Purchase and Delivery of Exhaust Parts for METRO's Transit Buses

The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas (METRO) is soliciting sealed bids through an Invitation for Bids (IFB) for the purchase and delivery of exhaust parts for METRO's transit buses. This firm fixed-price procurement requires bidders to supply 34 line items totaling approximately 448 individual exhaust system components, including diesel particulate filters, oxygen sensors, temperature sensors, catalyst assemblies, and aftertreatment modules compatible with specified manufacturers such as Cummins, MCI, NABI, Nova, Orion Bus Industries, and New Flyer Industries. Quantities per item range from 2 to 48 units, with pricing required for Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, and a three-year total. All materials must be new and unused, with delivery required to METRO's Central Supply Warehouse at 1220 McCarty Drive, Houston, Texas 77029 within 30 calendar days of order receipt during business hours of 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding METRO holidays. Electronic bid submissions through METRO's EUNA (Bonfire) platform and one hardcopy submission to the METRO Procurement Office at 1900 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77002 are both due by 2:00 p.m. Central Standard Time on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, with public bid opening scheduled for 10:00 a.m. CST on Thursday, March 12, 2026. Evaluation will be based on the total bid amount for individual items, with awards made to the responsive, responsible bidder whose bid conforms to solicitation requirements, subject to METRO Board of Directors approval.

METRO has not established a small business participation goal but actively encourages small business participation and offers local preference provisions that may award contracts to established local firms within the eight-county Metropolitan Planning Area if their bid is within 3 percent of the lowest bidder outside the area. This is a brand-name procurement limited to specified manufacturers, meaning bidders offering equivalent products from other manufacturers will result in bid rejection. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the procurement documents. The contract is 100% METRO-funded with no federal funding involved. Bidders must complete business questionnaires, certify debarment status, provide evidence of established business credentials, and comply with METRO's Code of Ethics, equal employment opportunity requirements, and various Texas-mandated certifications regarding firearm entities, Israel boycotts, energy company boycotts, and COVID-19 vaccine requirements. Commercial warranty provisions require that METRO may return unused parts within 14 calendar days of delivery for full credit with zero restocking fees, and payment will be made within 30 calendar days of invoice receipt or material acceptance, whichever is later. The specific contract value or budget range is not disclosed in the procurement documents.