Addendum No. 03.docx

Office of State Procurement State of Louisiana Division of Administration

JEFF LANDRY

GOVERNOR

TAYLOR F. BARRAS

COMMISSIONER OF ADMINISTRATION

May 8, 2025

ADDENDUM NO. 03

Your reference is directed to RFx Number 3000024460 for the Invitation to Bid (ITB) for the State of Louisiana – FTA Modified Vans & Buses, Statewide, which is currently scheduled to open at 10:00 AM CT on 5/15/2025.

The following are the Vendor’s Inquiries received by the deadline date of April 24, 2025 and the State’s Responses:

Questions for Line 1: 5-2MV Minivan (Attachment B)

Vendor’s Question #1. Vehicle/Basic Vehicle, Page 2, #1 – Calls for an In-floor ramp – Our current offering does not offer a swing away ramp. We are requesting an exception or approval for our side entry ramp to be approved as an equal to the specs for the Mobility Aid Ramp.

State’s Response #1.: This is not approved as an acceptable substitute.

Vendor’s Question #2. Fuel Capacity, Page 3, Item #12, Page 3 – Specification states “Vehicle shall have twenty (20) gallon minimum fuel tank with clearly marked fuel-type instructions. Please accept the OEM fuel tanks which have a capacity of nineteen (19) gallons.”

State’s Response #2.: Specification revised to read as follows: “Vehicle shall have nineteen (19) gallon minimum fuel tank…”

Vendor’s Question #3. Additional Equipment, Page 6, Item k. – Specification states “A color REI rear view camera, Rosco Smart Mirror, OEM Parkview rear back-up camera with 7” dash display or equal shall be mounted on the rear of the bus.” Please accept the OEM back-up camera supplied with chassis.

State’s Response #3.: OEM back-up camera is not acceptable.

Vendor’s Question #4. Seating, Page 8 – Specification states “Seating that prohibits the use of the side door(s) from being utilized as emergency exit will be considered unacceptable.” When stored in folded position, the foldaway seat blocks the driver’s side sliding door. This configuration was approved and utilized on the previous contract. Please allow this exception when foldaway seat is stored only.

State’s Response #4.: Configuration with seat stored in folded position, where foldaway seat blocks driver’s side sliding door is acceptable.

Vendor’s Question #5a. Standard Equipment, Page 12, Item #1 – Specification states “The vehicle shall be equipped with a manually operated, 80-degree swing-away mobility access ramp which stows vertically and folds and unfolds through the right side door." Please delete Section 29.1 as it contradicts the ramp specification located on Page 2, Section 1 Vehicle; Basic Vehicle.

State’s Response #5a: Section 29.1 deleted, see Attachment B – Specifications – 5-2MV Rev. 4/2025.

Vendor’s Question #5b. Page 12, Item #29 Standard Equipment #1 Mobility Aid Ramp – calls for an 80 degree swing out ramp. We do not offer a swing away ramp and are requesting an exception or approval for our side entry ramp to be approved as an equal to the specs for the Mobility Aid Ramp in this RFP.

State’s Response #5b.: Substitute side entry ramp is not acceptable.

Vendor’s Question #5c. Standard Equipment, Page 12, Item #2 – Specification states “Each vehicle shall be equipped with one (1) Q-Straint Q-8100-A1-SC forward facing mobility aid securement and occupant restraint system.” Please approve the use of QRT Deluxe “L” track tie down in lieu of Slide n’Click.

State’s Response #5c.: Substitution of WRT Deluxe “L” track is not acceptable.

Questions for Line 2: 12-2B (Attachment C)

Vendor’s Question #1. Air Conditioning, Page 6, Line #18 – Specification states “The Air Conditioning added for the bus body needs to be installed by the manufacturer of the complete system. Air Conditioning installed by another manufacturer will not be accepted. Please accept that our manufacturers use a single, certified installer to perform all A/C system installations, regardless of manufacturer.” Request to use single certified installer to perform all A/C system installations, regardless of A/C system manufacturer.

State’s Response #1.: Use of single certified installer regardless of A/C system manufacturer is not an acceptable.

Vendor’s Question #2. Additional Equipment, Page 6, Item F – Specification states “Exterior rearview mirrors are to be Remote Powered Velvac 2020SS with integrated LED Turn Signal or approved equals.” Please approve the use of Rosco AccuStye mirrors with intergrated turn signals, which will match the Rosco Crossover mirrors. Velvac is currently experiencing supplier issues.

State’s Response #2.: Substitution of Rosco brand equipment not acceptable.

Vendor’s Question #3. Warranty, Page 14 – Specification states “The body structure shall be warrantied for six (6) years or 72,000 miles with bumper-to-bumper coverage of body components for three (3) years or 36,000 miles.” Please approve a 5 year/100,000 mile body structure warranty in lieu of 6 yr/72k requested warranty.

State’s Response #3.: Warranty of less than 6 years or 72,000 miles is not acceptable.

************************************************************************************Questions for Line 3: 12-2B Low Floor (Attachment D)

Vendor’s Question #1a. Wiring Harness & Routing, Page 4 – Specification states “A breaker box shall be located above the driver door in an abs non-conductive vacuum formed tub with a non-locking door.” Please approve box to be placed above the driver, but the access door is facing rearward.

State’s Response #1a.: Breaker box above driver with rear facing door not acceptable.

