Transit Buses (Formal)

The City of Raleigh, North Carolina, in partnership with Wake County and the Town of Biscoe, is issuing an Invitation to Bid (ITB #274-2026-21-JEJ) for the procurement of new heavy-duty transit buses to support fixed-route transit operations under a five-year contract. The procurement seeks a combination of vehicle types and propulsion technologies, specifically eight 35-foot low-floor CNG buses, thirty 40-foot low-floor CNG buses, and fifteen 60-foot articulated low-floor CNG buses with five doors, with potential for diesel and battery electric options. All buses must be new, unused, current production models manufactured in the United States in compliance with Buy America requirements and designed to meet Federal Transit Administration standards, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, and Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. Key deliverables include delivery within approximately 365 consecutive calendar days after purchase order receipt at a maximum rate of 4 buses per day, complete technical data on the Vehicle Technical Information Form, Altoona test reports, and comprehensive warranty coverage with a basic bus warranty of 1 year/50,000 miles and extended warranties on major components ranging from 1 to 5 years. A pre-bid conference is scheduled for May 7, 2026, at 10:00 AM at the City of Raleigh, 222 W. Hargett Street, Conference Room 503, the deadline for written questions is May 20, 2026, at 2:00 PM, and sealed bids must be received by June 23, 2026, at 2:00 PM (EDT) with public bid opening at the same date and time at the Raleigh Municipal Building. Required qualifications include submission of Buy America compliance certifications, Transit Vehicle Manufacturer's Certification of DBE compliance, Debarment and Suspension certification, Lobbying certification for bids exceeding $100,000, and Bus Testing certification, with evaluation criteria emphasizing pricing, availability by bus type and length, and technical compliance with specifications.

All bidders must comply with federal and state civil rights provisions, non-discrimination requirements, and environmental protection standards, with the City reserving the right to adjust quantities and award to multiple bidders based on evaluation results. The procurement includes Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) compliance requirements through the Transit Vehicle Manufacturer's Certification of DBE compliance and compliance with federal civil rights provisions, though no specific DBE set-asides are identified in the available documents. Pricing must be submitted on the provided bid form with all prices including freight, fuel surcharges, and delivery to Raleigh, North Carolina, with prices remaining fixed for the first year from the bid award date and subsequent price adjustments calculated using the U.S. Department of Labor Producer Price Index for Category 1413. Optional equipment upgrades and training are available for separate pricing, including battery electric propulsion systems, BRT style packages, advanced safety features, and operator training, with the successful bidder required to furnish a 100 percent performance bond within 30 days of award. The procurement anticipates federal funding of up to eighty percent through Federal Transit Administration grants, suggesting a total estimated contract value in the multi-million dollar range, though specific budget figures are not disclosed in the available documents. The successful contractor must guarantee parts availability for at least 15 years after bus acceptance and maintain resident inspectors representing the City at the manufacturing facility to ensure compliance with detailed technical specifications covering structural crashworthiness, suspension, propulsion systems, electrical and HVAC systems, and comprehensive safety features.