# Trumbull County Transportation Services: The JFS Medicaid Ride Bid and How to Win It (2027)

Canonical URL: https://nemtguide.com/states/ohio/trumbull-county/ · Updated 2026-10-02

Trumbull County Job and Family Services (TCDJFS) buys Medicaid rides through one request for bid each August, for a contract of up to 12 months starting October 1. The FFY 2027 bid closed September 4, 2026 and covers only riders who can walk, plus pregnancy rides. Seniors and riders with disabilities can also ride through Trumbull County Transit for $2 each way.

- Trumbull County JFS buys Medicaid rides by one request for bid each August, for the federal fiscal year that starts October 1.
- The FFY 2027 bid covers only riders who can walk and pregnancy rides, to providers within 30 miles of home.
- Every rate is compared at a 9-loaded-mile trip, and no-shows and second riders from other pickups are not paid.
- A new company can bid if it proves it already runs regular service and stays viable without the county contract.
- Trumbull County Transit pays contracted companies for $2 senior and disabled rides, wheelchair trips included.

## Trumbull County NEMT at a glance

| Fact | Details |
| --- | --- |
| Who buys rides | Trumbull County Job and Family Services (TCDJFS), 280 North Park Avenue, Warren. A majority of the county commissioners must approve every award. |
| What the bid buys | Ambulatory Medicaid rides to providers within 30 miles of home, and rides for pregnant members through 12 months after birth (FFY 2027 bid) |
| Bid calendar | Posted August 10, 2026, due 4 p.m. September 4, 2026, for any part of October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027 |
| How bids are compared | Any rate format, priced against an average one-way trip of 9 loaded miles. Mileage rates pay loaded miles only. |
| Not paid | No-shows, extra riders from other pickups on a shared trip unless a second-rider rate is negotiated, and administrative costs over 10% of the contract |
| Service standard | A ride within 48 hours of the booking call, a return within 30 minutes of the call, and a cancel line open around the clock |
| Local experience | Two years in business at a service location near Trumbull County, or proof of established service elsewhere plus a local site you can secure |
| Insurance | No set dollar minimum. Workers' compensation, plus liability naming TCDJFS, the commissioners, and county employees as additional insured. |
| Senior and disabled rides | Trumbull County Transit charges riders $2 each way, and riders book with All American USA Taxi, Comfort Care-A-Van, Sunset Transportation, or Country Neighbor (June 2026) |

## Who arranges rides here

- [Trumbull County Job and Family Services (TCDJFS)](https://www.co.trumbull.oh.us/JFS): Decides who qualifies for Medicaid rides and buys them by yearly bid. (330) 675-2000
- [TCDJFS Public Notices/RFPS page](https://www.co.trumbull.oh.us/JFS/public-notices): Posts each August ride bid, its question and answer document, and any changes.
- [Trumbull County Board of Commissioners](https://www.co.trumbull.oh.us/Commissioners/Meetings): Votes on every JFS ride contract at its Wednesday meetings. (330) 675-2451
- [Trumbull County Transit](https://www.co.trumbull.oh.us/transportation): Registers senior and disabled riders, who then book with its contracted ride companies. (330) 675-2873

Trumbull County Job and Family Services (TCDJFS) in Warren buys Medicaid rides from private companies through one request for bid a year, and the county commissioners vote on every award. The bid covers riders who can walk: trips to medical care and rides for pregnant and postpartum members. The county also runs a separate ride program for seniors and riders with disabilities, which buys wheelchair trips too.

## Who arranges Medicaid rides in Trumbull County

Each Ohio county's job and family services office runs its own non-emergency transportation (NET) program under rule 5160-15-10, and the Medicaid health plans cover wheelchair van rides and longer car trips. The [Ohio guide](https://nemtguide.com/states/ohio/) explains that split, and [county NET contracts in Ohio](https://nemtguide.com/guides/ohio-county-net-contracts/) compares how other counties buy rides.

In Trumbull County, TCDJFS decides who qualifies and refers each rider to a company under contract. The office is at 280 North Park Avenue, Warren, open weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., and its main line is 330-675-2000. Its bid for federal fiscal year (FFY) 2027, issued August 10, 2026, buys two kinds of ambulatory rides:

- **Non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT).** Medicaid members who can walk, or need only basic help, and have no other way to travel, going to Medicaid or health plan providers within 30 miles of home. Residents of hospitals, nursing homes, jails, and other institutions are left out.
- **Pregnancy related services (PRS).** Rides to any Medicaid provider for pregnant members, during the pregnancy and for 12 months after.

