Request for Qualifications for Project 23-01 to Design and Build a Hydrogen Refueling Station

Background and Context

Humboldt Transit Authority (HTA) has been planning for a zero emission fleet transition since 2017. Some key milestones leading up to this RFQ include the following:

  • 2018: Procurement of first battery electric bus;
  • 2020: HTA completed a Battery Electric Bus Feasibility Study;
  • 2021: HTA completed a Comparative Analysis of Electric and Hydrogen Transit Fleets;
  • 2021: HTA Board authorized staff to pursue grant funding for zero emission infrastructure and buses;
  • 2022: The Humboldt County Association of Governments (HCAOG) completed the 2022-2042 Regional Transportation Plan which identifies the following related regional targets:
    • 100% of public buses and school buses are zero emission by 2030;
    • Each governmental agency starts converting fleet vehicles to zero-emission by 2022, with interim targets to meet the State’s 2035 goals:
      • 25% of public fleet passenger cars, SUVs, and forklifts are zero-emission by 2025, and 50% by 2030, and
      • 30% of public fleet medium-duty and pick-up trucks are zero-emission by 2030;
    • 100% of public fleet work vehicles are zero emission by 2036;
    • In Humboldt County, by 2024 hydrogen fuel is available for public transit and long-haul commercial fleet vehicles, with green hydrogen fuel available as much and as soon as possible;
    • In Humboldt County, by 2030 there is sufficient hydrogen fueling infrastructure and green hydrogen fuel available to enable inter-county travel of medium and heavy-duty fuel-cell EVs;
  • 2022: HTA won a Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) Cycle 5 grant to, in part, procure eleven fuel cell electric buses, construct a hydrogen fueling station, and operate a new intercity route between Eureka and Ukiah with fuel cell electric buses. The fueling station is to provide both in-yard fleet fueling and over-the-fence public fueling;
  • 2023: HTA won a TIRCP Cycle 6 grant to develop a prototype fuel cell electric over-the-road coach;
  • 2023: HTA Board approved the Zero Emission Bus Rollout Plan v1.0 which targets a 100% hydrogen fleet by 2040.

Through this RFQ, HTA will develop a short list of applicants eligible to apply to a Design-Build Request for Proposals that will follow this RFQ.

HTA envisions the successful bidder will develop a fueling station that HTA can grow into to successfully achieve the target fleet transition identified in the Zero Emission Bus Rollout Plan v1.0.

RFQ Materials