RFP #26-33-ITS TRANSPORTATION SOFTWARE SOLUTION FOR DSS

INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY SERVICES
RFP #26-33-ITS
TRANSPORTATION SOFTWARE SOLUTION FOR DSS
Date of Issue: March 12, 2026
Questions Due Date: Friday, March 20, 2026 at 3:00 PM EST
Proposal Due Date: Thursday, April 2, 2026 at 2:00 PM EST
Direct all inquiries concerning this RFP to:
Sophia Pate
Purchasing Manager
Email: CumberlandPurchasing@cumberlandcountync.gov
Phone: 910-678-7743
Proposals shall be submitted in accordance with the terms and conditions of this RFP and any addenda issued
hereto.

Table of Contents
1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND .......................................................................................................... 3
2.0 PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS & REQUIREMENTS .......................................................................... 3
2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT ....................................................................................... 3
2.2 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL ..................................................................................................................... 4
2.3 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS ..................................................................................................................... 4
2.4 RFP TERMS & CONDITIONS ............................................................................................................. 5
3.0 NOTICES TO VENDOR .......................................................................................................................... 5
3.1 PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS AND CONFIDENTIALITY ................................................. 5
3.2 PROPOSAL COMPLIANCE ................................................................................................................. 6
3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS .............................................................................................. 6
3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA ................................................................................................................... 6
3.5 METHOD OF AWARD .......................................................................................................................... 7
4.0 SCOPE OF WORK & VENDOR'S PROPOSAL CONTENT REQUIREMENTS ............................ 7
4.1 SCOPE OF WORK ................................................................................................................................. 7
A. OBJECTIVES .................................................................................................................................................. 7
B. TASKS .............................................................................................................................................................. 8
4.2 VENDOR'S PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS ...................................................................................... 8
A. RESPONSE TO FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS .................................................................................. 8
B. CUSTOMIZATION AND FEATURE OPTIONS ........................................................................................ 8
C. TECHNICAL APPROACH ............................................................................................................................ 9
D. RELEVANT QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE ............................................................................ 9
E. COST PROPOSAL .......................................................................................................................................... 9
F. ON-SITE/VIRTUAL DEMONSTRATIONS ................................................................................................ 9
G. REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................................. 9
5.0 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS........................................................................................... 9
5.1 IRAN DIVESTMENT ACT .................................................................................................................... 9
5.2 E-VERIFY .............................................................................................................................................. 10
5.3 DIVESTMENT FROM COMPANIES THAT BOYCOTT ISRAEL ............................................... 10
5.4 CONTRACT CHANGES ...................................................................................................................... 10
5.5 CONTRACT TERM .............................................................................................................................. 10
5.6 PRICING ................................................................................................................................................ 10
5.7 INVOICES .............................................................................................................................................. 10
5.8 PAYMENT TERMS .............................................................................................................................. 10
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Proposal Number: RFP #26-33-ITS Transportation Software Solution for DSS
5.9 APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS ........................................................................................................... 10
5.10 FINANCIAL STABILITY .................................................................................................................... 11
5.11 INSURANCE: ........................................................................................................................................ 11
5.12 GENERAL INDEMNITY ..................................................................................................................... 11
5.13 ENTIRE CONTRACT .......................................................................................................................... 11
5.14 CONTRACT CANCELLATION ......................................................................................................... 11
5.15 LAWS AND ORDINANCES ................................................................................................................ 11
5.16 COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS ............................................................................................................. 11
5.17 CONTRACTOR REPRESENTATIONS ............................................................................................ 12
ATTACHMENT A: INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS .................................................................................. 13
ATTACHMENT B: PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL CHECKLIST .................................................................... 15
ATTACHMENT C: EXECUTION OF PROPOSAL ..................................................................................... 16
ATTACHMENT D: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION ..................................................... 17
ATTACHMENT E: CERTIFICATION REGARDING LOBBYING ........................................................... 18
ATTACHMENT F: NONCOLLUSION AFFIDAVIT .................................................................................... 19
ATTACHMENT G: CERTIFICATION REGARDING BUILD AMERICA, BUY AMERICA ACT (BABAA)
................................................................................................................................................................... 20
ATTACHMENT H: FEDERAL REQUIRED CONTRACT CLAUSES ....................................................... 21
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Proposal Number: RFP #26-33-ITS Transportation Software Solution for DSS
1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND
Cumberland County, North Carolina ("the County") is seeking proposals from qualified vendors to supply a cloud-
based Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Transportation System to support the Department of Social Services (DSS)
Transportation division. The purpose of this project is to replace the in-house DSS Information Systems - Sailboat
with a modern, efficient, and secure platform that better supports the agency's mission to provide reliable
transportation services to eligible Medicaid customers. The existing system, which has been in operation for several
years, no longer meets current operational, technological, and compliance standards. Limitations in system
functionality, data integration, and reporting capabilities have created inefficiencies in scheduling, tracking, and
managing transportation services, ultimately impacting service delivery and customer satisfaction.
