Rolling Stock Inspection Services

The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) is soliciting Rolling Stock Inspection Services under solicitation number Doc2104296360, with a proposal deadline of July 8, 2026. The solicitation seeks a firm fixed-price contract for on-site inspections of bus manufacturing at vendor facilities, with a base performance period of three years and options to extend for two additional one-year periods, plus a potential six-month month-to-month extension. The work requires the contractor to conduct quality assurance inspections, document defects, submit daily and weekly progress reports, provide photographic evidence of deficiencies, and deliver electronic and hard-copy production books and test reports upon vehicle release. Evaluation is based on a best-value trade-off approach, with technical merit accounting for 90% of the score—divided among qualifications and experience of key personnel (30 points), firm experience in transit rolling stock inspections (30 points), and technical work plan and methodology (30 points)—while pricing accounts for 10 points and small business participation offers up to five bonus points. The contractor must submit detailed resumes, staffing plans, and evidence of at least five years of experience in bus/van manufacturing and maintenance inspections. The contract requires strict adherence to METRO’s internal specifications, a certified quality control system acceptable to METRO, and compliance with data privacy, security, and confidentiality obligations under Exhibit I. Key personnel substitutions require prior written approval, and all personnel must be U.S. citizens or legally authorized to work, wear METRO-issued ID badges, and follow security protocols. The contractor must also certify it is not debarred or suspended, disclose any lobbying expenditures using SF-LLL, and submit a comprehensive Contractor Utilization Plan identifying METRO SBE, DOT DBE, and SBA 8(a) subcontractors to qualify for small business participation credit. Proposals must be submitted electronically via the Bonfire portal and by hardcopy in separate sealed envelopes, with a requirement to use only recyclable materials and avoid plastic binders. Payment and invoice submissions must be processed through METRO’s B2Gnow system to the Accounts Payable office in Houston, Texas, and the contracting officer is Fatima Rubio, with Seth Williams serving as the technical oversight lead. All contract terms are governed by METRO’s custom Special Terms and Conditions instead of standard FAR clauses, including prohibitions on contingent fees, a most favored customer pricing requirement, and restrictions on advertising use of METRO’s name. No federal appropriation codes, packaging specifications