V3351185_Shuttlewagon_SSJA.final.pdf

Procurement Request (PR) #V3351185

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY

VOLPE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS CENTER (VOLPE CENTER)

Infrastructure Engineering and Deployment Division V-335

SOLE-SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

PART I - TECHNICAL SUPPORTING DATA

Recommend that negotiations be conducted with Nordco Rail Services & Inspection Technologies Incorporated (Nordco), 241 Ethan Allen Highway, Ridgefield, CT on a noncompetitive basis for award of a contract in an amount of $xxxxx. The supporting data for this recommendation are as follows:

A. Description of Supplies/Services

This acquisition is for the procurement and delivery of two Nordco model NVX8040-T4

Shuttlewagon diesel engine mobile railway car spotters. This is a commercial item procurement.

B. Market Research

Market research for this procurement was conducted using a four-step approach to assist with identifying registered businesses that offer mobile railway car spotters meeting the specifications required for this equipment. Market research efforts included using the Dynamic Small Business Search engine through the Small Business Administration (SBA) site, http://dsbs.sba.gov.

The first step in the process utilized the dynamic SBA search site specifying North American

Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 336510 (railroad rolling stock manufacturing, including locomotives) as the search criteria to identify registered small businesses. The results of this step identified Nordco as the only small business capable of providing the required equipment.

The second step in the market research efforts increased the search criteria by using “railway car” as search criteria in the SBA site and expanded the search by not limiting it to the SBA’s requirements. This step did not identify any additional businesses capable of providing the equipment required in this procurement.

Step three expanded the search using search terms “railway car spotter,”, “Shuttlewagon,” and

“railway car mover” within the SBA site. This search identified no additional businesses offering the equipment specified.

The final step utilized the same search criteria in the third step, but the search was not limited to the SBA site. Using the internet, six vendors were identified that may offer a product capable of meeting the Government’s needs. They are:

http://dsbs.sba.gov/

• Trackmobile

• Rail King

• Voss Equipment

• MH Equipment

• Briggs Equipment

• Nordco

Upon further investigation and research into the six identified vendors and the products offered, only one was found to have a product capable of meeting the Government’s needs. Nordco manufactures and distributes the Shuttlewagon brand car spotter that meets the Government’s requirements. Nordco is a registered small business in NAICS 33650.

C. Background

The US Naval Support Activity (NAVSUP WSS N009) is the only storage facility for Naval nuclear propulsion plant components weighing over 5,000 pounds. Specific components can be transported only by rail, requiring the use of a locomotive or railway car spotter to move these components within the confines of the Naval Support Activity Mechanicsburg.

NAVSUP WSS Code N009's current locomotives were built in 1950 and last refurbished in 1986. Repairs and preventative maintenance have become extremely costly, and repair part sustainability is a major concern. During the majority of the past 9 months, only one locomotive has been operational. The condition of the locomotives is rapidly approaching the point where they can no longer be considered reliable assets for the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, and the locomotives put the program at risk of not being able to perform its mission.

This acquisition is not a continuation of a previous effort performed by the proposed contractor.

The result of the market research pointed out that the Shuttlewagon model NVX8040-T4 diesel engine mobile railway car spotter manufactured and distributed by Nordco is the only railcar spotter vehicle in the size required and manufactured in the United States that utilizes rubber tire traction on the railroad tracks while performing railcar spotting operations. In addition, it does not utilize weight transfer couplers that necessitate operation of the spotter vehicle between railway cars as opposed to being on the end of a string of cars due to weight distribution and tractive effort issues.

D. Circumstances Requiring the Use of Other Than Full and Open Competition

Railcar spotting operations require the following:

1. While operating on rail over curves, the car spotter’s couplers must move freely side to side due to the rail curvature and sensitivity of the car loads. The non-weight transfer coupling of the Shuttlewagon NVX8040-T4 allows the couplers to slide freely while negotiating curves. A coupler not capable of sliding freely side to side (such as with the weight transfer models) increases coupler component stresses and increases the risk of derailment and other failures while negotiating curves where this equipment will be operated.

2. The Government’s need is to have a car spotter that must couple to the ends of the railcar and not between cars when spotting the railcars into and out of the loading areas.

The Shuttlewagon NVX8040-T4 offers maximum tractive effort in this configuration.

Similarly sized car spotters that utilize coupler weight transfer achieve maximum tractive effort when railcars are coupled to both sides of the car spotter. Utilizing weight transfer models would decrease operational efficiency and require additional planning for the end-user.

Nordco, a registered small business, manufactures mobile railway car spotters that do not utilize coupler weight transfer to achieve the desired tractive effort.

The Shuttlewagon series car spotter manufactured by Nordco has been in production since 1972.

