Recreation Program Transportation Services 2026

Request for Proposals
City of San Mateo
Recreation Program Transportation Services 2026
City of San Mateo
330 W. 20th Avenue
San Mateo, CA 94403
RFP Issued: March 18, 2026
Proposal Deadline: April 1, 2026
Submission Options:
1) Electronic: Email one PDF with the subject line "Recreation Program Transportation
Services" to Michele Venneri, mvenneri@cityofsanmateo.org
2) Printed: Deliver or mail to San Mateo City Hall - City Manager's Office, 330 W. 20th
Avenue, San Mateo, CA 94033. Must be received (not postmarked) by the deadline.

1. Introduction
The City of San Mateo (the City) is accepting proposals from qualified Transportation Services in
accordance with the included specifications, terms, and conditions shown in this Request for
Proposal (RFP). Prospective respondents are advised to read this information carefully prior to
submitting a proposal.
One (1) signed original of the proposal must be mailed to the Parks and Recreation Department on
or before Wednesday, April 1, 2026. In addition, a pdf copy of the proposal must be emailed to
mvenneri@cityofsanmateo.org no later than 5:00 pm., on April 1, 2026. Proposals shall be
submitted in a sealed envelope clearly marked "Recreation Program Transportation Services" and
addressed to:
Parks & Recreation Department
City of San Mateo
330 West 20th Avenue
San Mateo, CA 94403
Questions regarding this RFP are to be directed by e-mail to: Michele Venneri, Community Services
Supervisor at mvenneri@cityofsanmateo.org. Such contact shall be for clarification purposes only.
Material changes, if any, to the scope of services or proposal procedures will only be transmitted
by written addendum. Answers to submitted questions shall be provided to each of the firms
invited to submit proposals.
2. Background
The City of San Mateo, incorporated in 1894, is the largest municipality in San Mateo County,
California with a population of approximately 103,350. It is one of the larger suburbs of the San
Francisco Peninsula, and when traveling on U.S. Highway 101, San Mateo is approximately 30
minutes from downtown San Jose, Oakland, and 25 minutes from downtown San Francisco.
The City of San Mateo is a charter city and has a Council-Manager form of government. The City
Council is comprised of five district-elected council members, who rotate annually as Mayor. The
City Manager is appointed by the Council and serves as the chief executive officer responsible for
the day-to-day administration of City affairs. The Council also appoints a City Attorney. There are
seven advisory boards and commissions appointed by the Council.
The City provides a wide range of municipal services including police, public works, parks and
recreation, library, planning and zoning, building inspection, code enforcement, affordable
housing, sewer system, street maintenance, economic development, and general administrative
services. The City shares a consolidated Fire Department with the cities of Foster City and
Belmont.
3. Scope of Services
a. The City has prepared an outline of services included in this RFP, which includes:
ii) Response Time
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iii) Additions/deletions of routes
iv) Prices shall be fixed and firm for the initial term of the contract
v) Programs to be Serviced by Buses and Drivers
vi) Buses and Drivers shall meet the following conditions
A guide to proposing a Scope of Services is included as Attachment A.
4. Submittal Guidelines
The following guidelines are provided for standardizing the preparation and submission of
proposals. The intent is to assist respondents in the preparation of their submissions and to assist
the City by simplifying the review process, providing standards for comparison of submissions.
Statements submitted in response to this RFP shall include a complete response to the
requirements in this section in the order presented. Statements should be a straightforward
delineation of the respondent's capability to satisfy the intent and requirements of this RFP, and
should not contain redundancies and conflicting statements.
Each Bidder shall submit one (1) hard copy of the Bid package. Said Bids shall be delivered to the
San Mateo City Clerk, c/o Michele Venneri, 330 W. 20th Avenue, San Mateo, California 94403, no
later than 5:00 pm, April 6, 2026.
Bids shall be opened and read by a City representative, and said City representative shall report the
results of the bids to the Director of Parks and Recreation, at which time the Director may award
the contract to the bidder whose demonstrated experience, competency, and pricing represent the
best value for the City; or as the City's interest may dictate, Director may exercise its right to modify
the award or reject any or all bids.
