PROCUREMENT IN TRANSIT

Successful procurement requires careful structuring and objective execution. During the past ten years many changes have taken place in methods used to purchase rolling stock, including transit buses. Up to the late 1970s sealed bid procurements were standard with low initial price governing the outcome. Operating and maintenance costs did not play a major role in decisions. Although relatively standard specifications existed for the New Look bus, each transit authority was free to specify features needed for its own operations. Specifications proliferated. In the late 1970s UMTA fostered the Advanced Design coach specification (White Book) and congress initiated actions that permitted consideration of life cycle costing. By the 1980s a number of transit authorities, dissatisfied with the new specification, sought means to obtain buses better suited to their individual needs. UMTA began to phase out the White Book, rescinding this requirement in 1982. Late in 1982 Congress mandated evaluation of performance, standardization and life cycle costs for all rolling stock. Today transit agencies are able to consider several procurement methods, each of which has its own strengths. These include: (1) Low-Bid Procurement; (2) Evaluated Bid Procurement; (3) Two-Step Procurement; and (4) competitive Negotiation. Details of each of these processes are given.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/100980083
• Corporate Authors:

  Bobit Publishing Company

  2500 Artesia Boulevard
  Redondo Beach, CA  United States  90278
• Authors:
  • Obert, M J
• Publication Date: 1985-9

Media Info

• Pagination: 5 p.
• Serial:
  • Metro
  • Volume: 81
  • Issue Number: 5
  • Publisher: Bobit Publishing Company
  • ISSN: 10098-0083

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bids; Buses; Legislation; Life cycle analysis; Life cycle costing; New products; Policy; Procurement; Purchasing; Rolling stock; Specifications; Standardization; Vehicle design
• Old TRIS Terms: Advanced design buses; Government policies; New look bus
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Design; Finance; Freight Transportation; Law; Policy; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00451135
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 30 1985 12:00AM