RFP 130-26 Uninterrupted Power Supply Units_fv.pdf

MASSACHUSETTS BAY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

RFP#: 130-26

INSTALLATION AND SERVICES OF 2,

UNINTERRUPTED POWER SUPPLY UNITS

Date Issued: October 14, 2026

Contents

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. About the MBTA

1.2. Description of Procurement

1.3. Components of the Request for Proposal

2. SCOPE OF WORK

2.1. General

2.2. Nameplates

2.3. Equipment Requirements

2.4. Laptop Computers

2.5. Delivery

2.6. Existing UPS - Reference

2.7. Maintenance, Repair and Equipment Warranty

2.8. Supplemental Provisions and Assumptions

3. BIDDERS INSTRUCTIONS AND PROCUREMENT PROCESS

3.1. Procurement Method

3.2. Prequalification

3.3. RFP Calendar and Delivery Instructions

3.4. Pre-Bid Conference

3.5. Dissemination of Confidential Information

3.6. Examination of RFP

3.7. Rules of Contact

3.8. Clarifications of Specifications, Questions and Answers

3.9. RFP Addendum

3.10. Bid Due Date

3.11. Virtual Public Bid Opening

3.12. MBTA Standard Contract and Terms & Conditions

3.13. Confidentiality / Public Information Act Disclosure Requests

3.14. Business Conduct

3.15. Collusion

3.16. Prices and Invoicing

3.17. Acceptance Period

3.18. Eligible Entities

3.19. Pre-Contractual Expenses

3.20. Tax Exemption

3.21. Insurance

4. SUBMISSION OF RESPONSE

4.1. Response Submissions

4.2. Power of Attorney

4.3. Acceptance of Response

4.4. Validity of Response

4.5. Incomplete Response

5. MBTA POLICIES

5.1. SAFETY

5.2. Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)

5.3. Protection of the Public

5.4. Small-, Minority-, and Women-owned Businesses

6. SELECTION PROCESS AND EVALUATION

6.1. Response Opening and Confidentiality

6.2. Responsiveness Review and Basis of Award

6.3. Scope of Proposal

6.4. Rejection of Bid

6.5. Successful Bidder

6.6. MBTA Reserved

6.7. Appeal / Protest Procedures

7. CONTRACT STRUCTURE

Enclosure 1 – Bid Cover Letter

Form A: Authorized Signatory

Form B: Pre-Award Bidder Evaluation Data Form

Form C: Bidder Price Response – Excel Attachment

8. MBTA STANDARD CONTRACT AND TERMS AND CONDITIONS INSTRUCTIONS FOR

VENDORS

8.1. MBTA Standard Contract Instructions (Section 9)

8.2. MBTA Standard Terms & Conditions Instructions (Sections 9.1 – 9.4)

9. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Standard Contract

9.1. Standard Terms and Conditions

9.2. Supplemental Provisions for Contracts for Construction, Alteration, Remodeling or Repair

9.3. Federal Requirements

9.4. Terms & Conditions Signature

Attn: Bidder/s Request for Proposals (RFP) # 130-26 RFP Description: Installation and Services of 2, Uninterrupted Power Supply Units

Dear Madam/Sir, The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (“MBTA” or “Authority”), a corporate and a political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, existing pursuit to Mass. Gen. Laws, ch 161A (as amended) invites Bidders to participate in the competitive bid for Installation and Services of 2, Uninterrupted Power Supply Units. The Scope of Work (Technical Requirements) is included in the RFP bid document in COMMBUYS. The MBTA may at its own discretion award the contracts (s) to one or multiple Bidders. All formal communication with the MBTA during the bidding period shall be only through the designated point of contact.

The MBTA’s prime point of contact for this solicitation will be:

Rob Weiner Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority 10 Park Plaza, Room 2810 Boston, MA 02116 Email: Rob Weiner SE rweiner@mbta.com

The RFP shall be launched through the COMMBUYS portal. The RFP proposals must be submitted through COMMBUYS no later than Wednesday, November 11, 2026, 2:00PM, in full compliance with this RFP.

This RFP shall remain in force until the execution of the Contract, or until modified or cancelled by the

MBTA.

Respectfully, Rob Weiner

Procurement & Logistics

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

RFP # 130-26

mailto:rweiner@mbta.com

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. About the MBTA

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) is a public transportation authority and political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The MBTA provides public transportation services throughout the Greater Boston metropolitan area, including subway, bus, commuter rail, ferry, and paratransit services.

The Authority operates and maintains an extensive network of transportation facilities, stations, maintenance facilities, electrical substations, administrative buildings, and other supporting infrastructure necessary for safe and reliable transit operations.

1.2. Description of Procurement

The MBTA is seeking a qualified and responsive bidder (“Bidder ” or “Awarded Contractor or Vendor”) to remove and replace two UPS units Model Number Libert AP341 and Mitsubishi UP2033D-D203DU- 2 that have reached the end of their useful life. These units shall be replaced with two 50 kVA identical next generation parallel redundant UPS modules one at a time without any interruption to critical loads.

The work is to be performed at the MBTA Police Station, 240 Southampton Street, Boston, MA.

Current manufacturers of the existing equipment or brand of equal equipment that satisfy the requirements as determined by MBTA shall be bid.

This is a 100% turnkey project to purchase, install, and test the new UPS units complete with all work to remove and dispose of the existing UPS units and to install the new units, together with any and all additional wiring, equipment, or modifications that are necessary to make a complete functional and operational system. In addition, the awarded Contractor shall establish an alarm messaging system that is fully integrated into the MBTA email system, as well as a separate annunciator alarm panel.

