SOW_-_19Q000006ROE_Final.docx

693JJ6-19-Q-000006

STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW)

Railroad Operations Experts Supporting Metrics and Standards Development

Date: March 29, 2019

I. Background

Section 207 of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (PL 110-432) charges the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) (jointly with Amtrak) with developing new or improving existing metrics and minimum standards for measuring the performance and service quality of intercity passenger train operations. The FRA is embarking on a process to understand the existing metrics and standards related to intercity passenger train operations, and investigate whether new or improved metrics are needed. The FRA requires railroad operations experts to support this process.

II. Objective

The FRA is seeking railroad operations expertise to support the development of metrics and standards for measuring the performance and service quality of intercity passenger train operations. Through a series of meetings and discussions with key stakeholders and other analytical review, FRA will research the existing approaches to measuring intercity passenger train performance. FRA will then develop an initial set of proposed metrics and associated standards based on the results of the stakeholder engagement and review process. These results may require additional outreach. FRA anticipates that this support effort will be performed individually and/or working in a small team with other contractors and FRA representatives.

III. Tasks

Task 1: Research existing measurements of intercity passenger train performance

The contractor shall perform the following tasks:

· Attend kick-off and planning meeting, agree to project schedules, confirm outreach plan;

· Review and evaluate operating schedules and rules, and track and signal drawings to understand freight and passenger operations throughout the United States

· Prepare FRA staff members for upcoming meetings with key stakeholders by highlighting key issues and concerns

· Attend in-person meetings with Class I railroads, Amtrak, State Department of Transportation executives of States with Amtrak State-supported Routes, and other selected stakeholders as needed (approximately 15-18 meetings)

· Document the meeting/discussion

· Prepare weekly status reports

· Attend scheduled status meetings

Task 2: Develop performance metrics and associated standards.

The contractor shall perform the following tasks:

· Attend kick-off and planning meeting, agree to project schedules, confirm assignment of areas/metrics to investigate;

· Identify and describe possible metrics for measuring intercity passenger train operations in some or all of the following areas: cost recovery, on-time performance and minutes of delay (by route and by rail lines of each carrier), ridership, on-board services, quality of stations, facilities, equipment, and other services, percentage of avoidable and fully allocated operating costs covered by passenger revenues on each route, ridership per train mile operated and, for long-distance routes, measures of connectivity with other routes in all regions currently receiving Amtrak service and the transportation needs of communities and populations that are not well-served by other forms of intercity transportation;

· For each selected metric, identify possible standards with which to measure performance;

· For each selected metric, describe the strengths and weaknesses, including possible stakeholder positions, and if known, data/information needed to apply each metric and resources and level of effort required for implementation;

· Prepare weekly status reports; and

· Attend scheduled status meetings.

Other tasks may be assigned as needed.

IV. Deliverables Contractor shall furnish the following deliverables:

· Weekly status reports

· Weekly status reports

FRA may request other deliverables during the period of performance.

V. Period of Performance

The period of performance for this effort shall be 18 months from contract award.

VI. Place of Performance

With the exception of attending meetings and working group activities, work performed under this contract shall be performed at the Contractor’s facility.