The Shuttlewagon is used in many industries, including chemical, agricultural, intermodal, port authorities, transit systems, and railcar switching yards. The Shuttlewagon is the only US-manufactured railcar mover that utilizes rubber tire traction for on-rail and on-road use and does not utilize weight transfer couplers to achieve the desired draw bar pull force. Rubber tire drive on rail and road environment is necessary to keep the vehicle’s performance characteristics such as speed, acceleration, and vehicle braking equivalent in both rail and road modes to provide operator/vehicle interaction familiarity when setting up and pulling/towing highly sensitive and potentially hazardous loads on both operating environments. Steel wheel drive car spotters utilize the rubber tire drive mechanics to turn the steel rail wheels when in rail mode. This friction coupling introduces a differential between the rubber tires and the steel wheels, changing the vehicle’s dynamic characteristics between operating modes that increase vehicle control risks.

The Shuttlewagon NVX8040-T4 offers 60,000 pounds force of draw bar pull without coupler weight transfer. This is the required range of tractive effort that allows for end-of-train moving operations, the most efficient operations performed by NAVSUPWSS Code N009.

Competition for the Shuttlewagon NVX8040-T4 is precluded because Nordco owns the rights to this technology via numerous patents and is the only manufacturer and distributor of the product. Nordco offers this equipment commercially and off the shelf.

E. Steps to Foster Competition (or Consideration)

This is a one-time only procurement, and no subsequent Shuttlewagon NVX8040-T4 purchase needs are known or anticipated.

F. TECHNICAL OFFICE CERTIFICATION:

The requirement set forth is initiated to satisfy a recognized Government need. As applicable, the plans, drawings, specifications, and statement of work are limited to state the minimum needs of the Government. I certify that the above information which serves as the basis for the justification for other than Full and Open competition is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Redacted Chris Murray Date Technical Initiator

Concurred By:

Redacted Luisa Paiewonsky Date Director, Infrastructure Systems & Technology

PART II – CONTRACTS SUPPORTING DATA

A. Description of the Procurement Action

This procurement for a commercial item will be executed in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Part 13.5 SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES FOR CERTAIN COMMERCIAL ITEMS. The result of this procurement will be a new Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) commercial purchase order.

B. Authority

FAR 13.5 authority for this acquisition is provided by 10 United States Code (USC) 2304G and 2305, and 41 USC 3305, 3306, and chapter 37, Awarding of Contracts.

Sole source authority for this acquisition is provided by FAR 13.501(2)(ii) and FAR 6.502(b) regarding competition advocacy.

C. Efforts to Obtain Competition

Based on the facts described in this justification, competition for the Government’s car spotter needs is not available due to the restrictive requirements associated with tractive effort and end-of-car coupling requirements. However, in accordance with FAR Subpart 5.203, a notice of this contract action and the Government’s intention to award as a sole source will be published in the Government Point of Entry, Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOps), at www.fbo.gov.

Any information submitted in response to this Notice of Contract Action from businesses asserting to have the product/capability to meet the needs described herein will be reviewed by the Government. Should the Government determine there are two or more responsible http://www.fbo.gov/ contractors able to provide a Shuttlewagon NVX8040-T4 or equal product meeting the Government’s needs, this sole source will be cancelled; and a competitive acquisition will be pursued. Due to the commercial nature of this procurement, responses to this sole source notice will be due within 7 calendar days of publication in FedBizOps as permitted by FAR Subpart 5.203(a).

D. Fair and Reasonable Cost

The signature of the Contracting Officer (CO) provided below represents a determination that prior to the award of a contract for this requirement, a price analysis will be conducted utilizing various measures such as market and/or historical price comparisons, Government cost estimates, etc., to assure the price to the Government is fair and reasonable. Further, should the CO not be able to locate enough external sources to determine fair and reasonable pricing, the CO may require Nordco to submit information other than cost or pricing data in accordance with FAR Subpart 15.403-3(c). As the Shuttlewagon NVX8040-T4 is a commercial item, data to assist in the Government’s price analysis and comparison with other same or similar purchases should be readily available.

E. CONTRACTING OFFICER CERTIFICATION:

I certify that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Redacted Date Rachelle Faiteau Contracting Officer, V-222

PART III - REVIEW AND APPROVAL SIGNATURES

REVIEWED FOR LEGAL Redacted

SUFFICIENCY: __________________________ ______________

Volpe Center Attorney Date Office of Legal Services Redacted

CONCURRED BY: __________________________ _______________

Mary E. Doherty Date Director, Office of Acquisitions Volpe Center

APPROVED: Redacted Susan M. Connor Date Deputy Director for Operations, Volpe Center