Trips go to appointments in Trumbull County, or to a neighboring area when the care is not available in the county.

The FFY 2025 and FFY 2026 bids also bought Title XX rides, medical trips paid under the county's Title XX social services plan, within the county and the immediate area. The FFY 2027 transportation bid dropped them, and the county's separate FFY 2027 Title XX bid covers only home health aide, homemaker, chore, and adult protective services.

Wheelchair riders are not part of this bid. Health plan members get wheelchair van rides through their plan's broker, such as [Buckeye Health Plan](https://nemtguide.com/health-plans/buckeye-health-plan-ohio/) or [CareSource](https://nemtguide.com/health-plans/caresource-ohio/), and members outside a plan call an enrolled wheelchair van company, as the Ohio guide explains.

## When Trumbull County bids its ride contract

TCDJFS posts its ride bid in early August on its Public Notices/RFPS page, keeps it open three to four weeks, and awards contracts for the federal fiscal year that starts October 1. The packet is posted only as a PDF, and staff do not hand out copies or take requests for them.

| Contract year | Bid posted | Bids due |
|---|---|---|
| FFY 2025 | August 5, 2024 | August 30, 2024, 4 p.m. |
| FFY 2026 | August 11, 2025 | September 8, 2025, 4 p.m. |
| FFY 2027 | August 10, 2026 | September 4, 2026, 4 p.m. |

The FFY 2027 cycle added a bidders' conference, held August 13, 2026 in the commissioners' hearing room on the fifth floor of the Trumbull County Administration Building, 160 High Street, Warren. Written questions closed at noon on August 27. The schedule set bid opening for September 8 and the end of the review for about September 21, 2026.

A contract can cover any part of October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027. TCDJFS may extend it within that year, raise its value when more money arrives, or cut it after a state budget change or a drop in referrals. The county guarantees no number of referrals. Nothing is final until the TCDJFS director recommends the award and a majority of the commissioners approves it. The board holds regular meetings Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. and workshops Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m., and streams both on Zoom.

If the pattern holds, the FFY 2028 bid posts in early August 2027.

## How the bid is priced

You may propose any rate format: per trip, per mile, or a mix. TCDJFS turns each one into a cost for an average one-way trip of 9 loaded miles, so every bidder is compared on the same ride. Build your rate around these rules:

- **Loaded miles only.** A mileage rate pays only for miles with the rider on board. See [loaded miles](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/loaded-miles/).
- **One fare for a shared ride.** When riders from different pickups travel together to the same place, TCDJFS pays for the first rider only, though it may negotiate an added passenger rate. A family pays one rate per trip unless more than one member has a billable appointment.
- **No pay for no-shows.** Fold the cost of [no-shows](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/no-show/) and the paperwork they create into your rate.
- **Administrative costs capped at 10%.** Supervisors, clerical, and fiscal staff time must be shown as a share of their work on the contract, and indirect cost allocation is not accepted.
- **No equipment in the budget.** Capital outlay, equipment purchases, cell phones, and staff training are not allowed as contract costs.
- **Budget mileage stops at the IRS rate,** which is 76 cents a mile for July through December 2026.

The packet includes a sample unit cost budget, and a written narrative must tie every line to your unit rate. Rate changes you did not build in for the whole year are not honored later, and TCDJFS may negotiate a revised price with any bidder that qualifies. Check your numbers against the [cost per trip guide](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-cost-per-trip/) before you commit.

## What your Trumbull County bid must include

Each bid has five numbered sections: a signed cover sheet, the budget, the budget narrative, your own program forms such as trip slips, and the additional required information. Section 5 must answer each item on its own, even when that means placing the same document twice:

1. Proof of your employer identification number and legal status from the IRS. A signed W-9 does not count.
2. Your articles of incorporation filed with the Ohio Secretary of State, or a statement of your current status.
3. Proof that your business has been viable at a service location in the Trumbull County area for two years.
4. Your workers' compensation certificate.
5. Your liability policies for professional and general liability, and your auto policy.
6. An independent audit or CPA-prepared financial statements, or a statement that your income is below the audit threshold.
7. Your 2024 and 2025 federal tax returns, or 2023 and 2024 plus an approved extension for 2025.
8. The county's Provider Disclosures and Attestation form, with the state's Executive Order 2019-12D form on offshore services.
9. An active SAM.gov registration with your Unique Entity ID, or proof you applied during the bid window.
10. The rule 5160-15-14 package: a signed statement that the 42 CFR Part 455 disclosure rules are met, each driver's license and certified Ohio BMV record, a section 109.572 background check on each direct-service employee, and a signed statement that no owner, manager, or employee is on the SAM or HHS OIG exclusion lists.