City Clerk's Office
City of San Mateo
330 West 20th Avenue
San Mateo, CA 94403
Proposals shall contain the following information in the order listed:
a. Cover letter
The cover letter should be addressed to:
Parks and Recreation Department
City of San Mateo
330 West 20th Avenue
San Mateo, CA 94403
The letter should state the proposer's name, mailing address, telephone number, and
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contact name. The letter shall address the proposer's understanding of the project based
on this RFP and any other information the proposer has gathered. The proposer shall
include a statement discussing the proposer's interest and qualifications for this type of
work. A principal of the company authorized to legally bind the company shall sign the
letter
b. Table of Contents
The proposer shall insert a comprehensive table of contents denoting sections three (3)
through eleven (11) of the proposal as indicated below.
c. Qualifications and Experience
Describe the proposer's capability for actually undertaking and performing the work as
described in this RFP. Include qualifications of each key team member. List types and
locations of similar work performed by the proposer in the last five (5) years that best
characterizes the quality and past performance.
d. Experience, as Applicable to the Proposal
List up to five (5) comparable projects (e.g. summer camps, school field trips) with dates, client
names, service scope, fleet size, and locations that have been completed within the past five (5)
years.
e. Work Plan, Scope of Work, Performance Standards
The work plan should indicate the proposer's ability to meet each specification as outlined
in this document. The work plan should address the items of work as described in this RFP.
The plan should be simple, easy to read and follow, and addresses and satisfies the scope
of work and services listed in this RFP.
f. Conflict of Interest Statement
The proposer shall disclose any activities and financial, business, and other relationships
of the firm that might create a conflict of interest for the proposer or City. Proposer shall
describe the facts, legal implications, and possible effects of said conflicts sufficient to
permit the City to appreciate the significance of the conflict and to grant any conflict
waiver, if appropriate and necessary. Conflict information is further delineated in the
provided Professional Consultant Services Agreement. Proposer further agrees to complete
any statements of economic interest if required either by City ordinance or State law.
g. Insurance
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Show proof of insurance for the insurance requirements shown in the City of San Mateo's
Professional Consultant Services Agreement provided as Attachment 2.
h. Supportive Information/References
This section may include graphs, charts, photos, resumes, references, etc in support of the
proposer's qualifications. Include names and current phone numbers of references.
References may be contacted as part of the selection process.
i. Pending Litigation
Describe in detail any recent, current or pending litigation involving the proposer's
operation of Recreation Program Transportation Services. Attach additional descriptive
material, if necessary.
j. Best Performance
Indicate briefly why you consider your firm to be the best to perform this contract. Please
indicate any new or creative ideas that would provide the City with high-quality, safe,
efficient and responsive services in the provision of Recreation Program Transportation
Services.
k. Costs
This section should include the cost for requested services outlined in the Scope of Work.
Proposers are encouraged to provide pricing proposals on both a flat fee and "time and
expense" basis. Proposers submitting flat fee proposals may specify separate fees for the
Recreation Program Transportation Services portion of the services described below.
No cost increases shall be passed onto the City after the proposal has been submitted.
l. Changes to Standard Contract
The City's Professional Consultant Services Agreement is included with this proposal as
Attachment 2. Any requested changes to the Professional Consultant Services Agreement
must be addressed in advance by inclusion in the proposal. If a proposing firm does not
include any proposed changes or objections, those objections will be deemed waived.
m. Service and support
All Consultants shall explain how all on-going service and support shall be handled by the
Consultant and the City.
5. Withdrawal or Modifications of Proposals
Any proposal may be withdrawn or modified by a written request signed by the Consultant and
received by the Parks and Recreation Department prior to the final time and date for the receipt of
proposals. Once the deadline is past, Consultants are obligated to fulfill the terms of their
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proposal.
6. Open Records
Upon delivery, each proposal will be subject to all applicable open records laws, including but not
limited to the California Public Records Act. Firms submitting agree to hold the City harmless if
such information is released, knowingly or not.
