R -- Automated Track Inspection Program (ATIP) Support Services

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has a requirement for contracted services supporting the Automated Track Inspection Program (ATIP) involving operation, preventive and remedial maintenance, track data analysis and management, hardware and software track inspection devices, other associated equipment, and supporting services for FRA's fleet of track geometry cars. The car fleet includes the following: DOTX 217 is a state-of-the-art rail bound, high-speed, self-propelled geometry car that began regulatory inspection service in February 2001. DOTX 219 and DOTX 220 are new FRA geometry cars expected to be ready for regulatory service early in 2007. ATIP may also utilize FRA's Research and Development cars (DOTX 216 and DOTX 218) to conduct regulatory inspections and other program requirements. Since 1974, the national deployment of FRA's ATIP track geometry inspection cars has been an important element in FRA's oversight role in American railroad safety compliance programs. The broad purpose of ATIP is to minimize the risk of a train accident, potentially including a catastrophic hazardous material incident by accurately collecting and disseminating track geometry information and intelligence to FRA and respective railroads. The data collected by the ATIP cars provides supplemental assistance to all railroad Inspectors through advance detection of potential accident-causing hazards by identifying noncompliant and unsafe track geometry locations and conditions needing evaluation and remediation. FRA also anticipates potential need for ATIP to support requests from other U.S. Government agencies for track inspections. These may include, but are not necessarily limited to, Department of Energy track inspections prior to nuclear fuel shipping and Department of Defense STRACNET route surveys, and the Department of State. The requirement includes contractor services in three areas of responsibility. These three areas of responsibility have been identified as A, B, and C corresponding to their respective North American Industrial Classification System codes. In order to optimize competition and exposure to potentially interested vendors for the inter-related areas of responsibility, FRA has synopsized the whole requirement using three distinct solicitation numbers with separate NAICS codes because of the limitation of one NAICS code in www.fedbizopps.gov for each numbered solicitation. The actual RFP solicitation will be issued for all three areas combined using one number, DTFR53-06-R-00009. The three areas of responsibility are as follows: (A) Operations and maintenance of FRA's geometry car fleet, including all labor, equipment, materials, and transportation necessary to operate and maintain the government-owned geometry cars safely and efficiently, accurately record track geometry data, perform corrective and preventative maintenance work, and make the necessary adjustments required to keep the cars and ATIP geometry equipment and instrumentation functioning properly (NAICS Code 541330); (B) Maintain an integrated, centralized, and comprehensive ATIP track data analysis and database management system to manage, store, and provide access for all concerned users (Government and railroads) to all essential information extracted from historical and contemporary ATIP track inspections for the purpose scheduling track maintenance activities and future inspections (NAICS Code 518210); and (C) Maintain the hardware and software applications (i.e., Digital Track Notebook, GeoEdit, eBAR, Chordinator) used by track Inspectors to enter information found during manual and ATIP geometry car inspections that can be uploaded into FRA's consolidated safety databases (NAICS Code 54151). The estimated overall dollar value for this requirement is in the range of $60-80 million over a period of five years. There will NOT be an "all or none" restriction for offers in response to the Request for Proposals. Offerors may propose on one, two, or all three areas of responsibility for this requirement. It is anticipated that one or more performance-based, Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) service contract(s), including cost-plus-fixed-fee and/or fixed price type contracts, may be awarded to address the three areas of responsibility mentioned above. The anticipated contract(s) will have a base period of one year and four additional one-year option periods. Individual task orders will be issued under the contract(s) to address specific program requirements, as they are identified and funded. The Request for Proposals will be issued through electronic media available for downloading via the Internet at http://fedbizopps.gov. NO PAPER COPIES OF THE SOLICITATION WILL BE AVAILABLE. Prospective offerors shall be responsible for monitoring the Internet site for the release of the solicitation and should register themselves to receive automatic electronic notification of amendments thereto (if any), including responses to any questions submitted in accordance with the solicitation provisions. The Request for Proposals will be an unrestricted solicitation, and all responsible sources may submit an offer. It is anticipated that the solicitation will utilize written proposals in combination with oral presentations. Tentative procurement milestones for this requirement are: (1) Issuance of RFP on or about OCT 5, 2006; (2) Proposals due on or about NOV 17, 2006; (3) Oral presentations during the week of DEC 11-15, 2006; (4) Initiation of negotiations on or about JAN 12, 2007; and, (5) Contract award on or about JAN 26, 2007. These tentative milestones are provided for planning purposes. While subject to potential slight variations, the time schedule required to meet the contemplated award date mandates that requests for time extensions for written proposals and/or oral presentations may not be honored.