6913G620Q300042 Amendment No 0001.pdf

(x)

6913G620Q300042 x x

1 copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted ; or (c) By separate letter or electronic communication which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO BE

RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR

OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted , such change may be made by letter or electronic communication, provided each letter or electronic communication makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

x

6913G6

Cambridge MA 02142-1001 55 Broadway

VOLPE NAT'L TRANSPORTATION SYS CNTR

04/17/20200001

13. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO MODIFICATION OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS. IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA (If required) is not extended.is extended, Items 8 and 15, and returning

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended , by one of the following methods: (a) By completing

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

FACILITY CODE CODE

10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 13)

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NO.

9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NO.

CODE

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (No., street, county, State and ZIP Code)

7. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 6)CODE 6. ISSUED BY

PAGE OF PAGES

4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NO.3. EFFECTIVE DATE2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NO. 5. PROJECT NO. (If applicable)

1. CONTRACT ID CODE

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT

04/17/2020

CHECK ONE A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES (such as changes in paying office, C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER (Specify type of modification and authority) appropriation data, etc.) SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

E. IMPORTANT: Contractor is not is required to sign this document and return __________________ copies to the issuing office.

ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

Please see continuation sheet for amendment details.

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print)

15C. DATE SIGNED 16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR 16C. DATE SIGNED

(Signature of person authorized to sign) (Signature of Contracting Officer)

STANDARD FORM 30 (REV. 11/2016)

Prescribed by GSA FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

Previous edition unusable

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9 A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect .

Request for Quote No. 6913G620Q300042 Amendment No. 0001

General Purpose Flatcars

1. Amendment no. 0001 is hereby issued to respond to questions received in response to Solicitation No. 6913G620Q300042, incorporate attachment no. 1 to Part III and to extend the proposal date.

2. Responses to Offeror’s questions are as follows:

a. Question: Pg. 8-Item #'s 2.l.6 and pg. 9-2.2.9-T&G wood deck boards- what is spec.'d is typically used in box cars. Flat cars use mixed hardwood, rough cut, grade 2, and not tongue and groove as flat cars are exposed to elements, the t&g traps water and accelerates rot.

Can we substitute 6"w x 2.5"t" x l0'L mixed hard wood? 12" wide yellow pine will be extremely hard to find. Also not T&G.

Response: Yes, mixed hardwood, 6”W x 2.5”T x 10’L is acceptable. Tongue and groove boards shall not be used.

The statement of work, paragraph 2.2(11) has been amended to read: Deck floor boards shall be bolted to the underframe and, in combination with the side sills, shall extend the full width of the flatcar. The deck floor boards shall be oriented perpendicular to the length of the flatcar. The deck floor boards shall not be of tongue-and-groove style. The deck floor boards shall not overhang the side sills and no portion of the flatcar shall extend above the deck surface.

b. Question: Pg. 8-Item #2.1 .5- deck height- 44" with 3" deck boards typically wood be around 45"-46". Pg. 10- Item #3.1.5 same deck height as wood deck- despite at least 2.5" difference.

It can be done, but extra costs to build up height. Typical flat cars have the variance in deck heights between wood and steel plate. Please confirm criticality of deck height and tolerance.

Response: The height of the 40’ steel deck car is critical and must be 44” as specified in the SOW. The height of the 50’ wood deck cars may be up to 47” to allow for hardwood installation on top of the steel structure. All wood deck cars must have the same deck height.

c. Question: Pg.11- trucks- 4.1.6 please clarify lubrication, which is a separate item from the horizontal liner. Do you want a non- metallic horizontal liner?

Response: Yes, non-metallic horizontal liner is required.

d. Question: Pg. 12 4.3.1-2. Is contractor supplying the securement system? OTL Rule 14 covers the attachments of various systems.

Response: The securement system referred to is the system fixed to the flatcar only.

