REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL
Apalachee Regional Planning Council
Attachment A: Scope of Services
The Apalachee Regional Planning Council is currently soliciting proposals for the provision of web-based commuter ridematching/trip-planning software and associated maintenance and technical support services for Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District 3’s regional commuter assistance programs (CAPs).
Currently, District 3 sponsors two regional commuter assistance programs (CAPs): Commuter Services of North Florida and RideOn Commuter Services. As of January 1, 2020, these organizations will function as a single entity, providing both economic and environmentally sustainable transportation options for work commuters across the district’s sixteen counties.
CAPs within Florida utilize a variety of transportation demand management (TDM) strategies to achieve their goals. This includes significant employer outreach and engagement as well as coordination with both local and regional transportation planning agencies to affect broader understanding and responses to commuter travel. These programs provide, at a minimum, carpool and vanpool matching, emergency ride home services, marketing and technical assistance support to public transit as well as bicycling and pedestrian initiatives, telework program support, park and ride lot monitoring.
To be eligible for consideration, interested vendors must respond to each Section and subsequent tasks outlined within this Scope of Services below. Responses should be succinct, providing enough detail to fully address each task. Responses must also meet the Applicable Federal Clauses provided by the FDOT procurement guidance handbook for 2019, these are provided in Exhibit A.
Interested entities shall submit one (1) original and two (2) copies of their responses to this Request for Proposal (RFP) in a sealed envelope to the Apalachee Regional Planning Council, Attn: RideOn Commuter Services, 2507 Callaway Road, Suite 200, Tallahassee, Florida 32303 by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, December 27, 2019. The envelope must be marked, “RFP for RideOn Ridematching software.” Faxed and emailed responses WILL NOT be accepted. Responses received after the deadline will not be considered and the interested entities will be notified. Only responses received on time and addressing every section and subtask will be considered.
Questions should be addressed to Mr. Kwentin Eastberg, Planning Manager, Apalachee Regional Planning Council, at the address listed above. The Apalachee Regional Planning Council reserves the right to accept or reject any and all responses in the best interest of the service area and the State.
SECTION 1 – Scope of Services
Task 1 – Ridematching & Trip Planning Software
Ridematching services are at the core of commuter assistance programming in Florida. However, as work commutes and technology have evolved so have the needs and expectations of commuters, employers, and TDM service providers. With this in mind, the ARPC is looking for comprehensive trip planning software that is robust and adaptable. The preferred system will be web-based, and within their proposal, interested vendors should provide a comprehensive overview of the software’s capabilities within each of the task areas outlined below. At the end of this section, the vendor is free to identify and describe any additional and unique features that would strengthen transportation demand management efforts.[1]
Task 1.1: Carpool and Vanpool Ridematching
Identify the software features that facilitate carpool and vanpool matching including but not limited to integrated mapping features, vanpool management, etc. Also describe the variety of ways matchlist information is distributed to users.
Current Ridematching System Subscriptions
For estimation purposes, enrollment in the current program is about 3,000 participants. The commuter assistance program serves approximately 16 north Florida counties.
Task 1.2: Emergency Ride Home Program Management
Please provide an overview of the software’s emergency ride home program management capabilities; include any customizable features such as integration with trip-tracking, voucher disbursement and tracking, etc.
Current ERHP Enrollment in ERHP
For estimating purposes, current enrollment in the Emergency Ride Home Program is approximately 1,136 participants.
Task 1.3: Multi-Modal Trip Planning
The software should enable planning of trips using multiple modes including carpool/vanpool matching, public transit, bicycling, and pedestrian options. Vendors should identify such features within this section.
Task 1.4: Trip Tracking and Reporting
Florida CAPs utilize commuter travel data to report on program progress and to inform regional marketing efforts. The preferred software will facilitate commuters self-reporting such data within the secure system. Vendors should also identify any special features, including the ability to integrate with popular apps (Strava, Garmin, etc.) as well as those to allow maximum flexibility in data analysis by CAP administrators.
