SSJ_V2_Redacted.pdf

V220T.12 (01/15)

Procurement Request No. V3222010

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY

VOLPE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS CENTER (VOLPE CENTER)

Organizational Performance Division (V322)

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

A. Description of Supplies/Services.

The Volpe Center in support of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has been tasked with assiting in the development of the Geographical Information System (GIS)-based North American Rail Network (NARN). Part of this task includes better representing short line railroads in the NARN. To accomplish this, the Volpe Center needs to engage short line rail community representatives to assist in developing partnerships with the short line railroads.

The Volpe Center requires contractor expertise and knowledge of the shortline railroad community in the area of forming partnerships with this community and in teaching short line railroads the use and benefits of GIS to improve safety and operating efficiency. For this effort, the contractor shall develop a listing of benefits available to short line railroads partnering with FRA, including use of the NARN. The contractor shall also assit Volpe Center in the development and recommendation of industry outreach efforts, begin a listing of points of contact at short line railroads, and make recommendations for a long-term plan that supports continued engagement.

B. Market Research.

The Volpe Center does not have ready access to short line railroad expertise and/or partnership experience and therefore needs to acquire these services. Market research conducted by the Volpe Center technical initiator among contacts in Government, Industry and academia found that Global Information Systems, LLC (GISLLC) has several years of experience and expertise in engaging with short line and regional railroads in the use of GIS. The Volpe Center and FRA project sponsor met in July 2019 and discussed the market research performed to find the expertise necessary to staff this project: The Volpe technical initiator and the sponsor reviewed the market research results, including an analysis of GISLLC and the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA), and concurred that GISLLC is the only resource available to leverage its knowledge and experience with the short line railroad community. In fact, during the market research, communications with the ASLRRA Technology Committee identified GISLLC as the only source with the short line railroad data and expertise to perform this work. GISLLC is a small business that does not have a GSA or SEWP contract and can only be contracted through open market.

C. Supporting Rationale.

(1) Sole Source: Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

(i) No other organization besides GISLLC is known to have the required experience in engaging short line railroads in the use of GIS and federal compliance standards.

(ii) No other organization besides GISLLC is known to have the required data on short line railroads, including network and tonnage information and contact information.

(iii) GISLLC personnel were instrumental in creating the first short line railroad GIS User Group which was approved by the ASLRRA Technology committee. GISLLC is the only firm that has led two successful GIS User Group educational workshops.

(iv) Not contracting with the GISLLC to perform the tasks described in the statement of work would cost the Volpe Center, FRA, and the short line railroad community the opportunity to readily develop partnerships based on GISLLC and the short line railroad community’s current ties. The Volpe Center risks the following consequences if GISLLC is not contracted to perform the work described in the SOW:

Without the experience and expertise of GISLLC, the Volpe Center would need to start from scratch with trying to develop preliminary partnerships with the short line railroad communities; and Having the Volpe Center or another contractor undertake the task would cost approximately $150,000 and delay the project by one year.

(2) Brand Name: N/A.

(3) Unusual and Compelling Urgency: N/A.

V220T.12 (01/15)