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For purchasing and bid writers
Spec HLE in your solicitation.
You are writing a solicitation, or answering for one. This page gives you specification paragraphs you can paste into it, one for each part of the body that a spec sheet usually leaves out, the compliance statements a bid file asks for, and the way to get a full bid package written to your format.
The paragraphs describe how HLE builds every body. They are written so any bidder can answer them, and so a vague answer is easy to see.
Paste-ready spec language
Construction requirements
One paragraph per part of the construction column. Copy them as written, or edit them to your program.
The body shall be built on a welded steel cage of 1.5 in square steel tube. All structural steel shall be powder-coated on every surface before the body is assembled. Insulation shall be closed-cell board cut to each frame cavity and glued in place; stuffed or spray-patched insulation shall not be accepted. The bidder shall state the tube section and when the coating is applied.
Each sidewall shall be a single pressure-laminated panel from roofline to skirt, with no horizontal seam. Window openings shall be cut from the panel. The bidder shall state the number of pieces in each sidewall and the location of every seam.
The roof skin shall be a single piece bonded to the cage over a steel roof structure. Fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP) roof skins shall not be accepted. Every roof-mounted air conditioner, mast or antenna shall bolt to a steel plate welded into the roof structure. The bidder shall name the roof skin material and state where its seams fall.
The subfloor shall be a resin-infused composite that does not absorb water, laid over the cage and sealed at every seam and wheel well. Plywood subfloors shall not be accepted. Where the use calls for it, the floor covering shall be seamless medical-grade sheet vinyl coved up the wall.
Cabinetry shall be solid hardwood with stainless hardware. Panels in wet areas (at sinks, refrigerators and wash-down floors) shall be resin-infused composite (PerformMAX 500 or equal), not plywood, with sealed edges. Particleboard shall not be used in any cabinet or panel. The bidder shall name the cabinet material.
Wire harnesses shall be built to length in a harness shop, with marine-grade connectors on every exterior connection. Every circuit shall be labeled at both ends. Butt connectors and tap splices shall not be used. A panel drawing for the unit shall be delivered with the vehicle.
Every unit shall be water-tested before delivery in a spray booth under full spray for no less than 15 minutes, with a person inside checking for leaks, followed immediately by a road test with a person inside checking again.
Compliance statements
What the bid file needs from the builder
| Requirement | HLE | Document |
|---|---|---|
| FMVSS | Every HLE body is FMVSS compliant. | Statement supplied with the bid package |
| ADA, 49 CFR Part 38 | Built to the ADA vehicle accessibility requirements of 49 CFR Part 38 when the purchase requires it. | Statement supplied with the bid package |
| FTA Altoona testing, 49 CFR Part 665 | Bus testing under 49 CFR Part 665 when the purchase requires it. HLE's first vehicle passed the 7-year/200,000-mile test on the first attempt. | Statement supplied with the bid package |
| Buy America | HLE signs the FTA Certificate of Compliance with Buy America Rolling Stock Requirements (49 U.S.C. 5323(j), 49 CFR 661.11) for each unit sold under an FTA-assisted contract. | Certificate signed per unit |
| FTA transit vehicle manufacturer (TVM) | HLE is on the FTA list of eligible transit vehicle manufacturers (TVMs), which makes it eligible to bid FTA-assisted transit vehicle contracts. FTA is issuing no TVM eligibility letters for FY2026 and points buyers to that list (FTA Office of Civil Rights to HLE, Feb 4, 2026). HLE is a TVM, not a certified DBE. | On the FTA list of eligible TVMs (no FY2026 letters issued) |
| DBE Liaison Officer | Creasy McKinzie. Reach her through the main line, 574-343-2150. | Named in the bid package |
| ISO 9001 | ISO 9001 certification in progress. | Certificate after the audit |
| Warranty | HLE specialty proposals quote 3 years / 36,000 miles on the conversion, 5 years / 100,000 miles on the structure, 7 years on the subfloor; other equipment carries its manufacturer's warranty; nothing prorates; replacement parts available at least 2 years past the warranty. | Written warranty with the proposal |
| Cooperative purchasing (Sourcewell) | HLE is an authorized upfit partner of Olathe Fleet (Olathe Ford Sales, Inc.) under Sourcewell contracts 032824-OLA and 081325-OLA. Olathe Fleet's letter of October 15, 2026 confirms HLE is eligible to perform body modification and upfitting under those contracts without additional competitive bidding; eligible members are government agencies, educational institutions and nonprofits. HLE coordinates the purchase order with Olathe Fleet and submits a quote that references the Sourcewell contract; HLE builds the unit. Ask for the Sourcewell route with your proposal. | Olathe Fleet partnership letter (PDF, Oct 15, 2026) |
| References | References on request: Acadia Healthcare; Western Region Homeland Security Advisory Council, Greenfield, MA; Wisconsin Air National Guard; South Bend Medical Foundation. | Contacts supplied on request |
What Altoona testing covers, and when a purchase requires it: Altoona testing explained. The W-9, Buy America certificate, FTA TVM eligibility and Indiana certificates are listed in the vendor packet; the warranty terms are on warranty.
Registration
The numbers a vendor form asks for
High Level Enterprises, Inc., 1060 E Waterford Street, Wakarusa, IN 46573. Active in SAM.gov.
| SAM.gov UEI | YD71T9U731B1 |
|---|---|
| CAGE | 9ANW5 |
| DUNS | 118440657 |
| NAICS | 336211 (primary); 323111, 336111, 336112, 336120, 336212, 336213, 336214 |
| Indiana manufacturer license | 2248559 |
Bid package
A bid package written to your format
Send the solicitation or describe the vehicle. You get the drawing, the spec written to your format with material grades named, the price with equipment itemized, the compliance statements and the vendor packet, with the dates the solicitation sets.
Request a proposal
Tell us the vehicle. We tell you what it costs and what to attach.
Pick a plan or describe the program. Say whether you need a price, a bid package, a grant kit or a formal proposal. A person at HLE reads every request; nothing goes to a queue.
Or call 574-343-2150, 7:30 to 4:30 Eastern, and ask for Tabatha.