Qualified individuals/firms are requested to submit their proposals to the Procurement Department, Watertown City Hall, 149 Main Street, Watertown, MA, in accordance with the instructions contained within the Request for Proposals (RFP).

This is an abridged summary. The full RFP is available in the bid package. Please do not use this summary to prepare for a bid as there are details and instructions in the bid package. Please do not rely on this summary for information, as the RFP has much more details.

Bid Documents are available electronically online at no cost by completing the registration page on the City's website at https://watertown-ma.gov/Purchasing. Scroll to the project title and select the link located at the bottom of the project description to request a bid package.

The City of Watertown will accept proposals delivered in person or by mail, only. All proposals must be received by Tuesday January 20, 2026, 10:00 a.m. to be considered. Proposals submitted by fax or by electronic mail will not be considered. All proposals must be submitted to:

City of Watertown Procurement Department
Watertown City Hall
149 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472

The City's decision will be based upon qualifications and experience of the individual/firm. The City will initially evaluate and score all proposals. The City may schedule interviews with the top ranked candidates as part of the evaluation process.

Please note bid package for instructions on Submission Deadline and Instructions. Questions concerning this RFP must be submitted by email to Purchasing@Watertown-ma.gov. All questions/inquiries must be received by 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday January 7, 2026, to be considered. Written responses will be provided, by email transmission, to all those individuals/firms that have requested a copy of the RFP by 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday January 13, 2026. If any changes are made to this RFP, an addendum will be provided to all those individuals/firms that have requested a copy of the RFP.

Scope of Work (abridged summary):

We consider WATConnector to be a first mile/last mile connection. The Shuttle has coincided with redevelopment and growth along two of Watertown's busiest corridors, and the adoption of Watertown's Transportation Demand Management (TDM) ordinance requiring new development to reduce single-occupancy vehicle (SOV) travel. WATConnector is a vital part of the City's TDM and resilience strategies to reduce congestion and air pollution.

WATConnector is operated by the City of Watertown in partnership with the Watertown Transportation Management Association. WATConnector operates along two key corridors: Pleasant Street and Arsenal Street. The Pleasant Street line provides convenient access for commuters and residents. Service is complimentary for riders who live or work at participating properties (the partners). The public can ride for $1.00 per trip. The route connects the corridor to major transit hubs, including Watertown Square, Watertown Yard, and Cambridge's Harvard Square. The service complements and, where possible, coordinates with existing MBTA bus routes such as the 57 and 504 buses, which stop next to the shuttle at Watertown Yard.

In early 2026, operations of the Arsenal Street line will transition to the City and the WTMA and be publicly accessible. With this transition, both lines will be integrated into a citywide shuttle network - potentially with revised routing and service schedules to better meet the needs of all users. Corporate and residential partners will carry the cost/be billed rather than the individual riders associated with the partners. Public riders pay for their trips directly.

The Pleasant Street Shuttle operates Monday through Friday with service hours from 6:30am to 9:52am and 4:00pm to 7:25pm. The shuttles run approximately every 30 minutes, with two trips to Harvard Square each hour. Arsenal Street Shuttle hours of operation are from 7:00am to 10:00am and 3:00pm to 7:00pm. These shuttles run every 15 minutes for the corporate route and every 30 minutes for the residential route. The City reserves the right to change service hours to respond to the change in the overall network and routing, but the objective is to induce ridership by keeping headways short, so that riders have reliable service.

For the duration of the upcoming contract, the shuttles will be open to the general public and ADA-compliant. New routing is currently being studied and tested for the most effective ways to service all stakeholders. Proposer is welcome to provide input on efficiency and planning of routing which may be considered by the City and the WTMA.

Additional stops may be added over time. The east terminus does not need to remain exclusively at Harvard Square. Additional destinations such as the Boston Landing MBTA Commuter Rail station are currently being considered to extend routing as future terminus locations. Additional potential stops could further extend within Watertown. As the system transitions to a unified network, these changes will affect scheduling and operations. The awarded vendor will be responsible for finalizing routes, stop locations and schedules, and for implementing changes as warranted to meet evolving needs.

General Statement of Service: The work contemplated shall consist of furnishing all motor vehicles, equipment, maintenance, insurance, labor, and fuel required to operate a public transportation service as described in the RFP document. The Operator will also be asked to provide technical assistance on routes, schedules and shuttle stops. This contract is for a three-year period with four one-year extensions in accordance with M.G.L. C 30B.

There are currently fully-electric vans for the Pleasant Street line. The Arsenal Street line has gasoline-powered vans. WATConnector service under the new contract will be maintained along both the corridors of Pleasant and Arsenal streets. We seek a vendor to provide recommendations on how both corridors can be best served. Proposers are provided (see appendix) a copy of relevant pages from the Study to Improve City-Supported Mobility. Proposers shall competitively price the existing service. The City and WTMA would like to review proposers' recommendations on if there is a more efficient way to deliver service.

Service operates Monday through Friday during peak morning and evening rush hours, excluding federal holidays. Despite ridership shifts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting changes in commuting patterns, the Pleasant Street Shuttle service was successfully launched in 2021. Originally planned with one-hour headway, the service is now every 30 minutes. The Shuttle could potentially have shorter headways depending on the direction that the City and WTMA decide upon; information is intended to be released prior to proposers' interviews. Respondents to this RFP should propose an hourly rate that accounts for potential service extensions of the listed hours, as service is expected to be extended outside of peak hours.

As an alternative to using electric shuttles, a proposer can submit a proposal for hybrid shuttle vans. Proposers should also provide specifications and service responsibilities as listed in the RFP document, including vehicles, certification, etc. Non-Vehicle Services listed in the RFP document include monthly ridership data analysis reporting, ticketing and marketing materials, a ticketing platform, technology such as GTFS, and outreach services.

The City of Watertown has identified standards of success. These metrics will also be used for oversight of the Contractor and help City staff and the WTMA determine if additional measures are needed to reach ridership targets.

All proposals submitted in response to the RFP must meet minimum requirements and include information listed in the RFP document. Failure to meet these requirements will result in the proposal's disqualification without further evaluation.

An Evaluation Committee shall evaluate all proposals based on the Evaluation Criteria listed in the RFP document, and select a firm with the most responsive, responsible, and advantageous proposal for award of the Contract.

This is not a price competition, but rather the City's decision will be based upon qualifications and experience in providing the required Scope of Services. The City will initially evaluate and score all proposals. The City may schedule interviews with the highest scoring individuals/firms. The City will rank the finalists based on consideration of the minimum criteria/qualifications, the comparative evaluation criteria, and the interview (if applicable). The City and WTMA reserve the right to request further information from the three highest ranked applicants.

The selected firm/individual will be required to execute the standard City of Watertown contract as attached. It is the City's intent to finalize and execute all contract documents with the selected firm/individual within thirty (30) days after the submittal deadline.