[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1844 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1844
To authorize a pilot program for purchasing buses by public transit
authorities that are recipients of assistance or grants from the
Federal Transit Administration.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
December 18, 2001
Mr. Bingaman (for himself and Mr. Domenici) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking,
Housing, and Urban Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize a pilot program for purchasing buses by public transit
authorities that are recipients of assistance or grants from the
Federal Transit Administration.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Public Transit Authority Pilot
Procurement Authorization Act of 2001''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
(a) Heavy-Duty Transit Bus.--The term ``heavy-duty transit bus''
has the same meaning given that term in the American Public
Transportation Association Standard Procurement Guideline
Specifications, dated March 25, 1999 and July 3, 2001, and as contained
in the General Services Administration Solicitation FFAH-B1-002272-N.
(b) Intercity Coach.--The term ``intercity coach'' has the meaning
given that term in the General Services Administration Solicitation
FFAH-B1-002272-N, section 1-4B, Amendment number 2, dated June 6, 2000.
SEC. 3. PILOT PROGRAM FOR SALE TO PUBLIC TRANSIT AUTHORITIES.
(a) In General.--The Federal Transit Administration of the
Department of Transportation shall carry out a pilot program to
facilitate and accelerate the procurement of heavy-duty transit buses
and intercity coaches by State, local, and regional transportation
authorities that are recipients of Federal Transit Administration
assistance or grants where Federal funds provide the majority of the
funding for the bus procurement, through existing or new or modified
contracts with the General Services Administration. The transit
authorities shall obtain Federal Transit Administration approval prior
to placement of orders.
(b) Reopening of Solicitation for Heavy-Duty Transit and Intercity
Coaches.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law or Federal
regulation, the General Services Administration Solicitation FFAH-B1-
002272-N shall be reopened to all qualified heavy-duty transit bus and
intercity coach manufacturing companies to bid for contracts to sell
such buses and coaches to State, local, and regional transportation
authorities that are recipients of Federal Transit Administration
assistance or grants where Federal funds provide the majority of the
funding for the bus procurement.
(c) Modifications of Existing GSA Contracts.--Notwithstanding any
other provision of law or Federal regulation, heavy-duty transit bus
manufacturing companies and intercity coach manufacturing companies who
have existing contracts awarded by the General Services Administration
under Solicitation FFAH-B1-002272-N prior to the date of enactment of
this Act, shall be allowed to modify or restructure their bids
incorporated in such contracts to respond to prospective sales of
heavy-duty transit buses and intercity coaches to State, local, and
regional transportation authorities that are recipients of Federal
Transit Administration assistance or grants where Federal funds provide
the majority of the funding for the bus procurement.
(d) Authority To Purchase From Existing and New Contracts.--
Notwithstanding any other provision of law or Federal regulation,
State, local, and regional transportation authorities that are
recipients of Federal Transit Administration assistance or grants where
Federal funds provide the majority of the funding for the bus
procurement are authorized to purchase heavy-duty transit buses and
intercity coaches from--
(1) existing contracts;
(2) existing contracts as modified pursuant to subsection
(c); and
(3) new contracts awarded by the General Services
Administration under the original or reopened Solicitation
FFAH-B1-002272-N.
(e) Termination.--The pilot program carried out under this Act
shall terminate on December 31, 2006.
SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF MULTIPLE AWARD SCHEDULE BY GSA.
Not later than December 31, 2003, the General Services
Administration, with assistance from and consultation with, the Federal
Transit Administration, shall establish and publish a multiple award
schedule for heavy-duty transit buses and intercity coaches which shall
permit Federal agencies and State, regional, or local transportation
authorities that are recipients of Federal Transit Administration
assistance or grants where Federal funds provide the majority of the
funding for the bus procurement, or other ordering entities, to acquire
heavy-duty transit buses and intercity motor coaches under those
schedules.
SEC. 5. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
(a) In General.--The Administrator of the Federal Transit
Administration and the Administrator of General Services shall submit a
joint report quarterly, in writing, to the Committee on Banking,
Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate, and the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives.
(b) Contents.--The report required to be submitted under subsection
(a) shall describe, with specificity--
(1) all measures being taken to accelerate the processes
authorized under this Act, including estimates on the effect of
this Act on job retention in the bus and intercity coach
manufacturing industry;
(2) job creation in the bus and intercity coach
manufacturing industry as a result of the authorities provided
under this Act; and
(3) bus and intercity coach manufacturing economic growth
in those States and localities that have participated in the
pilot program to be carried out under this Act.
SEC. 6. COMPLIANCE WITH OTHER LAW.
Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Act, this Act
shall be carried out in accordance with all applicable Federal transit
laws and requirements.
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