§ 18A:39-3 — Pupil transportation contracts.

18A:39-3. a. No contract for the transportation of pupils to and from school shall be made, when the amount to be paid during the school year for such transportation shall exceed $7,500.00 or the amount determined pursuant to subsection b. of this section, and have the approval of the executive county superintendent of schools, unless the board of education making such contract shall have first publicly advertised for bids therefor in a newspaper published in the district or, if no newspaper is published therein, in a newspaper circulating in the district, once, at least 10 days prior to the date fixed for receiving proposals for such transportation, and shall have awarded the contract to the lowest responsible bidder. Nothing in this chapter shall require the advertisement and letting on proposals or bids of annual extensions, approved by the executive county superintendent, of any contract for transportation entered into through competitive bidding when-- (1) Such annual extensions impose no additional cost upon the board of education, regardless of the fact that the route description has changed; or (2) The increase in the contractual amount as a result of such extensions does not exceed the rise in the Consumer Price Index as defined in section 3 of P.L.2007, c.260 (C.18A:7F-45) for that school year, regardless of the fact that the route description has changed or an aide has been added or removed; or (3) (Deleted by amendment, P.L.1982, c.74.) (4) The increase in the contractual amount as a result of an extension exceeds the rise in the Consumer Price Index as defined in section 3 of P.L.2007, c.260 (C.18A:7F-45) for that school year, but the following apply to the extensions: (a) The increase is directly attributable to a route change to accommodate new student riders or safety concerns as provided for in the original bid, or the increase is directly attributable to the addition of an aide as provided for in the original bid; and (b) The school destination remains unchanged from the original contract. Any such extension as described in this paragraph shall require the approval of the executive county superintendent of schools. Nothing in this chapter shall require the immediate bid of any contract renewal for the remainder of a school year in which the only change, in addition to route description, is the bus type. However, any such extension shall be approved by the executive county superintendent of schools and shall be bid for the next school year. No annual extension shall be granted pursuant to this subsection to a person who has been debarred from bidding on a pupil transportation contract pursuant to the provisions of section 3 of P.L.2021, c.307 (C.18A:39-11.5). b. The Governor, in consultation with the Department of the Treasury, shall, no later than March 1 of each odd-numbered year, adjust the threshold amount set forth in subsection a. of this section, or subsequent to 1985 the threshold amount resulting from any adjustment under this subsection or section 17 of P.L.1985, c.469, in direct proportion to the rise or fall of the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers in the New York City and the Philadelphia areas as reported by the United States Department of Labor. The Governor shall, no later than June 1 of each odd-numbered year, notify all local school districts of the adjustment. The adjustment shall become effective on July 1 of each odd-numbered year. c. A bid for a pupil transportation contract shall identify each person who has any ownership interest in the company submitting a bid for the pupil transportation contract. d. Prior to awarding any pupil transportation contract, a board of education shall review the debarment list maintained pursuant to section 3 of P.L.2021, c.307 (C.18A:39-11.5). No pupil transportation contract shall be awarded to any person who is debarred from bidding pursuant to the provisions of section 3 of P.L.2021, c.307 (C.18A:39-11.5). e. As used in this section, "person" means an individual and any business, including any corporation, partnership, association, or proprietorship in which such individual is a principal, or with respect to which the individual owns, directly or indirectly, or controls any of the stock or other equity interest of such business. Amended 1968, c.29, s.2; 1977, c.68, s.2; 1982, c.74, s.1; 1985, c.469, s.1; 1991, c.316; 2001, c.111; 2003, c.69; 2007, c.260, s.66; 2021, c.307, s.1.