2027 Ford E-350 Cutaway Chassis and Knapheide Upfit

The City of Indianapolis and Marion County Purchasing Division issued a Request for Written Quote on March 18, 2026, for the procurement of one complete 2027 Ford E-350 Cutaway Chassis with Knapheide upfit. The solicitation seeks a new Ford E-350 base vehicle equipped with a 7.3L V8 engine, 6-speed transmission, and manufacturer-specified optional equipment packages, along with a Knapheide 14-foot box van upfit featuring aluminum construction, composite rear roll-up doors, LED dome lights, and a sliding aluminum walk ramp. Vendor responses must be submitted by 10:00 a.m. on April 1, 2026, with a question submission deadline of March 25, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. The awarded vendor must possess Indiana motor vehicle dealer licensure and maintain an authorized warranty dealer within a 25-mile radius of Indianapolis capable of performing warranty repairs within two working days. Deliverables include the upfitted unit, two sets of parts books and manuals, complete operator and service documentation, training for Indianapolis Fleet Services technicians, and a parts inventory commitment with 95 percent availability for normal items within one working day. The vendor shall provide a one-year minimum warranty covering all parts and labor from the date of acceptance, and all pricing must be firm for the contract length including renewals, with all shipping, delivery charges, Indiana tire tax, title application, and temporary dealer license plate included in the unit cost. Delivery must be made to the IFS facility at 1651 West 30th Street, Indianapolis, during normal business hours Monday through Friday, with liquidated damages assessed at twenty-five dollars per day per unit for delivery delays.

The resulting contract shall have an initial term of one year effective from execution, with renewal available by mutual written agreement provided the renewal term does not exceed the original one-year contract period, and the maximum total contract term shall not exceed four years. Vendor responses are valid for ninety days from quote opening. While no specific set-aside designations are mentioned in the solicitation, the City requires contractors to comply with minority and women business enterprise participation requirements, specifying minimum utilization of 15 percent Minority Business Enterprises, 8 percent Women's Business Enterprises, 3 percent Veteran's Business Enterprises, and 1 percent Disability-Owned Business Enterprises when using subcontractors, or demonstration of good faith efforts to achieve these targets. Insurance requirements include Product Liability-Completed Operations coverage of $1,000,000 and, if installation or on-site maintenance is required, minimum Commercial General Liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence, Combined single limit auto coverage of $1,000,000, and statutory workers' compensation. No budget range or award value is specified in the solicitation documents; pricing is to be determined by vendor quotes submitted in response to this request.