Task 1.5: Incentive Program Management/Gamification
Please describe any features within your software that facilitate management of incentive or rewards programs in support of promotional efforts. Indicate which features are included and which are optional/ cost-added modules.
Task 1.6: In-System Communications & Surveying
Vendors should describe how their software can facilitate electronic in-system communications between the CAPs, registered commuters, and employers. This should specifically address commuter-to-commuter communications as well as CAP-to-commuter communication—individual, by select criteria (mode, employer, shift, etc.), and a program-wide email blast.
The preferred software will enable automated notifications generated by user profile criteria and/or event triggered.
Within this section, vendors should also describe the software’s surveying capabilities which would allow CAPs to periodically survey both commuters and employers. This may include, but is not limited to, mode shift tracking and customer satisfaction.
In-system communications and surveying should have overlap with the reporting requirements identified in Task 1.9, below.
Within this section, vendors should also identify data-analysis capability and/or data export functions that would facilitate more extensive data analysis utilizing programs such as SPSS, Tableau, or ArcGIS.
Task 1.7: Mapping & Supportive Travel Infrastructure Integration
Vendors should describe what mapping capabilities – both interactive and static – the software provides. At a minimum, the software should allow for integration of park and ride lot locations and bus stops.
If available, additional capabilities such as identification of car-share and bike-share stations should also be noted in this section.
The preferred software will allow users to filter modes to avoid visual clutter.
Task 1.8: Employer/Client Relations Management
Given the importance of employer outreach and engagement to TDM practice, vendors should identify how their software can or might be used to engage employers and offer work-site specific travel planning. This may include targeted communications (such as creation of employer-specific dashboards, inter-office challenges, etc.).
Task 1.9: Reporting and Data Export Functions
CAPs report progress quarterly data to FDOT District 3. The preferred software would facilitate such reporting. Currently, the minimum data reported to FDOT Districts are:
(a) Number of commuters requesting assistance
(b) Number of commuters switching from single occupant vehicles
(c) Number of agency vans in service, and other coordinating agency vans that are participating in the rideshare-matching program (where applicable)
(d) Number of vehicle trips eliminated for all commuters participating in the commuter assistance program
(e) Number of vehicle miles eliminated for all commuters participating in the commuter assistance program
(f) Number of employer contacts and employers participating
(g) Description of major accomplishments
(h) Number of parking spots saved / parking needs reduced
(i) Amount of commuter costs saved
It is useful to also collect and report additional data. For this reason, please identify any customization allowed by your system. This may be demonstrated through the use of data export functions; vendors should identify how data can be exported and utilized in various formats (e.g. Excel, SPSS, etc.).
Task 1.10: Other Software Functions
Due to the evolving nature of commuter transportation needs and variations in services offered by CAPs, vendors should identify in their response any unique features of their software that have not been specified elsewhere.
Task 2: Mobile App, Social Media Integration & Other Portability Functions
Given significant advances and reliance on information technology, vendors should describe the portability and compatibility of their software. Preference will be given to vendors whose commuter interface is supported through a mobile application that is compatible with various operating systems including, but not limited to, iPhones and Android-based devices. If available and applicable, vendors should describe how the integral components of their software package interface with social media and what those social media platforms are.
Because the CAPs serve employees of numerous Federal and State agencies, as well as local law enforcement personnel, the database is exempt from the Sunshine Law. Accordingly, the product selected will offer full functionality through desktop alone and the same standard of privacy and security will apply to any and all direct system interface. Users will not be required to use Facebook or any third-party apps in order to participate in ridematching, self-reported trip-tracking, or the Emergency Ride Home Program. The CAP retains exclusive ownership of all user data.
Task 3: System Maintenance, Data Migration, Technical Support & Training
In order to ensure operational continuity and efficiency, vendors will be evaluated on their ability to perform reliable system maintenance and provide ongoing technical assistance and training. An additional component of this task is migration of existing data to the new software platform. In their proposal, vendors should describe their proposed performance in each of the following tasks:
Task 3.1: System Maintenance
Within this section, vendors should identify how their system will be maintained over the course of the project period and the specific roles and responsibilities of both the vendor and/or its representatives, as well as CAP personnel.
