Lease of Transit Mileage Tires

The City of Wichita's Transit Department is seeking bids for a comprehensive tire leasing contract for its public transit fleet, which includes 39 Gillig Lowfloor buses, 4 Proterra Lowfloor buses, and 7 CCW Lowfloor buses. The procurement, identified as RFP #250275, requires vendors to submit a unit price per tire per mile for each bus type, with an estimated annual fleet mileage of approximately 1,680,000 miles. The contract term is set for five years, specifically from November 1, 2025, through October 31, 2026, with options to renew for four additional one-year periods. Proposals are due by 10:00 a.m. on October 3, 2025, with an anticipated project award date of November 4, 2025. The solicitation includes an add-alternate purchase option for outright tire acquisition, and the city reserves the right to test commercial tires on up to 10% of its fleet while continuing to use existing tires until they are unfit for service. Vendors will be responsible for tire disposal and must provide a performance bond equal to 10% of the estimated annual lease payments.

The procurement emphasizes compliance with federal regulations, particularly for Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE). The Bidders Data Sheet requires comprehensive information about prime contractors and subcontractors, including DBE certification status, NAICS codes, race/gender of majority owner, firm age, and annual gross receipts. Contractors must certify their eligibility by confirming they are not debarred or suspended from federal transactions and have not been convicted of fraud in public transactions within the past three years. The contract is subject to multiple federal clauses covering areas such as Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, Buy America provisions, civil rights regulations, and anti-discrimination standards. While specific award values are not explicitly stated, the comprehensive mileage-based pricing structure and the fleet size suggest a significant contract value. Potential bidders must demonstrate not only technical capability in tire leasing but also strict adherence to federal transportation contract requirements, with particular attention to diversity, compliance, and operational integrity.