TO: AC Transit Board of Directors
FROM: Salvador Llamas, General Manager/Chief Executive Officer
SUBJECT: Award of Contract for Paratransit Coordinators Office
ACTION ITEM
AGENDA PLANNING REQUEST: ☐
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
Title
Consider authorizing the General Manager/Chief Executive Officer to enter into a three -year contract with Paratransit, Inc. in the amount of $924,525 on behalf of the East Bay Paratransit Consortium (EBPC) to provide Paratransit Coordinators Office (PCO) functions and services.
Staff Contact:
Ramakrishna Pochiraju, Executive Director of Planning & Engineering
Body
STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE:
Goal - Financial Stability and Resiliency
Initiative - Service Quality
Ensuring the continuity of ADA paratransit services via the East Bay Paratransit Consortium is critical to maintaining reliable service for individuals with disabilities who are unable to use fixed-route services.
BUDGETARY/FISCAL IMPACT:
The total cost for the three-year base period is $924,525. The services of the PCO benefit both AC Transit and BART equally as partners in the EBPC. As such, the PCO is funded at a 50/50 split between the agencies. AC Transit is responsible for a total of $ 462,262.50 for the three (3) year base period beginning October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2029. The PCO expenses are budgeted, accounted for and approved by the Board as part of its annual budget process.
CONTRACT AWARD SUMMARY:
|
Vendor Outreach Summary: |
|
|
No. DBE/SBEs: |
28 |
|
No. Registered Vendors: |
318 |
|
|
|
|
Contract Summary: |
|
|
# Proposals/Bids Received: |
1 |
|
Award Type: |
Best Value |
|
Independent Cost Estimate Range: |
$1,773,819 |
|
Recommended for Award: |
Paratransit, Inc. |
|
Small Business Type: |
Not Applicable* |
|
DBE/SBE Utilization %:** |
N/A |
* Neither SBE, nor DBE
** The District sets Small Business Enterprise (SBE) goals on contracting opportunities. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) may authorize a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) goal; however, SBE goals may result in DBE awards and utilization.
Levine Act Disclosure
California Government Code § 84308, commonly referred to as the “Levine Act,” precludes an Officer of a local government agency from participating in the award of a contract if he or she receives any political contributions totaling more than $500 in the 12 months preceding the pendency of the contract award, and for three months following the final decision, from the person or company awarded the contract. This prohibition applies to contributions to the Officer, or received by the Officer on behalf of any other Officer, or on behalf of any candidate for office or on behalf of any committee. The Levine Act also requires disclosure of such contributions by a party to be awarded a specified contract. Disclosure is not required for contracts that are competitively bid, contracts under $50,000; contracts between two or more government agencies; contracts where no party receives financial compensation; and periodic review or renewal of development agreements or competitively bid contracts with non-material modifications.
BACKGROUND/RATIONALE:
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires all fixed-route operators to provide "complementary paratransit service" to persons who are unable to use fixed-route service due to a physical or cognitive disability. AC Transit and BART chose to meet this federal requirement by forming the EBPC via a Joint Powers Agreement to provide ADA-mandated paratransit services in the agencies' overlapping service area.
The PCO was created at the inception of the EBPC to serve as a neutral, central point of contact between AC Transit and BART, to coordinate the activities of the paratransit program, prepare and analyze financial and detailed operating data, and to oversee activities of the Paratransit Broker (“the Broker”). The PCO provides the critical function of impartial, independent review for accuracy and the tracking of trends and indicators in the Broker’s performance, service quality and budget. The PCO focuses exclusively on EBPC issues. The PCO function is well received by both internal and external auditors as an effective method of providing oversight of the Broker.
The PCO performs, among other activities, the following functions:
• Review and oversight of all financial and operating data from the Broker.
• Development of all Claims and Compliance reports, including Measure BB, Measure J, FTA and NTD reporting.
• Development of Agency Budgets and Budget Projections.
• Collection of all audit materials and data to ensure consistency between the agencies.
• Development and analysis of the Broker/Service Provider RFP.
• Oversight of the Annual Customer Satisfaction Survey.
• Oversight and facilitation of the East Bay Paratransit Access Committee.
• Auditing of the Customer Services/Call Center complaint process.
• Special projects as assigned by the Program Managers, such as Emergency Planning.
The scope of work for these services was revamped with review from BART, after the award of the East Bay Paratransit Broker contract in 2025. The Request for Proposals (RFP), with the revised scope, was issued on May 29, 2026, and proposals were due on June 29, 2026. The District received a single proposal from Paratransit, Inc. A group of evaluators from BART and AC Transit reviewed the single proposal and determined the awardee.
ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES:
The advantage of awarding a contract with the incumbent, Paratransit, Inc. for the Paratransit Coordinators Office (PCO) services, is the maintaining a continuity of operations, oversight of the Broker activities and ongoing coordination of activities between AC Transit and BART.
There are no disadvantages to the award of a contract to Paratransit, Inc.
ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS:
With BART's approval, either BART or AC Transit could bring this function in-house. However, throughout the existence of EBP, District staff have analyzed the cost of in-house versus a contracted position and has found that the cost of the contracted position(s) has been more cost-effective. This is largely due to the required skill level of the PCO and the fringe costs of hiring staff at both BART and AC Transit. Additionally, the agencies would lose the benefit of an independent third-party liaison to coordinate the functions of the EBPC.
PRIOR RELEVANT BOARD ACTION/POLICIES:
None
ATTACHMENTS:
1. None
Prepared by:
Mallory Nestor-Brush, Manager of Accessible Services
In Collaboration with:
Michael Silk, Acting Director of Procurement and Materials Management
Dora English, Contracts Specialist
Approved/Reviewed by:
Michael Silk, Director of Procurement & Materials Management
David Wilkins, Director of Regulatory Programs
Chris Andrichak, Chief Financial Officer
Ramakrishna Pochiraju, Executive Director of Planning & Engineering
Paul Kincaid, Assistant General Manager/Chief Executive Officer
Aimee L. Steele, General Counsel/Chief Legal Officer