7. Proposal Acceptance and Rejection
The City reserves the right to accept any proposal, to reject any and all proposals, or to call for new
proposals if such action is determined to be in the best interests of the City, such determination to
be made in the sole discretion of the City. In addition, the City may award the contract to other than
the lowest proposal if deemed such award is determined to be in the City's best interests, such
determination to be made in the sole discretion of the City.
8. Proposal Evaluation and Award
Award shall be made to the responding Consultant whose proposal is determined by the City in its
sole discretion to be the most advantageous to the City. The City shall enter into an agreement with
the successful Consultant for the specified services. All Consultants that were not selected by the
City shall be notified in writing. The City reserves the right to negotiate with selected Consultant on
any and all terms of the contract for services.
9. Proposal Process Schedule
The City intends to follow, but will not be bound by, the following schedule of events:
RFP Published: March 18, 2026
Proposals Due: April 1, 2026
Consultant Interviews (if necessary): April 6, 2026
Consultant Selection/Negotiation: April 8, 2026
Award of Contract: April 10, 2026
Transition Period (if necessary): April 13, 2026
Contract Start Date: June 15, 2026
10. Term of Agreement
The term of the contract shall be for a specific period of time, commencing upon contract
execution and expiring on Friday, August 7, 2026. The contract may be extended by mutual
agreement of the parties.
11. Payment
Vendor will provide monthly invoices separated by designated program and trip date via e-mail to
Program Supervisor, Michele Venneri at mvenneri@cityofsanmateo.org, no later than two (2) weeks
after the month of service is complete.
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City of San Mateo will process invoices and send payment via check or Electronic Funds Transfer.
Upon receipt of the invoice, if an error is found by San Mateo vendor will provide the process on
how to remedy said error.
12. Proposed Changes
If, in the course of the Agreement, Consultant or the City proposes changes to the scope of work,
and informal consultation with the other party indicates that a change in the terms and conditions
of the Agreement may be warranted, Consultant or the City may request a change in the
Agreement. The parties to the Agreement shall meet to discuss and negotiate the required change
order documents. Upon completion of those negotiations, the negotiated change order
documents shall be submitted to the City for approval. Upon approval by the City, an "Order to
Proceed" with the approved changes shall be submitted to Consultant. Any Amendment to this
Agreement shall not render ineffective or invalidate any unaffected portions of this Agreement.
13. Waiver of Irregularities
The City retains the right, in its sole discretion, to waive any irregularities in proposals that do not
comply with the strict requirements of this RFP, and the City reserves the right to award a contract
to a consultant submitting any such non-compliant proposal, all in the City's sole discretion.
14. Warranty of Usage
Any quantities listed in this RFP are estimated or projected and are provided for tabulation and
information purposes only. No warranty or guarantee of quantities is given or implied. It is
understood that the Consultant will furnish the City's needs as they arise.
15. Validity of Pricing
Consultants are required to provide a fee structure including, if applicable, the hourly rate of the
employees to be assigned to the matter, and proposed cost and expense reimbursement levels.
No cost increases shall be passed onto the City after the agreement has been executed.
16. Qualification, Inspection, and Interviews
The City reserves the right to inspect the Consultant's facilities, products, personnel, and
organization at any time, or to take any other action necessary to determine Consultant's ability to
perform. The City reserves the right to interview any or all responding consultants and/or to award a
contract without conducting interviews.
17. Indemnification
See City of San Mateo's standard Professional Consultant Services Agreement provided as
Attachment 2.
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18. Insurance
See Exhibit C of City of San Mateo's standard Professional Consultant Services Agreement
provided as Attachment 2.
19. Ownership of Proposal
Proposals submitted to the City typically become property of the City, will not be returned to the
bidder, and may be used for evaluation purposes.
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ATTACHMENT A
SCOPE OF SERVICES
General Overview
This RFP solicits qualified firms to provide an array of professional consultant services to the City.
Respondents to this RFP must demonstrate an understanding of the professional consultant
services required, the capacity to deliver these services, and the ability to tailor services to address
specific issues and situations.
