Buy America Audits and Inspections for 27 Buses

The City of Gainesville's Regional Transit System (RTS) issued a Request for Quote on January 26, 2026, seeking qualified firms to provide comprehensive Buy America audits and inspection services for twenty-seven (27) Gillig buses procured through federal transit funding. The scope of work encompasses seven primary tasks: Pre-Award Buy America Audit verifying compliance with 49 CFR Parts 661 and 663 regulations; Pre-Production Verifications reviewing RTS specifications and production schedules; Production Line Monitoring and Inspection focusing on welding, hydraulic systems, wiring routing, suspension alignment, door operation, and wheelchair ramp installation; Pre-Delivery Testing including water tests, HVAC function tests, brake tests, and comprehensive vehicle inspections; Release for Delivery coordination; Post-Delivery Buy America Audit verifying final compliance; and Finalization of inspection reports with required documentation. Inspections will be conducted at Gillig's manufacturing facility in Livermore, California, with production beginning in April 2026 for six buses and July 2026 for twenty-one buses. Respondents must demonstrate a minimum of five years of experience providing vehicle audits and inspections and submit evidence of qualifications, an all-inclusive cost per bus for inspection services with freight costs on an F.O.B. Destination basis, references or prior work documentation, and a signature page. The question submission deadline is February 3, 2026, at 11:59 p.m., and the response deadline is February 10, 2026, at 3:00 p.m., with submissions required through the City of Gainesville Procurement Portal at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/cityofgainesville.org. Award will be made to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder meeting minimum qualifications and requirements.

This federally funded procurement through the Federal Transit Administration is subject to extensive federal compliance requirements and civil rights regulations. Respondents must maintain workers' compensation coverage, $1,000,000 public liability insurance, and $500,000 automobile liability insurance per occurrence. The contract is subject to Buy America requirements, e-Verify compliance, living wage ordinances, and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) participation goals of 6.75% for the fiscal period October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2028, though no specific goal has been established for this particular project. Awarded contractors must execute a contract prior to Purchase Order issuance and sign and notarize the required Consolidated State Law Affidavit and Anti-Human Trafficking Affidavit as mandated by the State of Florida. No specific award value or budget range is disclosed in the solicitation documents; pricing will be evaluated on an all-inclusive cost per bus basis submitted by respondents. The procurement jurisdiction includes both Alachua County and Graceville City in Florida, with the City of Gainesville serving as the procuring agency.