Market Sounding Questionnaire - 2026 Diesel Bus

Overview The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) is undertaking a market sounding exercise to inform a forthcoming procurement for the supply of over 600 standard rigid diesel buses to support public transport services across South East Queensland. About The program is expected to be delivered over a three-year period, with initial vehicle deliveries anticipated to commence from 1 July 2027. The buses will be state-owned assets and deployed to contracted bus operators to support the delivery of public transport services. The program will primarily support the replacement of existing fleet, with some provision for growth and operational requirements. Objectives This market sounding is being conducted prior to the release of the Invitation to Offer (ITO) to: Validate and refine the proposed bus specification Assess market capability and capacity to deliver the desired product at scale and within timeframes Inform procurement and commercial structuring for the design of the ITO Identify delivery, manufacturing, and lifecycle support risks Explore opportunities for innovation and improvement Information Requested The Department is seeking feedback via an online questionnaire from bus manufacturers, including Chassis OEMs and body builders, to better understand the market's current capabilities, capacity, experience and standard practices. Respondents are encouraged to provide candid and practical insights to assist in shaping a robust and deliverable procurement approach. Response Expectations Respondents are requested to: Provide responses that reflect their typical operating model and demonstrated capability Identify any constraints, risks, or limitations that may impact delivery Highlight areas where the proposed approach could be improved Provide clear and concise responses to support consistent interpretation Submit only one response per organisation Instructions to Respondents Important Information This is not a request for tender or invitation to offer and does not form part of a formal procurement process or a commitment to procure, and will not result in the award of a contract Participation in this market sounding is voluntary and will not influence future procurement outcomes if a respondent chooses to submit an offer at a later date Information provided will be used solely to inform the development of the procurement strategy and documentation The Department may, at its discretion, engage further with respondents following this process Confidentiality Information provided as part of this market sounding will be treated in accordance with applicable government confidentiality and probity requirements. Respondents should clearly identify any information they consider to be commercially sensitive. Access to the Questionnaire The questionnaire can be accessed at the following link: Market Sounding Questionnaire The questionnaire is open until 5pm on 4 August 2026. If you have any technical difficulties accessing or completing the questionnaire, please contact: 2026BusFleetProcurement@tmr.qld.gov.au