Busing support contracts studied

The business committee will meet Monday to begin sorting out the offers.

YOUNGSTOWN — The city school board’s business committee received five responses to its request for proposals to provide district transportation-support services, but it will take some time to decipher them.

The school board sought the proposals in July in an effort to help reduce transportation costs that total about $5 million a year.

The board asked for equipment, computer software and support services.

Tony DeNiro, assistant superintendent for school business affairs, presented the business committee with a summary of the five responses this week.

Most don’t appear to meet the criteria outlined by the board, and DeNiro advised committee members to review each proposal in detail.

Michael Murphy, chairman, said the committee will meet again at 4:30 p.m. Monday to discuss the proposals and determine which companies, if any, they want to come in for a meeting.

The district asked for digital video recording/global positioning system units for 60 school buses, computer software to handle bus routing and maintenance as well as employee payroll, and general support and consulting services.

The district intends to retain control of its transportation program, including the equipment and employees.

The proposals are:

UEducation Logistics Inc. of Missoula, Mont.: Proposed a no-cost operational assessment of transportation operations with a report on its findings to the district. No DVD or GPS equipment or other software would be included.

UVanhool Specialist, Midland, Tex.: Proposed a six-year contract at $4,374,697 per year that would include all of the requested software, with provisions that the company take control of all aspects of transportation while honoring current union contracts.

UFirst America, Cincinnati: Develop an action plan to document the current state of operations and come up with solution requirements, then implement that action plan. The study cost will be $75,000 and doesn’t include any equipment or software.

UTransPar Group Inc., Lee’s Summit, Mo.: The company doesn’t believe the stated school district criteria will meet the cost-reduction goals but offered a $72,000-a-year consulting and program- management contract, excluding any equipment or software.

UCommunity Bus Services of Youngstown: Provide the DVD/GPS equipment for 60 buses, take control of all aspects of student transportation and finances, provide timely information for management decision-making and guarantee $500,000 annual cost savings.

CBS won’t charge for any of those services but wants the school district to extend its current special-needs student busing contract until June 30, 2016, as part of the deal. That contract, paying CBS just over $1.6 million a year with 3.8 percent annual increases built in, expires June 30, 2011.

gwin@vindy.com