Meeting_Body
OPERATIONS, SAFETY, AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE COMMITTEE
NOVEMBER 20, 2025
Subject
SUBJECT: SAFETY VESTS
Action
ACTION: AWARD CONTRACT
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
AUTHORIZE the Chief Executive Officer to award a two-year, Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Contract No. MA125897000 to Safety Vibe, Inc., the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, to supply safety vests in the Not-to-Exceed (NTE) amount of $1,763,791.48, inclusive of sales tax; subject to the resolution of any properly submitted protest(s), if any.
Issue
ISSUE
This procurement is for the acquisition of reflective safety vests that are required to improve visibility and maintain the safety of Metro employees. Award of this contract will ensure an adequate inventory of reflective safety vests for bus and rail operators, maintenance employees, and administrative staff.
Background
BACKGROUND
Safety vests are crucial for Metro staff who are required to wear the proper PPE based on their work environment. Visibly identifying any employee working in safety-sensitive areas is key to their safety and well-being while performing their duties. Requirements to wear the safety vest are constant and are heavily relied upon by most of our Operations staff. Inventory levels must be kept up, and the safety vests must be available for the employees when they need to wear them. Employees' safety is paramount at Metro, and these safety vests are a big part of what keeps them safe.
Metro provides general duty and high-hazard style safety vests to protect and ensure the safety of bus/rail operators, maintenance employees, and administrative staff working in safety-sensitive areas to comply with department rules and procedures. In addition, personnel engaged in construction activities or accident investigations must also wear reflective safety vests. The Material Management department oversees the distribution of reflective safety vests to ensure availability and accountability to both operating and support departments in accordance with department safety procedures.
Metro’s component usage reports from Material Management revealed that approximately 13,100 general duty and 6,450 high hazard reflective safety vests were issued over a 12-month period in FY24 and FY25 throughout various departments at Metro, such as transportation and maintenance personnel working at operating/support facilities, layover zones, and other safety-sensitive areas.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
The contract to be awarded is a “requirements type” agreement in which Metro commits to ordering only from the awardee, up to the specified quantity for a specific duration of time. However, Metro is not obligated or committed to ordering any specific quantity of the various styles and/or sizes of the reflective safety vests that may currently be required.
The reflective safety vests will be purchased and maintained in inventory and managed by Material Management. As the reflective safety vests are issued, the appropriate budget project numbers and accounts will be charged.
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
All Metro staff are reliant on these safety vests to keep them visible when performing work activities in the bus and rail yards, construction sites, public streets, and other areas that can pose a safety threat to them if they are not visible. Wearing these vests will also satisfy OSHA’s Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) requirement for employees working in safety-sensitive environments.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Funding in the amount of $1,763,791.48 for the reflective safety vests is included in the FY26 budget under account 50441, Parts - Revenue Vehicle in multiple bus and rail division operating cost centers under Operations bus projects 306002 and rail projects 300022, 300044, 300066, 300055, 300033.
Since this is a multi-year contract, the cost center manager and Chief Operations Officer will be accountable for budgeting the cost in future fiscal years.
Impact to Budget
The source of funds will come from Federal and local funds that are eligible for Bus and Rail Operating Projects.
Equity_Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
The benefit of this action is to provide equipment to keep all Metro staff who are working in safety-sensitive areas safe. Safety Vests provide increased visibility and protection from potential hazards, making them an essential piece of safety equipment for Metro employees working in the field. Metro is involved in all our communities and taking the proper measures to provide safe travel in and around our work sites reduces the potential for accidents and creates a symbiotic environment that benefits everyone.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has issued an Interim Final Rule (IFR) that makes changes to the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program, including suspension of goals and enforcement, effective October 3, 2025. However, this procurement was conducted as a Small Business (SB) Prime Set-Aside under LACMTA’s prior FTA-approved element, which remains in effect. This solicitation was open to certified SBE firms only. Safety Vibe, Inc., an SB Prime, is performing 100% of the services with its own workforce. Determined to be a regular dealer for this procurement, Safety Vibe is eligible to receive SBE credit equivalent to 60% of the value of the items it supplies for this contract.
Vehicle_Miles_Traveled_Outcome
VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED OUTCOME
VMT and VMT per capita in Los Angeles County are lower than national averages, the lowest in the SCAG region, and on the lower end of VMT per capita statewide, with these declining VMT trends due in part to Metro’s significant investment in rail and bus transit.* Metro’s Board-adopted VMT reduction targets align with California’s statewide climate goals, including achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. To ensure continued progress, all Board items are assessed for their potential impact on VMT.
While this item does not directly encourage taking transit, sharing a ride, or using active transportation, it is a vital part of Metro operations, as it increases the safety of our staff when working by making them highly visible to oncoming traffic and safety-sensitive areas. Because the Metro Board has adopted an agency-wide VMT Reduction Target, and this item supports the overall function of the agency, this item is consistent with the goals of reducing VMT.
*Based on population estimates from the United States Census and VMT estimates from Caltrans’ Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) data between 2001-2019.
Implementation_of_Strategic_Plan_Goals
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
The procurement of reflective safety vests supports Strategic Goal 1: Provide high-quality mobility options that enable people to spend less time traveling. The new reflective safety vests will ensure the safety of employees assigned to operate and maintain the bus and rail fleet, which is important in ensuring that our customers are able to arrive at their destinations without interruption and in accordance with the scheduled service intervals.
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The alternative is to not award the contract and procure reflective safety vests on the open market on an as-needed basis, using the traditional “min/max” replenishment system method. This strategy is not recommended since it does not provide for a commitment from the supplier to ensure availability, timely delivery, continued supply, and a guaranteed fixed price for the vests.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Upon approval by the Board, staff will execute Contract No. MA125897000 for the procurement of reflective safety vests with Safety Vibe, Inc.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Procurement Summary
Attachment B - DEOD Summary
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Harold Torres, Senior Director Central Maintenance, (213) 922-5714
Gary Jolly, Senior Executive Officer Bus Maintenance, (213) 922-5802
Matthew Dake, Deputy Chief Operations Officer (213) 922-4061
Debra Avila, Deputy Chief Vendor/Contract Management Officer, (213) 418-3051
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Conan Cheung, Chief Operations Officer (213) 418-3034
