Transit-ADA Compliant Van Procurement

MassDOT Rail and Transit Division is soliciting proposals for the manufacture and delivery of ADA-compliant vans up to 29 feet in length, with proposals due October 16, 2026 at 4:00 PM ET. Resulting contracts will function as cooperative purchasing vehicles for MassDOT RTD, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, and 15 regional transit authorities across Massachusetts.

Proposers must be certified Transit Vehicle Manufacturers with current Disadvantaged Business Enterprise participation goals filed with the Federal Transit Administration. Mandatory pre-award certifications include Buy America compliance under 49 U.S.C. 5323(j)(2)(C), Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards compliance, vehicle testing requirements under 49 CFR Part 665, debarment and suspension status, lobbying disclosure, non-collusion affidavit, and conflict-of-interest statements.

The scope includes minivans, full-size passenger vans, and cutaway conversion vans compliant with 49 CFR Part 38 ADA Accessibility Specifications. Vehicles may be powered by gasoline, diesel, compressed natural gas, propane, battery electric, or hybrid systems. Proposers must provide unit pricing in US dollars for base vehicles, an MBTA-specific variant with powered operator's seat, plexiglass barrier, lift platform, and securement track; an extensive list of replacement parts; and optional value-added elements including LED lighting, modified paint, air purification, automatic vehicle location systems, collision avoidance, and extended warranty.

Estimated procurement quantities range from 560 vehicles in Year 1 to 697 in Year 3, with no minimum order per entity. The contract term is five years. Proposals are evaluated on technical merit (60 percent: product design and performance 30 percent, management and approach 20 percent, delivery timeline 10 percent) and price (40 percent: per-vehicle cost 20 percent, quantity discounts 8 percent, parts costs 8 percent, value-added elements 4 percent). Proposer demonstrations and interviews occur November 2–13, 2026, with estimated award December 28, 2026. MassDOT reserves the right to make multiple awards per vehicle type and conduct factory visits and pre-award Buy America audits. All proposals must be submitted through COMMBUYS.