Bidder inspection, maintenance and repair services including 24x7x365 emergency repair with onsite emergency response time of 4 hours from MBTA notification for a term of 5 years is requested and shall be bid as an additional line items in the Bid Price Response Sheet.

1.3. Components of the Request for Proposal

The Request for Proposal (RFP) is comprised of the following documents:

• RFP 130-26, and Form Enclosures including:

o Enclosure 1 – Bid Cover Letter o Form A – Authorized Signatory o Form B - Pre-Award Bidder Evaluation Data Form

• Attachments o Form C – Bidder Price Response Form o MBTA Minimum Insurance Requirements o Prevailing Wage Data o Images of current equipment

2. SCOPE OF WORK

2.1. General

In order to complete the installation of the new UPS units without any interruption of power, the awarded Contractor must be prepared to work on live electrical equipment. Under no circumstance shall any installation activity result in the interruption of power for any length of time.

2.1.1. Place the existing UPS’s system in bypass mode, via the bypass cabinet.

2.1.2. Remove all conductor terminations and conduit from the UPS.

2.1.3. Supply redundant temporary feed to cover momentary loss of power.

2.1.4. Remove and safely dispose of the exiting UPS system including proper recycling where applicable

2.1.5. Receive, deliver, and set in place the new UPS system (UPS cabinet only).

2.1.6. Re-install existing conduits and conductors into the new UPS system.

2.1.7. Establish an alarm messaging system that is fully integrated into the MBTA email system, as well as a separate annunciator alarm panel.

2.1.8. Remove and replace existing battery cabinet, batteries and maintenance bypass cabinet.

2.1.9. Provide UPS equipment startup, testing and commissioning.

2.1.10. The installation of the UPS system work is to be performed during the normal working hours of Mon-Fri 7:00 am to 3:30 pm, and off hours Mon-Fri from 12:00 am to 7:00 am, and Sat- Sun. 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm.

2.1.11. Work is encouraged to proceed in a continuous manner and through weekends in order to minimize the down time for each unit being replaced leaving the building running on only one of the UPS units. Weekend work hours as/when approved by MBTA shall be coordinated between MBTA and an awarded contractor.

2.2. Nameplates

2.2.1. Each major component of equipment shall have, as a minimum, the manufacturer's name, address, and catalog number, model, style or type on a nameplate securely attached to the item in an area easily accessible to normal visual demands by maintenance and service personnel.

Nameplates for electrical apparatus shall conform to the applicable industry standards for the specified equipment.

2.2.2. Each, panel board, terminal box, enclosure, and all panel mounted, and individually mounted equipment and devices shall be provided with nameplates for proper identification. Panel and door mounted devices shall also be identified in the rear with the designations indicated on manufacturer's connection diagrams. Internally mounted devices shall be similarly identified with nameplates and manufacturer's connection diagram designations.

2.2.3. Nameplates for panel and door mounted relays, meters, control and instrument switches, fuses and auxiliary devices and individually mounted circuit breakers, disconnect switches, etc., shall have 1/4-inch, minimum, lettering. For protective and auxiliary relays, the nameplate inscription shall include device number and function. Nameplates for fuses shall note the type and rating of fuse, polarity and identify the circuit.

2.2.4. All nameplates shall be laminated plastic with dull white surface and black core unless otherwise specified. Letters shall be engraved through outer layer to expose black core. All exposed edges shall be beveled. Nameplates shall be fastened with machine screws. Use of self-tapping screws or adhesives will not be permitted.

2.3. Equipment Requirements

AC Input Configuration 3 phase, 3 wire Voltage 480 V +15% to -20% Frequency 60 Hz +/-10% Reflected Current THD 3% at 100% load (no input filter required)

STATIC BYPASS INPUT

Configuration 3 phase, 3 wire Voltage 480 V +/-10% Frequency 60 Hz +/-5%

BATTERY

Type Lead Acid Ride Through Application Specific Nominal Voltage 480 Vdc Minimum Voltage 420 Vdc Number of Cells 240

Configuration 3 Phase, 3 Wire Voltage 480 V Voltage Regulation +/-1% Frequency 60 Hz Frequency Regulation +/-0.01 in free running mode Power Factor 0.9 nominal Power Factor 0.9 to 1.0 lagging (within output kW rating) Voltage THD 2% maximum at 100% Linear Load

5% maximum at 100% non-Liner load Transient Recovery +/-2% maximum at 100% load step

+/-1% maximum at loss/return of AC power +/-%5 maximum at load transfer to/from static bypass

Transient Recovery Less than 20ms Voltage Unbalance 1% maximum at 100% unbalance load Phase Displacement 1 deg. Maximum at 100% load Inverter Overload 125% for 2 minutes; 150% for 60 seconds Bypass Overload 1000% for 1 cycle (with bypass available)

2.4. Laptop Computers

The awarded contractor shall supply two laptop computers (listed/named below or brand of equal) for interfacing with the UPS’s USB port in order to service the UPS and to locally download test data, along with onsite training. Each laptop’s specifications shall at a minimum equal those of a Dell Pro Rugged 14 Laptop (brand is only listed as strength and durability example) and provided with discrete graphics capability. Each laptop shall at a minimum equal the following important equipment specifications and accessories:

a) Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 165U (12 cores, up to 4.9 GHz, 15W)

b) Operating System Language: Windows 11 Professional 32 US English, or later

c) Total Memory: 16GB

d) Hard Drive: 256 GB NVMe SSD.

