22 -- ATIP Industry Day Announcement and RFI

INDUSTRY DAY ANNOUNCEMENT and REQUEST FOR INFORMATION The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is conducting market research that will assist in the development of an acquisition strategy for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of FRA's fleet of Track Geometry cars assigned to FRA's Automated Track Inspection Program (ATIP), as well as two Research and Development (R&D) cars. This Request for Information (RFI) concerns the FRA's plans for a 7-year contract to include the design and construction of two new Government-owned high-speed track geometry cars (T-19 self-propelled, and an option for T-20 towed) deliverable in 2006 and 2007 respectively, followed by the eventual operation and maintenance of FRA's entire fleet of high-speed, railbound, track geometry cars. The fleet currently consists of two cars manufactured by Plasser and a refurbished Metroliner car manufactured by Budd. A general description of the ATIP can be found on the FRA website at http://www.atipsafety.com/real_index.html. FRA is contemplating a solicitation for the acquisition of two new cars (T-19 and T-20) for the ATIP having the following general specifications: T-19 Self-Propelled (1 car consist capable of operating speeds up to 90 mph), Association of American Railroads (AAR) and Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 49 compliant (including Tier I), Track Geometry Measurement System (TGMS), Track Data Management System (TDMS), Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS). T-20 (optional) Towed (1 or 2 car consist capable of operating speeds up to 150 mph), Association of American Railroads (AAR) and Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 49 compliant (including Tier I), Track Geometry Measurement System (TGMS), Track Data Management System (TDMS), Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS). The solicitation may include the follow-on operation and maintenance services for FRA's current ATIP geometry car, designated T-2000 (T-17) about January 2005, and FRA's existing Research and Development (R&D) cars T-16 (track geometry car) and T-18 (Gage Restraint Measurement System car). ENSCO, Inc. of Springfield, Virginia is the current contractor providing operation and maintenance for the FRA's T-2000 and T-16 cars. The current contract requires approximately 32,610 person hours annually on a 13-hour day shift basis. Historically the acquisition cost of FRA's new cars has been approximately $4 million dollars, with the current operation and maintenance costing approximately $3.2 million per car annually. The purpose of this RFI is to request industry comments, expressions of interest, and statements of capabilities applicable to the supply of the two new cars starting in 2004, as well as the continued operation and maintenance of the growing FRA fleet starting in 2005. FRA anticipates a firm-fixed-price contract for the fabrication/supply of the two new cars, with the subsequent operation and maintenance to be performed on a cost-reimbursement basis during a potential total period of performance of seven (7) years including options. Furthermore, FRA will host an Industry Day on Wednesday, December 3, 2003 at FRA's Washington, DC headquarters for interested potential respondents. Industry sources may meet individually in a session of up to 90 minutes with FRA technical representatives and contracting staff for informal, unclassified information exchanges related to the acquisition strategy being planned for the anticipated Request for Proposal to be issued at a later date. To register for the Industry Day participation and schedule your discussion session, please e-mail Mr. Robert Carpenter at contact@example.gov. Interested parties must provide by e-mail a written, general statement of capabilities, your company name, the names of planned attendees (up to four), and the name, e-mail address and telephone number of your point of contact for this event for which your participation must be confirmed in advance no later than Wednesday, November 19, 2003. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation. The Government does not intend to pay for travel costs or any information received in response to this RFI.