A Trend Toward RFP’s for Private Operators
Increasingly states are considering hiring private operators to manage Safety Service Patrols (SSP). One of the most appealing benefits private operators offer is their ability to constrain operating budgets by setting fixed costs that are predictable and cannot exceed spending caps. Despite SSP’s proven ability to improve traffic incident management, budgeting issues can often be the reason behind reducing patrol coverage, limiting patrol hours or eliminating an SSP completely.
In the same respect, private operators can help to keep or expand patrol coverage areas and hours as well as patrol vehicles and personnel due to the percentage of cost savings some states experience from outsourcing versus staffing full time employees and purchasing vehicles. A recent trend of states issuing Request for Proposals (RFPs) for private operators for SSP’s, most recently in Ohio and Michigan, demonstrates the states’ exploration of additional funding options that will reorganize SSP programs.
Organization and program requirements for each state’s RFP for private operators for SSP’s vary by state. There are, however, some elements that are essential to the creation of an RFP for private operators in order to ensure the RFP recipients can properly evaluate the request and to ensure the state receives the appropriate responses. While the following identified elements are considered necessary, prior to writing or releasing any RFP it is important the author consults with the state department’s procurement office and follows state guidelines and legislation.
Whether the state currently maintains an SSP and is interested in offsetting costs via a private operator or is looking to start a new program, it is important for states to identify the precise services they are seeking. Best practices in drafting RFPs for private operators include a brief description, or “Scope of Work,” of the requested services and then elaborate upon the services later in the document. Some items to include in the Scope of Work: SSP name, service area and services provided.
Additionally, in the expanded description of services requested, or “Program Requirements,” states will benefit from being more detailed in their description by including information about specific coverage routes, employee standards and vehicle requirements. In the case of the Ohio DOT’s Invitation to Bid on Freeway Service Patrol Requirements, Program Requirements included the following headings:
- Procedures and Priorities [of the FSP]
- Timeline
- Days of Operation
- Route Requirements
- Vehicle and Equipment Requirements
- Personnel Requirements
- Insurance Requirements (for vehicles)
- Uniform Requirements
- Training Requirements
- Vehicle Storage
- Reporting Requirements
States choose which categories are most relevant to their request, but the more detail a state can provide for the private operator, the easier it will be for the state to determine the right match.
Ideally prior to issuing an RFP for private operators, states will consider every minute detail of the program from patrol equipment specifications to number of vehicles required to cover the patrol areas; from to whom drivers and private operators report to who conducts background checks on drivers. Some of these specifications can be left for the contracting period, but it may be beneficial to know where each party stands prior to entering into the contracting stage.
Not to be forgotten, some additional information to include in any RFP for private operators is program costs and anticipated contribution by the patrol operator. In some cases the state looks to privately contract solely for vehicles and does not require additional monetary support from the private operators, while in other cases the state looks to have the private operator provide vehicles, equipment, personnel, sponsorship opportunities and reporting. Regardless of the state’s intent, it is important to clearly outline the financial commitment required of the private operator by the state.
Finally, states should create an outline for respondents on the exact questions to be answered and how proposals should be formatted to be considered eligible by the state department. Checklists of required items can be extremely beneficial and effective. Most of all similarly formatted and organized submitted proposals from private operators will make the process of evaluation easier for the state allowing for more time spent on evaluating and less on finding the requested information.