Roller Tech at Virginia Tech

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD A SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) intends to award a Sole Source contract to Virginia Tech University (VT), for "Experimental Evaluation of Effect of Surface Finish and Wheel/rail Profile and their influence on Risk of Derailment." This research and development effort is a continuation of the work that began under Grant Agreement Number FR-RRD-0018-10-01-01. Under this agreement and subsequent amendment FR-RRD-0018-10-01-05, VT performed feasibility studies, designed the rig, selected the components for the test rig, completed rolling rig design, conducted detailed design and fabrication studies, and built and installed the rig in the lab and tested the acceptance testing of the rig. The proposed contract action, for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source, is under the authority of FAR 6.302-1 and 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1). This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals; however, interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement. Interested parties with the capability of meeting the proposed requirements are requested to provide an email to the FRA point of contact, Angeline Behrend at Angeline.Behrend@dot.gov no later than 1:00 p.m. ET, Thursday, August 10, 2017, expressing interest and outlining their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed effort on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government.