General Purpose Flatcars

e. Question: Pg. 12- 4.4.4 draft gears- the only articulated connectors we are aware of share a common truck, and would not be applicable considering all the other requirements in spec.

Please clarify.

Response: This part has been removed from section 4.4(4) “Articulated connectors shall be of cast steel incorporating parts to take up slack;”

The statement of work, paragraph 4.4(4) has been amended to read:

“Knuckles shall be of reduced slack design. End-of-car cushioning design shall provide for the compensation of wear on mating parts in order to maintain a slack-free condition.”

f. Question: Pg. 13 Paint- 4.6.1.5 reflective surfaces- is this reflective paint? Or is it reflective sheeting per 49 CFR 224. Note as we would ship by rail we would have to comply with the standard.

Response: Reflective sheeting per 49 CFR 224.

g. Question: 4.6.1.9- "decks made of wood or anti-skid material" does this mean if steel deck is made of "4-way" diamond plate anti-skid paint is not required?

Response: Diamond plate is acceptable. If diamond plate is used, additional anti-skid paint is not required.

h. Question: PG. 14-4.9.1.1 Inspections and tests- "dynamic tests ... to assess track curvature ...

A number of concerns regarding the truck centers and curve requires.

Our preliminary review indicates the truck centers as specified for both car types will not be able to accommodate the 109' radius curve. The AAR standards for curving provide specifics for various cases regarding cars to be coupled, coupler type etc. Without information on the referenced locomotive, and cars which would be coupled, it is difficult to determine what we could provide that would meet the operational requires.

Further, it appears that the "Coupler Extension Links" in Clin 0800 are necessary to make the existing cars, presumably built to the specified dimensions, accommodate the curving requirements. We are at this time unfamiliar with these Coupler Extension Links.

Is it possible to visit the site and see the Extension links, how they are used, the locomotive and cars? Absent that, are there drawings or photos available to us?

Response: Pictures of the existing coupler extension links have been attached to the solicitation. The coupler extension links are used to provide additional articulation between the flat cars around the tight radius curves. These new flat cars will only be coupled to each other, not to existing flat cars. The locomotive used for testing is a GE 80-ton locomotive with sliding couplers.

General Purpose Flatcars

Alternative engineering solutions to accommodate the 109’ radius curve (such as using truck-mounted brakes) will also be considered. However, the offeror must still propose to all CLINs as required by the solicitation.

i. Question: Dynamic testing will require us to reconfigure our RR tracks here in plant. Would you accept theoretical given that the Coupler Extension links are seemingly required.

Response: Dynamic testing will occur at destination as part of the acceptance tests.

j. Question: Finally, pg. 9- 2. Delivery Requires- "contractor to register car in umler."

We cannot enter into the DODX umler account. As we have an ongoing build with DODX, we provide a clone, which is then used by car owner (DODX) to register car. There are certain items we do enter into the Umler- which are component ID numbers, test dates, etc.

Response: a clone car with the appropriate information is acceptable.

k. Question: Further to the questions, I forgot to mention that in order to comply with

FRA/AAR safety appliances there will be Handholds that extend above deck at BL and AR corners.

They would be in same vertical plane as side sill.

Shipping by rail, these will have to be on car, but you could remove once at the yard. That said, it would be unsafe to operate the hand brake while car is in motion at BL corner without the high hand holds.

Response: The flatcars shall comply with FRA/AAR safety regulations if shipped by rail.

Handholds shall be removable and reinstallable on site.

3. The Statement of work has been updated to reflect changes to paragraph 2.2(11) and 4.4(4) per the above cited revisions.

4. Attachment no. 1, titled Coupler photos has been added to Part III of the solicitation.

5. The response due date of this solicitation has been extended from 1:00pm, Monday, May 11th to 1:00pm Monday, May 18th EST.

6. Offeror must acknowledge receipt of this amendment by completing items 8, and 15 and returning one (1) copy of this amendment per block 11 of the SF 30, page 1.

7. All other terms and conditions of this solicitation remains unchanged.