(a) General rule.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, whenever a local, regional or metropolitan transportation authority determines in writing that it is not practicable or advantageous to the authority to enter into a contract for the purchase of mass transportation or railway vehicles through competitive sealed bidding, the authority may utilize the competitive sealed proposal method of procurement in accordance with section 513 (relating to competitive sealed proposals).

(b) Definition.--As used in this section, the term “mass transportation or railway vehicles” includes buses, railcars, locomotives, trolley cars, ferry boats and other vehicles used to provide for the mass transit of people, as well as any replacement parts for the vehicles.