Questions and FRA Response.xlsx
XLSX spreadsheet 12 KB Posted
- Solicitation number
- 693JJ626Q000025
About this file
This is a Questions and Answers document containing contractor inquiries and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) responses regarding solicitation 693JJ626Q000025 for investigating aftermarket technologies to improve locomotive efficiency.
Key clarifications from FRA responses include: the research locomotive specifications and duty cycle will be provided at project start; existing baseline fuel-consumption and telematics data from Indiana Northeastern Railroad will be available, though contractors should budget for data gap analysis; only one FRA locomotive is available, though a second control unit may be provided by the railroad pending coordination with ASLRRA; laboratory engine testing is not mandatory and field-only protocols are acceptable with technical justification; FRA does not specify a minimum or maximum number of technologies to be tested, with the representative technology set to be determined collaboratively; FRA will furnish prior research data on fuel additives and fuel injector kits rather than requiring contractors to source independently; the award will be a single contract covering all six tasks; FRA has an established point of contact at ASLRRA; the $15,000 travel budget is a not-to-exceed ceiling; prior experience narrative and tabular information must fit within a two-page maximum; organizational and consultant conflicts of interest must be disclosed with mitigation plans; FRA will identify participating shortline railroads in collaboration with the contractor and ASLRRA; technology identification and vendor evaluation will be collaborative; and the initial technology search must be limited to fuel additives and engine/injector kits identified by the shortline railroad industry. The estimated purchase order value is $350,000.
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Other files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| Attachment 1_PWS.pdf | ||
| Attachment 2. Pricing Worksheet.xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| Attachment 3. Research Results Template 8 Oct 2024.docx | DOCX document | |
| Attachment 4. Technical Report Template 8 Oct 2024.docx | DOCX document | |
| SF-1449 693JJ626Q000025.pdf | ||
| RFQ.pdf |
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Text version
Sheet1
| Contractor Questions | FRA Response |
| 1. Can FRA provide the make, model, engine model, horsepower rating, and typical duty cycle of the research locomotive located at the Indiana Northeastern Railroad? Instrumentation selection and test design depend heavily on the engine platform, and on a short line the unit's actual duty cycle rather than its rating governs what efficiency signal is detectable. | FRA will provide the locomotive information at the start of the project. |
| 2. Does FRA or the railroad hold existing fuel-consumption, event-recorder, or telematics data for that unit that would be made available as baseline, or should quoters price baseline data collection within Task 4? | The railroad has existing data that will be available. The contractor should include activities in their cost proposal for reviewing existing data and possibly collecting data to fill necessary gaps. |
| 3. Is a single locomotive available for the program, or may more than one unit be made available if the test design would benefit from a control unit? Paired operation materially improves the ability to separate additive effect from seasonal and tonnage variance. | Only one locomotive is available from FRA at this time. It is possible the railroad will provide an additional unit to act as a control. These details will be determined during discussions with ASLRRA and the railroad. |
| 4. PWS Section 1.6 states that "if laboratory tests are required," the contractor is expected to provide or seek access to a laboratory facility. Is laboratory engine testing a mandatory element of the scope, or may a quoter propose a field-only protocol with supporting technical justification? | Laboratory testing is not mandatory. |
| 5. Does FRA have an expected or minimum number of technologies to be procured and tested under Tasks 2 through 4? Pricing for CLIN 2 and CLIN 4 scales directly with that count. | FRA does not expect a minimum number of technologies to be procured. In collaboration with FRA, ASLRRA and the railroads, a representative number and types of technologies will be identified for procurement. This effort is focused on evaluating technologies currently used by CLass II and Class III railroads to improve their fuel efficiency. |
| 6. PWS Section 1.3 references review of baseline research data on fuel additive and fuel injector kit performance from previous research. Will FRA furnish prior FRA or Volpe research data and reports for that review, or is the quoter responsible for sourcing all prior research independently? | FRA will furnish prior research data to contractor. |
