Purchase Replacement Vehicles for Handitran

The City of Arlington, Texas, solicitation RFP 26-0185 seeks to procure up to four (4) transit vehicles and a portable electric vehicle (EV) charging solution for Handitran, the city's demand-response paratransit service serving elderly individuals and people with disabilities. The vehicles must feature low-floor design with ramp access for wheelchair loading, be capable of operating more than 30,000 miles annually or 130+ miles daily for 10-12 hours per day, and meet all ADA accessibility requirements under 49 CFR Part 38. Bidders may propose a combination of battery-electric and gasoline-powered units, with electric vehicles requiring a minimum usable range of 120 miles under fully loaded conditions and charging capability within three hours using CCS1 charging standards, while gasoline vehicles must feature a minimum 6-liter engine and 120-mile operating range on a full tank. The portable EV charging solution must be a towable trailer-mounted DC fast charger with a minimum continuous output of 150 kW, capable of charging an EV bus from 20% to 80% battery capacity in 60 minutes, and must comply with UL 2202 and UL 2252 certifications and Buy America requirements. Proposed vehicles must be comparable to the Low-Floor Frontrunner Minibus in functionality and durability, include mandatory customizations such as interior handrails positioned at entry/exit points and along aisles, built-in shelves for passenger belongings, secure storage areas for walkers and scooters, and designated driver storage compartments. The procurement will be evaluated on a weighted 100-point scale: Technical Compliance and Demonstrated Compliance with Minimum Specifications (30 points), Experience and Qualifications (15 points), Delivery, Support, and Warranty (15 points), and Pricing (40 points), with pricing evaluated using proportional scoring methodology where the lowest-priced proposal receives maximum points. A pre-proposal meeting is scheduled for May 7, 2026, at 11:00 AM at City Hall, Public Works Conference Room 2, 101 W. Abram Street, Arlington, Texas; the question cutoff is May 11, 2026, at 5:00 PM; potential addenda will be released by May 14, 2026; and proposals are due May 28, 2026, at 2:00 PM, with evaluations scheduled for June 2026, contract negotiations for July 2026, and notice of award in August 2026.

Proposers must be listed on the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) Eligible Transit Vehicle Manufacturer (TVM) List at the time of bid submission or must have submitted required Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program information to the FTA in accordance with 49 CFR Part 26; failure to meet this requirement will result in a proposal being deemed non-responsive and ineligible for award. All proposals must comply with Buy America requirements under 49 U.S.C. 5323(j) and 49 CFR Part 661, requiring domestic content certifications and compliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) and pre-award and post-delivery audit requirements under 49 CFR Part 663. Proposers must provide certification regarding debarment, federal tax liability, felony convictions, lobbying restrictions, and conflict of interest disclosures, as well as completion of a Transit Vehicle Manufacturer Certification form and Certificate of Compliance with Buy America Rolling Stock Requirements. Vendors must submit references from a minimum of three recent customers or clients, preferably government or public agencies, and demonstrate comprehensive service and support capabilities including parts availability for 5-10 years, warranty coverage for vehicle, powertrain, and battery systems, and responsive maintenance programs. The procurement is funded in whole or in part by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and must comply with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations including the Texas Prompt Payment Act, which establishes Net 30 payment terms; the City of Arlington does not provide a specific contract value or budget range in the available solicitation documents. All proposals must be submitted electronically through Euna Procurement at https://arlingtontx.bonfirehub.com/projects or in sealed paper format to the Office of the Procurement Manager, 101 S. Mesquite, Suite 800, Arlington, Texas 76010, with all costs including handling, delivery, freight charges, and certification fees included in quoted prices and delivery terms specified as FOB Destination, Freight Prepaid and Allowed.