The Metropolitan Transportation Commission for the nine-county San Francisco Bay area held a pre-bid conference today (14 May 2026). This is a summary of the opportunity.

Key Outcomes

MTC held a non-mandatory proposers conference for the 511 website design RFP with a $3.45M initial budget for operations and maintenance from September 1, 2026 to June 30, 2030, with potential for four additional years 1. The new 511.org website, built in Drupal, will launch before the contract starts, shifting the focus to O&M rather than new development. Enhancement work is not included in the base budget and would be negotiated separately via task orders.

Project Scope

Core Responsibilities

  • Website O&M: Manage 511.org built in Drupal on Pantheon hosting with Fastly CDN and Mapbox/OpenStreetMaps integration
  • API Gateway: Maintain customized SaaS solution built on Tyke platform managing real-time elements
  • CMS Administration: Serve as Drupal administrator, support graphics development within logo library
  • Security & Compliance: Implement Section 508 and WCAG accessibility requirements, manage security controls for application and data
  • Emergency Response: Provide 24/7 staff support during regional emergencies (fires, earthquakes, BART outages) for high-traffic events

Communications & Brand Management

  • Manage 511 customer comments via phone, web, and social media with 2-3 business day response using MTC-approved canned responses
  • Maintain social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, Blue Sky) primarily managed by 511 Operations Center
  • Oversee street banner program with AAA Signs managing several hundred banners throughout San Francisco Bay Area cities
  • Maintain 511 branding guidelines and ensure voice consistency across platforms

Project Management

  • Conduct weekly project status meetings with MTC using Asana for task management and coordination
  • Coordinate with multiple MTC programs (Clipper Access, All Nighter, Freeway Service Patrol) that use 511.org as home base
  • Provide monthly invoices, progress reports, track issues and code releases in GitHub
  • 1-month transition period with existing contractor for knowledge transfer; 6-month transition plan required before contract end

Technical Environment

  • CMS Platform: Drupal (current version to be confirmed)
  • Hosting: Pantheon Elite plan
  • CDN: Fastly Content Delivery Network
  • Mapping: Mapbox/OpenStreetMaps, transitioning to MTC's regional mapping data services
  • API Gateway: Tyke platform (version to be confirmed)
  • Version Control: MTC's GitHub repositories
  • Collaboration Tools: Asana, Slack provided by MTC; monitoring systems managed as pass-through cost

Pass-Through Costs

  • Pantheon hosting infrastructure
  • Tyke SaaS solution
  • Mapbox (Google Maps being sunset)
  • AWS services (small amount)
  • 24/7 support availability

Procurement Requirements

Key Deadlines

  • Questions Due: Monday, June 1, 2026
  • Protest Deadline: 3 days before proposal due date
  • Proposals Due: 4:00 PM Monday, June 15, 2026 (hard cutoff via Bonfire system)
  • Interviews: Week of June 29, 2026 (tentative)
  • Board Approval: Friday, August 14, 2026 (tentative)

Submission Requirements

  • Submit through Bonfire/Unit Procurement portal (system closes at 4:00 PM sharp)
  • Technical proposal following specified structure (cover page, transmittal letter, etc.)
  • Work samples demonstrating relevant experience
  • Cost proposal in Excel format using provided template
  • Resumes for key personnel

Evaluation Criteria

  • Proposals evaluated on weighted criteria including 20 points for qualified project manager
  • Review Section 8 of RFP for complete scoring breakdown
  • No conditional proposals accepted; exceptions must be submitted by questions deadline

Contract & Compliance

Insurance & Legal

  • Insurance requirements detailed in Appendix D1 (assessed by risk manager)
  • Contract draft in Appendix D as separate Word document
  • Legal counsel review required by questions deadline; conditional proposals may be rejected outright

DBE Program

  • No DBE goal currently set due to interim federal rule suspension
  • General requirements still apply: use identified firms, follow termination provisions, comply with prompt payment

Clarifications Provided

Platform & Technology

  • No platform changes considered: MTC will not consider non-Drupal CMS proposals; new Drupal site launching before contract start
  • Brand voice predefined: Contractor maintains existing brand guidelines, voice, naming conventions, and tone; no redefinition expected
  • MTC oversight: MTC remains involved in content strategy and brand consistency; not fully handed off

Work Location & Meetings

  • Remote work primary: No on-site presence required; meetings primarily remote with rare in-person sessions
  • Physical tasks minimal: Street banner inspections occasionally require Bay Area presence but coordinated through third parties
  • International firms eligible: No prohibition on out-of-country proposals; must explain project management approach

Budget & Enhancements

  • Base budget covers O&M only: $3.45M for operations and maintenance; enhancements require separate funding via contract amendments
  • No major platform initiatives planned: Site transitions to maintenance mode post-launch with no significant roadmap changes expected

Pending Confirmation

  • Tyke API Gateway version and Mapbox/OpenStreetMaps version details
  • Complete list of third-party licenses for all software in system
  • Street banner quantities, sizes, locations, and photos for all 501 highway signs
  • Clarification on architecture diagram coverage of all subsystems and third-party integrations

Action Items

  • Andrew: Post registration report with attendee contact information to Bonfire by end of day
  • Andrew: Post presentation slides to Bonfire by end of day
  • Andrew: Post written Q&A responses on rolling basis as questions received
  • MTC Team: Provide documentation on street banner locations, sizes, and details in written response
  • MTC Team: Provide complete third-party license list in written response
  • Proposers: Submit all questions, contract exceptions, and insurance requirement changes by June 1, 2026
  • Proposers: Review Appendix B system architecture diagram and submit clarification requests if needed
  • Proposers: Submit proposals through Bonfire before 4:00 PM on June 15, 2026

Resources

  • Registration report on Bonfire for networking and identifying potential partners/subcontractors
  • Subcontractor listing area on Bonfire for firms seeking partnerships
  • Technical documentation and system overview in Bonfire procurement documents
  • Cost proposal spreadsheet with estimated budget breakdown available for download

Proposers are responsible for checking the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) procurement website (https://mtc.bonfirehub.com) for the official procurement documents for the opportunity when it is posted.

Please register as a Document Taker now to receive notices of any changes to the procurement by registering or logging in as a vendor in Euna Procurement (formerly Bonfire), and then downloading a document under the Files tab, or submitting a question for this opportunity through the Euna Procurement Opportunity Questions and Answers message system.

The Euna Procurement message system can be accessed under the Messages tab Opportunity Q&A field. Responses to the procurement must be submitted in accordance with the instructions set forth in the official procurement documents when published.

For further information, please submit a question through Bonfire or contact the point of contact listed below. Point of Contact: Andrew L. Nguyen, Principal Contract Administrator 375 Beale Street, Suite 800 San Francisco, CA 94105 E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 415-778-6651