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Yesterday, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) officials announced the agency is readying a request for proposals (RFP) as part of a plan to speed up escalator repairs.

To be issued in a few days, the RFP calls for providing a “ready workforce” that would supplement WMATA’s in-house team for escalator repair work.

In a report issued to WMATA’s board yesterday, Deputy GM for Operations David Kubicek said the agency’s efforts to make all necessary repairs have resulted in double the number of out-of-service hours for escalators this year.

“Considering our progress year to date, the feedback from outside experts, and the impact on our customers, we are moving as any business would to contract for the additional support to address this critical customer service,” he said.

WMATA has increased its maintenance compliance rate to 52 percent so far in 2011, up from 39 percent in 2010, agency officials said in a prepared statement. Achieving a goal of 85 percent would take years to recruit, hire and train 60 additional personnel, WMATA officials estimate. By contracting out a select amount of work, supplemental personnel could be in place by early 2012, they said.

“While we have made progress toward our maintenance compliance goals and improving the quality of repairs, we need to expand our efforts to give customers the safe and reliable escalators they deserve,” said WMATA General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Richard Sarles. “Simply put, we need more people power to catch up and recover from years of poor maintenance practices.”