CLIN 00200 TORFP - Boxcars.pdf

TASK ORDER REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (TORFP)

VOLPE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS CENTER

TORFP NO: 6913G626R200002-TO-0002

UNDER MASTER IDIQ CONTRACT: 6913G626D[TBD]

Issue Date: July 16, 2026

Proposal Due Date: July 31, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET

CLIN Reference: CLIN 00200 - 50 Foot Damage Free (DF-Type) Railway Boxcars

Type of Order: Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP)

Period of Performance: One-Year (365 Days) from Date of Task Order Award

Proposal Validity: Proposals must remain valid for a minimum of 120 days from the proposal due date.

Associated Document: Attachment 1 - Statement of Work (SOW) - Boxcars

1. General Information & Scope

The Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, on behalf of the Department of Defense (DOD), is competing an initial Task Order for the manufacture and delivery of twenty-five (25) newly manufactured 50-foot, damage-free (DF-Type) railway boxcars with wood floors and belt rails, with a load capacity of no less than 80 tons.

This requirement is issued under the Fair Opportunity procedures of FAR 16.505 and is competed among Prime Contract holders under the Rail Rolling Stock Modernization & Sustainment (RMS) IDIQ pool who participated in the Phase I advisory down-select process.

2. Task Order CLIN Pricing Structure

Offerors shall provide fixed unit pricing and total pricing for the specific delivery locations they are competing for in accordance with the Task Order CLIN Pricing Schedule located in Section 8 at the end of this document.

2.1 Period of Performance

The Period of Performance for this Task Order shall be one-year (365 days) from the date of task order award, in strict accordance with Section 2.3 of Attachment 1 (SOW). All boxcars must be fully manufactured, tested, and delivered to U.S. Naval Weapons Station Earle within this timeframe.

3. Proposal Submission & Preparation Instructions

Offerors must submit their Task Order proposals concurrently with their Phase II Master IDIQ submissions no later than July 31, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET via email to the Contracting Officer.

3.1 Full Quantity Proposals Required (No Partial Quantities)

• Offerors must propose on the entire fleet quantity of twenty-five (25) newly manufactured 50-foot, damage-free (DF-Type) railway boxcars.

• Partial quantity proposals are strictly unauthorized for this Task Order. Any proposal offering fewer than twenty-five (25) boxcars will be deemed non-compliant and excluded from evaluation.

• Unit prices proposed must reflect the manufacturing economies of scale of the full 25-car production run.

3.2 Volume II: Phase II Technical Proposal (Task Order Integration)

In accordance with Section L.3 of the Master IDIQ RFP, the proposal must be structured around the master evaluation factors and is subject to the strict CLIN-specific page budgets and evaluation ceilings defined in Section L.3 of the parent solicitation. In strict alignment with the parent IDIQ structure, all Phase II technical evaluation factors (Factors 1 through 4) must be compiled and submitted under Volume II. For this specific Task Order requirement, offerors must address the following criteria within their respective Phase II volumes:

• Factor 1: Technical Approach o Boxcar Design & Dimensions: Provide a comprehensive description of the boxcar design demonstrating full compliance with all mechanical specifications, including extreme width, extreme height, 80-ton minimum capacity, and 263,000 lbs gross rail load.

o Dunnage & Interior Linings: Detail the engineering approach for the mechanical dunnage (DF) system, proving it is fully compatible with MIL-STD-1320D and existing crossmember bars currently in use at U.S. Naval Weapons Station Earle.

Address how the 32 horizontal permanently mounted steel rails will accommodate crossmember adjustments in 1-inch increments.

o Flooring Load Rating: Detail the technical specifications of the 2-3/8 inch tongue and groove pine flooring applied by stud welding, proving it meets the minimum load rating of 50,000 lbs per square foot.

o Standards & Quality Compliance: Provide active, third-party documented proof of active AAR M-1003 certification under Activity Code A20 (Manufacturer of Freight Cars) and prove compliance with AAR Standard S-2034 quality system rules.

• Factor 2: Key Personnel o Program Manager: Provide a comprehensive resume (max 2 pages) for the Program

Manager who will oversee the entire manufacturing lifecycle, material procurement, and shipping logistics.

o Quality Manager/Lead QMI: Provide a comprehensive resume (max 2 pages) for the designated Quality Manager/Lead Qualified Mechanical Inspector (QMI) responsible for verifying the water tightness testing, brake piping tests, and AAR Interchange compliance at the manufacturing facility prior to shipment. The resume must demonstrate a minimum of five (5) years of technical experience inspecting and repairing railcars, in accordance with the mandatory qualification standards of parent IDIQ Section C.6.4 and the 2-page resume limit set by Section L.3.

• Factor 3: Management Approach o Production & Delivery Schedule: Provide a realistic master production timeline demonstrating the baseline capability to manufacture, test, and deliver all twenty-five (25) boxcars to the Conrail Interchange receiving yard at U.S. Naval Weapons Station Earle within one-year (365 days) of task order award.

o FOB Destination Logistics: Detail the transportation and routing plan for delivery of the completed fleet by railroad under interchange service.

o Base Access Logistics: Detail operational procedures to ensure all rail delivery crew and on-site inspection personnel clear background checks, comply with the Federal REAL ID Act, and secure base access credentials at NWS Earle without delaying final acceptance.

o Prime Contractor Participation: Address compliance with anti-pass-through controls by proving that the prime contractor is performing core manufacturing, welding, or final assembly functions at their certified facility rather than acting as a broker.

