Diesel Exhaust Fluid For METRO's Transit Buses

The Metropolitan Transit Authority (METRO) of Harris County, Texas is issuing an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for the purchase and delivery of Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) for its transit bus fleet. The procurement seeks up to 375,000 gallons of DEF to be delivered annually over a three-year contract period, with actual purchases potentially lower at METRO's discretion. Deliveries must be made in bulk form to five METRO bus operating facilities (Kashmere, West, Polk, Fallbrook, and Hiram Clarke) within 24 hours of order placement during operating hours of 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding METRO-observed holidays. The DEF must meet or exceed CUMMINS, ISO 22241-1, and AUS32 specifications with precise chemical composition requirements, including urea content of 31.8-33.2 percent by weight and density of 9.07-9.12 pounds per gallon. Contractors must submit product data sheets and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) with their bids and comply with insurance requirements, including $1,000,000 combined single limit business automobile liability coverage and workers' compensation insurance. Bids must be submitted electronically through METRO's EUNA (Bonfire) procurement platform and as one original hardcopy to the METRO Procurement Office at 1900 Main Street, 8th Floor, Houston, Texas 77002 by 2:00 p.m. Central Standard Time on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Bids will be publicly opened and read aloud at 10:00 a.m. CST on February 19, 2026, with live viewing available via Microsoft Teams.

The contract is 100 percent federally funded with no small business participation goal established, though METRO encourages small business participation. Local preference may apply to established firms within the eight-county METRO Planning Area if their bids are within three percent of the lowest bidder from outside the area. Pricing is submitted as firm fixed unit prices for Years 1, 2, and 3, with the contractor responsible for all delivery costs on an FOB destination basis with no minimum order requirements. Contract award is contingent upon METRO Board of Directors approval. METRO reserves the right to return unused materials within 14 calendar days for full credit, with returns after that period subject to a restocking fee. All contract costs must include any current or anticipated federal excise taxes or duties. No specific award value or budget range is disclosed in the available procurement documents; pricing will be evaluated based on competitive bids submitted by qualified vendors meeting the technical and insurance specifications outlined in the IFB.