e) System Graphics: Intel Core Ultra 7 165U (12 MB cache, 12 cores, up to 4.90 GHz, 15W), Intel Integrated Graphics.

f) External Connection Ports:

• 1 RJ45 Ethernet port

• 1 USB 3.2 Gen 1 port

• 1 USB 3.2 Gen 1 port with PowerShare

• 1 TBT4/USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C® port with PowerDelivery 3.0

• 1 TBT4/USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C® port with PowerDelivery 3.0 (optional)

• 1 HDMI 2.0 port

• 1 Serial RS-232 port

• 1 headset (headphone and microphone combo) port

• 1 Optional I/O bay (Choose from: RJ-45/USB Type-A/Native Serial/Fischer USB 3.0

9-pin/Blank.

g) Integrated Wi-Fi: Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE200, 2x2, 802.11ax, MU-MIMO, Bluetooth 5.4 wireless card

h) Power Accessories: ThinkPad and Lenovo 65W AC Adapter (spare power adapter) and Primary 3 Cell 53.5 Whr ExpressCharge Capable Battery. Additional 3 Cell

53.5 Whr Long-lifecycle Battery, 3-year warranty

i) Portable Carrying Case: Lenovo Messenger Max Case

j) Security Accessory: Kensington MicroSaver Security Cable Lock from Lenovo.

k) Display: 14", Touch, FHD, WVA, Anti-Glare, 1100 nits, Passive Pen Support, RGB Cam

l) Keyboard: English US Rugged RGB Single Point backlit Copilot key keyboard

2.5. Delivery

2.5.1. The equipment vendor shall be responsible for all shipping and handling charges for the delivery of all materials furnished under this contract. All deliveries associated with the installation of UPS shall ship directly to a Transit Police Station at 240 Southampton St, Boston, MA 02118. All deliveries shall be coordinated with the MBTA’s Project Engineer.

The delivery truck in all cases MUST be equipped with an operable hydraulic tail gate in order to accommodate drop offs both at street grade as well as at elevated truck docks.

2.5.2. The vendor shall coordinate the timing for each delivery with the MBTA’s Project Engineer for a mutually convenient delivery time. A minimum advance notice of 48 hours is required before each delivery.

2.5.3. Deliveries made to the work location and substations if any substations shall involve bringing all furnished materials directly to the operating floor in close proximity to where the existing battery set is located. The logistics involved for each delivery may vary depending on site specific conditions. Therefore, a site walk through shall be conducted on the day of the bid meeting so that vendors can view all site constraints firsthand.

2.5.4. The Awarded Contractor must coordinate with the MBTA Engineer for any operation(s) that result(s) in high levels of noise, vibration, odors, or other disruptions detrimental to the building occupants for the proper timing of this work to be performed.

2.6. Existing UPS - Reference

Existing Equipment Installation Date: February 1995 MBTA Police Station, 240 Southampton Street; South Boston

UPS#1

UPS Model: UP2033D-D503DU-2 Manufacturer: Mitsubishi Electric Cabinet Model: BC39-40P350 Serial Number: 10-7M73540-04 Kva Rating: 50 Battery Model: CSB HRL 12280W-FR Battery Date: January 2018 Cell Configuration: one string of 40, 12 volt cells in series Facility Installation Date: 12/9/2011

UPS#2

UPS Model: AP341, Series 300 UPS Manufacturer: Liebert Cabinet Model: UDA 63030C 25RT04 Serial Number: P30702 Kva Rating: 30 Battery Model: CSB HRL 12280W-FR Battery Date: January 2019 Cell Configuration: one string of 30, 12 volt cells in series

2.7. Maintenance, Repair and Equipment Warranty

2.7.1. A written copy of the manufacturer’s warranty for equipment, batteries and charger/eliminator shall be included with the bid proposal.

2.7.2. For station batteries, the MBTA requires a full guarantee during the first 18 months from date of delivery acceptance at the respective work location. Thereafter the warranty should be pro-rated for the remaining warranty years of the designed battery service life.

2.7.3. For the battery charger/eliminators, the MBTA requires a one-year full guarantee from in-service date or 18 months from date of shipment, whichever occurs first. Thereafter the warranty should be pro-rated for the remaining warranty years of the designed battery charger service life.

2.7.4. Pricing for 5 years of maintenance and repair services of the materials is requested and shall be included by line item as outlined in Form C - Price Response Form.

2.7.5. General maintenance and (non-emergency) repair services of the system shall be completed within a timely period as recommended by manufacturer or otherwise requested by MBTA.

2.7.6. If awarded, a Bidder shall have the resources to provide 7X24X365 emergency services. A response time of four (4) hours for emergencies from the time of MBTA notification to arrival at the Southampton St. UPS location is required. Include in the bid the name and phone number of the person to be contacted for general maintenance, repair and emergency services. In the event of any personnel changes during the term of this contract, the MBTA Power Engineer must be notified immediately.

2.8. Supplemental Provisions and Assumptions

2.8.1. The Bidder shall maintain a service vehicle in good state of repair, tooling and adequate stock of parts necessary to install, maintain, repair, replace equipment.

2.8.2. Any operation(s) that involve a potential risk to the integrity of the building‘s electrical energy supply shall be brought to the attention of the MBTA Engineer at least three (3) days in advance in writing subject to his/her approval.

2.8.3. Per NFPA 70E, ECES will require a scheduled shut down for connection to electrical gear.

2.8.4. It is assumed that the existing Emergency Power Off (EPO) system is in proper working order.

Disconnect and reconnect only if required.

