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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This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.