RFP 26-26 HHM Gap Cab On-Demand Transportation

MPS HHM Gap Cab On-Demand Transportation
RFP 26-26
Request for Proposal (RFP) for
MPS HHM Gap Cab On-Demand Transportation
RFP: 26-26
Minneapolis Public Schools - Special School District No. 1
1250 West Broadway Ave.
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55411-2533
Issued: 05/22/2026
NOTICE: Pursuant to section 13.591 subdivision 3(b) of the Minnesota Statutes, after a
government entity has completed negotiating a contract with the selected vendor, all
data in RFP responses are public except for trade secret information as defined in
section 13.37 subdivision 1(b). A statement that submitted data are copyrighted or
otherwise protected does not prevent public access to the data.
1 Minneapolis Public Schools
1250 W. Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55411
RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us
Template updated March 2026

MPS HHM Gap Cab On-Demand Transportation
RFP 26-26
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Overview
A. Project Objective
B. Schedule of Proposal
C. Mandatory Intention to Submit Proposals
D. Submission of Written Questions
E. Pre-Bid Conference
F. Changes to the RFP
G. Preparation of Proposal
H. Submission of Proposals
I. Withdrawal of Proposals
J. Finalist's Presentations
K. Evaluation and Selection Process
L. Effective Period of Proposals
M. Bid Reservations
N. Notifications of Unsuccessful Vendors
O. Contract Negotiations
P. Award of Contract
Q. Contract Term
R. Disposition of and Public Access to Proposals
S. Cost Incurred in Responding
T. Assignment
U. Causes for Termination
II. Scope of Services
A. Project Background
B. MPS HHM Gap Cab On-Demand Transportation Goals
C. Transportation Organization
III. General Business Information
A. General Business Requirements
B. Qualifications and Experience
C. Supplier and Employee Equity & Diversity, Sustainability and Community Engagement
D. Business Ethics
E. Service Level Expectations
F. Fees & Costs
G. Reporting
H. Billing and Payment
IV. Project Scope
A. Requesting Service
B. Communication
C. System Access Based on User
D. Fleet & Equipment Needs
E. Customer Service
V. Appendix Requirements
2 Minneapolis Public Schools
1250 W. Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55411
RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us
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MPS HHM Gap Cab On-Demand Transportation
RFP 26-26
A. References
B. Pricing Information
C. MPS Reports
VI. MPS Appendix Documents
1. Intention to Submit Proposal
2. Organization Information Cover sheet
3. References
4. Pricing
5. Expected Scope of Work
6. MPS Sample Contract
3 Minneapolis Public Schools
1250 W. Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55411
RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us
Template updated March 2026

MPS HHM Gap Cab On-Demand Transportation
RFP 26-26
SECTION I: OVERVIEW
A. Project Objective
Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) is seeking proposals from organizations and individuals wishing
to provide a gap cab / on-demand transportation service.
Minneapolis Public Schools or Special School District Number 1 (SSD #1) is a school district that is
coterminous with the City of Minneapolis, Minnesota. With authority granted by the state
legislature, the school board makes policy, selects the superintendent, and oversees the district's
budget, curriculum, personnel, and facilities. Students speak ninety different languages at home
and most school communications are printed in English, Hmong, Spanish, and Somali. The District
covers over 70 school programs at 65 sites, with approximately 29,900 students and 3,200
teaching staff.
The District intends to select one organization to provide the necessary gap cab / on demand
transportation service to fully support MPS students. To facilitate the submission and evaluation
of proposals, this proposal provides additional background information regarding MPS that will
be relevant to the proposal of the gap cab / on demand transportation service.
RFP Primary Objective 1: Gain a thorough understanding of a vendor's organization, ability and
experience in providing gap cab / on-demand transportation services that meet the needs of the
district for the next 5 years
RFP Primary Objective 2: Gain a thorough understanding of a vendor's total costs for providing gap
cab / on-demand transportation services. Including but not limited to: trip charges, cancellation fees
and additional costs.
RFP Primary Objective 3: To select a vendor with operational strategy, advanced technological
adoption and use, robust and steady organizational staffing and proven performance history to
provide exceptional gap cab / on-demand transportation service for students, families and the
district.