2.8.5. Sales tax EXCLUDED. MBTA is tax-exempt.

2.8.6. All work will be scheduled in accordance with the existing project backlog.

2.8.7. The existing battery cabinet, batteries, and bypass cabinet are to remain and will be utilized with the new UPS system.

2.8.8. Access to areas within and around the building will be free of obstructions and allow riggers free access to all areas required for rigging operations.

2.8.9. Work helpers shall only be on site if/when assisting a licensed electrician.

3. BIDDERS INSTRUCTIONS AND PROCUREMENT PROCESS

3.1. Procurement Method

This procurement is conducted to pursuant to applicable state and federal laws including, but not limited to, Massachusetts General Laws c. 30 section 39M (public works contracts for construction, alteration, remodeling or repair).

As applicable Trade Names and Alternatives – Or Equal, an item shall be considered equal to the item so named or described if, in the opinion of the MBTA: (1) it is at least equal in quality, durability, appearance, strength and design, (2) it will perform at least equally the function imposed by the general design for the public work being contracted for or the material being purchased, and (3) it conforms substantially, even with deviations, to the detailed requirements for the item in the specifications.

Bidder shall be responsible for making itself fully aware of, complying with, and in its Response addressing the impact of and compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.

This RFP will be launched and managed via COMMBUYS. Instructions for log-in and use of COMMBUYS are described in reference material on the website and at http://www.mass.gov/anf/docs/osd/forms/instructions-for-vendors-responding-to-bids.docx

Bidders may also contact the COMMBUYS Helpdesk at COMMBUYS@state.ma.us or the COMMBUYS Helpline at 1-888-MA-STATE. The Helpline is staffed from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Monday through Friday (Eastern Time), except on federal, state, and Suffolk county holidays.

The COMMBUYS Bid ID is, BD-27-1206-40000-40000-134200

MBTA DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE

Unless specifically stated otherwise in this RFP, Bidder must submit changes to Bidder’s designated representative and any other communications in writing to the MBTA’s Designated Representative via COMMBUYS. The MBTA’s Designated Representative is Rob Weiner rweiner@mbta.com

IDENTIFICATION OF BIDDER DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE

When submitting a Bid, the Bidder must identify to the MBTA’s designated representative its own Designated Representative to act on behalf of the Bidder relating to this procurement.

3.2. Prequalification

Prequalification is not required for this procurement.

3.3. RFP Calendar and Delivery Instructions

Bidder is required to prepare and submit all required documents MBTA electronically via COMMBUYS.

The MBTA anticipates carrying out the procurement process in accordance with the schedule noted in the table below. All times are local Boston, Massachusetts, USA, times unless otherwise indicated. The schedule is subject to modification at the sole discretion of the MBTA. Bidders will be notified of any change by an addendum to this RFP.

http://www.mass.gov/anf/docs/osd/forms/instructions-for-vendors-responding-to-bids.docx mailto:rfpresponse@mbta.com

TABLE 2-1: RFP ACTIVITY CALENDAR

Procurement Activity Date Time

RFP issued 10/14/2026 C.O.B.

Pre-Bid Site Visit location: MBTA Police Station, 240 Southampton Street, Boston, MA.

10/20/2026 11:00 a.m.

Deadline for submission of Bidder questions on

COMMBUYS

10/23/2026 2:00 p.m.

Official Answers for Bid Q&A published by MBTA on

COMMBUYS

10/27/2026 2:00 p.m.

Response Due Date on COMMBUYS 11/11/2026 2:00 p.m.

Virtual Public Opening (see Section 3.11 for details) 11/11/2026 2:30 p.m.

Contract Execution (estimated) 11/19/2026

Service Start Date (estimated) Maximum 30 days from Notice to Proceed

3.4. Pre-Bid Conference

An MBTA Site Visit & Pre-Bid Conference will be held at 11:00 AM, Tuesday, October 20, 2026 at the MBTA Police Station, 240 Southampton Street, Boston, MA 02118. The MBTA representative conducting the site-visit, pre-bid conference is Sean Walters.

To attend, Bidders shall confirm their interest with Rob Weiner via email at rweiner@mbta.com no later than 4:00 PM, Monday, October 19, 2026. MBTA reserves the right to cancel a pre-bid site visit should no confirmation of interest to attend be provided by the aforementioned time and date.

The MBTA reserves the right to hold one or more Pre-Bid Conferences with all Bidders at any time prior to the Response Date.

Each Bidder, by submittal of its Response, acknowledges the opportunity to attend any Pre-Bid Conference as offered to all Bidders, and waives any right to challenge this procurement based on its attendance at, or failure to attend, a Bidders’ conference.

Nothing stated at any Pre-Bid Conference or included in a written record or summary of a Pre-Bid Conference will modify this RFP or any other part of the RFP unless it is incorporated in an addendum issued.

3.5. Dissemination of Confidential Information

Not Applicable

3.6. Examination of RFP

Each Bidder shall be solely responsible for examining, with appropriate care and diligence, the RFP, including RIDs and any addenda and material made available to Bidders by the MBTA, and for informing itself with respect to any and all conditions that may in any way affect the amount or nature of its Response, or the performance of the Contractor’s obligations under the Contract with the MBTA. Failure of the Bidder to so examine and inform itself shall be at its sole risk, and the MBTA will provide no relief for any error or omission.

The submission of a Response shall be considered prima facie evidence that the Bidder has made the above-described examination and is satisfied as to the conditions to be encountered in performing the Work and as to the requirements of the Contract.

3.7. Rules of Contact

Starting on the date the RFP is issued and ending on the earliest of (a) the award and execution of the Contract, (b) rejection of all Responses by the MBTA, or (c) cancellation of the procurement, the following rules of contact shall apply. These rules are designed to promote a fair and unbiased procurement process.

