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PCAC Statement – February 24, 2020 – R262s and RFP Approach

Statement by Lisa Daglian, Executive Director
R262s and RFP Approach
MTA Headquarters, 2 Broadway, New York, NY 10004
February 24, 2020

Good morning, my name is Lisa Daglian and I am the Executive Director of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA, PCAC.

Today is both historic and bittersweet – the first Transit Committee meeting without Andy Byford, and the day you will vote to recommend the RFP for the R262s. We suggest that it would be wiser to test out the open gangway cars with the R211s before going all out with the R262s. What may work in other cities may not work in ours.

As we’ve said before, we are supportive of the using the same RFP approach for the purchase of rolling stock and other capital procurements that is being used for design-build projects, and we hope this will be SOP going forward. A competitive RFP process allows the MTA to consider, in addition to price, non-price factors such as delivery schedule, creative design and construction approaches, the experience of the proposer, and negotiated contract terms.’ Put simply: there has to be a better way to increase competition and bring other players to the game.

Competition is likely to get scarcer should the merger go through between Bombardier and Alstom – a situation that could conceivably result in the debarment of both and leave only Kawasaki to make all the cars for the MTA. As written, Bombardier should already be out. Yet the MTA Board – which wrote the rules – is flouting them. It makes no sense to place impediments to competition at the same time you are trying to increase it.

We end with a shout out to everyone – Sally and team – who will stay and build on Andy’s legacy and continue to improve the systems for millions of riders every day: better OTP, faster trains, fewer breakdowns, better performance. Thank you for all you’ve done and all you do.

Download here: 2.24.20 R262 RFP