3.3 Volume III: Price Proposal (No Page Limit)

The Price Volume must include the completed pricing table in Section 8, along with a comprehensive basis of estimate (BOE) breaking down labor, materials, shipping/freight to destination (FOB Destination), standard commercial warranty, and the required manuals/documentation package. In strict alignment with Section L.3 of the parent IDIQ, this pricing volume shall be designated as Volume III. All pricing must be submitted as Firm-Fixed- Price (FFP).

4. Basis of Task Order Award & Evaluation (FAR 16.505)

The Government intends to award a single task order to the responsible offeror whose proposal represents the Best Value to the Government, technical factors and price considered.

The technical evaluation of this Task Order will be executed concurrently with the Master IDIQ selection process. Proposals will be evaluated using the master adjectival rating system defined in Section M.2.1 of the IDIQ RFP (Outstanding, Good, Acceptable, Marginal, Unacceptable) based on the following factors:

• Factor 1: Technical Approach. Evaluated for the technical feasibility, engineering depth, and completeness of the boxcar design, dunnage system compatibility, and flooring specifications, alongside verification of active AAR M-1003 Activity Code A20 and Standard S-2034 compliance. No alternative quality frameworks will be considered.

• Factor 2: Key Personnel. Evaluated to determine the competence and experience of the Program Manager and the Quality Manager/Lead QMI, including verification of the Quality Manager/Lead QMI’s 5-year railcar inspection and repair background in accordance with parent IDIQ requirements, ensuring a strong oversight structure for quality control and AAR certification.

• Factor 3: Management Approach. Evaluated for the credibility and realism of the 365-day production timeline, the robustness of the railroad interchange delivery logistics, base access security plans at NWS Earle, and compliance with prime contractor performance limitations versus administrative pass-through charges.

• Factor 4: Past Performance. Evaluated strictly at the Master IDIQ level as part of the concurrent Phase II check. Successful award of a parent Master IDIQ contract satisfies the past performance requirements for this Task Order; therefore, past performance will not be separately scored or traded off under this TORFP.

• Factor 5: Price. Evaluated for completeness, balance, and reasonableness based on the total proposed price for all twenty-five (25) boxcars.

Relative Importance of Factors: In strict alignment with Section M of the Master IDIQ RFP, Factor 1 is more important than Factor 2; Factor 2 is more important than Factor 3; Factor 3 is more important than Factor 4. When all non-price factors (Factors 1 through 4) are combined, they are significantly more important than Factor 5 (Price).

5. Task Order Contract Administration & Rules

5.1 Contract Administration Contacts

• Task Order Contracting Officer (TOCO): Patricia Barnett, patricia.barnett@dot.gov

• Task Order Contracting Officer's Representative (TOCOR): John Wojtowicz, john.wojtowicz@dot.gov

5.2 Technical Direction Boundaries

Performance of the work hereunder shall be under the technical direction of the TOCOR through the TOCO, in writing. As used herein, "technical direction" is limited to directions to the Contractor that provide additional detail regarding the previously defined scope within the task order. This direction may not include new assignments of work, or cause an increase or decrease in the estimated cost/price of the task order, or otherwise affect any other provision of the master contract. At no time may the Contractor begin work without an awarded task order or perform work outside of the scope of an awarded task order.

5.3 Non-Personal Services

No personal services as defined in Part 37 of the FAR shall be performed under this task order. No contractor employee will be directly supervised by the Government. All individual employee assignments and daily work direction shall be given by the contractor's supervisor. The contractor shall not perform any inherently governmental functions under this task order. In all communications with third parties or other Government contractors, contractor employees shall prominently identify themselves as such.

6. Task Order Specific Clauses & Security

6.1 Local Installation Security & Base Access Requirements (NWS Earle)

Contractor personnel performing delivery, inspection, and on-site testing are required to clear security background checks and obtain base access credentials at U.S. Naval Weapons Station Earle.

The Contractor shall ensure that all delivery drivers, technicians, and on-site personnel possess valid state-issued identification compliant with the Federal REAL ID Act, pass local National Crime Information Center (NCIC) background screenings, and coordinate directly with the local installation transportation office. Delays in final inspection and acceptance caused by the Contractor’s failure to clear personnel through base security gates shall not constitute an excusable delay under the contract.

7. Parent IDIQ Contract Incorporation

This Task Order is issued under and subject to all terms, conditions, provisions, and clauses of the parent Rail Rolling Stock Modernization & Sustainment (RMS) Master IDIQ contract. In accordance with FAR 52.216-18(b), in the event of any conflict between this Task Order and the Master IDIQ contract, the Master IDIQ contract shall control.

8. Task Order CLIN Pricing Schedule

Offerors shall complete and submit the following pricing schedule as part of their Volume III – Price Proposal.

CLIN Description / Delivery Location Base/Option Qty Unit Price

Total Price

00200

50-Foot Damage Free (DF- Type) Railway Boxcars

Delivered FOB Destination to:

U.S. Naval Weapons Station Earle, Colts Neck, NJ

Base 25

Total TOTAL PROPOSED PRICE

Period of Performance: One year (365 days) from the date of task order award.

End of TORFP Document