Contact includes face-to-face, telephone, email, or formal written communication.

The specific rules of contact are as follows:

i. No Bidder, or any of its team members, may communicate with another Bidder or its team members with regard to this RFP or either team’s Response, except that subcontractors that are shared between two or more Bidder teams may communicate with their respective team members so long as those Bidders establish a protocol to ensure that the subcontractor will not act as a conduit of information between the teams. This prohibition does not apply to public discussions regarding the RFP at any MBTA sponsored Bidders’ conferences.

ii. No Bidder or representative thereof shall have any ex parte communications regarding the RFP, the Contract, or the procurement described herein with any member of the MBTA’s Board of Directors, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (“MassDOT”) Board of Directors, or with any MassDOT or MBTA staff, advisors, contractors, or consultants involved with the procurement, except for communications expressly permitted by the RFP or except as approved in advance at the MBTA’s Designated Representative’s sole discretion. The foregoing restriction shall not, however, preclude or restrict communications with regard to matters unrelated to the RFP, Contract, or procurement or from participation in public meetings of the MBTA or MassDOT Boards of Directors or any public or Bidder workshop related to this RFP.

iii. The Bidders shall not contact MBTA employees or its representatives, working on this procurement process regarding this RFP or the Contract.

iv. Any communications determined by the MBTA, in its sole discretion, to be improper may result in disqualification.

v. Any official information regarding this RFP will be disseminated from the MBTA’s Designated Representative on COMMBUYS.

vi. The MBTA will not be responsible for any oral exchange or any other information or exchange that occurs outside the official process specified herein.

3.8. Clarifications of Specifications, Questions and Answers

Bidders shall review the RFP and any addenda issued by the MBTA prior to the Response Date, and request written clarification or interpretation of any perceived discrepancy, deficiency, ambiguity, error, or omission contained therein, or of any provision which the Bidder fails to understand or to which the Bidder is suggesting a change. Failure of the Bidder to so examine and inform itself shall be at its sole risk, and no relief for error or omission will be provided by the MBTA. Bidders shall submit, and the MBTA will respond to questions and requests for written clarification in accordance with this Section.

Questions and clarification requests shall be minimized or aggregated to the extent possible. All questions and clarification requests shall be made by Bidder through the “Bid Q&A” tab in COMMBUYS. Such comments and questions may be submitted at any time prior to the applicable date specified in Section 3.3 or such later date as may be specified in any addendum and shall: (i) identify the document; (ii) identify the relevant section number and page number) or, if it is a general question, indicate so; and (iii) not identify the Bidder in the body of the question or contain proprietary or confidential information. Questions submitted in any other format or method than that described above will not be considered.

Responses to requests for clarification or questions will be provided in writing and issued by the MBTA’s Designated Representative via COMMBUYS. In addition, the MBTA reserves the right to, in its sole discretion, not answer all questions submitted by Bidders.

It is the Bidder’s responsibility to verify the MBTA’s receipt of questions and clarification requests.

3.9. RFP Addendum

The MBTA reserves the right to issue addenda to the RFP after initial publication.

The MBTA will not be bound by, and Bidders should not rely on, any oral communications regarding the RFP. Use of any information gathered or received from other agencies or entities shall be at the Bidder’s own risk. Only information verified in writing by the MBTA will be considered reliable.

It is each Bidder’s responsibility to check COMMBUYS for any addenda and any Bid Q&A records related to this RFP. The MBTA and the Commonwealth accept no responsibility and will provide no accommodation to Bidders who submit their Response based on an out-of-date RFP or on information received from a source other than COMMBUYS.

The Bidder shall acknowledge in its Technical Proposal Cover Letter (see Enclosure 1) receipt of all addenda and question and answer responses. Failure to acknowledge such receipt may cause the Response to be deemed non-responsive and be rejected.

Should the MBTA make changes to any specification, stipulation, requirement, or procedure, notification will be made to all Bidders in the form of written Addenda. No officer, agent, or employee of the MBTA is authorized to amend any provision contained in this solicitation, including the specifications, unless such amendment is issued as an Addendum and sent to all Bidders. If this solicitation is modified by an amendment, then all terms and conditions that are not modified remain unchanged.

3.10. Bid Due Date

Bids are due electronically through COMMBUYS no later than the date 2:00 PM (EDT), November 11, 2026 (listed in Table 2.1) above for the work described herein. Bidder is required to prepare and submit all required documents requested in this RFP via COMMBUYS, including all Bid forms contained in this package. Bidders shall complete the Enclosure 1 – Bid Cover Letter and complete the check boxes to indicate the bid documents that constitute their bid.

Note: Bid packages that do not follow instructions above may be disqualified.

3.11. Virtual Public Bid Opening

Date: Wednesday, November 11, 2026 Time: 2:30 p.m.

The names of contractors having submitted bids will be announced at the bid opening at 2:30 PM and shared via Microsoft Teams. Price bids are not opened until the completion of a Bid Response Compliance Review offline, by MBTA. Once completed, price bids will be published in COMMBUYS.

