Trolley Infrastructure Wire

The Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority (RTA), an independent political subdivision of the State of Ohio located in Montgomery County, is soliciting bids for Trolley Infrastructure Wire under Invitation for Bid (IFB) No. GD 26-09. The procurement seeks a qualified wire vendor to supply electrical cable and wire products to support the RTA's electric trolley system for regular maintenance and infrastructure improvements over a five-year contract term. The required deliverables include five specific wire and cable types to be provided annually across fiscal years 2026 through 2030: 11,000 linear feet of 2kV 1000 MCM feeder cable, 5,280 linear feet of 2/0 grooved brass cable, 1,000 linear feet of 4/0 uninsulated cable, 1,000 linear feet of 4/0 insulated cable, and 2,500 linear feet of galvanized strand wire. This is a fixed-price requirements contract with firm pricing for the duration of the agreement, calculated using a Copper Comex Price baseline of $5.77 per pound as of January 20, 2026, though final pricing will vary based on copper market rates at the time of release, with annual price escalation projections included in the engineering estimate. Required qualifications include business licensure in Ohio, a Certificate of Good Standing, relevant professional experience with supporting references, appropriate insurance coverage (including Workers' Compensation, Commercial General Liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence/$2,000,000 aggregate, Commercial Auto Liability of $1,000,000 combined single limit, and Excess/Umbrella coverage of $2,000,000), and compliance with all applicable Federal Transit Administration clauses, civil rights requirements, environmental regulations, debarment and suspension status verification through SAM.gov, and Buy America requirements for steel, iron, and manufactured products. The deadline for submitting questions and clarifications is March 19, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time, with RTA responses provided by March 26, 2026, and bids must be submitted electronically via OpenGov by 11:00 a.m. Eastern time on April 7, 2026, with public bid opening occurring at 4 S. Main Street, Dayton, Ohio at that same time. Award will be made to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, with the estimated award date of May 7, 2026, and the RTA reserves the right to award to one or more contractors on an individual item basis, any combination of terms, or in the aggregate.

This procurement carries no Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) set-aside requirement, though the RTA welcomes DBE participation regardless of the zero percent requirement. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the solicitation materials. The project is subject to a financial assistance contract with the United States Department of Transportation under the Urban Mass Transportation Administration Act of 1964, and all materials must comply with applicable Buy America requirements under 49 U.S.C. § 5323(j). Material will be ordered in full reel quantities only, and the receiving department requires forty-eight hours advance notification prior to delivery. The estimated project price range is $1.7 to $2 million, with the cumulative five-year engineering estimate totaling $2,046,021.93, and annual costs ranging from $287,115.84 in 2026 to $504,439.56 in 2030, reflecting anticipated material cost escalation over the contract period. Contractor performance is governed by the RTA's General Terms and Conditions, which establish payment within thirty days of invoice approval, comprehensive indemnification obligations, audit rights for three years following final payment, and strict requirements for subcontractor approval and notification for cost-reimbursement contracts exceeding $10,000 or any subcontracts exceeding $100,000.