If BMV records or background checks are still pending, show that you have started them, and the award waits until they arrive. See [NEMT driver background checks](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-driver-background-check/) and the [OIG exclusion list](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/oig-exclusion-list/).

### If your company is new

The two-year rule is not meant to shut out a company that can meet the program's needs. A company working elsewhere can show its current service location plus a statement that it can secure one near Trumbull County. Two questions about newer companies came in on August 27, 2026. In its answers, TCDJFS said a newer company must supply its own statements, service records, or financial documents showing it already runs regular service and stays viable without this contract. A company with no 2024 or 2025 tax returns may send a statement of its start date, which TCDJFS checks against its Secretary of State filing, with proof of financial capacity.

## How to hand in your bid

Small format errors can knock a bid out here, so follow these rules exactly:

- **Paper.** One original, single sided, on plain white letter paper in black ink, with original signatures in blue ink. No binders, staples, or paper clips. A binder clip, rubber band, or pocket folder is allowed.
- **USB drive.** In the same package, four PDFs: the cover sheet, the budget and narrative, the program forms, and Section 5, identical to the paper copy, signatures included.
- **No rider data.** Leave out TCDJFS forms and any rider information from past work. Using a rider's information disqualifies the bid at once.
- **Delivery.** Mail it or bring it to the TCDJFS Fiscal Office, 280 North Park Avenue, Warren 44481, before the deadline. A postmark does not count, and faxed or emailed bids are refused.
- **Appointment.** Hand delivery is by appointment only, weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Email Trumbull_fiscal@jfs.ohio.gov at least 24 hours ahead with the subject line "TCDJFS' Transportation Bid Submission Appointment Request" and three times at least two hours apart.

From the day the bid posts until a contract is awarded, do not discuss it with any TCDJFS employee. Questions go only by email on the county's form, with the subject line "TCDJFS' TRANSPORTATION RFB QUESTION", and the answers post for everyone.

A review team of TCDJFS staff rates each bid on your organization and administration, the service you propose, cost, and your experience with the riders served, on a scale from 0 (inadequate) to 25 (excellent), and it may call you in for an interview. After the letters of intent go out, you have until 3 p.m. on the eighth calendar day to file a written rebuttal with the Fiscal Office. A complaint about the bid itself is due by 3 p.m. on the closing date. See [how to answer a NEMT RFP](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-broker-rfp/).

## What the contract asks of a ride company

The FFY 2027 bid lists the service you commit to if you win:

- Service around the clock, weekends and holidays included, for the categories that call for it.
- A scheduled ride within 48 hours of the reservation call, and a return pickup within 30 minutes of the rider's call.
- A way for riders to cancel at any hour.
- A rider signature, initials, or mark for every trip.
- The most direct and cost-effective route, smoke-free vehicles, a safety restraint for every rider, and help getting in and storing any assistive device.
- Fingerprints and background checks for every employee and subcontractor, and drivers trained and licensed as the law requires.
- For anyone who drives children, a BMV transcript, no one with five or more points or a drunk or drugged driving conviction, and a nationwide and local criminal record check.

You also track referrals, completed rides, and rider satisfaction. Insurance has no set dollar minimum: you carry workers' compensation and liability coverage reasonably needed to protect riders, with TCDJFS, the commissioners, and county employees as additional insured. After an award you sign a non-collusion affidavit, a personal property tax affidavit under section 5719.042, and the county's Drug and Alcohol Use Policy sign-off, and you give the County Auditor a W-9. A subcontractor needs a signed commitment letter in your bid and must be chosen under the county's competitive procurement rules. See [NEMT insurance requirements](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-insurance-requirements/).

## Trumbull County Transit: the county's senior and disabled rides

The county runs a second ride program apart from Medicaid. Trumbull County Transit, at 2959 Youngstown Warren Road SE in Warren, registers riders 60 and older and riders with disabilities, who then book their trips directly with its contracted companies. Riders pay $2 each way for medical trips in the county and up to 30 miles outside it, and for non-medical trips up to 12 miles, one a week. Past those limits the rider pays the company's contract rate per mile.

Its scheduling page and its brochure edited June 2, 2026 list four companies:

- **All American USA Taxi** for riders who do not use a wheelchair.
- **Comfort Care-A-Van and Sunset Transportation** for wheelchair and other riders.
- **Country Neighbor** for any trip that starts in the county's Northern Tier.