Join the meeting now Meeting ID: 288 068 910 384 1 Passcode: nZ62LA2E https://www.commbuys.com/bso/ https://www.commbuys.com/bso/ https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZDA0M2UwMGUtODkyMS00OTIwLTljMzYtY2NkYzZlMTZiNzg2%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%227558e599-f006-481f-9717-b189e6730862%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%225b576334-7118-4c78-8385-795bf50fbce1%22%7d

3.12. MBTA Standard Contract and Terms & Conditions

The MBTA does not encourage attempts to negotiate the Section 9.0-end Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Standard Contract Terms & Conditions. Many of these provisions are required by law; others are longstanding MBTA policy / practice. Accordingly, Bidders / proposers should only redline or object to provisions that they find absolutely unacceptable. Any rejection or modification of these provisions may disqualify a Bid / proposal as being non-responsive or non-compliant

3.13. Confidentiality / Public Information Act Disclosure Requests

Disclosure Waiver

Each Bidder, by submitting a Response to the MBTA in response to the RFP, consents to the disclosures described in this RFP, including this Section and all other disclosures required by law, and expressly waives any right to contest, impede, prevent, or delay such disclosure, or to initiate any proceeding that may have the effect of impeding, preventing, or delaying such disclosure, under Mass. Gen. Laws, ch. 66 (the Massachusetts Public Records Law or “Public Records Law”) or any other law relating to the confidentiality or disclosure of information. Under no circumstances will the MBTA be responsible or liable to a Bidder or any other party as a result of disclosing any such materials. Each Bidder hereby further agrees to assist the MBTA in complying with these disclosure requirements.

Public Disclosure of Response Documents

After execution of the Contract, or in the event that the procurement is cancelled by the MBTA, the MBTA shall have the right to publicly disclose any and all portions of all the Responses. The MBTA will not disclose material deemed confidential by the MBTA in accordance with Section 3.10.3, unless otherwise required by law

Disclosure Process for Requests Under the Public Records Law

All written correspondence, exhibits, reports, printed material, photographs, tapes, electronic disks, and other graphic and visual aids submitted to the MBTA during this procurement process, including as part of the response to this RFP, become the property of the MBTA upon their receipt by the MBTA and will not be returned to the submitting parties. Except as provided in the Public Records Law, all materials submitted to the MBTA are subject to release as public records. Bidders shall familiarize themselves with the provisions of the Public Records Law. In no event shall the MBTA, or any of their agents, representatives, consultants, directors, officers, or employees, be liable to a Bidder or Bidder team member for the disclosure of all or a portion of a Response or related information submitted during this procurement.

If a Bidder has special concerns about information which it desires to make available to the MBTA but which it believes constitutes a trade secret, proprietary information, or other information excepted from disclosure, such responding Bidder shall specifically and conspicuously designate that information by placing “TRADE SECRET - PROPRIETARY” in the header or footer of each such page affected and by identifying such trade secret, proprietary information in the Technical Proposal Cover Letter (see Enclosure 1). Nothing contained in this provision shall modify or amend requirements and obligations imposed on the MBTA by the Public Records Law or other applicable law. The provisions of the Public Records Law or other laws shall control in the event of a conflict between the procedures described above and the applicable law.

If the MBTA receives a request for public disclosure of all or any portion of a Response or its related information that is designated as ”trade secret - proprietary,” the MBTA will endeavor to use reasonable efforts to notify the applicable Bidder of the request. The Bidder can assert, in writing and at its sole expense, a claimed exception under the Public Records Law or other applicable law, within the time period specified in the notice issued by the MBTA and allowed under the Public Records Law. The Bidder can choose to defend any action seeking release of the records it believes to be confidential information. The Bidder shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the MBTA and its agents and employees from any judgments awarded against the MBTA and its agents and employees in favor of the party requesting the records, including any and all costs connected with that defense. This indemnification survives the MBTA’s cancellation or termination of this procurement or award and subsequent execution of a Contract.

In submitting a Response, the Bidder agrees that this indemnification survives as long as the trade secret, proprietary information is in the possession of the MBTA.

The MBTA shall not under any circumstance be responsible for securing a protective order or other relief enjoining the release of information marked “trade secret – proprietary” in any Response, nor shall the MBTA be in any way financially responsible for any costs associated with securing any such order or for any loss associated with the release of information marked “trade secret – proprietary” or otherwise.

3.14. Business Conduct

All Responses submitted by a Bidder to the MBTA shall be made without collusion with any other Bidder(s) submitting a Response to this RFP.

Bidder shall not directly or indirectly, in relation to this RFP, give, promise, attempt to give, or approve or authorize the giving of anything of value, including by transferring all or part of the remuneration payable under any Contract, to:

a) any person employed or representing the MBTA;

b) any other person, including any public official;

c) a political party or a labor union controlled by any governmental authority or political party; or

d) a charitable or other organization, or an officer, director, or employee thereof, or any person acting directly or indirectly on behalf of the same for the purpose of (i) securing any improper advantage for either Bidder or the MBTA; (ii) inducing or influencing a public official improperly to take any action or refrain from taking any action in order for either Bidder or the MBTA to obtain or retain business, or to secure the direction of business to either Bidder or the MBTA, or (iii) inducing or influencing a public official to use his or her influence with any governmental authority or public international organization for any such purpose.

3.15. Collusion

The Bidder understands that any Bid submitted to the MBTA is made without collusion with any other Bidder submitting a Bid on the same commodity / service, and is in all respects fair and without fraud.

3.16. Prices and Invoicing

Each Bid must contain the unit price(s) / rate(s) or lump sum price, extended price(s), and the grand total of the Bid. Bidders shall submit their pricing using Form C: Bidder Price Response – attachment. The Response Form must be submitted in the form published; Excel spreadsheet. The unit price / rate shall prevail in case of an error in price extension. Prices submitted shall be valid throughout the Acceptance Period.

