VLB SOLUTIONS - Key Persons
James leads our procurement support practice. Prior to 2007, he acquired his procurement craft working for New Jersey Transit's Procurement and Contract Administration Department from 1986 through 2001. He was the Chief Contracting Officer for the San Joaquin Regional Transit District in Stockton, California, and the Charlotte Area Transit System, Charlotte North Carolina. He acquired his procurement knowledge working for New Jersey Transit's Procurement and Contract Administration Department from 1986 through 2001. In 2007, he started PCSS (Procurement and Contract Services Solutions, LLC), a DBE/SBE Certified firm to provide professional procurement and contracting support services to US Transit Properties. PCSS partnered with VLB Solutions on many projects previously. Through his career, He has overseen/ conducted/managed procurements valued at over 2 billion dollars in transit projects which Include:
Three light rail system start- ups.
Two Design, Build, Operate, and Maintain (DBOM) projects, Two Design Build facility projects.
Transit bus and Light Rail Vehicle purchases.
Replica trolley purchases and refurbishments.
Materials management system implementation.
AVL/APC/Scheduling program purchases.
Smart Card based electronic fare collection procurement.
He has consulted on procurement procedures and business processes for entities such as SEPTA, MTA of Harris County, TX the Oregon Forestry Department, City of Charlotte Engineering Department, the Washington DC Sewer Authority and Dallas area rapid transit (DART).
Sherif has over 23 years of experience in Rolling Stock and Rail services providing project management, procurement, proposal development and evaluations, Quality System, engineering design of commuter and rapid transit vehicles. He developed procurement strategies and contracts for rolling stock equipment. Mr. Bastawros is a registered professional engineer in NY state. His work encompassed technical matters pertaining to design and proper functioning of rolling stock equipment including quality assurance and control, supplier evaluations, structural design and restoration, mechanical systems and subsystems, HVAC, internal combustion engine drives, power train arrangements, systems integration, testing, inspection, analysis, and evaluation of data and equipment in compliance with standards, procedures, and safety regulations. He has also focused on the design of compliant locomotives, switchers, commuter, rapid transit, light rail vehicles, and specialty equipment - utilizing his familiarity with Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Association of American Railroads (AAR), and American Public Transportation Association (APTA) regulations.