TAMPA BAY SUNGUIDE TRAVELER INFORMATION SYSTEM - PROCUREMENT OF SERVICES AND IMPLEMENTATION

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and other public partners in the Tampa Bay area utilized an Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) procurement process to select Mobility Technologies (MT) to design, build, and operate an Advanced Traveler Information System (ATIS) services in the six county area (Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk, Manatee, Pasco, and Hernando) in and around Tampa Bay. The contract with MT is scheduled to run for 5 years from Notice To Proceed (issued during the summer of 2003). The ATIS system is composed of 3 elements - 511 telephone service, website, and information feed. An important consideration in MT's design, implementation, and operation/maintenance of the ATIS will be the incorporation of existing data sources and legacy systems that can act as data and information sources for the new system. The Tampa Bay SunGuide ATIS is being deployed in parallel with initiation of the U.S. DOT's Intelligent Transportation Infrastructure Program (ITIP) for the Tampa Bay area. Implementation of the ITIP, taking place during 2004, will support ATIS operation via the deployment of approximately 100 vehicle detection sensors along I-4, I-75, and I-275.