P2  Approve the negotiated agreement for various vendors for the Transportation of Special Needs / Disabled Students.

·       In order to support the needs of our Special Needs / Disabled Students in the area of transportation, it was determined that direct negotiations were needed as bids were solicited in the past and were deemed non-responsive.

·       Med Aide Services and Palm Beach Metro Transportation are the two companies who have been providing services to the District.  Med Aide is a certified minority vendor.

·       In 2001 Congress passed the McKinney-Vento Act to strengthen existing laws which gave children and youth in homeless situations the right to go to school, no matter where they lived or how long they had lived there.  This law gives children and youth in homeless situations, shelters and temporary foster care the right to stay in their school of origin if they move and to receive transportation services to school for a determined period of time.  In some situations our current vendors provide transportation primarily by taxi service.

·       The new negotiated contracts will be from July 31, 2006 through July 30, 2008.

·       Copies of the agreements for the two current vendors are attached.  Contracts will be negotiated for the forthcoming contract period.

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·       The Legal Department has reviewed this contract with special attention to indemnification and liability and has approved this contract for form and legal sufficiency.