Pricing shall be submitted for regular business and off business hours for installation work, maintenance and emergency response services as outlined in Form C Price Response Sheet (attached).

Vendor shall request 35% upon proof of order of materials, 15% upon delivery of materials received in good condition and void of hidden damages, 30% upon completion of installation including site in clean condition as approved by MBTA, and 20% upon commissioning. Each invoice shall be payable upon satisfactory acceptance by the MBTA’s Project Engineer.

3.17. Acceptance Period

The Authority requires a minimum Acceptance Period of at least one hundred and twenty (120) calendar days. In case the MBTA requires an extension, the MBTA will notify all Bidders accordingly. “Acceptance Period” for purposes of this solicitation means the number of calendar days available to the MBTA for awarding a contract based on the Due Date specified in this solicitation for receipt of Bids.

3.18. Eligible Entities

Any contract resulting from this Bid will be open for use by all MassDOT Divisions.

3.19. Pre-Contractual Expenses

The MBTA shall not be liable for any pre-contractual expenses incurred by the Bidder in the preparation of its proposal. The Bidder shall not include any such expenses as part of its proposal. Pre-contractual expenses are defined as expenses incurred by the Bidder including but not limited to preparing its Bid in response to this solicitation, submitting its Bid to the MBTA, negotiating with the MBTA any matter related to this Bid, inspection, testing, shipping, and return shipping of proposed goods samples, or any other expenses incurred by the Bidder prior to date of award, if any, of the Agreement.

3.20. Tax Exemption

The MBTA is exempt from Federal Excise Tax, including Transportation Tax, and will furnish properly executed tax exemption certificates upon request. The MBTA is also exempt from Massachusetts State Sales Tax — Exemption Number E-042-323-989. Such taxes should not be included in Bid prices.

The Bidder alone shall be responsible for payment of all federal, state and local taxes of all types and kinds applicable to such fees incurred under this Agreement.

3.21. Insurance

The insurance policies that the successful bidder shall carry are outlined in the attached MBTA Minimum Insurance Requirements document attached to this solicitation. The successful bidder shall submit proof of insurance for the requirements detailed at the time of submitting their bid. If in the case they are not available at the time of preparing their Bid, the successful bidder certifies that they will carry such insurance policies and all costs resulting from this are included in their pricing. The successful bidder shall provide proof of insurance naming MBTA as additional insured within three business days of conditional notice of award.

4. SUBMISSION OF RESPONSE

4.1. Response Submissions

Bidders are required to submit a Bid including all Bid forms contained in this RFP. Do not remove pages.

Bidders shall complete the Enclosure 1 – Bid Cover Letter and complete the check boxes to indicate the bid documents that constitute their bid. The Bid Cover Letter should be placed 1st in the order of required bid submittal documents outlined in Enclosure 1 and as separate files.

Scanned copy of bid deposit bond included with Bid Response and uploaded to COMMBUYS.

Note: Bid packages that are received that do not follow instructions above may be disqualified. Submit submittal documents as separate files and title as listed in Enclosure 1 Bid Cover Letter.

If a Bidder is a team, whether or not legally formed, Enclosure 1 Bid Cover Letter shall be signed by all parties to the Bidder so that the Response is legally binding upon each member of the Bidder.

Any interlineations, erasures or overwriting in the Response will only be valid if they are initialed by the Authorized Signatories.

Bidders shall submit Responses including all forms and schedules and shall not remove pages from the provided forms.

Any Response which materially fails to meet the Response requirements of the RFP will be found non-responsive without further evaluation unless the evaluation team, at its discretion, determines that the non-compliance is insubstantial and can be corrected. In these cases, the evaluation team may allow the Bidder to make minor corrections to the Response.

An Awarded Contractor, upon contract execution, shall mail all required bonds within 3 days to:

MBTA Procurement & Logistics, Rob Weiner RFP #130-26, Installation and Services of 2, Uninterrupted Power Supply Units 10 Park Plaza, Room 2810, Boston, MA 02116

4.2. Power of Attorney

Bidder shall complete Form A: Authorized Signatory or may enclose a power of attorney in its own form, duly signed by a legally authorized officer of the Bidder authorizing the Authorized Signatories to sign the Response and bind the Bidder to the Response.

4.3. Acceptance of Response

The Response constitutes a binding offer by the Bidder to perform the Scope of Work on the terms of the Response, and the MBTA shall have the right to accept or reject such offer and/or any conditions proposed in full or in part. If the Response is accepted, the Bidder shall conclude the Contract with the MBTA, based on the RFP, any addenda, the Response and any agreed amendments thereto. Until the formal Contract is signed, Bidder has no authority to proceed with the Scope of Work or to incur any costs for which MBTA may be held liable. MBTA shall have no obligations towards Bidder until a formal contract has been entered into.

4.4. Validity of Response

The Response is irrevocable, and shall remain valid and open for acceptance, for a period of one hundred and eighty (180) days after the Response due date. The MBTA reserves the right to extend the validity period and notify Bidders accordingly.

4.5. Incomplete Response

If Bidder does not fully comply with this RFP, or if the Response is incomplete or vague, the Response may not be considered, unless the MBTA in its absolute discretion decides otherwise.

5. MBTA POLICIES

5.1. SAFETY

A. The Contractor shall conduct a pre-construction kick off safety meeting on site in coordination with the MBTA to discuss contract specific hazards.

B. The Contractor and any subcontractor shall not require any person employed in performance of the Contract to work in surroundings or under working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to health or safety, as determined under construction safety and health standards

C. The Authority may stop any work that it considers to be unsafe.

D. The Contactor shall complete daily safety inspections of the job site and contiguous public areas and take any corrective actions to eliminate unsafe conditions. Inspections must be documented and made available to the MBTA upon request for the duration of the project.

