Annapolis staff say micro‑mobility vendor deal near finalization; docking and county integration required

City transportation staff told the committee on July 8 that an RFP for shared micro‑mobility services (bikes and scooters) produced two finalists and that staff expects to finalize a contract in the coming days.

Will Rao, transportation staff presenting the update, said the evaluation committee ran three rounds of review and interviewed finalists; interviews and scoring were completed July 2. "We are at the phase now where we're getting all the signatures, and finalizing a contract and offer, to the vendor," Rao said. He named DROP and Lime as the firms under consideration and said the selection criterion included the vendor’s ability to prioritize Annapolis and to integrate with county systems in the future.

Rao told the committee the city required docking stations and geofencing as part of the contract to reduce sidewalk clutter and to enable city staff to impose charges for improper parking or obstructive placement. He said the RFP process also sought partners willing to pursue advertising revenue to help offset service costs because the city does not have resources to underwrite the full program.

Committee members asked whether the vendor system would work beyond the city limits; Rao said the chosen vendor can expand into county areas and staff considered that capability when scoring proposals but county timing and decisions could delay formal county integration. Rao also said staff will return with further updates along with the city’s comprehensive planner.

Next steps: staff to complete contract signatures and return to the committee with implementation details and a coordinated update with the county when feasible.