B. Schedule of Proposal
1. Issue RFP: May 22, 2026
2. Written Questions Due: June 12, 2026
3. Intention to Submit: June 12, 2026
4. Pre-Bid Conference: June 23, 2026
5. Responses to Questions: June 23, 2026
6. Proposals Due: July 1, 2026 (2:00 pm)
7. Finalists Selected & notified: July 10, 2026
8. Finalist Presentations: July 20, 2026 - July 23, 2026
9. Award bid - Selection: July 24, 2026
10. District Approval July 28, 2026 Board meeting
11. Implementation: August 1, 2026
C. Mandatory Intention to Submit Proposals
APPENDIX 1 (a) & Conflict of interest form APPENDIX 1 (b) are mandatory to submit. Failure to
submit both will result in automatic disqualification from the RFP Process.
4 Minneapolis Public Schools
1250 W. Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55411
RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us
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MPS HHM Gap Cab On-Demand Transportation
RFP 26-26
In order for your organization to be considered for this Request for Proposal, please complete
Appendix 1 (a) Intention to Submit a Proposal and Appendix 1 (b) Conflict of Interest by
6/12/2026. This document must be emailed to RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us. These documents are
mandatory documents, if these are not submitted by email to RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us by
6/12/2026 ; the organization will not be able to participate in HHM Gap Cab On-Demand
Transportation RFP 26-26.
D. Submission of Written Questions
All questions about the RFP shall be submitted by e-mail to RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us by end of day
6/12/2026. The District will provide written responses to questions from prospective Proposers
no later than 6/23/2023 EOD. After 6/12/2026, no questions or inquiries will be allowed.
E. Pre-Bid Conference
The District will hold a virtual pre-bid conference from 1:00-3:00 p.m. Central Standard Time. The
District will answer any additional follow-up questions at this time. No questions or inquiries will
be allowed beyond the pre-bid conference. Any unauthorized contact with any other district
official or employee in connection with this RFP is prohibited and shall be cause for
disqualification of the proposer.
F. Changes to the RFP
If any changes are issued to this RFP, they will be posted to the MPS website.
https://www.mpschools.org/departments/finance/procurement
G. Preparation of Proposal
1. Careful attention should be paid to all requested items contained in this Request for
Proposal. Please read the entire package before bidding. Each proposal shall be prepared
simply and economically avoiding the use of elaborate promotional materials beyond what is
sufficient to provide a complete, accurate, and reliable presentation.
2. For ease of review, the proposals should follow the outline in Section III and IV of this
request for proposal. Each response should be clearly numbered and the full question listed.
3. Each page of the proposal should be sequentially numbered and include the proposing
organization's name.
4. RFP should be double-spaced, with at least than one-inch margins. Font should be at least
12-point.
5. Each response to questions in Section III and IV of the RFP should be appropriately labeled
(e.g., Section III: General Business Questions, A. General Business Requirements, Question
#1; etc.).
6. The RFP narrative for Section III-IV should not exceed 100 pages total, not including
appendices. RFPs exceeding the 200 pages in Section III-IV may not be reviewed.
7. Some questions in this RFP will require organizations to submit documents as an Appendix.
Applicants may wish to submit additional supplemental materials to support responses to
questions in Section III and IV. If an applicant intends to include supplemental materials with
responses to questions in Sections III and IV of the RFP, separate appendices for each part
should be developed. Each appendix should be clearly labeled (e.g., Appendix A: References,
etc.).
8. All appendix materials (e.g., sample letters, curricula, lesson plans, progress reports,
academic effectiveness data, etc.) should be labeled with the name of the organization and
5 Minneapolis Public Schools
1250 W. Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55411
RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us
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MPS HHM Gap Cab On-Demand Transportation
RFP 26-26
reference the appropriate section and question (e.g., Section C: Description of Expected
Services 1a). Although there is no page limitation for the Appendix, the appendix should
not be excessive in length. Applicants should also ensure the appendix items are
appropriately described and referenced in the narrative section of the RFP.
9. The RFP should be submitted in the appropriate order. Each part of the RFP should be
separated with a section divider page listing the title of the next part of the RFP that is
enclosed. All RFPs should follow the order below:
a. Organization Information Cover Page (Provided in attached Appendix 2)
b. Table of Contents
c. Section III- General Business Information
d. Section IV- Project Scope
e. Appendix Materials
10. Additional circumstances that may lead to RFP not being reviewed and/or selected:
a. RFP was received after the deadline, which includes not on the deadline date but
also after the deadline time.
b. Applicant does not intend to complete criminal history checks on employees.
c. Applicant's previous clients have significant complaints regarding the quality of the
Title services, communication issues, or other problems.
d. Any section of the RFP is missing or incomplete.
