Vehicle Management Consultant Services

The Utah Transit Authority is issuing a Request for Qualifications for Vehicle Program Management Services Consultant (VPMSC) support to manage the agency's approximately $1.0 billion five-year vehicle capital program spanning 2026-2030. The procurement seeks a single qualified firm to provide comprehensive program management services covering procurement, rehabilitation, and overhaul of UTA's diverse fleet, including fixed-route buses, paratransit vehicles, light rail vehicles, commuter rail vehicles, vanpool vehicles, and non-revenue support vehicles. The selected consultant must demonstrate extensive experience with public transit vehicle programs, capital planning, quality assurance and quality control, vehicle engineering and procurement, grant management, project controls, and regulatory compliance with Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) requirements. The VPMSC will commence performance on July 1, 2026, under a three-year base contract term plus two optional one-year extensions at UTA's discretion. Evaluation of Statements of Qualifications will be based on three weighted criteria: Proposer Team (35 points), Proposer Experience and Qualifications (35 points), and Approach to Work (30 points). The deadline for submitting questions is March 30, 2026, with the Statement of Qualifications due April 17, 2026. Following technical evaluation, selected proposers must submit detailed cost proposals within one business day of UTA notification.

The contract is structured as a Labor Hour Contract with fixed labor rates, overhead rates, and percent profit, with an approximate annual budget of $2.3 million to be negotiated through an open-book cost estimating process based on lump sum or not-to-exceed prices for individual task orders. This is a federally-funded procurement utilizing both local and federal funding sources, requiring compliance with all federal certifications mandated by the FTA, including Buy America requirements, equal employment opportunity provisions, debarment and suspension requirements, and restrictions on lobbying and diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. The proposed VPMSC must address organizational conflicts of interest in the submission, and key personnel identified in the proposal are subject to replacement restrictions, with up to $100,000 in liquidated damages assessed for unauthorized Program Manager replacement during the first contract year. The proposal will require a staffing structure including a Program Manager for Light Rail Overhaul and a Program Manager for Commuter Rail Overhaul, with five additional specialized roles (Electrical Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Structural Engineer, Technical Writer, and Procurement Document Associate) available on an as-needed basis. No specific set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises or restrictions on organization types have been identified in the available documentation.