as total brokerage system that does not operate vehicles) or could function as a COORDINATOR/TRANSPORTATION OPERATOR (acts as brokerage and also provides all or part of the needed transportation services by operating vehicles).

Indian River County is a predominantly rural county, consisting of a small permanent resident population of approximately 135,000 persons. Currently, the Indian River County Senior Resource Association (SRA) serves as the Community Transportation Coordinator for the county. The SRA functions as a COORDINATOR/TRANSPORTATION OPERATOR, operating and maintaining its own fleet of vehicles as well as acting as a broker of trips for other transportation service providers. In addition, the SRA coordinates all trips for the Transportation Disadvantaged Program at no cost to system users.

Letters of interest and qualifications should be limited to a maximum of five (5) pages. The following information should be included in letters of interest and qualifications:

–      Name, address, phone number, fax number, and e-mail address (if available) of firm or agency.

–      Name and address of the contact person.

–      Staffing chart of the agency (list current staff, position, education, experience).

–      Agency’s past experience as a Community Transportation Coordinator (list locations and contact persons including phone numbers for references).

–      Statement of whether the agency either has or will be able to establish a local office in Indian River County.

–      Statement of whether and to what extent the agency is familiar with Indian River County.

–      Agency’s past experience with providing, brokering, or managing Mass Transit services, Americans with Disabilities Paratransit Services, and eligibility-based   ridership transportation services (list locations and contact persons including phone numbers).

Potential providers should submit one (1) original and five (5) copies of their expression of interest and qualifications in a sealed envelope to: Jerry Davis, Manager, Purchasing Department, Indian River County, 1800 27th Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960.

Letters must be marked “RFQ No. 2008039 – LETTER OF INTEREST AND QUALIFICATIONS FOR INDIAN RIVER COUNTY COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION COORDINATOR.” Letters of interest and qualifications must be received by 2:00 p.m., Monday, March 24, 2008.

Written questions should be addressed to: Phil Matson, MPO Staff Director, 1801 27th Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960.

Faxed and e‑mailed responses will not be accepted. Late letters will be returned unopened with the notation, “This letter of interest was received after the delivery time designated for receipt and opening in the legal notice.” Only responses to the request for letters of interest will be considered if a request for proposals is issued for Community Transportation Coordinator. The Indian River County Metropolitan Planning Organization reserves the right to accept or reject any and all responses in the best interest of the County and State Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged.

All proposers must certify that they are not on the State of Florida Comptroller General’s List of Ineligible Bidders. Proposers must also certify that no principal of the firm is presently suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded from participation in the type of work required by this letter of interest by any federal, state, or local department or agency.

The MPO recognizes fair and open competition as a basic tenet of public procurement and encourages participation by minority- and women-owned/managed or Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE). While the MPO does not award advanced standing for such business classifications, the MPO requests that DBEs submit evidence of such classification with their letters of interest.