H. Submission of Proposals
In order to be considered for selection, organizations must submit a signed electronic (.pdf)
response to this solicitation no later than 2:00 p.m. on 7/1/2026. Late proposals shall not be
accepted. Electronic copies must be submitted to: RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us
No other distribution of the proposal shall be made by the organization. It is the sole
responsibility of the organization to assure that the proposal is delivered to the designated
location in Item H, above, prior to the deadline. No proposal received after the deadline will be
considered. No unsolicited, corrected, or resubmitted proposals will be accepted after the
proposal submission deadline.
I. Withdrawal of Proposals
A proposal may be withdrawn by the vendor prior to the date and time for submittal of proposals
by means of a written request signed by the vendor or its properly authorized representative.
Such written request must be delivered to RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us. This written request can be
either electronic or a hard copy format.
J. Finalist's Presentation
The District's RFP Evaluation Committee will invite finalists to meet with the evaluation team the
week of 7/20/2026 -7/23/2026. The District is requesting that all finalists provide product
demonstrations.
K. Evaluation and Selection Process
1. The HHM Gap Cab On-Demand Transportation RFP 26-26 members will include, but is not be
limited to a minimum of one member from at least two departments.
6 Minneapolis Public Schools
1250 W. Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55411
RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us
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MPS HHM Gap Cab On-Demand Transportation
RFP 26-26
2. Proposals, responses, presentations and references will be included as the Evaluation
Committee recommends a solution for the District. Upon approval from the authorized
District signer on July 28, 2026 the District will then proceed with contract discussions with
the selected vendor(s). The District has no liability to any vendor participating in this RFP
process prior to when the authorized District signer signs a contract to that vendor.
1. Consensus on proposal selection will be determined by the Evaluation Committee reaching
consensus on the selection. The HHM Gap Cab On-Demand Transportation RFP 26-26
Evaluation Committee members will use a rubric to evaluate the responses to the questions
outlined in this RFP.
2. The Evaluation Committee shall evaluate all proposals to determine which meet the
minimum service/product requirements, without regard to price. This evaluation may, at the
Evaluation Committee's discretion, be augmented by verbal or written requests for
clarification, or additional information as necessary to determine whether the technical
requirements can be met. The Evaluation Committee can contact references supplied in
vendor proposals. Findings from these inquiries will be included in the assessment of
products for selecting finalists.
3. The Evaluation Committee will then only consider those proposals that meet the minimum
service requirements for further evaluation. The Evaluation Committee will evaluate and
score the vendor with regard to a scoring rubric.
L. Effective Period of Proposals
Proposals must state the period for which the proposal shall remain in effect (i.e., how much
time does the District have to accept or reject the proposal under the terms proposed). Such
period shall not be less than 120 days from the proposal date.
M. Bid Reservations
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this RFP, the District reserves the right to award this
contract to the organization(s) that best meet the requirements of the RFP, and not necessarily,
to the lowest cost Proposer. Further, the District reserves the right to reject any or all bids, to
award in whole or part, and to waive minor immaterial defects in bids. The District may consider,
at its sole discretion, any alternative bid.
N. Notifications of Unsuccessful Vendors
The Evaluation Committee through the Procurement Department shall notify all Vendors after
the Finalists' Presentations but no later than the award recommendation and approval to
proceed being placed on the School Board agenda on July 28, 2026.
O. Contract Negotiations
Negotiations may include all aspects of services and fees. After a review of the proposals, and in-
person presentations, the District intends to enter into contract negotiations with the selected
organization(s). If a contract with the selected organization is not finalized within 90 days, the
District reserves the right to open negotiations with the next ranked organization(s).
P. Award of Contract
The District reserves the right to award by Service Area or as a whole, whichever is deemed most
advantageous to the District.
7 Minneapolis Public Schools
1250 W. Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55411
RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us
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MPS HHM Gap Cab On-Demand Transportation
RFP 26-26
The selected firm(s) shall be required to enter into a written contract or contracts with the
District in a form approved by legal counsel for the District. This RFP and the proposal, or any
part thereof, may be incorporated into and made a part of the final contract(s). The District
reserves the right to negotiate the terms and conditions of the contract(s) with the selected
Proposer(s).
Q. Contract Term
It is the intent to award the contract(s) for an initial 3 year period with the option to renew it for
2, one-year periods for a possible total contract term of 5 years. The decision to renew the
contract(s) will be at the sole discretion of the District and agreed upon by both parties.
Proposers must agree to fix contract fees for the first 2 years. If the organization intends to revise
its fee schedule after the initial 2 -year period, it must give written notice to the District 90 days
in advance of any fee change. Fees may be changed only by notice within 90 days of the contract
expiration date. These fees are subject to negotiation and approval by the District.
