ESBD_494976_1773152380675_02. Specification No. TxDOT 550-14-70101.pdf

TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

SPECIFICATION NO.

TxDOT 550-14-70101

DATED: MARCH 2026

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VEHICLE MOUNTED PROGRAMMABLE MESSAGE SIGNS FOR TXDOT PHARR DISITRCT

PUBLICATION

This specification is a product of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). This specification may not be sold for profit or monetary gain. If this document is altered in any way, the header and any and all references to TxDOT must be removed. TxDOT does not assume nor accept any liability when this specification is used in the procurement process by any other entity.

PART I

GENERAL CLAUSES AND CONDITIONS

1. The equipment furnished under this specification must be the latest improved model in current production, as offered to commercial trade, and must be of quality workmanship and material. The respondent represents that all equipment offered under this specification must be new. Used, shopworn, demonstrator, prototype, remanufactured, reconditioned, or discontinued models are not acceptable.

2. Respondent should submit with the solicitation the latest printed literature and detailed specifications on equipment the respondent proposes to furnish. This literature is for informational purposes only.

3. The unit must be completely assembled and adjusted, and all equipment including standard and supplemental equipment must be installed and the unit made ready for continuous operation upon delivery.

4. All parts not specifically mentioned which are necessary for the unit to be complete and ready for operation or which are normally furnished as standard equipment must be furnished by the vendor. All parts must conform in strength, quality and workmanship to the accepted standards of the industry.

5. The unit provided must meet or exceed all federal and State of Texas safety, health, lighting and noise regulations and standards in effect and applicable to equipment furnished at the time of manufacture.

6. It is the intent of TxDOT to purchase goods, equipment and services having the least adverse environmental impact, within the constraints of statutory purchasing requirements, TxDOT need, availability, and sound economic considerations. Suggested changes and environmental enhancements for possible inclusion in future revisions of this specification are encouraged.

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PART II

SPECIFICATIONS

1. SCOPE: This specification describes a three-line or full-matrix programmable message sign with amber or yellow light emitting diode (LED) display panel suitable for mounting on a vehicle. A sign consists of a sign panel, mounting bracket, wiring to connect to vehicle 12VDC battery, handheld controller with suitable in-cab mounting, and any other necessary components to ensure a complete and operational unit is delivered. A sign will be used by TxDOT to alert motorists of current traffic information and highway conditions.

A sign furnished to this specification must meet or exceed the following requirements.

2. LOCATION(S): Equipment must be delivered to following TxDOT location:

TxDOT Pharr District HQ 600 W. Interstate 2 Pharr, TX 78577

TxDOT reserves the right to add or delete facilities serviced under the contract. TxDOT will provide 10 calendar days’ written notice to the vendor for locations to be deleted or of any additional locations requiring service within the same area or region.

3. DEFINITIONS OF TERMS AND ACRONYMS:

3.1. ABS – Anti-lock braking system.

3.2. ANSI – American National Standards Institute.

3.3. CD/M² – Candelas per square meter.

3.4. Contract – Any Purchase Order (PO) or Blanket Purchase Order (BPO) resulting from this solicitation as listed in the Order of Precedence in the resulting PO or

BPO.

3.5. LCD – Liquid crystal display.

3.6. MHz – Megahertz.

3.7. OEM – Original equipment manufacturer.

3.8. RF – Radio frequency.

3.9. RFI – Radio frequency interference.

3.10. TTI – Texas Transportation Institute.

3.11. TMUTCD – Texas Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.

3.12. TxDOT – Texas Department of Transportation.

3.13. UHF – Ultra high frequency.

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3.14. UV – Ultraviolet.

4. TMUTCD: Sign must meet requirements of Sections 6L.05 (Portable Changeable Message Signs) and 6F.61 (Arrow Panels) and any other applicable Texas Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, Latest Revision, located at:

https://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/division/traffic/signs/tmutcd.html

5. SIGN PANEL: Both cabinet type and modular type sign panels are acceptable. Sign must be weather resistant. Sign face must be painted with a flat black finish and covered by a see through, non-fading or clouding, scratch resistant polycarbonate lens that can be opened or removed for maintenance. A supplemental lens is not required on boards that are weather resistant by design. Any plastics used must be UV inhibited.

5.1. DISPLAY:

5.1.1. A portable changeable message sign must be limited to three lines of eight characters per line or should consist of a full matrix display using the latest LED Technology. LEDs amber or yellow in color. Sign must display two lines of information with a minimum of eight characters per line, each a minimum of 10 inches in height. Sign must display a flashing arrow, a sequential arrow and a sequential chevron.

5.1.2. Must be programmable by the operator to link up to three messages in sequence, one screen at a time.

5.1.3. Portable changeable message signs should be visible from 450 feet under both day and night conditions. Minimum viewing angle must be 15 degrees on the horizontal.

