RailExodus Model Software

Passenger Rail Car Evacuation Modeling (was the title of the last Announcement) Part X U.S. Government Procurements Classification Code R - Professional, Administrative and Management Support Services Office Address: DOT/RITA/VOLPE National Transportation Systems Center, 55 Broadway, Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA 02142 Solicitation No. DTRT57-10-R-20040 Response Date: 25 August 2010 Point of Contact Roland Regan Contracting Officer (617) 494-3185 The Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center) plans to procure on a sole source basis from the University of Greenwich, Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, London, UK, professional research services related to an evacuation computer model software that can be used to predict the time periods necessary for occupants to safely evacuate from passenger rail cars to a point of safety during emergency conditions. The University of Greenwich previously developed a Prototype railExodus model (Prototype Software), which is the only model that incorporates occupant characteristics and behavior of individual railroad passengers, as well as individual decision-making affecting real time evacuations. This proprietary software package is tailored from the existing Exodus suite of software, based on computer-modeling capability for emergency evacuation from buildings, aircraft and ships. This effort will require the Contractor to conduct research that includes human behavior, evacuation and crowd characteristics, as it relates to passenger rail cars. The contractor will be required to analyze Volpe Center-generated passenger rail car occupant egress data and modify the Prototype Software for passenger emergency egress behavior data, using the railExodus software program, This procurement will be conducted under Negotiation procedures in accordance with FAR Part 15. Small business firms classified under NAICS Code 541990, Business Size Standard $6M, that are interested in proposing on this requirement must respond in writing no later than fifteen (15) days from the date of this publication that they legally possess the rights to the proprietary Exodus software model. This proposed action is for professional services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority cited under FAR Part 6.302-1. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed requirement is based upon the rationale cited under FAR Part 6.302-1 when responses received to this notice would normally be considered, solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. The RFP issuance will be on or about September 2, 2010. THIS NOTICE OF INTENT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS. Interested small business firms will be required to submit a written capability statement providing clear and convincing evidence of the firm's capability to provide the required services. Written capability statements must be submitted within fifteen (15) calendar days from the date of publication of this synopsis. Responses received after fifteen (15) calendar days or without the required documentation (written license to the proprietary rights in the Exodus software model) will be considered non-responsive and will not be considered. Such documentation will be utilized solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. The Government will not pay for any documentation provided in response to this synopsis and documentation received will not be returned to the sender. A determination by the Government not to compete this requirement on a full and open competitive basis, based upon responses received to the synopsis, is solely within the discretion of the Government. All responses to this Notice, including Statements of Capabilities, must be in writing, and may be transmitted by either postal or electronic mail. All responses must be sent to Roland Regan, Contracting Officer, United States Department of Transportation, Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, 55 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02142-1093. Facsimile: (617)494-3024; email: roland.regan@dot.gov. Telephone calls will not be accepted. NOTE: All contractors must be registered in Central Contractor Registration (CCR) in order to receive award from a DOT Agency. Contractors may access the site at http://www.ccr.gov to register and/or obtain information about the registration process. All potential offerors are highly encouraged to complete the on-line provisions within the Representations and Certifications at https://orca.bpn.gov. The following notice is provided for informational purposes for Minority, Women-Owned and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises. The Department of Transportation (DOT), Short-Term Lending Program (STLP) offers working capital financing in the form of lines of credit to finance accounts receivable for transportation related contracts. Maximum line of credit is $750,000 with interest at the prime rate, as published daily in the Wall Street Journal, plus 1.75 percent. For further information, call DOT Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization at (800)532-1169 or visit their website http://osdbuweb.dot.gov.