Terms of Contract
The term of the contract shall be for a specific period of time, commencing upon contract
execution and expiring on Friday, August 7, 2026. The contract may be extended by up to three (3)
years, one year at a time, by mutual agreement of the parties.
Response Time:
The successful company will be required to have vehicles at the pick-up area(s) a minimum of 30
minutes prior to the trip. From time to time, San Mateo may require additional bus service for field
trips and other transportation services, vehicles must be at the designated pick-up area(s) a
minimum of 30 minutes prior to the scheduled departure.
Additions/deletions of Routes:
Although this solicitation identifies specific routes/services required, it is hereby agreed and
understood that any route/service may be added or deleted to/from this contract at the option of
San Mateo. When an addition to this contract is required, the successful company under this
contract shall be invited to submit price quotes for these new routes/services and may be added to
the contract in San Mateo's best interest.
Prices shall be fixed and firm for initial term of contract:
If the proposer is awarded a contract under this solicitation, the prices quoted by the proposer on
the Proposal Form shall remain fixed and firm during the initial term of this contract; provided
however, that the company may offer incentive discounts from the fixed price to San Mateo at any
time during the contractual term. Payment processes are laid out in Exhibit B.
Programs to be Serviced by Buses and Drivers (Specific days and times the buses are needed are
laid out in Exhibit D):
Camp Mateo: Up to twelve (5) buses each week with drivers needed for eight (8) camp weeks. The
camp will run from June 15, 2026, through August 7, 2026.
Teen Summer Days: Up to five (3) buses each week with drivers needed for eight (8) camp weeks.
The camp will run from June 15, 2026, through August 7, 2026.
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Other recreation programs may be requested to be added within the contract term for the same
quoted prices.
Buses and Drivers shall meet the following conditions:
a. Buses shall be certified by the State meeting requirements to transport school children a minimum
of fifty-five (55) passengers with radio dispatch.
b. Bus drivers and Company will meet all Federal and State rules, regulations, statutes, and
ordinances, including proper driver's license, bus certification, etc.
c. Vehicle must be ADA compliant.
d. Buses must be owned and/or leased by the quoting company. Quoting company cannot
subcontract services to another vendor.
e. Liability insurance will be supplied by the chosen company. Copies of current insurance forms will
be supplied by the vendor.
f. Vendor shall supply a copy of the written procedures for supplying alternate buses for buses which
are disabled during transport.
g. Vendor must supply recent references which are to include company name, address, and contact
person with telephone number.
h. Rental fee to include all gasoline charges. All maintenance of all vehicles, including any towing
charges incurred by disabled buses, will be the vendor's responsibility.
i. Any claims of damage must be reported to the Parks & Recreation Director. Any necessary repairs
for the damage must be submitted in writing with cost estimated and pre-approved by the Parks &
Recreation Director before repairs are started.
j. Number of hours and buses are approximations and specific numbers are dependent on other
factors. Vendor will be given as much advanced notice as possible, but not less than 24 hours.
k. Radio communications between the bus drivers and the bus dispatcher must be in effect and
operating at all times.
l. San Mateo reserves the right to cancel bus use for individual trips by giving 24 hours' notice without
penalty to San Mateo. Successful company should specify specific cancellation policy and who
should be notified.
m. A Program Supervisor riding the bus may request changes in the bus schedule or stops due to
weather conditions or emergency situations. Driver must recognize staff requests for schedule
changes and emergency stops and honor them.
n. Vendor should supply a dollar per hour overtime rate. All prices shall include parking/toll charges.
Buses must stay with the group for the duration of the individual trip unless otherwise directed by
the Program Supervisor.
o. All buses must stay with Parks & Recreation Camps and not go on another trip/location and leave
our camp children at the program location without a bus. Bus and bus driver must stay with the
camp event due to possible inclement weather or/an emergency situation.
p. Bus driver and Program Supervisor shall remain in contact during each trip. Program Supervisor
will supply bus driver with cell phone number and bus driver is expected to do the same.
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