| 7. Section 1.2 states that the contractor must perform the required services "across one or more of the following distinct performance task areas." Does FRA intend a single award covering all six tasks, or does FRA contemplate multiple awards divided by task area? | FRA anticipates a single award. |
| 8. Does FRA have an established point of contact at the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association for this project, or is establishing that coordination the contractor's responsibility? | Yes, FRA has an established POC at the American Shortline and Regional Railroad Association for this project. |
| 9. Is the $15,000 figure entered on the travel line of Attachment 2 a not-to-exceed ceiling, a Government estimate that quoters may adjust, or a fixed value that quoters should leave unchanged? | It is a not-to-exceed Other Direct Cost |
| 10. Section 2.3.2 sets a two-page maximum for the Prior Experience Questions. Does that limit also encompass the tabular experience information required by items A through H, or may that information be presented separately? | The 2 page minimum includes the information requested by items A-H |
| 11. Regarding the Organizational and Consultant Conflicts of Interest provision at 1252.209-70: where a quoter or proposed subcontractor holds a commercial advisory or analytics relationship with a manufacturer whose product category falls within the scope of Task 1, does FRA consider that relationship to require an OCCI Plan? If so, would exclusion of that manufacturer's products from the candidate technology set, combined with FRA concurrence on the final tested set, constitute acceptable mitigation? | Yes, Quoters must disclose any such relationship and submit an OCCI Plan detailing how the conflict will be avoided, neutralized, or mitigated. The Contracting Officer will evaluate proposed mitigation strategies on a case-by-case basis upon quote submission. While excluding a manufacturer's products combined with FRA concurrence may form part of an OCCI Plan, the plan must demonstrate that such exclusion does not impair the technical completeness or overall integrity of Task 1 deliverables. |
| Have the subject/participating shortline railroads already been identified? We understand that the FRA-furnished research locomotive is currently located at Indiana Northeastern Railroad; however, the PWS also references cooperation with shortline railroad partners and ASLRRA. Has FRA already identified the additional railroads expected to participate, or will identification and engagement of those railroads be the contractor's responsibility? | FRA will work with the selected contractor and ASLRRA to identify shortline railroads that will participate in the project. |
| Have any candidate technology companies or vendors already been identified? Section 2.1 requires the contractor to identify aftermarket technologies, manufacturers/vendors, and technologies recommended for testing. Has FRA or ASLRRA already identified candidate companies or technologies that should be included in the initial evaluation, or is the contractor expected to develop the candidate pool independently? | This activity will be a collaboration between the contractor, FRA and identified railroad partners. This ensures that the technologies studied in this project are technologies used by the railroads. |
| How broad does FRA expect the initial technology search to be? The PWS specifically references fuel additives and fuel injector/engine kits, but also uses broader language such as “aftermarket technologies.” Should the contractor limit the search primarily to fuel additives and engine/injector kits, or consider other commercially available technologies that could improve locomotive efficiency? | The initial technology search should be limited to fuel additives and engine/injector kits. These technologies were identified by the shortline railroads industry as viable lower cost options for improving engine performance. |
| Does FRA have a target number of technologies it expects to advance into actual testing? Task 1 calls for identifying and recommending technologies, while Task 2 requires procurement of those selected for testing. Is there an anticipated minimum or maximum number of technologies/vendors that the contractor should budget for in the testing program? | There is no targeted minimum or maximum number of technologies for this effort. Discussions with the contractor, FRA and railroad partners and budget will determine the optimum number of technologies for this study. |
| What baseline locomotive configuration and operating data will FRA make available for developing the test plan? Since field testing will use the FRA-furnished locomotive in revenue service, will FRA provide engine model/configuration, maintenance history, prior fuel-consumption or emissions data, duty-cycle information, and existing instrumentation capabilities, or should the contractor plan to establish the complete baseline during the project? | RA will provide some baseline performance data: duty cycle, fuel consumption, maintenance history, etc. but the contractor is expected to fill the gaps in the baseline data needed. |
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