The program's flyer revised May 21, 2026 also lists Garwin for riders who do not use a wheelchair. Rides run weekdays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., with limited weekend service, and riders call the company at least 48 hours ahead. The service is shared ride, curb to curb, with a 30-minute pickup window.

The Ohio Department of Transportation's 5310 program, the commissioners, the Senior Levy, and the Trumbull County Board of Developmental Disabilities fund it in part. Unlike the JFS bid, this program pays for wheelchair trips, so call the Transit office at 330-675-2873 to ask how it adds companies.

## Steps to win Trumbull County ride work

1. **Watch the notices page from late July.** Packets, answers, and changes post only there.
2. **Register in SAM.gov early.** The bid wants an active Unique Entity ID, or proof you applied during the bid window.
3. **Build your vendor file ahead of time:** tax returns, your Secretary of State filing, a workers' compensation certificate, insurance policies, and the rule 5160-15-14 records for every driver.
4. **Price to a 9-mile trip.** Work out your cost per ride at that length with no-shows unpaid and shared riders paid once.
5. **Book your delivery appointment** by email a few days before the deadline, with three time slots.
6. **Follow the vote.** Awards go to the commissioners' Wednesday meetings, and you can ask TCDJFS for the bid list and signed contracts as public records under section 149.43.
7. **Add the work this bid leaves out.** Enroll a wheelchair van with Ohio Medicaid, apply to the plan brokers, and ask Trumbull County Transit about its contracts.

Next door, Mahoning County buys its county rides with its own bid, and its August 2024 request asked for a separate wheelchair van rate.

## Frequently asked questions

### Who provides Medicaid transportation in Trumbull County, Ohio?

Trumbull County Job and Family Services decides who qualifies and refers riders who can walk to the company it contracts with through its yearly bid. Wheelchair van rides come from the rider's health plan, or for members outside a plan, from an enrolled wheelchair van company. Seniors and riders with disabilities can also register with Trumbull County Transit, which charges $2 each way.

### When does Trumbull County JFS bid its transportation contract?

Every August, for the federal fiscal year that starts October 1. The FFY 2027 bid posted August 10, 2026 and closed at 4 p.m. on September 4, 2026. The two before it posted August 5, 2024 and August 11, 2025. Packets appear only as PDFs on the TCDJFS Public Notices/RFPS page, and staff do not send them on request, so check that page from late July.

### Can a new company bid on the Trumbull County ride contract?

Yes, if it can prove it already runs regular service. The bid asks for two years in business near Trumbull County but says that rule is not meant to shut out a company that can do the work. In its August 2026 answers, TCDJFS said a newer company must supply its own records or financial documents proving it is viable without the county contract, and may replace missing tax returns with a statement of its start date.

### Does the Trumbull County JFS contract include wheelchair van trips?

No. The FFY 2027 bid buys only ambulatory rides for members who can walk or need basic help getting in, plus rides for pregnant and postpartum members. Wheelchair van trips for health plan members go through each plan's ride broker. To carry them, license and enroll your wheelchair vans as the Ohio state guide explains, then apply to the brokers.

### How does Trumbull County JFS pay for rides?

At the unit rate in your contract, in whatever format you bid. TCDJFS compares every bid at an average one-way trip of 9 loaded miles. Mileage rates pay loaded miles only, a shared ride from different pickups pays once unless TCDJFS negotiates a second-rider rate, no-shows are never paid, and administrative costs cannot pass 10% of the contract.

### How do I hand in a bid to Trumbull County JFS?

By mail or by hand to the TCDJFS Fiscal Office at 280 North Park Avenue, Warren, before the deadline, with one single-sided original and a USB drive of four PDFs in the same package. Hand delivery needs an appointment requested by email at least 24 hours ahead, offering three times at least two hours apart. Walk-ins, faxes, and emailed bids are refused, and a postmark does not count.

## Official resources

- [TCDJFS: Public Notices/RFPS, where each ride bid posts](https://www.co.trumbull.oh.us/JFS/public-notices)
- [TCDJFS: FFY 2027 ambulatory transportation request for bid](https://www.co.trumbull.oh.us/jfs/notices/TRANSPORTATION-RFB-FFY27-%20W%20ATT.pdf)
- [Trumbull County Commissioners: Meeting schedule and Zoom links](https://www.co.trumbull.oh.us/Commissioners/Meetings)
- [Trumbull County Transit: Rider and vendor information](https://www.co.trumbull.oh.us/transportation)
- [SAM.gov: Register your entity and get a Unique Entity ID](https://sam.gov/)
- [Ohio Administrative Code: Rule 5160-15-14, county ride vendor screening](https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-administrative-code/rule-5160-15-14)