Rolling Stock Inspection Services

The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas (METRO) is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for on-site rolling stock inspection services at bus manufacturing facilities on an as-needed basis. The procuring agency seeks qualified contractors to provide comprehensive quality assurance inspections on bus procurements at multiple manufacturer facilities including New Flyer, MCI, Gillig, and Eldorado, with services potentially required across multiple sites simultaneously and at locations outside the continental United States. Inspectors must possess a minimum of five years' experience in bus and van manufacturing inspections or transit maintenance and must be capable of conducting functional tests including wheelchair lift/ramp tests, door tests, road tests, water tests, configuration audits, welding audits, HVAC tests, powertrain tests, and electrical/electronic functional tests. The solicitation requires a minimum 45-day notice before inspector deployment and may necessitate utilizing local inspectors to minimize travel costs. Key deadlines include a pre-proposal meeting on May 7, 2026, written questions due by May 12, 2026, and proposals due by 2:00 PM CST on May 27, 2026. The contract period consists of an initial three-year term with two one-year option periods, with an estimated contract execution date of June 29, 2026, and estimated work start date of July 27, 2026. Evaluation criteria include technical qualifications worth a maximum of 90 points covering personnel qualifications and experience, firm qualifications and experience, and work plan/technical capability, plus pricing worth 10 points.

This procurement has no established Small Business Participation goal and is open to qualified contractors without set-aside restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. Proposers must submit audited financial statements for the past two fiscal years and will be compensated on a firm fixed-price hourly basis for various personnel categories including project principal, project manager, project engineer/inspector, buy America auditor, clerical support, technical advisors, and inspectors, with separate rates specified for the initial three-year period and two option years. Reimbursable expenses include auto mileage at IRS standard rates, delivery charges, document reproduction, and travel allowances at GSA per diem limits, with inspectors assigned to sites exceeding 15 consecutive business days eligible for one reimbursable trip to their residence. No incumbent vendor or existing contractor information is specified in the solicitation documents. METRO reserves the right to award one or more firm fixed-price contracts and to conduct oral presentations with shortlisted proposers, though no specific budget range or estimated contract value is provided in the available documentation.