5.1.4. Flash rate must be adjustable by the operator. The sign must be equipped with an auto-dim light sensor that automatically adjusts the display for day and night operation.

5.2. DIMENSIONS:

5.2.1. Length must be from a minimum of 71 inches to a maximum of 90 inches.

5.2.2. Height must be from a minimum of 32 inches to a maximum of 50 inches.

5.2.3. Depth must not exceed 7.5 inches.

5.3. WEIGHT: The total weight of the sign panel must not exceed 260 pounds.

5.4. POWER REQUIREMENTS: The sign must be powered by the 12VDC battery of the vehicle. The maximum average current draw per message must not exceed five amps.

5.5. TEMPERATURE OPERATING RANGE: Sign must operate in ambient temperatures ranging between -22 degrees to +160 degrees Fahrenheit.

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6. SIGN PANEL MOUNTING: The mounting device must be designed to mount the sign to the bed of pickups, deploy facing rearward, and stow horizontally over the cab.

6.1. The mounting device must:

6.1.1. Be able to fit into truck beds with a length of 65 inches and a width of 62 inches, and use no more than 6 inches of bed space when the sign is stowed or deployed (reference Attachment A – Truck Exhibit).

6.1.2. Allow the sign to be easily dismounted and relocated on another vehicle.

Mounting hardware must be provided.

6.2. The panel must be lockable in an upright rearward-facing position for operation and in a horizontal facedown position when stored. The sign must withstand road speeds up to 75 mph in the stored position and 60 mph in the deployed position.

6.3. A powered raising and lowering device must be provided by the manufacturer for mounting inside the cab. Controls must allow the operator to raise and lower the sign without leaving the vehicle.

6.4. The sign panel must be equipped with a power tilt feature to allow the operator to adjust the position of the sign from inside the cab for maximum visibility.

6.5. All electrical wiring must be insulated and enclosed in a fibrous loom, plastic loom or flexible conduit for protection from external damage and short circuits. Wiring must be securely fastened at sufficient intervals to prevent sagging and ensure clearance of mechanical parts. A sealed, splice-free modular wiring harness is acceptable. Rubber grommets must be used wherever wires or the wiring harness passes through metal.

6.6. Any special tools required for installation must be furnished by the vendor.

7. CONTROLLER: Must be weather resistant with a back lit LCD. Controller must be menu driven and show the message on the controller, as it will be displayed on the sign. The controller must allow a minimum of 48 user programmable messages and a minimum of 24 pre-programmed messages.

8. RFI SUPPRESSION: The vehicle and all equipment and components mounted to the chassis must incorporated RFI suppression so as to provide RFI immunity to and from land mobile radio transceivers operating in the following bands: High Frequency (2 to 30 MHz), Low band (30 to 50 MHz), high band (140 to 174 MHz), UHF band (440 to 512 MHz) and the 700/800/900 MHz band (700 to 975 MHz) and comply with the following requirements:

8.1. Typical land mobile radio transceivers will utilize a 3dB gain antenna with up to a 125 watt RF power output. Antennas will be mounted on the roof, front fender, and/or rear fender of the unit.

8.2. VEHICLE COMPONENT RF SUPRESSION: All equipment electronic circuits must be designed to suppress, bypass or otherwise prevent interference from affecting the radio transceiver. The RF immunity requirement must apply to all vendor

5 – 7 supplied equipment and components thereof including, but not limited to, ignition, AM/FM radio receivers, computers, emission controls, fuel pumps, wiper motors, alternative fuel electronic components, air bag systems, and ABS controllers, etc.

8.3. VEHICLE COMPONENT RF IMMUNITY: The vehicle electronic equipment including, but not limited to, ignition, AM/FM radio receivers, computers, emission controls, fuel pumps, wiper motors, alternative fuel electronic components, air bag systems, and ABS controller, must not be adversely affected in operation, safety, or control by RF energy generated and radiated by the transmitter portion of installed transceivers (up to 125 watt output).

8.4. When available from the OEM, Dealer must provide OEM's RFI ordering code designation with their bid response.

8.5. Vendor will be assessed any and all charges associated with the testing and remediation of vehicles which fail to meet RFI requirements at any time during the warranty period.

9. PAINTING: The unit must be painted with an approved manufacturer's standard lead free paint, except for sign face, glass, rubber and those metallic accessories or fixtures constructed of rust-resistant or plated material not normally painted.

10. MANUAL(S): Equipment must be delivered with current original manual(s) containing illustrated parts list, operating, calibration, and service instructions in English. The manual(s) must be as detailed as possible outlining all necessary service and operating instructions for the equipment delivered. Manual(s) must include necessary warnings and safety precautions. It is requested, but not required, that the manual be printed on recycled paper. In addition to the original manual, vendor may provide an electronic media version of the current original manual.

10.1. Additionally, one set of complete wiring schematics must be delivered with each unit. All schematics must be clear, legible and indicate the location of each component.

