Broward County Commission Regular Meeting
Director's Name: Coree Cuff Lonergan
Department: Transportation
Information
Requested Action
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MOTION TO APPROVE Third Amendment to Contract No. TRN2125380B1 between Broward County and Cummins Inc. dba Cummins Sales & Service, for Cummins Engine Rebuild & Exchange Services, increasing the maximum amount by $2,000,000, for a new total maximum contract amount of $8,721,156, to pay for emergency bus engine repair services already received.
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Why Action is Necessary
In accordance with the Broward County Administrative Code Section 21.47(a), Award and Execution Authority, Board approval or delegation is required for an amendment to an contract that exceeds $500,000.
What Action Accomplishes
Amends the contract to provide additional contract threshold so the County can pay outstanding invoices for emergency Cummins engine repairs already completed on Broward County Transit buses.
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Previous Action Taken
None.
Summary Explanation/Background
THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS APPROVAL.
On January 3, 2023, during the winter recess, as authorized by the Board on December 13, 2022 (Item No. 25), the County Administrator approved the open-end contract to Cummins Inc. dba Cummins Sales & Service, for Cummins Engine Rebuild & Exchange Services (FTA), Bid No. TRN2125380B1, for the Transportation Department, for a one-year initial term with two one-year renewal options, for a three-year potential award amount of $6,221,157. The contract provides for repair, rebuild, exchange, and maintenance services on Cummins bus engines, which are required to maintain factory warranty coverage.
The original term ended January 2, 2026. The County exercised the contract’s 90-day extension provision, extending the term through April 2, 2026. On May 7, 2026, the Director of Purchasing executed Amendment No. 1, extending the contract month-to-month through October 2, 2026, increasing the contract maximum not-to-exceed amount by $499,999, with a new contract maximum of $6,721,156, and adjusting unit prices. On October 1, 2026, the Director of Purchasing executed Amendment No. 2, pursuant to Section 21.53(d) of the Broward County Procurement Code, extending the term for three months, from October 3, 2026, through January 2, 2027. The extension allows the County to complete the award of replacement Bid No. TRN2132053B1 and transition to the replacement contract without interrupting service.
The Transportation Department is requesting, after-the-fact, Board approval of the Third Amendment to increase the contract maximum not-to-exceed amount by $2,000,000, for a revised contract threshold of $8,721,156. The Third Amendment will allow the County to pay 28 outstanding invoices, totaling $1,818,245, for emergency engine repairs that Cummins Inc. dba Cummins Sales & Service completed on County transit buses between April 24, 2026, and August 8, 2026. The County has already received these services.
Repair volume exceeded the contract maximum because of engine damage to a significant number of Transportation Department vehicles, believed to be caused by coolant-related issues. On June 10, 2025, an inspection of Bus Unit 20054 revealed a coolant leak caused by severe liner erosion, and multiple fleet vehicles later showed identical erosion. Broward County Transit (BCT) changed coolant suppliers on February 27, 2026, flushed affected bus systems, cleaned storage tanks, and transitioned to a different Cummins-approved product on November 24, 2025.
More than 100 buses sustained engine damage requiring repair through this contract. The contract was originally sized for routine engine repair and rebuild volume of approximately $2.1 million per year; repairs from suspected coolant failures increased Year 3 spending to $2.9 million and extension-period spending to $2.2 million. These engine failures created an emergency for BCT’s fixed-route bus service. The coolant-related damage was sudden and unforeseen.
Transit could not wait to complete these repairs. Stopping work until this amendment could be brought to the Board for approval would have kept a significant number of buses out of service for an extended period, risked missed trips and service reductions for the public, and exposed the County to further engine damage and loss of warranty coverage. For these reasons, the Transportation Department proceeded with the urgent repairs, and Cummins completed the work in good faith, before the contract maximum could be increased.
The Transportation Department is bringing this after-the-fact request to the Board so the County can pay for work it has already received. Approval of the Third Amendment will allow the County to pay Cummins for the completed repairs and keep its FTA-funded bus fleet in a state of good repair while BCT restores full fleet capacity.
Source of Additional Information
Coree Cuff Lonergan, Director, Transportation Department, (954) 357-8301
Ripton Richards, Assistant General Manager, Operations Division, Transportation Department, (954) 357-8441
Fiscal Impact
Fiscal Impact/Cost Summary
Funding for the outstanding invoices associated with this contract maximum increase, totaling $2,000,000, is available in the Transit Grant Capital Fund.