Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Mobile Charging Unit

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) is requesting proposals for furnishing, delivering, installing, operating, and maintaining a mobile Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) capable of supporting charging operations for battery-electric buses and electric non-revenue vehicles, with proposals due November 3, 2026, and a virtual pre-proposal conference scheduled for October 5, 2026.

This is a firm fixed-price contract with a base operating period and two optional one-year renewal periods, funded through state and local sources without federal participation. Pre-qualification is required for all firms whose bids or proposals exceed $500,000 on non-construction contracts, with pre-qualification applications due by the proposal deadline. SBE/DVBE program requirements are reserved and not specified in the solicitation.

The scope requires a 1 MW / 2 MWh mobile BESS unit with a minimum of two 150 kW fast chargers, all ancillary equipment, power distribution, monitoring and telematics platforms, and comprehensive operations and maintenance services. The primary deployment location is LACMTA Division 18 in Gardena, California. The system must fit within three contiguous 40-foot bus parking stalls (approximately 1,509 square feet), operate in island mode without permanent utility connection, comply with local noise ordinances (maximum 60 dBA at site boundary), and support up to one daily BESS swap with 24-hour response capability and 72-hour completion window. The contractor must provide a cloud-based telematics platform with real-time visibility, State of Charge monitoring, fault detection, and historical data retention. An add-alternate provision allows for deployment of additional units to other LACMTA locations.

Evaluation emphasizes technical non-price factors: Technical Solution and System Capability (25%), Project Approach and Deployment Plan (20%), Safety, Compliance, and Risk Management (15%), Operations, Maintenance, Uptime, and Support (10%), Experience, Past Performance, and Key Staff (10%), and Price (20%). Proposers must demonstrate at least one completed project reference within the last five years involving mobile BESS, temporary EV fleet charging, or comparable commercial/industrial BESS operations. Questions are due October 14, 2026, with responses provided by October 27, 2026. Proposals are submitted electronically to bids@metro.net in four volumes: Technical Proposal (not exceeding 50 pages), Certification Forms, Price Proposal, and DEOD Forms, with volumes III and IV in a sealed envelope separate from volumes I and II.