Title
Green Transit Technology Request for Proposals
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to approve the Public Transit Department’s Request for Proposals process to procure vehicles for implementing a pilot program to operate and evaluate a sub-fleet of heavy-duty transit buses that use zero and/or near-zero emissions technology, and associated charging/fueling technologies. This item replaces a previous authorization to issue a Green Transit Technology RFP with a smaller contract capacity that the Council approved on Nov. 17, 2021. This request is to increase the capacity to $150 million over five years for any contract(s) procured through this RFP.
Report
Summary
The Public Transit Department (PTD) has worked for many years to ensure that our fleet has the most up-to-date, environmentally-friendly buses with the best-proven technology available to operate within Phoenix’s environment, particularly in terms of vehicle range (how far buses travel with respect to regional transit services) and extreme temperatures (ensuring buses have adequate air conditioning and other on-board systems to provide a comfortable passenger experience especially during hotter months). This Request for Proposals would allow the department to establish a sub-fleet of green buses and test, on a long-term basis, a contingent of zero and/or near-zero emissions buses for their ability to operate in our environment and support operating needs, such as peak passenger loads, on-board equipment, and higher-capacity air conditioning systems. The sub-fleet would initially serve as a pilot program, with the ability to prioritize and continue the purchase of such buses if they are found to meet the transit system’s operational needs, allowing PTD to gain experience with newer technologies to determine how best to integrate them into the City’s transit fleet.
Procurement Information
The Request for Proposals will be issued in Spring 2022 and request proposals to manufacture buses using electric hybrid, battery electric, and/or hydrogen power (or other suitable technologies bus manufacturers might propose), along with detailing any associated charging and fueling equipment needed for the buses. PTD will assemble a pilot fleet of buses using one or more of these available technologies and expand the purchase of such buses that meet the transit system’s operational needs.
Contract Term
The term of the awarded contract shall be five years, with the total number of buses to be determined based on funding availability and the ability of the technologies proposed to accommodate the transit system’s operational needs.
Financial Impact
The contract's estimated five-year aggregate value is a maximum of $150 million. In conjunction with the purchase of these vehicles, staff will continue researching and applying for grant opportunities when they arise, as newer-technology buses have a higher cost than the current fleet make-up and additional equipment and infrastructure upgrades may be necessary for the propulsion system(s) selected.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Managers Mario Paniagua and Karen Peters, the Public Transit Department and the Office of Sustainability.