Cumberland County Department of Social Services (DSS) Transportation division currently has nineteen (19)
employees, which includes three (3) Supervisors, two (2) Processing Assistants, and fourteen (14) Transportation
Drivers. In 2024, the division provided 62,725 medical trips. In 2025, the division provided 63,840 medical trips. The
division has currently seventeen (17) vehicles that are used for providing transportation for medical appointments. The
vehicles are equipped with Verizon Reveal Automated Vehicle Location (AVL). The division utilizes two (2) external
vendors (i.e., B&W Transporting and Pratt Transportation) when they do not have the capacity to provide the
transportation service themselves. There are approximately 298,000 customer records, which will need to be migrated
over. On average, the retention schedule for these records is approximately ten (10) years.
The DSS Transportation division plays a critical role in ensuring that customers who have Medicaid Direct can make it
to their medical appointments. However, the current system's aging infrastructure and fragmented processes hinder the
division's ability to respond to increasing service demands, manage costs effectively, and comply with evolving
federal and state reporting requirements. Replacing the existing system will enable DSS to streamline operations
through automation, enhance coordination among service providers, and improve data accuracy and transparency. The
new solution will provide real-time scheduling, route optimization, and mobile access for both staff and contracted
transportation providers. It will also strengthen data security and privacy, aligning with modern Information
Technology (IT) governance and accessibility standards.
This initiative supports the department's broader goals of modernizing its technology infrastructure, improving client
outcomes, and fostering accountability in service delivery. By implementing a new transportation management system,
DSS will be better positioned to deliver equitable, efficient, and client-centered transportation services to the
communities it serves.
2.0 PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS & REQUIREMENTS
2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT
The RFP is comprised of the base RFP document, any attachments, and any addenda released before contract award. All
attachments and addenda released for this RFP in advance of any contract award are incorporated herein by reference.
By submitting a proposal, the vendor agrees to meet all stated requirements in this section as well as any other
specifications, requirements and terms and conditions stated in this RFP. If a vendor is unclear about a requirement or
specification or believes a change to a requirement would allow for the County to receive a better proposal, the vendor
is urged and cautioned to submit these items in the form of a question during the question and answer period in
accordance with Section 2.3.
Vendors shall populate all attachments of this RFP that require the vendor to provide information and include an
authorized signature where requested. Failure to include required documents and/or signatures, where requested, will
result in rejection of submitted proposals.
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Proposal Number: RFP #26-33-ITS Transportation Software Solution for DSS
2.2 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL
Pursuant to Section 143-129.8 of the North Carolina General Statutes, informal proposals for a combination of purchase
of goods, design, installation, training, operation, maintenance, and related services are solicited. Proposals, subject to
the conditions made a part hereof and the receipt requirements described below, shall be received at the address indicated
in the table below.
Mailing address for delivery of proposal Office address of delivery by any other method (special
via US Postal Service delivery, overnight, or any other carrier)
PROPOSAL TITLE: PROPOSAL TITLE:
RFP #26-33-ITS Transportation Software Solution RFP #26-33-ITS Transportation Software Solution for
for DSS DSS
Cumberland County Purchasing Office Cumberland County Purchasing Office
Attn: Purchasing Manager Attn: Purchasing Manager
PO Box 1829 117 Dick Street
Fayetteville, NC 28302 4th Floor, Room 451
Fayetteville, NC 28301
IMPORTANT NOTE: All proposals shall be physically delivered to the office address listed above on or before 2:00
PM EST, as per the clock in the Finance Department, Thursday, April 2, 2026, regardless of the method of delivery.
All risk of late arrival due to unanticipated delay-whether delivered by hand, U.S. Postal Service, courier or other
delivery service is entirely on the vendor. It is the sole responsibility of the vendor to have the proposal to the County
department specified by the specified time and date of opening. Any proposal received after the proposal submission
deadline will be rejected.
a) Submit one (1) signed, original executed proposal response and one (1) electronic copy on a flash drive.
b) Submit your proposal in a sealed package. Clearly mark each package with: (1) Vendor name; (2) the RFP number;
and (3) the due date. Address the package(s) for delivery as shown in the table above. Proposals will be subject to
rejection unless submitted with the information above included on the outside of the sealed proposal package.
c) The electronic copy of your proposal must be provided on a flash drive. The files shall NOT be password protected,
shall be in .PDF or .XLS format, and shall be capable of being copied to other media including readable in Microsoft
Word and/or Microsoft Excel.
