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Yesterday, the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas, approved a $153.1 million plan to purchase 39 light-rail vehicles from CAF USA for light-rail lines under construction in Houston, agency officials said in a prepared statement.

The proposal from CAF — the U.S. subsidiary of Spain’s Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles — was submitted to Metro’s board in accordance with a Federal Transit Administration (FTA)-approved process that stipulated the agency would:

• successfully negotiate the termination of a former CAF contract;
• develop an FTA-approved acquisition in full compliance with Buy America and other FTA requirements;
• develop an FTA-approved source selection plan disclosing all evaluation factors, their relative importance and basis for any award; and
• prepare an FTA-approved solicitation for the procurement of 39 light-rail vehicles.

Last year, the FTA determined that the agency’s previous administration had not followed appropriate procurement policies in the former CAF contract.

“We are very pleased the FTA has placed its confidence in Metro and our revised procurement procedures,” said Capital Metro President and Chief Executive Officer George Greanias.