Task 3.2: Technical Support & Training
Vendors should identify what technical support and training services are available for CAP personnel, and whether these are a component of the basic purchase price or cost-added services. Vendors should also describe their response time, customer service practices, and preferred methods of communication.
Task 3.3: Data Migration
The implementation of the new software will need to take place in a fairly abbreviated timeframe. Please explain how data migration from the two existing databases will occur, and the projected timeline; include information about desired file formats and/or preparatory steps that would expedite this data transfer.
Task 4: Brand and URL Domain Integrity & Customization
Each CAP currently operates a website that serves as the portal for their ridematching and ERHP services. These will be combined into a single site, under a unified brand with the adoption of the software.
Vendors should identify all customization and specific features that CAPs can use to direct users and/ or employers to the geographically appropriate field office. If there are costs associated with those options, please indicate that in the pricing section.
Task 5: Security and Privacy
The security of commuter data is of utmost importance to the FDOT and CAPs. It is also a vital sales tool when promoting trip mitigation strategies to commuters and employers. Within this section, vendors should identify the security features of their software. Responses should be as comprehensive as possible. Specific items vendor should address are:
- Commuter Privacy and Safety – Describe features that ensure the privacy and safety of commuters. This may include security settings established by the CAPs and/or individual commuters including subscriber profile pictures, criteria to filter matching, etc.
- Data Storage – Describe procedures in place to ensure the integrity and security of the data and indicate where the system data will be stored. Explain how security features are communicated to users including commuters, employers, and CAP administrators. If any of the program features require a user to agree to separate—and potentially, more vulnerable—security standards, these are to be clearly delineated.
- Browser Compatibility – Vendors should identify any security or operational strengths or weaknesses within their software with respect to specific browsers, including those that restrict hidden tracking, such as DuckDuckGo.
SECTION 2 -- Vendor Experience & Qualifications
Interested vendors should submit a summary of their experience and qualifications in the provision of any or all software functions identified in Section 1, with priority given to examples where a comparable state government contract was developed. Please provide a minimum of three (3) client references, including contact information.
SECTION 3 – Proposed Budget
Interested vendors are asked to provide a detailed line item budget for their products and services, including cost of initial start up in year one and the cost of maintaining the software in subsequent years. If the base software package comes with included add-ons those need to be listed in the outline of the base software package. If optional add-on modules or services are available, please provide a description and cost associated with those as well.
Exhibit A
FDOT Third Party Checklist – Applicable Federal Clauses
15. NO GOVERNMENT OBLIGATION TO THIRD PARTIES
18. PROGRAM FRAUD AND FALSE OR FRAUDULENT STATEMENTS AND RELATED ACTS
18 U.S.C. § 1001
1. ACCESS TO RECORDS AND REPORTS
2 C.F.R. § 200.333
49 C.F.R. part 633
FEDERAL CHANGES
8. CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS AND REGULATIONS
9. DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE (DBE)
INCORPORATION OF FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION (FTA) TERMS
FTA Circular 4220.1E or subsequent revisions
11. ENERGY CONSERVATION
42 U.S.C. 6321 et seq.
49 C.F.R. part 622, subpart C
25. TERMINATION
2 C.F.R. § 200.339
2 C.F.R. part 200, Appendix II (B)
13. GOVERNMENT-WIDE DEBARMENT AND SUSPENSION
2 C.F.R. part 180
2 C.F.R part 1200
2 C.F.R. § 200.213
2 C.F.R. part 200 Appendix II (I) Executive Order 12549
Executive Order 12689
For further information or clarification on the above Federal Clauses, please visit:
Reference pages 136-153 of the document.
[1]Within their proposed budget, vendors should specify what features are a component of the basic package price and what components are cost-added services.
