LAKEWOOD, NJ — One point deserves to be stated clearly and positively for Lakewood residents: any member of the public can apply for the $300,000 UEZ Shuttle Busing Liaison contract — even if township officials may have originally had one individual in mind.
Once the RFP was issued by the Lakewood Development Corporation as a fair-and-open competitive process, eligibility became public by law. Internal expectations do not control the outcome; the written RFP does.
Open Means Open — for Everyone
The RFP does not restrict applicants to a specific person, firm, or organization. It allows any New Jersey–registered business entity, including a one-person LLC, to submit a proposal.
That means:
• Any Lakewood resident who believes they are capable of serving as a liaison may apply
• Any qualified individual may compete for the contract
• No applicant can be excluded simply because the township expected a different result
A Real Opportunity, With a Manageable Scope
The scope of work described is liaison-level and advisory, including coordination, communication, meetings, and recommendations. There are:
• No minimum hour requirements
• No staffing mandates
• No hard deliverables tied to the $300,000 figure
As written, the role can be performed by a single individual, and applicants are legally entitled to seek the full contract amount.
Legal Safeguards for Applicants
If qualified members of the public submit proposals and the township unreasonably disregards them in favor of a pre-selected outcome, that decision is subject to legal challenge. Open bidding carries obligations:
• Proposals must be evaluated in good faith
• Decisions must be rational and defensible
• Favoritism cannot replace merit
Applying is not symbolic — it creates a record and triggers enforceable standards.
Bottom Line
Whatever expectations may have existed before the RFP was published, they no longer control the process.
• The opportunity is public
• The funding is real — up to $300,000
• The scope of work is limited and manageable
• And the law protects anyone who chooses to compete
For residents of Lakewood Township, the message is straightforward:
You can apply. You can compete. And if the process is not handled fairly, the law provides remedies.
https://www.lakewoodnj.gov/images/db/u-1-1991-RFP-Lakewood-UEZ-Shuttle-Busing-Liaison-2026.pdf
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