RFP No.: BF001
Release Date: Friday, August 29, 2029 (District Website)
Thursday, September 4, 2025 (Official Journal)
Proposal Due Date: Tuesday, September 30, 2025, at 12:00pm

Introduction

The St. Helena Parish School District (SHPSS) is soliciting proposals from qualified vendors to provide leased school buses to support the safe and efficient transportation of students. The District seeks a reliable partner who can supply, maintain, and service buses in compliance with state and federal regulations governing student transportation.

Scope of Services: The selected vendor will be responsible for:

Leasing no more than eleven (11) school buses to the district. Ten (10) 71-72 passenger buses for before and after school routes and all other school-related events, and one (1) special needs lift bus.
Providing buses that meet or exceed all applicable Louisiana Department of Education and U.S. Department of Transportation safety standards.
Ensuring buses are less than ten years old at the start of the lease.
Handling regular maintenance and repairs of all leased vehicles.
Providing replacement buses in the event of breakdowns or extended repairs.
Ensuring insurance and registration requirements, in compliance with Louisiana state law.

Proposal Requirements: All proposals must include the following information:

Company Profile
Legal name, address, and contact information.
Years in business and experience with school bus leasing.
Bus Specifications
Make, model, year, and seating capacity of buses available.
Accessibility features (wheelchair lifts, seatbelts, etc.).
Lease Terms & Costs
Proposed lease structure (annual, monthly, or multi-year).
Detailed pricing, including any maintenance, insurance, or additional fees.

Maintenance & Service Plan

Description of maintenance schedules and responsibilities.
Location of service facilities and response time for breakdowns.

References

At least three (3) references from school districts or similar organizations.

Evaluation Criteria: Proposals will be evaluated based on the following:

Compliance with RFP requirements
Vendor Experience and Reputation
Bus Quality and Specifications
Lease Terms and Pricing
Maintenance and Service Plan
Insurance and Compliance
Other Board recommendations (location of business, small business status, etc.)

Submission Instructions - Proposals must be submitted no later than Friday, September 26, 2025, at 12:00pm. Late submissions will not be considered.

Submit proposals to:

Mail:

St. Helena Parish School District
P.O. Box 540, Greensburg, LA 70441
Attn: Dr. Joseph, Superintendent

Deliver:

St. Helena Parish School Board Office
354 Sitman Street, Greensburg, LA 70441
Hours of operation: 8:00am – 4:00pm

Timeline (15-day advertisement period: September 4 - 24, 2025)

All advertisements for contracts for public works exceeding the contract limit for public works contracts (currently greater than $250,000), unless an exception applies, shall be published once a week for 3 different weeks in a newspaper in the locality; the first advertisement shall appear at least 25 days before the opening of bids and not occur on a Saturday, Sunday, or other legal holiday R.S. 38:2212(G).

Release of RFP: Friday, August 29, 2029 (District Website) and Thursday, September 4, 2025 (Official Journal)
Deadline for Vendor Questions: Tuesday, September 25, 2025
Proposal Submission Deadline: Tuesday, September 30, 2025, at 12:00pm
Evaluation & Selection: Tuesday, September 30, 2025, between 12:30pm-3:30pm
Public Bid Opening/Contract Award Notification: Tuesday, September 30, 2025, by 4:00pm
Lease Start Date: Wednesday, October 7, 2025

Terms & Conditions

The district reserves the right to reject any or all proposals.
Proposals will be considered firm offers for a period of 90 days from the submission deadline.
The district is not responsible for any costs incurred in preparing or submitting proposals.

INTRODUCTION

Vendor Response Form

INTRODUCTION

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RFP DeadLines

RFP