General Information
The Endless Mountains Transportation Authority (BeST Transit) is a municipal authority providing public transportation services to the counties of Bradford, Sullivan and Tioga in northern Pennsylvania. The three-county service area covers over 2,734 square miles with service for medical transportation exceedingly well beyond county lines. BeST Transit has recently received funding from the PA DEP Alternative Fuel Incentive Grant (AFIG) to upfit transit vehicles from gasoline to propane autogas.
BeST Transit has a vehicle fleet of eighty-one. BeST Transit will upfit a total of six vehicles in 2025 with the intentions to transition more vehicles to propane autogas each year as vehicles are replaced and as funding is secured.
BeST Transit currently stores vehicles at authority-owned property in Athens and Mansfield. The intent of this solicitation is to ensure timely delivery and fueling options at both facilities through a combination of on-site infrastructure and/or mobile fueling delivery from a qualified vendor.
GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS
- BeST Transit is seeking a qualified supplier/vendor of HD-5 autogas to supply up to two autogas dispensing stations and fuel located at BeST TRANSIT facility properties located at 29800 Rt 220 Athens, PA 18810 and 2978 S Main St. Mansfield, PA 16933. During the first year of this agreement, BeST TRANSIT will be fueling between 2-4 vehicles that will operate in revenue service between Bradford, Sullivan and Tioga counties. The number of propane buses may increase in year two and further pending the success of the propane vehicle fueling operation. BeST Transit anticipates continual growth and transition of current gasoline vehicles to propane autogas at the end of useful life. This transition may result in as much as 65% of the BeST Transit fleet operating on propane within the next 5-7 years subject to state and federal funding for the acquisition of vehicles.
- Autogas usage is estimated at six thousand (6,000) gallons per vehicle, for the first year with increased utilization in years 2-5.
- BeST TRANSIT reserves the right to award this contract to one or more vendors. BeST TRANSIT also reserves the right to reject all bids.
- A tour of the site location(s) will be held on 3/3/2025, 10 a.m. at 29800 Rt 220 Athens, PA 18810. Questions will only be accepted via email until 3 p.m., 3/5/2025. Answers will be provided by email on 3/10/2025 to all who receive the full specifications.
- Chosen vendor will be responsible for obtaining all permitting and approvals, and for proper installation and maintenance of the station in accordance with required laws and regulations.
- Bids must be submitted by 2 p.m., 3/18/2025 via email to: mhamilton@gobesttransit.com . Award of contract is expected to occur by 3/28/2025.
- The installed fueling equipment and facility must comply with the Propane Autogas Dispenser Specifications as outlined by the Propane Education and Research Council (Attachment 1).
- All Federal and State clauses and conditions must be agreed to by the qualified vendor (Attachment 2).
Supplier Qualifications:
- Supplier must have a technician located within the State of Pennsylvania or close proximity and fully trained and authorized by Ford QVM gaseous fuels technology developer to diagnose and repair the dedicated fuel system technology. This includes stocking recommended service components from Ford QVM gaseous fuels propane technology developer.
- Supplier must acquire all permits and certifications required by the local government agencies (Athens Township, Bradford County).
- Supplier must employ a fuel system technician within the region, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for emergency dispensing equipment service. Technician must be manufacturer trained on Superior Energy Systems dispensing equipment.
- Supplier must provide priority response (within 24 hours) in the event of an equipment failure.
- Supplier will deliver HD-5 product only.
- Supplier will provide priority on road, run-out service.
- Supplier will provide monthly statement billing with minimum 30-day term.
- Supplier will provide electronic access to the chosen index posting.
- Supplier will stock a backup pump, whichever is applicable, for repairs should a pump fail.
- Supplier will conduct monthly safety inspections of the equipment and provide documentation at Zero Cost to BeST TRANSIT.
- Supplier will conduct monthly maintenance including greasing the pumps and cleaning and lubricating the Staubli handle at Zero Cost to BeST TRANSIT.
- Supplier will conduct as needed training of BeST TRANSIT personnel as required by NFPA 58.
- Supplier must have 24 hours emergency delivery and service available.
