Request for Proposals for Onboard Bus Video Surveillance System

The City of Santa Monica Department of Transportation is requesting proposals for a turnkey Onboard Bus Video Surveillance System for the Big Blue Bus fleet, with proposals due November 5, 2026 at 3:00 p.m., questions due October 16, 2026, and demonstrations scheduled for November 17, 2026 for the top three scoring proposals. No set-aside or preference program applies.

The scope encompasses design, equipment, installation, integration, maintenance, and warranty services to modernize the existing video surveillance system across 173 revenue buses operating 17 fixed routes across 58 square miles of the greater Los Angeles area. The fleet includes 57 Gillig 40-foot BRT buses (2013), 25 Gillig 40-foot BRT buses (2017), 18 Gillig 40-foot Low Floor Plus buses (2021), 15 Gillig 35-foot Low Floor Plus buses (2025), and additional Gillig and New Flyer models. The system must support a minimum of eight cameras for standard 30-, 35-, and 40-foot buses and ten cameras for 60-foot articulated buses, with at least one 4K forward-facing camera per vehicle. Technical requirements specify IP-based network video recorders supporting up to 32 camera channels with mixed resolutions (32 FHD and up to eight 4K/UHD), minimum 600 hours video retention per vehicle, redundant mirrored storage, GPS and telemetry capture, 3-axis accelerometer for event detection, integration with the existing Dinex/I/O Controls multiplex architecture, and support for both on-premises and cloud-hosted video management platforms. Proposals must address cybersecurity integration, complete the City's VISA and Architecture questionnaires, and provide separate pricing for on-premises and cloud-hosted options. Installation must be performed by the vendor or approved subcontractor with minimal vehicle downtime (not exceeding one service day without written approval), pilot installations, and a 30-day operational acceptance period. The City will provide two buses per day and two maintenance bays at Big Blue Bus Maintenance Facility with availability seven days per week between 5:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

The contract term is one year with four one-year renewal options exercisable at the City's sole discretion. Minimum warranty is one year with optional four-year extended coverage available. Vendor qualifications require five years of experience designing and supporting OBVSS for public transportation and successful completion of at least three comparable OBVSS implementations including at least one public transit fleet installation.

Evaluation criteria (100 points total): vendor qualifications (15 points), cost (20 points), software user interface and ease of use (15 points), project understanding and timeline (15 points), system and functional requirements compliance (20 points), and maintenance and post-sales support (15 points). Proposers must maintain a minimum 10–15 percent spare parts inventory and separately identify recurring cellular service, data plan, cloud hosting, and software licensing costs. Optional offerings include passenger entry monitor replacement, non-revenue vehicle forward-facing camera systems, AI and computer-vision analytics, and ridership validation functionality.