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FDOT District Six Seeks ITS/TMC Operations Partner: $77M Contract Explicitly Calls for AI and Machine Learning
FDOT District Six has released RFP DOT-RFP-26-6202SD for management and operation of its Intelligent Transportation Systems and SunGuide Transportation Management Center in Miami. This is one of the largest TMC operations contracts in Florida—up to $77.3 million over a potential eight-year term—and the solicitation language signals where FDOT sees the future of traffic management heading.
The AI Mandate
Here’s what caught my attention: FDOT isn’t just open to artificial intelligence and machine learning—they’re explicitly asking proposers to describe how they’ll use it.
From the Technical Plan requirements:
“The Proposer shall incorporate how they plan to use advanced technologies (e.g., Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning) to streamline processes for delivering the services described in Exhibit A – Scope of Services and providing extra value to the Department.”
This isn’t buried in optional “value-added services” language. It’s a direct instruction in the core technical proposal requirements. FDOT wants to know your AI strategy for TMC operations—and they’re going to evaluate you on it.
The solicitation also asks proposers to “describe tools and innovative operational methods to enhance the approach and streamline operational aspects to effectively manage the SunGuide TMC in the most efficient and cost-effective manner while achieving the highest performance.”
For firms with legitimate AI capabilities in traffic management, incident detection, predictive analytics, or operational optimization, this is an opportunity to differentiate. For firms planning to submit generic proposals and hope for the best, the evaluation committee will notice.
Scope and Scale
The SunGuide TMC operates 24/7/365 across Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. The selected consultant will manage:
- Real-time freeway operations and monitoring
- Arterial traffic management
- Express lanes and ramp signaling operations
- Incident management program and Incident Response Vehicle (IRV) operations
- TMC information technology services
- Contract oversight for Road Rangers, FHP, RISC, and ITS maintenance contracts
- Community outreach and customer support
- ITS utility locates
This isn’t a monitoring contract. It’s full operational responsibility for one of Florida’s most complex traffic management environments—South Florida’s freeway network, the Keys, and everything in between.
Contract Structure
The initial term runs five years (April 27, 2026 through April 26, 2031) with a potential three-year renewal. The Department has established a maximum budgetary ceiling of $77,329,330, which includes pre-set amounts of $3.5 million for miscellaneous TSM&O services and $50,000 for transition services.
Proposals exceeding that ceiling will be deemed non-responsive. Price your proposal carefully.
Evaluation Framework
FDOT is weighting this procurement heavily toward technical capability:
| Criteria | Points |
|---|---|
| Technical Proposal | 100 |
| Oral Interviews | 25 |
| Price Proposal | 25 |
| Total | 150 |
Within the Technical Proposal, the breakdown favors operational approach over corporate credentials:
Management Plan (35 points)
- Proposer Firm’s Experience: 10 points
- Staffing Plan: 5 points
- Staff Experience: 10 points
- Program and TMC Management Services: 10 points
Technical Plan (65 points)
- Freeway Operations: 12 points
- Arterial Operations: 10 points
- Express Lanes and Ramp Signaling: 10 points
- Incident Management and IRV Operations: 10 points
- TMC Information Technology: 12 points
- Contract Oversight: 5 points
- Other Services: 4 points
- Transition Services: 2 points
Proposers must score 70 points or higher on the Technical Proposal to advance to oral interviews. Fall below that threshold, and your price proposal stays sealed.
The Florida Experience Requirement
This procurement has a hard experience gate that will exclude many national firms:
“The Consultant shall provide proof of this requirement in the Technical Proposal and demonstrate a minimum of five (5) years of experience, within the past ten (10) years, providing ITS/TMC operations support services of comparable scope to those described in Exhibit A – Scope of Services, in the State of Florida.”
The RFP defines “comparable scope” specifically: 24/7/365 TMC operations, large-scale ITS asset network operation and monitoring, regional freeway and arterial traffic management, and multi-jurisdictional coordination within Florida.
And then this explicit exclusion: “Experience limited to municipal or small-scale ATMS systems shall not be considered comparable.”
If you haven’t operated a major TMC in Florida within the past decade, this isn’t your opportunity.
Timeline
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Technical Questions Deadline | February 6, 2026 at 5:00 PM |
| Proposals Due | February 17, 2026 at 10:00 AM |
| Technical Proposal Opening | March 3, 2026 at 2:00 PM |
| Oral Interviews | March 19, 2026 |
| Price Proposal Opening | March 26, 2026 at 2:00 PM |
| Final Selection Meeting | March 30, 2026 at 10:00 AM |
Proposals are submitted electronically to [email protected]. Technical and price proposals must be separate PDF documents (not zipped), each under 25MB.
Strategic Considerations
A few things stand out in this solicitation.
First, the AI/ML language is deliberate. As former FDOT General Counsel, I’ve reviewed hundreds of solicitations. When the Department includes specific technology requirements in the technical proposal instructions, they expect substantive responses. Generic statements about “leveraging technology” won’t score well. Describe specific applications: predictive incident detection, adaptive signal timing optimization, machine learning for traffic pattern analysis, automated reporting—whatever capabilities you actually have.
Second, the oral interviews carry real weight. At 25 points (equal to price), your team’s ability to articulate their approach matters. FDOT will ask specific questions about Exhibit A and your technical proposal. The people in that room should be the people who will actually run the TMC.
Third, the transition plan matters more than it might appear. Only 2 points are allocated, but a poorly conceived transition could disrupt 24/7 operations across South Florida. FDOT will scrutinize how you plan to take over from the incumbent without service interruption.
Fourth, coordinate with partner agencies. The technical plan requires you to describe coordination strategies with Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise, FDOT District Four, FHP, Monroe County Sheriff, GMX, Port of Miami Tunnel, and local first responders. Multi-agency coordination is core to this contract—not an afterthought.
The Bottom Line
This is a major ITS/TMC opportunity for firms with established Florida credentials and genuine advanced technology capabilities. FDOT is signaling that the future of traffic management includes AI and machine learning, and they want partners who can deliver it.
The $77 million ceiling, eight-year potential term, and explicit technology requirements make this one of the most significant TMC procurements in the state. But the Florida experience requirement and 70-point technical threshold will narrow the competitive field considerably.
Technical questions are due February 6.
