. >> again, deputy city attorney susan cleaveland again through the chair. if we were to approve the contract today, that would be permitted. it would be a question of whether you can use federal funds for a later procurement. >> but why would we spend money to pilot a bus or test a bus that we may not federally precluded from buying later? >> that's my question. >> i think because of the uncertainty that it's very possible that they will not proceed forward with the bus piece of that regulation as it's only in one half of the house -- of the government at this point. >> but that's what conference committees are for, to resolve discrepancies between the houses. given the president's current position, i think that might prevail. >> i do have a question related to that. i know we have a timeline by which we need to order these buses and have them tested out and if you could walk that out so we know what to expect? >> yes. thank you for that question. so it takes about 35 weeks to prepare for and build the bus. our current schedule would have the buses being de