All proposal addendums and/or corrections will be posted on the Cumberland County Vendor Self Service site
https://ccmunis.co.cumberland.nc.us/vss/Vendors/VBids/Default.aspx . Vendors who submit a notice of intent to bid to
CumberlandPurchasing@cumberlandcountync.gov will receive addendums by email.
2.3 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS
Written questions shall be emailed to CumberlandPurchasing@cumberlandcountync.gov by 3:00 PM EST, on Friday,
March 20, 2026. Vendors should enter "RFP #26-33-ITS Transportation Software Solution for DSS: Questions" as the
subject for the email. Questions will not be answered by phone. Question submittals should include a reference to the
applicable RFP section.
Questions received prior to the submission deadline date, the County's response, and any additional terms deemed
necessary by the County will be posted in the form of an addendum to the Cumberland County Vendor Self Service Site,
https://ccmunis.co.cumberland.nc.us/vss/Vendors/default.aspx and shall become an Addendum to this RFP.
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Proposal Number: RFP #26-33-ITS Transportation Software Solution for DSS
Vendors who submit an intent to bid will receive addendums by email. Vendors shall rely only on written material
contained in an Addendum to this RFP. Vendors should not contact any other County employees, besides those
listed above, during the bid process. Vendors who contact any other County employees may be disqualified.
Any questions considered minute in nature or that point to an error in the RFP or that the County determines will produce
information required in order for all vendors to submit a responsible proposal, may be answered at the County's
discretion after the specified date and time. Such questions that are received after the deadline are not guaranteed to be
answered and if the questions qualify as "minute in nature" shall be determined at the sole discretion of the County.
2.4 RFP TERMS & CONDITIONS
It shall be the vendor's responsibility to read the instructions, the County's terms and conditions, all relevant exhibits
and attachments, and any other components made a part of this RFP, and comply with all requirements and specifications
herein. Vendors also are responsible for obtaining and complying with all Addenda and other changes that may be issued
in connection with this RFP.
Questions, issues, or exceptions regarding any term, condition, or other component within this RFP, must be submitted
as questions in accordance with the instructions in Section 2.3 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS. Vendor's proposal shall
constitute a firm offer.
If a vendor desires modification of the terms and conditions of this solicitation, it is urged and cautioned to inquire during
the question period, in accordance with the instructions in this RFP, about whether specific language proposed as a
modification is acceptable to or will be considered by the County. It is the County's sole discretion to accept or reject
requested modifications and/or exceptions.
3.0 NOTICES TO VENDOR
3.1 PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS AND CONFIDENTIALITY
PROHIBITED COMMUNICATION: Each vendor submitting a proposal, including its representatives,
subcontractors, and suppliers, is prohibited from having any communication with any employees or members of the
board of commissioners of the County except those employees of the County's Finance Department as designated in this
RFP. A vendor who does not comply with this provision may be disqualified from award of a contract.
!IMPORTANT INFORMATION! CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION: The proposal must not contain any
information marked as "confidential" or as a "trade secret" or in any other manner as to indicate that it is information
protected by the Trade Secrets Protection Act ( the "Act") as set out in Article 24 of Chapter 66 of the North Carolina
General Statutes, unless the vendor has noticed the County Finance Department of its intent to designate any
information in the proposal as such and received permission from the County Finance Department to do so in
writing. Vendor's notice to the County Finance Department must be in writing and must describe the information for
which confidentiality is requested and explain how the information is a "trade secret" as defined in G.S. 66-152(3). If
the County Finance Department determines the information for which confidentiality is requested is a "trade secret"
covered by the Act, it will notify the vendor how to mark the information in the proposal and will identify the measures
that County will take to protect the confidentiality of the information. Vendor's submission of a proposal after receipt of
this notice from the County Finance Department shall be deemed to be acceptance of the County Finance Department's
statement of how it will maintain confidentiality. If the County Finance Department determines the information for which
confidentiality is requested is not a "trade secret" covered by the Act, it will notify vendor of that determination. Any
proposal marked with any information as "confidential" or as a "trade secret" or in any other manner as to indicate that
it is information protected by the Act in violation of this section shall be regarded as not responsive to the request for
proposals and shall not be considered.
