Title
West Transit Facility Fixed Route Bus Service - Request for Contract Award - Citywide
Description
Request the Transportation, Infrastructure and Planning Subcommittee to recommend City Council approval to enter into an agreement with First Transit, Inc. (a wholly owned subsidiary of Transdev Services, Inc.) for the management and operation of fixed route bus service from the City’s West Transit Facility.
Report
Summary
This contract is for management and operation of the fixed route bus service operating from the Public Transit Department's (PTD) West Transit Facility, located at 405 North 79th Avenue. There are 170 vehicles located at the West Transit Facility which are used to provide service for one neighborhood circulator route and 11 local bus routes throughout the region. The service accounts for 546,000 service miles a month, or about 30 percent of Phoenix’s local bus service. The routes also account for over one million regional passenger boardings per month.
First Transit, purchased by Transdev Services, Inc. in 2023, currently provides fixed route bus service from the West Transit Facility. Transdev Services, Inc. also provides fixed route bus service from the City’s North and South facilities. The company currently employs 560 local staff at the West Transit Facility and 990 at the other two facilities. Services from all locations were competitively procured to meet Federal Transit Administration (FTA) requirements and are contracted under separate agreements with different start and expiration dates.
Under this contract, First Transit is committed to build on their ongoing relationships within the community, including support and partnerships with Arizona veterans’ organizations, Phoenix Union High School District, Chicanos Por La Causa, Opportunities Industrialization Center, and St. Vincent De Paul. In addition, First Transit partners with local disadvantaged business enterprises (DBEs) to fulfill the company’s commitment to the City.
Procurement Information
A Request for Proposals, PTD24-005, was processed in accordance with City of Phoenix Administrative Regulation 3.10.
Two vendors submitted proposals and both were deemed responsive and responsible. An evaluation committee of City staff and staff from the City of Avondale, which purchases fixed route service from the City, evaluated offers based on the following criteria, with a maximum possible point total of 1,000:
- Method of Approach (275 points)
- Management Structure and Personnel (225 points)
- Corporate Experience and Past Performance (100 points)
- Facilities Experience (100 points)
- Price Proposal (300 points)
The evaluation panel recommends contract award to First Transit, Inc. based on the following scoring:
- First Transit, Inc.: 883 points
- MV Public Transportation, Inc.: 751 points
Contract Term
The contract will be for a five-year term beginning on or about July 1, 2025, with a two-year option to extend at the City's sole discretion. In addition, if the City deems it necessary, the City may extend the initial term or the option term on a month-to-month basis for up to six months.
Financial Impact
The total aggregate contract value will not exceed $626,785,658. Funds are available in the Public Transit Department's budget.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
This item was recommended for approval at the Citizens Transportation Commission meeting on December 5, 2024, by a vote of 8-0.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Mario Paniagua and the Public Transit Department.