City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: October 14, 2025
Agenda Item: 4.F
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Anuj Gupta, Director of Transportation, Department of Transportation, Transit Planning & Performance
Subject: Award RFP #436 for Bus Stop Real-Time Signs to Papercast North America Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt findings of categorical exemptions pursuant to Section 15301, Section 15302, Section 15303, and Section 15311 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines
2. Award RFP# 436 to Papercast North America, a Florida-based company, for the manufacture and installation of bus stop real-time information digital signs and lighting units
3. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with Papercast North America, in an amount not to exceed $1,333,550 (including a $66,677 contingency) for five (5) years for a total amount not to exceed $1,400,227 over a five-year period, with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval.
4. Authorize budget amendment as outlined in the Financial Impacts & Budget Actions section of this report (requires 5 votes).
Executive Summary
Big Blue Bus (BBB), a division of the Santa Monica Department of Transportation (DOT), operates 194 transit buses across 58 square miles of greater Los Angeles, providing more than 800,000 rides each month.
DOT continues to advance ways to improve the customer experience at BBB stops.
Accordingly, staff recommends the purchase and installation of new real-time information digital signs which provide estimated time of arrivals (ETAs) for buses, both 2 of 6
to replace some of the existing real-time information signs currently in operation as they have reached the end of their useful life, and to expand the number of stops that have real-time information signs.
The proposed units for installation include security lighting for improved safety and visibility at stops. Pending Council approval, the new real-time information digital signs will be fully installed by end of 2026. After the new digital signs are installed, real-time information signs will be located at approximately 275 Big Blue Bus stops, representing 70% of daily boardings.
To facilitate the capital improvement project, staff is seeking Council authority to appropriate an additional $205,337 of Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funds towards this project, in order to establish a total five-year contract with Papercast North America in the amount of $1,400,227.
Discussion
In 2024, Big Blue Bus launched the Better Blue Bus Stops program to plan for and coordinate the improvement of its bus stops. BBB has over 930 stops in its service area, each having unique needs and opportunities for improvement. Through customer feedback and community engagement, staff found that the most requested bus stop improvement by customers was new or improved real-time information signs. Real-time signs improve customer experience by providing accurate bus estimated time of arrival information for current and new customers.
In 2018, BBB procured 200 real-time information signs manufactured by Waysine.
These solar-powered, LED signs were installed throughout the BBB service area, typically on top of metal bus stop poles; with a handful of units being installed directly into the blue information kiosk found in Santa Monica. The units generally have a fiveto-seven-year life expectancy. Currently some of the units in the field are nonoperational due to battery issues, missing solar parts, vandalism, or simply old age.
This procurement will replace some of these units and expand the number of stops with real-time information signs. The new units also reflect an overall enhancement to the 3 of 6
real-time information sign experience due to their e-paper design and original messaging capabilities.
Real-time information signs are a type of bus stop amenity and are allocated based on boardings as established by Big Blue Bus’s Transit Service Guidelines. The table below provides a guide on what amenities (i.e., seating, shade, etc.) should be provided at a stop based on their classification.
Average Daily Boardings Bus Stop
Classification Amenities Provided
ALL STOPS All stops Printed public information kiosk plus adequate lighting
20 OR MORE BOARDINGS Low volume Above plus seating
50 OR MORE BOARDINGS Medium volume Above plus shelter or shade 100 OR MORE BOARDINGS High volume Above plus real-time signage. Waste receptacles (optional).
750 OR MORE BOARDINGS Very high volume Above plus multiple shelters or extra-large shelter.
Vendor/Consultant Selection
On May 6, 2025, the City issued RFP #436 Bus Stop Real-Time Signs. Vendors were asked to provide proposals based on orders of either 100 or 125 real-time information units comprised of either LED, LCD, or E-Paper displays. Vendors were also asked to include solar lighting as an add-on feature. Responses to the RFP were reviewed by an evaluation committee made up of staff members from the Transit Planning and Performance, Finance and Administrative Services, and Community Engagement and Customer Experience divisions. Best and final offers were requested of GMV, Papercast, and Urban Solar.
Environmental Review
The installation of real-time information signs is categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15301, Section 15302, Section 15303, and Section 15311 of the CEQA Guidelines. Section 15301 exempts (Class 1 Existing Facilities) projects from CEQA, which include the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of existing or 4 of 6
former use. Section 15302 exempts (Class 2 Replacement or Reconstruction) the replacement or reconstruction of existing structures and facilities where the new structure will be located on the same site as the structure replaced and will have substantially the same purpose and capacity as the structure replaced. Section 15303 (Class 3 - New Construction of Small Structures) exempts construction and location of limited numbers of new, small facilities or structures including utility extensions and accessory structures/facilities. Section 15311 (Class 11 – Accessory Structures) exempts construction, or placement of minor structures accessory to (appurtenant to) existing commercial, industrial, or institutional facilities, such as SCE utility facilities. The project would both replace some of the existing real-time information signs currently in operation as they have reached the end of their useful life, and would install new realtime information signs at existing stops that would be small and accessory to the bus stops. Therefore, the project is exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15301, Section 15302, Section 15303, and Section 15311 of the CEQA Guidelines.
Bidder Recommendation
Best Bidder Papercast
Evaluation Criteria Product Design; Stability/References; Ability to Meet Work Plan; Technical Competence; Cost; Presentation
Municipal Code SMMC 2.24.190
Submittals Received
GMV $1,503,125 Papercast $1,333,550
Tranzito $1,131,250 Urban Solar $1,469,375
Bid Data
Date
Posted Posted On
Advertise In
(City Charter & SMMC)
Vendors
Downloaded
Date Publicly
Opened
05/06/2025 City's
Online
Bidding Site
Santa Monica Daily Press 7 06/17/2025
Best Bidder Justification
Based on the evaluation criteria, staff recommend awarding the bid to Papercast as the best qualified firm. Papercast was selected due to positive references regarding their product and service, display attractiveness, and customer-friendly interface. The other vendors did not score as well in the evaluation criteria with respect to technical 5 of 6
competence/quality, product design, and ability to meet work plan.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to appropriate $205,337 of Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funds and approve the use of this funding from the Big Blue Bus fund to award a fiveyear contract with Papercast North America to purchase, install, and maintain real-time information signs and bus stop lighting.
FY 2025-26 CIP Budget Amendment
Additional Funds to be Appropriated
CIP Account # Amount
C6008660.689000 $205,337
Contract Request
FY 2025-06 Request
Amount CIP Account # Total Contract Amount
$1,400,277 C6008660.689000 $1,400,227
Future year funding is contingent on Council budget approval.
Prepared By: Joseph Santiago, Transit Planner
Approved Forwarded to Council
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Attachments:
A. OAKS_INITIATIVE_FORM - Papercast North America - 8-22-2025 B. FY25-26_Living_Wage_Certification_Fillable_6-3-25_-_SIGNED C. Levine_Act_Disclosure_Form_-_PAPERCAST_NORTH_AMERICA_-_SIGNED D. ADD TO: Revised Levine Form_PaperCast North America