- Telemetry units must be installed on all fueling stations by the supplier to ensure deliveries are made in a timely and efficient fashion. Supplier will be responsible for ensuring BeST TRANSIT has sufficient HD-5 auto gas supplies during inclement weather events.
- Supplier must have a minimum of five (5) years of auto gas experience and serve a minimum of two hundred (200) auto gas vehicles.
- Supplier must currently serve similar bus companies within the state and provide those contacts to BEST TRANSIT to be used as references.
- Supplier will furnish a filtration solution that is designed to protect a propane autogas system components from harmful contamination and are current available from the respective manufacturer or their distributer consistent with Propane Dispensing Station Propane Filtration file (Attachment 3).
PRICING:
BeST TRANSIT desires this bid to have either a flat rate and or lock in a fixed price for the first six months of this agreement. The remainder of the pricing shall be a floating rate based on an index plus a differential. Bidders must use the MT. Belvieu TET daily index and the differential to be applied to the index. The differential indicated on the submittal must be valid for the months second six months of this agreement.
INSURANCE:
The successful bidder will be required to furnish BeST TRANSIT with evidence that the bidder has in effect Workers Compensation Insurance coverage for a minimum amount of one million dollars (1,000,000.00), General liability coverage for a minimum amount of one million dollars ($1,000,000), Auto Liability for a minimum amount of one million dollars ($1,000,000) and Pollution or Environmental Impairment for a minimum amount of one million dollars ($1,000,000).
All insurance policies carried by the successful bidder with respect to this contract shall: (i) be issued in forms reasonably acceptable to BeST TRANSIT by good and solvent insurance companies qualified and/or otherwise permitted to do business in the State of Pennsylvania; (ii) be written as primary policy coverage and not contributing either to or in excess of any coverage; (iii) contain a provision that the insurer will not cancel or refuse to renew the policy, or change in any material way the nature or extent of the coverage provided by such policy without first giving BEST TRANSIT thirty (30) days’ prior written notice; and (iv) contain an express waiver of any right of subrogation by the insurance company against BeST TRANSIT.
Bid Submission Sheet
Company Name: _________________________________________________________
Contact Person: __________________________________________________________
Address: ________________________________________________________________
Phone Number: __________________________________________________________
Email Address: ___________________________________________________________
Number of Years in Business: _________________
References: Please provide references with contact names, phone numbers and email addresses on a separate sheet.
Timeline: On a separate sheet, please provide an estimated timeline for the installation and readiness of the fueling station.
Additional Information: Within reason, please submit any information that you think would be helpful to BeST TRANSIT in making their decision.
Bid Pricing OPTION #1 provide 2 separate fueling stations, one at Athens site, one at Mansfield site:
Locked per gallon price – first 6 months of agreement _____________
Index plus differential per gallon price second 6 months of agreement
Differential _____________
Index _____________
Installation Costs (Describe on separate sheet) _____________
Other Costs to BeST TRANSIT (Describe on separate sheet) _____________
Bid Pricing OPTION #2 provide 1 fueling station at Athens site, AND mobile fueling capability at the Mansfield site:
Locked per gallon price – first 6 months of agreement _____________
Index plus differential per gallon price second 6 months of agreement
Differential _____________
Index _____________
Installation Costs (Describe on separate sheet) _____________
Other Costs to BeST TRANSIT (Describe on separate sheet) _____________
Bid Pricing OPTION #3 provide 2 mobile fueling capabilities, one at Athens site, one at Mansfield site:
Locked per gallon price – first 6 months of agreement _____________
Index plus differential per gallon price second 6 months of agreement
Differential _____________
Index _____________
Installation Costs (Describe on separate sheet) _____________
Other Costs to BeST TRANSIT (Describe on separate sheet) _____________
The undersigned hereby declares that I/we, having examined the proposed bid form and bid documents, hereby shall contract to do all the work, complete, on time and according to the bid documents and any addenda to said documents, and all other work in connection and incidental thereto for the above project for the following amount:
_______________________________ _____________________ _________________________
Authorized Signature Date Telephone Number
________________________________________________ ______________________________________
Print Authorized Signature and Title Email Address