OPT Audit for Buy America RFP

The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) Office of Public Transit is seeking proposals from qualified independent firms to perform a Pre-Award Audit for the statewide procurement of ADA-accessible vehicles. This audit aims to verify vendor cost, pricing, and compliance with Buy America requirements before contract execution and federal fund expenditure by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The solicitation, identified as 5400029106 and posted in November 2025, requires submission by mid-January 2026. The work primarily involves validating pricing information and ensuring adherence to federal regulations, notably the Buy America provisions, to safeguard the appropriate use of FTA funds. The evaluation process emphasizes technical merit, requiring proposals to achieve at least 70 out of 100 technical points to proceed to price evaluation, with the final award based on a best-value trade-off considering both technical and price factors. Vendors must submit proposals in three distinct volumes—technical proposal, price proposal, and required forms—following strict formatting and submission guidelines. The contract includes numerous standard clauses related to contract amendments, termination, taxes, organizational conflicts of interest, and notices, alongside special requirements such as use of E-Verify for employment eligibility verification and flow-down of contractual obligations to subcontractors. Deliveries and performance requirements specify a 30-day window post-purchase order receipt and F.O.B. destination terms within South Carolina. Certification requirements mandate disclosures on debarment status, drug-free workplace adherence, ethics compliance, and minority business participation, among others. The solicitation is managed by SCDOT with Jeffery Schwalk as the primary point of contact, and further details and submission access are available through the South Carolina Electronic Information System portal.