Accident & Body Repair Services for Transit Buses and Vans

The City of Huntsville, Alabama, through its Finance Department's Procurement Services Division, is soliciting sealed fixed-price bids for Accident & Body Repair Services for Public Transit Buses and Vans (IFB #1-2026-54). The procurement targets repair services for a transit fleet comprising 27 medium and heavy-duty diesel fixed-route buses (30-40 feet) and 25 paratransit Ford E350 and E450 StarCraft vehicles. Key deliverables include providing repair estimates within 72 hours, detailing parts lists, labor hours, and completion dates, with specific requirements such as possessing a body repair/paint booth capable of accommodating 40-foot buses and ability to install/remove vinyl wraps. Contractors must submit pricing as an hourly labor rate and percentage markup on parts, materials, and supplies. A pre-bid conference is scheduled for November 19, 2025, at 9:00 AM CST, with written questions due by November 25, 2025, at 2:00 PM CST. The bid closing date is December 2, 2025, at 2:00 PM CST, with a public bid opening in the Council Chambers. The initial contract term is one year, with potential extensions for two additional one-year terms.

The contract is partially funded by Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5307 and Section 5339 grants, triggering federal compliance requirements including Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) provisions. Bidders must maintain workers' compensation and general liability insurance with minimum coverage of $2,000,000 general aggregate, $1,000,000 per occurrence for general liability, and $1,000,000 combined single limit for automobile liability. The City reserves the right to award to multiple vendors and does not guarantee minimum purchase quantities. Evaluation criteria will focus on business qualifications, references, facility descriptions, years of experience with similar vehicles, and insurance coverage, potentially including site visits to proposed repair facilities. While no specific budget range is disclosed, the City allows for annual pricing adjustments upon contract renewal. Compliance requirements include e-verify employment verification, civil rights protections, and substance abuse testing policies. The procurement emphasizes flexibility, with the ability to use non-OEM parts when pre-approved and potential multi-vendor award strategy.