Bill Text: NJ A2983 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes pilot program in DOE to award pupil transportation contracts that exceed bid threshold through request for proposals.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-02-16 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee [A2983 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2016-A2983-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman PATRICK J. DIEGNAN, JR.
District 18 (Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes pilot program in DOE to award pupil transportation contracts that exceed bid threshold through request for proposals.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing a pupil transportation contract pilot program in the Department of Education.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. (New section) a. The Commissioner of Education shall establish a three-year pupil transportation contract pilot program. Under the pilot program, nothwithstanding the provisions of N.J.S.18A:39-3 or any other section of law to the contrary, a board of education may award a contract for the transportation of pupils to and from school, that exceeds the amount determined pursuant to subsection b. of N.J.S.18A:39-3 and has the approval of the executive county superintendent of schools, through an evaluation of proposals submitted in response to a request for proposals issued by the board.
b. The commissioner shall select for participation in the pilot program nine school districts, three each in the northern, central, and southern regions of the State. The commissioner shall seek a cross section of school districts from urban, suburban, and rural areas. A school district that wants to participate in the pilot program shall submit an application to the commissioner in such form as determined by the commissioner.
c. When the board of education of a participating school district awards a pupil transportation contract in response to a request for proposals, the board shall evaluate each proposal from a responding contractor according to criteria established by the commissioner that shall include at a minimum:
(1) the previous experience of the contractor in transporting pupils;
(2) the name of each transportation company of which the contractor has been an owner or manager;
(3) a description of any safety programs implemented by the contractor;
(4) a record of accidents of the school buses under the control of the contractor;
(5) the driving history of the employees of the contractor;
(6) the inspection records and model year of the school buses under the control of the contractor;
(7) the maintenance schedule of the school buses under the control of the contractor;
(8) a financial analysis of the contractor; and
(9) compliance with insurance requirements.
d. At the conclusion of the pilot program, the commissioner shall submit a report to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1). The report shall include information on the implementation of the pilot program and the commissioner's recommendation on the advisability of continuing or expanding the program.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill directs the Commissioner of Education to establish a three-year pupil transportation contract pilot program. Under the pilot program, the board of education of a participating school district will have the option of entering into a pupil transportation contract that exceeds the bid threshold through a request for proposals process. Under current law, if the amount of a contract exceeds the bid threshold, the board of education is required to advertise and publicly bid the contract.
Under the pilot program, the commissioner will select nine school districts, three each in the northern, central, and southern regions of the State. The commissioner will seek a cross section of school districts from urban, suburban, and rural areas. A school district that wants to participate in the pilot program will submit an application to the commissioner.
When the board of education of a participating school district awards a pupil transportation contract in response to a request for proposals, the board will evaluate each proposal from a responding contractor according to criteria established by the commissioner. The criteria will include at a minimum:
(1) the previous experience of the contractor in transporting pupils;
(2) the name of each transportation company of which the contractor has been an owner or manager;
(3) a description of any safety programs implemented by the contractor;
(4) a record of accidents of the school buses under the control of the contractor;
(5) the driving history of the employees of the contractor;
(6) the inspection records and model year of the school buses under the control of the contractor;
(7) the maintenance schedule of the school buses under the control of the contractor;
(8) a financial analysis of the contractor; and
(9) compliance with insurance requirements.
At the conclusion of the pilot program, the commissioner will submit a report to the Governor and to the Legislature on the implementation of the program. The report will include the commissioner's recommendation on the advisability of continuing or expanding the program.