Vendor’s Question #1b. Wiring Harness & Routing, Page 5 – Specification states “A detailed schematic on UBS Drive shall be provided with vehicle.” Detailed vehicle information, including schematic, available through the ARBOC dealer portal which is provided with zero access charge. Please approve use of portal in lieu of UBS drive.

State’s Response #1b: Free access to manufacturer portal not acceptable substitute for providing UBS drive.

Vendor’s Question #2. Section Radio, Page 5 – Specification states “Vehicle shall have an OEM AM/FM radio installed.” Requesting clarification if passenger compartment speaker is to be connected to OEM radio.

State’s Response #2.: Not acceptable for passenger compartment speaker to be connected to OEM radio.

Vendor’s Question #3. Additional Equipment, Item F - Exterior Rearview Mirrors, Page 6 – Specification states “Exterior rearview mirrors are to be Velvac 2020SS with integrated LED Turn Signal.” Please approve the use of Rosco AccuStye mirrors with intergrated turn signals, which will match Rosco Crossover mirrors.

State’s Response #3.: Substitution of Rosco brand equipment is not acceptable.

Vendor’s Question #4. Body Structure, Item B, Page 9 - Entryway – Specification states “The one step entry shall not exceed 12 inches from ground.” Please approve our ground to top of ramp entry height of 13.5 inches. Requesting approval for ground to top of ramp entry height of 13.5 inches.

State’s Response #4.: Ground to top of ramp entry height of 13.5 inches is not acceptable.

************************************************************************************Questions for Line 4: Ford Transit or Equal (Attachment E)

Vendor’s Question #1. Dual Swing Entry Door, Page 10, #4 – The Driverge bus door is not fully welded. The bottom structurer and steps are fully welded but the upper structure is bolted in to provide flex to prevent stress points and making the vehicle too rigid in areas not designed by Ford to be rigid. This was reviewed with Ford Pro/QVM and final design was influenced by Ford Engineering “recommendations.” The Driverge Bus door is industry tested and designed to not leak and not cause any stress points to the OEM structure. Our door kit meets all FMVSS requirements for an over 10,000 lbs. GVWR vehicle and has been sold to State contracts across the country including Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Please accept that the Driverge installation, the lower structure is fully welded, and the upper structure is bolted to OEM structural steel.

State’s Response #1.: Door with lower structure welded and upper structure bolted to structural steel is not acceptable.

Vendor’s Question #2. Seating, Item #7, Page 11 – Specification states “All seats shall be mounted on seat tracks system welded to wall and floor body structure.” SEC FLOORING; pg5 states “floor system shall be made of aluminum sections interlocked…” Welding seats tracks into wall/floor is not feasible with a transit van due to the aluminium flooring system. Please approve mounting the seats via Omni Floor/Smart Floor which is an intergrated L-Track system for the aluminum flooring.

State’s Response #2.: Mounting seats via Omni Floor/Smart Floor integrated L-track system for aluminum flooring is acceptable.

Vendor’s Question #3. Rust Proofing, Page 13, Item #1 – Specification states “Entire underbody rust proofed with PPG D822 Corrosion Resistant Primer.” Entire unibody is covered in rust proofing at Ford during manufacturing. Additional rust proofing will void chassis warranty. Please approve Ford factory rust proofing.

State’s Response #3.: Manufacturer rust proofing from factory is acceptable.

Vendor’s Question #4. Miscellaneous Requirements, Page 23, #28 – Driverge Vehicles Innovations is Ford Pro Upfitter program compliant (Formally Ford Qualified Vehicle Modifier (QVM) program). Ford is ISO and their Qualifying program requirements are ISO structured. Driverge meets or exceeds the Ford Qualification program and is audited yearly by Ford at each location. Please accept Ford Pro certification as an equivalent to ISO certification.

State’s Response #4.: Manufacturer certification not acceptable as equivalent to ISO Certification.

The following changes are to be made to the referenced solicitation:

Replacing Attachment B – Specifications – 5-2MV – Pages 1-18 in its entirety.

Replacing Attachment E – Specifications – Ford Transit - Pages 1-29 in its entirety.

All else remains as on original Invitation to Bid.

THIS ADDENDUM IS HEREBY OFFICIALLY MADE A PART OF THE REFERENCED SOLICITATION.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: If you have already submitted your bid and this Addendum does not cause you to revise your bid, you should acknowledge receipt of this Addendum by identifying your business name and by signing where indicated. You may return this Acknowledgement by mail or delivery by hand or courier to: Office of State Procurement, 1201 N. 3rd Street, Ste. 2-160, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, or by fax to: (225) 342-9756. The State reserves the right to request a completed Acknowledgement at any time. Failure to execute an Acknowledgement shall not relieve the bidder from complying with the terms of its bid.

Addendum Acknowledged/No changes:

For: ________________________ By: __________________________

REVISION: If you have already submitted your bid and this Addendum requires you to revise your bid, you must indicate any change(s) below, identify your business name and sign where shown. Revisions shall be delivered prior to bid opening by mail or delivery by hand or courier to: Office of State Procurement, 1201 N. 3rd Street, Ste. 2-160, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, or by fax to: (225) 342-9756, and indicate the RFx number and the bid opening date and time on the outside of the envelope for proper identification. Electronic transmissions other than by fax are not being accepted at this time

Revisions received after bid opening shall not be considered and you shall be held to your original bid.

Revision:

For: ________________________ By: __________________________

1201 N. Third Street D Suite 2-160 D Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802-5243 D (225) 342-8010 An Equal Opportunity Employer image1.png