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Proposal Number: RFP #26-33-ITS Transportation Software Solution for DSS
3.2 PROPOSAL COMPLIANCE
It is in the best interest of vendors to submit proposals that are clear, concise, and easily understood. Proposals should
provide information essential for a straightforward and concise description of vendor capabilities to satisfy the
requirements of the RFP specifications.
Vendor may include any optional data not provided for elsewhere and considered to be pertinent to this bid as an
addendum.
Vendors are urged and cautioned to read the RFP completely through as noncompliance with requirements may result
in bid rejection. Section 4.0 requirements and request for information must be in the same order with the same titles as
listed in Section 4.0. Vendor proposals should be easy to follow and all sections should be easily identified.
The specifications included in this package describe the services that the County feels are necessary to meet the
performance requirements of this RFP, and shall be considered the minimum standards expected of the Proposer.
However, the specifications are not intended to exclude potential bidders.
If the vendor is unable to meet any of the specifications as outlined therein, vendors are advised to submit questions and
concerns regarding the specifications during the question and answer period described in Section 2.3.
If the vendor does not indicate or submit questions or concerns regarding the specifications, the County shall assume it
is able to fully comply with these specifications. The County shall be the sole and final judge of compliance with all
specifications.
The County further reserves the right to determine the acceptability or unacceptability of any and all alternatives or
deviations.
3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS
The County shall review all responses to this RFP to confirm that they meet the specifications and requirements of the
RFP. The County shall not be required to hold interviews; however, depending on the number of responses and the
information contained in the responses, the County may decide to conduct interviews with firms of its choice. The County
reserves the right to request clarification of information submitted. The three (3) highest-ranking vendors will be required
to provide a demonstration of the proposed product that is listed within the RFP.
The County reserves the right to reject any and all proposals.
3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA
All qualified proposals will be evaluated and award made based on considering the following criteria to result in an
award most advantageous to the County. The highest-ranking vendors from this evaluation criteria will be contacted to
schedule an on-site and/or virtual demonstration via the County's WebEx platform. The award will be made based on
the highest ranking after the on-site and/or virtual demonstration.
1. Response to Functional Requirements 25 points
2. Customization and Feature Options 15 points
3. Technical Approach 10 points
4. Relevant Qualifications and Experience 10 points
5. Cost Proposal 15 points
6. On-Site/Virtual Demonstrations 25 points
100 points
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Proposal Number: RFP #26-33-ITS Transportation Software Solution for DSS
3.5 METHOD OF AWARD
RFP will be awarded based on best overall value method of award.
The County reserves the right to request clarification of information submitted.
The County reserves the right to make separate awards to different vendors, to not award, or to cancel this RFP in its
entirety without awarding a contract, if it is considered to be most advantageous to the County to do so.
4.0 SCOPE OF WORK & VENDOR'S PROPOSAL CONTENT REQUIREMENTS
4.1 SCOPE OF WORK
Cumberland County, North Carolina ("the County") is seeking proposals from qualified vendors to supply a
Transportation System to support the Department of Social Services (DSS) Transportation division. The purpose of this
project is to replace the in-house DSS Information Systems - Sailboat with a modern, efficient, and secure platform that
better supports the agency's mission to provide reliable transportation services to eligible Medicaid customers. The
proposed system must enhance operational efficiency, improve coordination of transportation services, ensure
compliance with state and federal regulations, provide a user-friendly interface for staff, transportation providers, and
clients, and provide an Application Programming Interface (API). It should streamline trip scheduling, dispatching, and
state/federal billing processes, offer robust reporting and data analytics capabilities, and integrate seamlessly with
existing DSS and State systems to support accurate, timely, and transparent service delivery.
A. OBJECTIVES
1. Improve Access to Care
a. Reduce missed appointments due to transportation barriers such as routing.
2. Enhance Operational Efficiency
a. Streamline scheduling, dispatch, and routing through an integrated digital platform.
b. Minimize delays, downtime, and duplicate trips by optimizing trip assignments and coordination.
c. Improve data sharing between healthcare providers, payers, and transportation vendors.
3. Ensure Compliance and Safety
a. Meet or exceed all federal, state, and local regulations related to patient transport (i.e., HIPAA,
ADA, CMS, etc.).
b. Maintain proper documentation and audit trails for each trip.
4. Improve Patient Experience and Satisfaction
a. Implement feedback mechanisms to monitor service quality.
