Purchase and Delivery of Engines for METRO's Transit Buses

The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas (METRO) has issued an Invitation for Bids (IFB Doc2091329922) for the purchase and delivery of engines for its transit bus fleet. METRO seeks to establish a three-year requirements contract for new or remanufactured Cummins engines tailored to specific engine serial numbers and ready for installation across 19 line items with quantities ranging from 2 to 10 units per item annually. The solicitation specifies Cummins engines exclusively due to compatibility requirements with METRO's existing bus fleet equipment, and all engines must be quoted as remanufactured units delivered as "drop-in ready" with F.O.B. Destination terms. Bidders must submit firm fixed unit prices for both new and remanufactured engines with applicable core charges, two years of audited financial statements, and include restocking fees for return parts in their proposals; all engines must include a manufacturer's written warranty of minimum two years with unlimited miles covering defects in materials, workmanship, and performance. Key dates include a pre-bid briefing on April 7, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. CST via Microsoft Teams, with bids due electronically through METRO's EUNA (Bonfire) platform and by hardcopy submission to the Procurement Office by 2:00 p.m. CST on April 15, 2026; bid opening is scheduled for April 16, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. CST, with anticipated contract execution estimated for June 29, 2026. Evaluation criteria include compliance with specifications, pricing competitiveness, and financial stability, with METRO reserving the right to award multiple contracts and to reject any and all bids.

This procurement is 100% federally funded with no small business participation goal established, though METRO encourages small business participation and may provide local preference to established firms within METRO's eight-county Metropolitan Planning Area if their bids are within three percent of the lowest bid price. The IFB explicitly states this is a brand name procurement, and bidding of equivalent products other than Cummins engines will result in automatic bid rejection. METRO will furnish exchange cores when available, with the contractor responsible for transportation costs from METRO's Central Supply Warehouse or Kashmere Facility; additionally, METRO reserves the right to return any purchased and unused parts within fourteen calendar days from the date of delivery for full credit, with a restocking fee applicable to returns made after this period. Payment will be made within thirty calendar days of invoice receipt or acceptance of materials, whichever is later. While the specific contract value or budget range is not disclosed in the available documentation, the three-year requirements contract structure with multiple engine line items and quantities suggests a substantial procurement opportunity. Contract award is contingent upon approval by the METRO Board of Directors.