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North Bend SD 13 board awards transportation contract to First Student after RFP review
Summary
The North Bend SD 13 School Board voted 7-0 April 2 to award its transportation contract to First Student after an RFP evaluation that scored proposals from three companies. The board cited route modeling and a vendor software platform as factors; one item (overnight costs) was flagged for clarification.
The North Bend School Board voted 7-0 on April 2 to award the district's transportation contract to First Student following a competitive request-for-proposals (RFP) process.
District staff told the board that the district solicited transportation proposals in February and received three complete offers from Durham School Services, First Student and Mid Columbia Bus Company. A multi-stakeholder evaluation committee reviewed and scored proposals on cost, fleet and maintenance plans, safety history, training and support for students with special needs, and community relations. The committee recommended First Student as the best overall match to the district's needs.
'The selection committee consisted of two school board members, Megan Steiner Gill and Deian Widerman, plus district staff,' a district official said, adding that the committee's work included route and time modeling for the district's planned reconfiguration. One board member noted the committee's careful review of voluminous proposals and the extended deliberation that followed.
Board members raised two practical questions before the vote. One member asked about a missing overnight cost line item in the First Student proposal (page 51 of the packet); staff said they would follow up with a specific answer. Several board members also said the district's top priority was to reduce students' time on buses after the upcoming elementary reconfiguration. District staff said First Student proposed a software platform and dedicated staff to model routes and reduce ride times.
A motion to accept the RFP recommendation and authorize the superintendent to enter a contract with First Student was moved and seconded and passed on a recorded voice vote, 7-0.
The district said the baseline cost sheets included in the packet are estimates and that final costs will vary with how reconfiguration, summer programs and field trips affect routing and service needs. The board asked staff to return with clarification about overnight trip fees and to provide families with information about anticipated route times once the vendor's routing plan is finalized.
Next steps: the district will complete contract negotiations with First Student and bring final agreement details to the administration for execution and public record.
