TO: AC Transit Board of Directors
FROM: Michael A. Hursh, General Manager
SUBJECT: Contract Award for Purchase of Forty-Five Foot Commuter Buses
ACTION ITEM
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
Tit
Consider awarding a contract to Motor Coach Industries (MCI) for the purchase of up to fifty (50) forty-five-foot (45’) diesel buses with independent options for Joint Procurement Members, Omniride (Woodbridge, VA), Metropolitan Council (Saint Paul, MN), and Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (Aspen, CO), and to proceed with an initial purchase of up to thirty-six (36) buses.
Body
BUDGETARY/FISCAL IMPACT:
The District has $20.75 million of Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) Transit Capital Priorities (TCP) funds programmed for the purchase of up to thirty-six (36) commuter buses. These funds cover approximately 75% of the total cost of $27.2 million. The whole purchase including the remaining 25% or $6.4 million is included in the Capital Improvement Plan and will be programmed in the FY 2020-21 Capital Budget corresponding to when payment will be required for the buses. The contracted pricing is lower than what was estimated when the funds were programmed and so the District may be able to purchase up to thirty-six (36) buses with the current funding. The remaining buses available under the contract are reserved for future purchases using TCP and/or other funding sources.
BACKGROUND/RATIONALE:
The District issued a Request for proposal (RFP) for the procurement for up to fifty (50) forty-five foot (45’) on-highway commuter buses on January 15, 2019, which was posted to the AC Transit Procurement website, advertised in the East Bay Times/Oakland Tribune, with emailed notifications sent to thirty-four (34) bus manufacturers/suppliers on the Federal Transit Administration Eligible Transit Vehicle Manufacturers list. The solicitation requested pricing for diesel, fuel cell and battery electric buses.
The District received one (1) responsive proposal from Motor Coach Industries (MCI) with pricing for both diesel and battery electric buses (MCI does not manufacture fuel cell buses). Upon receipt of the proposal the AC Transit technical evaluation team - led by the assigned Contract Specialist and comprising of five (5) voting members and two (2) non-voting members/Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) - reviewed and scored the proposal based on the evaluation criteria and rating definitions detailed in the RFP. Of the voting evaluation members, there was one (1) external evaluator from Golden Gate Transit. The voting members found MCI to be a responsive and responsible proposer.
Proposal Timeline:
• RFP Issued: January 15, 2019
• RFP Deadline: April 16, 2019
• Evaluation Conducted: May 7, 2019
The following table provides the scores recorded from the technical evaluation process:
|
Technical Evaluation Criteria |
Average Raw Scores |
Assigned Weights (per RFP) |
Average Weighted Scores |
|
Technical (Product Design & Performance) |
3 |
30 |
18 |
|
Qualifications (Reputation and Past Performance) |
4 |
20 |
16 |
|
Delivery |
3.4 |
10 |
6.8 |
|
Totals |
10.4 |
60 |
40.8 |
Since a single source was received, a cost analysis was performed by the assigned Contract Specialist to comply with FTA Circular 4220.1F requirements and confirmed the proposed prices/costs are fair and reasonable.
The table below provides the pricing proposed by MCI:
|
Deliverables |
Unit Price |
Extension (at max. 50 buses) |
|
Base Bus Price |
$645,666 |
$32,283,300 |
|
Manuals |
Lump sum |
$67,976 |
|
Training |
Lump sum |
$237,778 |
|
Test Equipment and Special Tools |
Lump sum |
$94,444 |
|
Applicable Sales Tax (9.25%) |
$60,464 |
$3,023,224 |
|
Extended Warranty |
$15,077 |
$753,850 |
|
ADA equipment |
$32,859 |
$1,642,950 |
|
Delivery |
$3,200 |
$160,000 |
|
TOTAL PROPOSED PRICE |
$38,263,522 |
The proposed pricing is 7.5% below the Independent Cost Estimate finalized on September 14, 2018.
The Joint Procurement Members can purchase up to eighty (80) buses to be delivered within the term of the anticipated contract as follows:
• Omniride (Woodbridge, VA) seventy-two (72) buses;
• Metropolitan Council (Saint Paul, MN) four (4) buses; and
• Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (Aspen, CO) four (4) buses.
ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES:
The advantages of a 45-foot high capacity bus is the technology to provide ease of entry and exit for passengers with mobility devices and the increased seating capacity compared to the current 40-foot buses existing in the marketplace. A second low floor door will allow for quicker alighting and quicker boarding times for passengers in wheelchairs and mobility devices.
Compared to the older MCI buses, new buses that use a low floor to improve accessibility eliminate the space for undercarriage bike capacity, so the bike capacity is limited to the rack on the front bumper.
ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS:
The alternative to not purchasing these buses would be to continue operating the existing thirty-six (36) MCI buses that are currently in revenue service. This alternative is not recommended due to the age and condition of the buses.
PRIOR RELEVANT BOARD ACTION/POLICIES:
Staff Report 18-082: Procurement of up to Fifty (50) 45-Foot Commuter Buses.
Board Policy 465 - Procurement Policy
ATTACHMENTS:
None
Approved by:
Salvador Llamas, Chief Operating Officer
Reviewed by:
Denise C. Standridge, General Counsel
Claudia L. Allen, Chief Financial Officer
Cecil Blandon, Director of Maintenance
Gene Clark, Director of Procurement and Materials
Chris Andrichak, Director of Management and Budget
Prepared by:
Stuart Hoffman, Technical Services Manager