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Contract dispute: SeaMax says re-bid cost it special-ed route award; district says EMT was most responsive
Summary
SeaMax Transportation told the board it had been lowest responsible bidder for special-education routes but the district reissued the solicitation and later found SeaMax noncompliant; Transportation Director Dennis Garten said the re-drafted bid tightened references and volume requirements and that EMT was judged the most responsive bidder.
A public commenter and SeaMax representative, speaking under public comment, told the board his company had been notified as the responsible low bidder for a special-education transportation contract roughly a year earlier but that the district later reissued the bid and, after re-evaluation, found SeaMax noncompliant.
Johnny Carter said SeaMax was the lowest responsible bidder when bids were first opened and that the district gave notice of award. After the district decided to reject all bids and reissue a more prescriptive solicitation the following year, Carter said SeaMax again submitted the lowest bid but was later disqualified because one of its references did not return the district's call and because the references that did respond did not reflect the required trip volume in the new bid (140'80 trips per week range). "It was a little shocking to find out...they've been found noncompliance," Carter said.
Transportation Director Dennis Garten told the board staff rejected the earlier solicitation after identifying deficiencies and subsequently tightened requirements to reflect the special-needs routing the district requires. Garten said references were a necessary verification of prior experience; in several responses, references either failed to answer or indicated much lower trip volumes than the district's expected 120—30 students and the corresponding number of trips. After evaluating the revised responses, Garten said the most responsive bidder was EMT, which staff recommended.
Commissioners sought clarity on current interim service (the district used First Student) and on contract length and flexibility given the district's aim to reduce long-distance special-ed transports in favor of integrated, site-based services. Garten said the contract is priced per-trip and does not guarantee a fixed number of trips, and that staffing and trip volumes would be billed as used.
The board took the consent vote on the relevant item after discussion; recorded roll calls appear in the minutes. The board asked staff to ensure procurement compliance and to confirm contract flexibility to reflect programmatic changes that could reduce transport needs in the future.
Next steps: staff to finalize contract documents for the recommended vendor, continue monitoring service levels, and coordinate with special-education staff on program changes that could alter transportation needs.
