Light Rail Car Wash Chemicals

The Maryland Transit Administration is requesting bids on light rail car wash chemicals under IFB 2139, a three-year fixed-price contract, with bids due August 28, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. EST via eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA) and public bid opening on September 2, 2026. No small business, minority business enterprise, or veteran-owned business enterprise set-asides apply. The award will be made to the lowest responsive bidder on a single-award basis.

The scope covers six chemical categories delivered to two MTA facilities in Baltimore and Glen Burnie, Maryland: 990 gallons of 10% acid soap, 5,280 gallons of 5% alkaline soap, 550 gallons of rinse aid, 660 gallons of caustic pH adjuster (50% sodium hydroxide), 1,650 gallons of acid pH adjuster (30% citric acid), and 440 gallons of reclaim digester (enzyme and bacterial spore blend). All quantities are exact and guaranteed, not estimates. Deliveries will occur at approximately 3–4 month intervals over the contract term. Bidders must formulate chemicals to precise specifications provided in six Safety Data Sheets, including specific CAS numbers, OSHA Permissible Exposure Limits, Threshold Limit Values, and proprietary surfactant, enzyme, and bacterial blends. The solicitation excludes mercury-containing products.

Bidders must provide unit costs for each of the three contract years, an averaged unit cost, and documented lead times. Pricing is fixed for 12-month periods with no price escalation. The contractor is responsible for loading and unloading deliveries directly into MTA chemical storage rooms using their own equipment. Contractors must maintain commercial general liability insurance at $5,000,000 per occurrence, automobile liability at $1,000,000 per accident, workers' compensation, crime insurance at $1,000,000 minimum, and pollution liability at $5,000,000 per claim. Payment is made via electronic funds transfer within thirty days of invoice receipt. The contract is subject to Maryland's prompt payment policy and Healthy Working Families Act. Written questions are due August 13, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. EST. Addenda 1 and 2 have been issued; Addendum 1 modified the bid opening call-in information, and Addendum 2 clarified delivery frequency and formulation requirements.