Instructions for Transportation Contracts (Form TC)
All contracts for the transportation of pupils during the regular school year and for summer programs must be competitively bid, regardless of how small any one contract may be, when school district officials anticipate that the annual aggregate amount to be expended on new contracts will exceed $20,000. Only partial-year contracts, which begin part way through the school year and cost $20,000 or less, may be awarded without competitive bidding. However, partial-year contracts must also be bid when two or more such contracts are anticipated, which in the aggregate exceed $20,000. In the case of an emergency, where immediate action must be taken which cannot await competitive bidding, a one-month, non-bid, emergency contract may be awarded, to give a district time to advertise for bids on a contract to cover the remainder of the school year. If no bids are received, it is necessary to advertise a second time.
Contracts for the transportation of pupils cannot cover the full school fiscal year (July 1 to June 30). Separate contracts must be awarded for the summer and for the regular school year. There is one exception, however. Contracts for the maintenance of district-owned school buses may cover the full school fiscal year.
The advertisement for bids must be published not later than June 1 for transportation of students without disabilities and July 1 for students with disabilities. If the advertising deadline was not met, include a letter of explanation when submitting Form TC.
Contract must be approved by the Superintendents of Schools and filed within 120 calendar days of the first day of service; otherwise, an aid deduction will be taken for each school day that a contract is late.
Complete SED code in left-hand corner.
Complete all information in the address box.
Check the boxes that indicate the type of contract and specifications.
Complete the Agreement Date, which is the date on which the president of the board and contractor sign the contract. NOTE: A deduction will be taken for each school day that the agreement date is subsequent to the first day of service.
Complete all of the remaining entries that are applicable. The first day of service should be the actual day on which service begins.
If the contract was awarded through a Request for Proposals (RFP), enter the date of the RFP. The RFP date must be on or prior to the date of agreement. Refer to "Request For Proposals" on the reverse side of Form TC. The RFP process is much more complex than simply obtaining price quotes from contractors. When submitting the contract to the Department include the following: the instructions used in making the request, the contract specifications, all proposals received, and the criteria, weights and scores used to assess the proposals.
The date of the Superintendent's Approval must be on or after the Agreement Date and prior to filing.
All signatures must be original.
If contract was competitively bid, enter the date of bid opening and complete the Tabulation of Bids on the reverse side of Form TC. Check the YES or NO box to show whether the contract was awarded to the lowest bidder. Submit affidavit of publication and bid specifications.
Where the contract covers a multi-year period (2-5 years) the voters must approve a separate proposition or a specific line item in the school budget. The budget must also include a footnote to the line item which indicates the total number of years and cost of the multi-year contract. The full term of a multi-year contract must be included in a single contract form. For example, where a contract covers a 5-year term, the ending date will be June 30 of the fifth school year.
Mail an original copy of Form TC to the address on the top of the form, within 120 calendar days of the first day of service. Retain a copy of your records. The Department will notify your district in writing of all contract approvals.
A transportation contract may not be materially altered or modified. However, where the contract specifications include language which authorizes additional service or a change of service, such modifications can be made. In addition, the contractor's bid proposal must include a specific price for the additional service or change of service. NOTE: An addendum, which may simply be a letter describing any modifications, must be submitted to the Department.
Wherever possible, combine in a single contract all bid items awarded to a particular contractor through a single bid opening. This can be done by attaching a list of the various routes or destinations along with the bid price for each. On the face of the contract write "see attached" where the contract price normally would be entered. Also, complete the Total Anticipated Annual Cost entry for the aggregate cost of all the routes or destinations listed. [Note: Commissioner's Regulation 156.1(c) states that separate contracts shall be awarded for transportation to and from school and for other purposes, including but not limited to field trips and athletic events.]