5. Strength Coordination and Communication
a. Provide transparency to patients and caregivers with real-time updates and notifications.
6. Optimize Cost Management
a. Implement a cost-effective model that ensures value for both the provider and the contracting
agency.
b. Reduce administrative overhead through automation of billing, reporting, and compliance tracking.
7. Data Reporting and Analytics
a. Collect and analyze transportation metrics such as on-time performance, utilization rates,
cancellations, and service quality.
b. Support data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement initiatives.
8. Scalability and Innovation
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Proposal Number: RFP #26-33-ITS Transportation Software Solution for DSS
a. Ensure the system can scale to accommodate growth in service demand.
b. Encourage innovative solutions such as GPS tracking and AI-based route optimization
9. Accountability and Performance Measurement
a. Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) such as on-time performance, trip completion rate,
safety incidents, and customer satisfaction.
b. Establish provisions for regular performance reporting and service-level agreement (SLA)
compliance.
B. TASKS
The task list below includes the desired implementation scope:
1. System configuration and customization to support the DSS Transportation process.
2. User roles and permissions setup.
3. Security setup.
4. Interface development to include those that are listed within the requested functional requirements Excel
spreadsheet.
5. Application training for County Staff.
6. System Admin training for County Innovation and Technology Services (ITS) key staff.
7. Vendor configuration review sessions.
8. Templates, forms, checklists, and workflow creation and validation sessions.
9. Data dictionaries.
10. Entity Relationship Diagrams (ERDs).
11. User Acceptance Testing (UAT).
12. Support reporting requirements.
13. Provide a test and production environment.
14. Provide an Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) reference, if available.
4.2 VENDOR'S PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
The vendor's proposal must include the required information below. Proposals shall be tabbed, using the titles identified
in this section, to identify the required information. Tabs must be in the same order as listed below. Failure to submit
this information may render its proposal non-responsive. Vendors are urged and cautioned to read the notices in
Section 3.1. Noncompliance with the confidentiality requirements will result in a proposal being considered
nonresponsive.
A. RESPONSE TO FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS
The vendor's proposal shall demonstrate how the proposed solution meets the functional requirements stated in this
RFP. An Excel spreadsheet listing all functional requirements will be attached with this RFP and ALL
worksheets within the document must be completed and submitted along with proposal.
B. CUSTOMIZATION AND FEATURE OPTIONS
The vendor's proposal shall provide all customization options and features available for the product. The vendor must
annotate the additional cost amount next to the corresponding functional requirement cell, if the feature is not already
built within the proposed system.
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Proposal Number: RFP #26-33-ITS Transportation Software Solution for DSS
C. TECHNICAL APPROACH
Vendor's proposal shall include, in narrative, outline, and/or graph form the vendor's approach to accomplishing the
tasks outlined in the Scope of Work section of this RFP. A description of each task and deliverable and the schedule for
accomplishing each shall be included. The County has a preferred go-live date of May 1, 2026, but if you cannot meet
this deadline, please provide your proposed implementation timeline.
D. RELEVANT QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
The vendor's proposal shall demonstrate experience with public and/or private sector clients with similar or greater size
and complexity to the County of Cumberland.
E. COST PROPOSAL
Cost shall be all inclusive, to include implementation, support, additional add-on features, and any customized features.
Proposal shall list the one-time implementation cost, cost of training, software license, and any recurring costs or fees
associated (such as annual support, upgrades, etc.). Vendor shall clearly identify the cost of any monthly and/or annual
fees. Vendor must exclude all sales tax from the proposal. If discount is available for prompt payment, identify terms so
it may be considered in analyzing proposal.
F. ON-SITE/VIRTUAL DEMONSTRATIONS
A demonstration will be required by the highest-ranking vendors based on the evaluation criteria listed. Once proposals
are received and evaluated, the department will contact those that ranked highest to schedule a date and time for a
demonstration, either on-site or virtual. On-site/virtual demonstrations will be evaluated with the highest-ranking being
awarded.
G. REFERENCES
Vendors shall provide at least three (3) references for which your company has provided services of similar size and
scope to that proposed herein.
TELEPHONE EMAIL ADDRESS
COMPANY NAME CONTACT NAME
NUMBER
5.0 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS
5.1 IRAN DIVESTMENT ACT
As provided in N.C.G.S. 147-86.55-69, any person identified as engaging in investment activities in Iran, determined by
appearing on the Final Divestment List created by the North Carolina State Treasurer pursuant to G.S. 147-86.57(6) c,
is ineligible to contract with the County of North Carolina or any political subdivision of the COUNTY.
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