How to bid on generator services for COTA facilities

What COTA is buying

The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) is seeking a five-year agreement to maintain and provide on-call repairs for six industrial diesel generators at its McKinley Avenue and Fields Avenue facilities in Columbus.

Work includes scheduled manufacturer-standard maintenance, NFPA 110 operational checks, 100% load-bank testing, diagnostic services, itemized reporting, authorized repairs, and emergency response. The agreement is scheduled to run from December 1, 2026, through November 30, 2031.

Key date and deadline

The solicitation was published October 20, 2026. Responses are due November 10, 2026, at 2:00 PM ET.

Submit your response through OpenGov Procurement before the deadline. Do not wait until the last minute to finish portal steps or upload your materials.

Who this opportunity suits

This opportunity is suited to generator service firms with experience maintaining industrial diesel generators and the capacity to perform preventive maintenance, load testing, diagnostics, and authorized repairs.

COTA requires the contractor to be OEM-certified or authorized, provide 24/7/365 emergency dispatch, meet a two-hour technician-arrival requirement, and warranty service parts and labor for at least 90 days.

How to access and respond

Click “View original source” to open the opportunity in OpenGov Procurement. The portal may show a brief security check the first time; let it finish so the project page loads.

Sign in or create a free vendor account to download plans, ask questions, join the planholders list, and submit your response. OpenGov also sends addenda notices, so check the portal for updates as you prepare your bid.

Prepare a clear, responsive bid

Use the solicitation materials to build a checklist of every requested service, schedule, qualification, and submission item. Explain how your team will cover quarterly, semiannual, and annual maintenance, testing, authorized repairs, and emergency calls.

Make your OEM certification or authorization easy to verify. Clearly address how you will meet the two-hour arrival requirement, provide 24/7/365 dispatch, and satisfy the 90-day minimum warranty for service parts and labor.

Review the full solicitation and any addenda before submitting. Keep your response organized, check that required fields and attachments are complete, and leave time to confirm the portal shows your submission.