Human Services Bus Ticket Program RFP Grant

The Human Services Bus Ticket Program RFP, administered by King County DCHS and Metro, offers discounted bus tickets to support low-income and homeless individuals. With a budget of $444,440 for 2025, the program aims to enhance access to transportation services. Agencies can purchase tickets at a 10% cost while Metro subsidizes the rest. The initiative encourages broad distribution of tickets to eligible programs and requires utilization by December 31, 2025.

Note: Agencies awarded an allocation through the HSBTP can only purchase paper tickets and not the ORCA LIFT cards designed for the adult low-income fare.
Program Overview
The King County Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) and King County Metro (Metro) are making available access to discounted bus tickets up to the budgeted amount of $444,440 in allocation value (up to $4,444,400 in face value) for the 2025 program year. This rolling RFP has $949,945 in allotment value ($94,994.50 in face value) remaining for 2025.
King County Code (KCC) 4A.700.210 guarantees annual funding for the Program. The HSBTP supplies ticket books (for bus/transit tickets) to agencies serving people experiencing homelessness and/or people with low income. Participating agencies pay approximately 10 percent of the ticket value at the time of purchase and Metro subsidizes the remaining 90 percent. The Program aims to enhance transportation access for people experiencing homelessness and/or people with low income.
Administered by King County DCHS in collaboration with King County Metro, this RFP does not guarantee an award. DCHS reserves the right to proportionally distribute ticket allocations to agencies to ensure regional fund distribution. The goal is to allocate tickets to as many eligible programs as possible. The HSBTP is intended to improve access to programs and services for people experiencing homelessness and/or people with low income, but it does not cover all transportation needs. Ticket allocations made through this RFP must be utilized for ticket purchases by December 31, 2025. Agencies should apply for this 2025 RFP process ONLY if they intend to distribute the bus/transit tickets to eligible individuals by December 31, 2025.