10.2. The manuals and schematics supplied must provide complete and comprehensive information on all equipment, equipment components and accessories, as supplied to comply with this specification.

11. MINIMUM LUMINANCE REQUIREMENTS:

11.1. The message sign must meet the following luminance requirements measured at the character level in candela as is published in Report TX-02/4940-2, “Photometric Requirements for Portable Changeable Message Signs”, conducted by the TTI. The report can be downloaded at:

https://static.tti.tamu.edu/tti.tamu.edu/documents/4940-2.pdf

11.2. Minimum daytime character luminance must be 1000 cd/m².

11.3. Minimum nighttime character luminance must be 600 cd/m².

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11.4. Unit may be tested at the character level using the testing procedure as is published in Report TX-02/4940-2, “Photometric Requirements for Portable Changeable Message Signs”, conducted by TTI. The unit will be rejected without further cause, if the unit fails to pass. Pre-delivery testing requirements will be noted on the solicitation.

11.5. Testing may be performed on any unit delivered at the discretion of TxDOT.

12. SAFETY PLAQUES OR DECALS: Product safety plaques or decals must be furnished and affixed at the operator's station and at any hazardous area. The safety plaques or decals must describe the nature of the hazard, level of hazard seriousness, how to avoid the hazard, and the consequence of human interaction with the hazard. Permanent plaques are preferred to decals. Type, size and location of product safety plaques or decals must be in accordance with current ANSI Z535.4 standard.

13. WARRANTY: The unit must be warranted against defects in material and workmanship for a period of not less than 12 months and must cover 100% parts and labor for the unit. If the manufacturer's standard warranty period exceeds 12 months, then the standard warranty period must be in effect. The vendor must furnish the manufacturer's warranty to the receiving district at time of delivery. The vendor shall be ultimately responsible for the warranty. The warranty begins on the date the unit is determined to meet specifications and accepted into TxDOT’s fleet.

14. PARTS AND SERVICE: The manufacturer of the equipment furnished must have an authorized dealer within the state of Texas or factory-trained personnel available for warranty repairs and the performance of service within 72 hours after notification by TxDOT. The authorized dealer must have factory-trained personnel available for warranty repairs and the performance of service. The dealer must also maintain an inventory of high-usage parts and a quick source for low-usage parts.

PART III

ADDITIONAL CLAUSES

1. VENDOR PERFORMANCE: Vendor performance will be monitored on a regular basis by TxDOT.

1.1. An unsatisfactory performance determination includes, but is not limited to:

1.1.1. Failure to deliver any portion of the contract items.

1.1.2. Any requirement not met as outlined in the service requirements determined by TxDOT.

NOTE: Unsatisfactory performance may result in a negative vendor performance report, or cancellation of the contract or both, in addition to any other rights, liquidated damages and remedies provided by the contract or allowed by law.

1.2. An exceptional performance determination includes, but is not limited to:

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1.2.1. Delivery made early upon TxDOT personnel request.

1.2.2. Product upgrade substitution suggested and accepted at no additional cost to TxDOT.

1.2.3. Vendor commended for exceptional customer service, exceptional service provided.

2. CONFLICT OF INTEREST: The vendor, vendor’s personnel, and vendor’s subcontractor(s) affirm not to have acquired and agree not to acquire any interest during the term of the contract that would conflict in any manner with the performance of the vendor’s obligations in regards to services authorized.

3. TxDOT RESPONSIBILITIES: TxDOT will:

3.1. Provide a point of contact.

3.2. Provide required forms to file accident reports.

4. CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION: Administration of the contract is a joint responsibility of the TxDOT contract administrator and TxDOT purchasing staff. Purchasing staff will be responsible for administering the contractual business relationship with the vendor.

4.1. Any proposed changes to work to be performed, whether initiated by TxDOT or the vendor, must receive final written approval in the form of a Purchase Order Change Notice signed by the authorized TxDOT purchasing agent.

4.2. Upon issuance of contract, TxDOT will designate an individual to serve as the contract manager and point of contact between the agency and the vendor. The contract manager does not have any express or implied authority to vary the terms of the contract, amend the contract in any way, or waive strict performance of the terms or conditions of the contract. This individual’s contract management and contract administration responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

4.2.1. Monitoring the vendor’s progress and performance and ensuring services conform to established specification requirements.

4.2.2. Managing the financial aspects of the contract including approval of payments.

4.2.3. Meeting with the vendor as needed to review progress, discuss problems, and consider necessary action.

4.2.4. Identifying a breach of contract by assessing the difference between contract performance and non-performance.

4.2.5. Other areas as identified by the State of Texas Procurement and Contract Management Guide version 4.0.

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ATTACHMENT A – TRUCK EXHIBIT

SOLICITATION NO. 601320000070101

One of three trucks the signs will be mounted onto. The bed is 65 inches long and 62 inches wide at the top of the side rails. With the toolbox in this truck there are 42 inches between the toolbox and the tailgate.