Shippensburg school district to issue transportation RFP after auditors flagged procurement

The Shippensburg Area School District told its board it will release a request for proposals for school transportation this fall to document competition and respond to prior audit recommendations tied to federal grant rules.

Randy, a district staff member overseeing the RFP process, told the board the document is a broad, roughly 35‑page request that outlines requirements for drivers, insurance, equipment and optional features such as GPS and on‑board cameras. The timeline presented calls for public advertisement for about four weeks, collection of proposals in October, a two‑to‑three month evaluation period with interviews and negotiations, and a final review in early December so the board could award a contract as early as the first January board meeting.

Why it matters: administration said the district was advised by outside auditors and grant reviewers that, because federal ESSER funds had been used for transportation‑related activities in the past, the district should document a competitive procurement to avoid audit findings. Board members and staff repeatedly emphasized that releasing an RFP does not obligate the district to change providers; staff said the board reserves the right not to accept any proposal and to negotiate with current vendors.

District staff described the RFP as a tool to compare pricing approaches — daily flat rates, state‑formula pricing, or proposals with incentives — and to surface optional services that contractors might supply. Randy said some elements (for example, insurance minimums) derive from the district’s insurance carrier; other items such as fuel arrangements or local fuel tanks are negotiable during contract talks.

Board members raised specific concerns: several said local providers — named in the meeting as Boyle, Heckmeyer and Breeze — could be disadvantaged if larger regional firms bid low and then reduced service quality or driver pay, possibly prompting driver turnover. One board member cited nearby districts that experienced service disruptions and cost increases after switching vendors. Staff replied that some vendor exits reported in the region were retirements rather than acquisitions and that an RFP is a normal procurement practice that helps ensure fiscal accountability for public funds.

Staff clarified the district is not currently using ESSER funds for transportation on an ongoing basis and that most Title funding is dedicated to instructional staffing rather than busing. But auditors had recommended documenting competitive procurement when federal grant funds were involved, the district said, so issuing an RFP is both a best practice and a response to past audit guidance.

Randy told the board all three current contractors indicated they would submit proposals and that the district reserved the right to split routes among multiple vendors or continue the existing arrangement if proposals did not offer advantages. Several board members commended current providers for reliable service and said the board’s priority is to avoid disruption to students while ensuring responsible use of public funds.

The board did not take a vote to approve the RFP text at this meeting; staff said they will finalize formatting and publish the document according to the timeline presented.

Ending: Staff said the RFP process will leave time to negotiate with current providers during evaluation, and will provide the board with comparative proposals and interviews before any contract award is considered.