R. Disposition of and Public Access to Proposals
All materials submitted in response to this RFP will become the property of the District. Pursuant
to section 13.591 subdivision 3(b) of the Minnesota Statutes, virtually all information submitted
is considered public and may be disclosed to third parties. The exception is trade secret
information, as defined and classified in section 13.37 subdivision 1(b). Trade secret information
should not be included in a response unless absolutely necessary.
S. Cost Incurred in Responding
This solicitation does not commit the District to pay any costs incurred in the preparation and
submission of proposals or in making necessary studies for the preparation thereof, nor to
procure or contract for services.
T. Assignment
The successful proposer shall not assign, transfer, convey, or otherwise dispose of the contract,
or right, title of interest, or power to execute such a contract to any person, firm, or corporation
without the previous consent in writing by the District.
U. Causes for Termination
Causes for termination of the agreement may include any of the following: Failure to promptly
and faithfully provide the services required at the prices indicated in the Proposal; violation of
any law governing services provided to the District; failure to cooperate upon receiving any
reasonable request for information or service; or improper actions of the officers or employees,
which in the opinion of the District, would adversely affect its interest, or endanger the structure
of the proposing organization such as a spin off or merger which materially affects the terms of
this agreement. The District may terminate the agreement without cause with a 90-day notice.
The District may terminate the agreement with cause with a 30-day notice.
8 Minneapolis Public Schools
1250 W. Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55411
RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us
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MPS HHM Gap Cab On-Demand Transportation
RFP 26-26
SECTION II: SCOPE OF SERVICES
A. Project Background
This section begins with some background information on the Minneapolis Public School District
and then discusses the overall expectations for the on-demand transportation service, as well as
the district's specific needs. It also describes existing services and equipment that the Vendor may
wish to incorporate into its design and the issues that need to be considered.
The Minneapolis Public Schools is the third largest K-12 District in Minnesota. Minneapolis,
located in Hennepin County, is the largest city in the state of Minnesota, and is the 48th largest in
the United States. The District covers 70 school programs at 65 sites, with approximately 29,900
students and 3,200 teaching staff.
70 school programs include:
K-5 Schools: 19
K-8 Schools: 17
Middle Schools (6-8): 5
High Schools (9-12): 7
Special Education Schools: 2
Specialty Schools: 1
District Alternative Schools: 4
Contract Alternative Schools: 12
Growth projection: Stable
Superintendent: Dr. Lisa Sayles-Adams
Senior Operations Officer: Tom Parent
Director, Procurement and Supply Chain Mgt: Chris Boyce
Current Gap Cab / On Demand Transportation Environment
Gap cab / on-demand transportation service is needed to support students getting safely to and
from school until they can be assigned to a regular reoccurring route.
Gap cab / On-demand transportation can also be used to meet families' transportation needs in
getting to and from school for conferences, meetings, etc.
Minneapolis Public School staff are responsible for identifying students who need and are eligible
for gap cab / on-demand transportation and requesting this service with the vendor.
In partnership with the vendor, MPS staff are responsible for problem-solving transportation
issues and monitoring usage.
Under current contracts, all gap cab / on-demand transportation is performed by a vendor. No
work is performed by the district.
B. MPS HHM Gap Cab On Demand Transportation Goals & Values
9 Minneapolis Public Schools
1250 W. Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55411
RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us
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MPS HHM Gap Cab On-Demand Transportation
RFP 26-26
The goals and values of Minneapolis Public Schools Transportation department include the
following:
* Being transported to and from school is a safe, welcoming experience for students.
* Students' identities are honored and respected.
* Families receive clear, timely communication regarding their students' transportation.
* Drivers are empowered to make positive connections with their student riders and
families.
* Service providers are treated as partners.
* School-based staff are informed of changes, updates, and delays in a timely manner.
A well-qualified vendor will have a seamless online platform for requesting and tracking trips,
excellent notification to families of estimated time of arrivals, and the capacity to serve a high
volume of students daily.
C. Transportation Organization
Transportation's mission is to support student achievement by providing safe, reliable, cost-
effective transportation in a positive social environment that honors our diverse community,
along with clear, timely communication with families. However, the focus of the Transportation
department is on routed students, requiring a partner to provide gap cab / on-demand
transportation service for students.
* Number of students transported daily by on demand service: average 100+ rides/day
throughout school year; 200+ rides/day at beginning of school year (September & October)
The Executive Director leads the Transportation department which includes the following:
* Transportation managers
* Training program staff
* Scheduling staff
* Dispatch staff
* District communications center staff
* Fleet maintenance staff
* Finance staff
* CDL Drivers
10 Minneapolis Public Schools
1250 W. Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55411
RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us
Template updated March 2026