E. The Contractor shall take all reasonable precautions in the performance of the work to protect the safety and health of its employees and members of the public and shall comply with all applicable MBTA, Local, State and Federal safety and health regulations and associated reporting requirements.

F. The Contractor shall be responsible for all its lower-tier sub-contractors and vendor's compliance.

G. Contractor management shall make a commitment for accident prevention and fire prevention.

Safety shall take precedence over schedule and production. Enforcement action is mandatory.

H. The Authority will not compensate the Contractor for delays or denials to work when the

Contractor is in violation of regulations listed in this contract I. All contractor/subcontractor equipment (including hi-rail) operators must be trained, certified, and properly licensed for each specific piece of equipment they will operate.

J. If the contractor/subcontractor equipment is involved in a derailment, near miss, or incident which caused injury or exposed personnel to injury and/or caused damage to Authority property, that equipment is subject to the Authority’s Impound Policy/Procedure.

K. Equipment shall not be placed or operated within fouling distance (15' from the centerline) of track without first obtaining the permission of the Authority.

5.2. Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)

A. Obtain and comply with the latest revision of the MBTA’s requirements for personal protective equipment as outlined in the current ROW Safety policies and summarized at https://www.mbta.com/engineering/safety-resources

B. All personnel working on the project site, within the MBTA construction project limits are required to wear an MBTA approved high visibility reflective safety garment, hard hat, safety glasses, and protective footwear at all times.

All Contractor personnel working in the MBTA ROW will require the use of MBTA flaggers in compliance with all requirements set forth by the MBTA ROW Rulebook.

5.3. Protection of the Public

A. All necessary precautions to prevent injury to the public or damage to property of others shall be taken. The public is defined as all persons not employed by or under contract or subcontract to the MBTA. Installation of temporary barriers and/or fencing designated to protect the public shall be reviewed and approved by the MBTA.

B. Work shall not be performed in any area occupied by the public unless specifically permitted by the contract or in writing by the MBTA.

5.4. Small-, Minority-, and Women-owned Businesses

It is the policy of the Commonwealth and the MBTA to ensure non-discrimination in the procurement of goods and services. It is the MBTA’s intention to create a level playing field on which all contractors and subcontractors can compete fairly for contracts. The MBTA promotes equity of opportunity in state contracting; and to that end; encourages full participation of certified small, minority, women, and other businesses defined by the Commonwealth’s Supplier Diversity office. The MBTA further recognizes the importance of meaningful partnerships involving subcontracting with certified small-, minority-, and women-owned businesses.

6. SELECTION PROCESS AND EVALUATION

https://www.mbta.com/engineering/safety-resources

6.1. Response Opening and Confidentiality

All information received from each Bidder will be treated as confidential information and will not be distributed prior to Contract execution, other than for the purpose of evaluation of the Response.

6.2. Responsiveness Review and Basis of Award

Award will be made to the lowest priced responsive Bid by a qualified, responsible Bidder. The MBTA reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to determine if a Bid is lowest responsible and eligible bidder. In determining whether a Bidder has the ability to perform successfully under the terms and conditions of the proposed procurement, the MBTA will consider such matters as the Bidder’s integrity, compliance with public policy (e.g., EEO record, debarment status, etc.), record of past performance, specific minimum requirements detailed in the RFP (if any), and financial and technical resources. Bidder is required to complete Form A: Pre-Award Bidder Evaluation Data Form.

The MBTA may also exclude from consideration any Bidder whose Response contains a material misrepresentation.

6.3. Scope of Proposal

Pursuant to this Request for Proposals (“RFP”), Bidders and Bids are required to comply with the terms and conditions stated herein in order to be deemed responsive and responsible. If a Bid does not meet all of the requirements listed in the solicitation, the Bidder’s proposal may be disqualified. Failure by the Bidder to examine all information pertaining to this solicitation or participate in any scheduled on-site visits will be at the Bidder’s risk.

6.4. Rejection of Bid

The MBTA reserves the right to reject any and all Bids, in whole or in part, if such action is determined to be in the best interests of the Authority. Unless all Bids are rejected, award shall be made to the lowest priced, responsive Bid and responsible Bidder.

6.5. Successful Bidder

The successful Bidder will be posted on COMMBUYS. All unsuccessful Bidders shall immediately return all confidential information to the MBTA.

6.6. MBTA Reserved

In connection with this RFP, the MBTA reserves to itself all rights (which rights shall be exercisable by the MBTA in its sole discretion) available to it under applicable laws, including without limitation, with or without cause and with or without notice, the right to:

a) Modify the RFP process in its sole discretion to address applicable law and/or the best interests of the MBTA.

b) Develop the work to be performed under the Contract in any manner that it, in its sole discretion, deems necessary. If the MBTA is unable to negotiate a Contract to its satisfaction with a Bidder, it may negotiate with the Bidder with the next highest ranked proposal, terminate this RFP and pursue other developments or solicitations relating to the work to be performed under the Contract, or exercise such other rights under the provisions of Massachusetts law as it deems appropriate.

c) Cancel this RFP in whole or in part at any time prior to the execution by the MBTA of a Contract, without incurring any cost, obligations, or liabilities.

d) Issue a new Request for Proposals after withdrawal of this RFP.

e) Not select any Bidder or cancel this procurement.

f) Reject any and all submittals and Responses received at any time.

g) Modify all dates set or projected in this RFP.

h) Terminate evaluations of…