9531BM25Q0011 - Rail Technologies Training.pdf

RFQ 9531BM25Q0011, Section C – Statement of Work, Page 1 of 4

Section C - Statement of Work Rail Technology Training

1.0 BACKGROUND

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an independent Federal agency charged by Congress with investigating every civil aviation accident in the U.S. and significant events in the other modes of transportation—railroad, transit, highway, marine, pipeline, and commercial space. The NTSB is also charged with conducting special investigations and safety research reports, and issuing safety recommendations aimed at preventing future accidents.

The NTSB is committed to improving the performance and skills of its own employees. With innovations in transportation, such as automated vehicles, high-speed ground transportation, clean energy propulsion, AI-driven solutions and systems, and machine learning, investigators are continually faced with the challenge to grow and expand our knowledge of technologies being used to support transportation. It is essential that NTSB investigators remain up to date as these technologies evolve and are deployed across the rail (freight and transit) sectors and have the techniques and resources in place to investigate transportation-related accidents and make effective recommendations to prevent their recurrence.

The NTSB requires comprehensive Rail Technology Training that is designed to provide attendees with an understanding of the latest advancements and innovations in technology that are transforming the rail industry. It is critical that NTSB staff is familiar with the concepts and principles of emerging technologies.

2.0 OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE OF WORK

The NTSB requires a 2-day, at minimum 8-hours a day training course on current and emerging technologies in the rail industry.

The NTSB requires the presentation of this course to include the following information:

1. Understanding of concepts and principles of emerging technologies in the railroad industry to include, but not limited to; autonomous trains and remote-control systems, robotics for track maintenance and inspections, unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) for monitoring and surveying, AI-powered predictive maintenance for rolling stock, smart sensors for real-time data collection, and integration of automation with signaling systems.

2. How to evaluate the potential impact of advanced technologies on rail transportation safety and identify interoperability deficiencies developed while integrating new technologies.

3. How to identify and analyze the various types of digital tools and solutions applicable to assisted maintenance and repair tasks, and electrified and automated freight trains.

4. How the rail industry is implementing data-driven strategies such as predictive analytics and AI-driven decision support systems for dispatching to optimize scheduling, maintenance, and resource allocation.

5. How to read and evaluate exemplar data and reports from automated inspections (wayside and on-track systems).

6. How to evaluate whether emerging technology will meet minimum regulatory requirements and assess safety risk to rail operations if integrated into the existing system.

RFQ 9531BM25Q0011, Section C – Statement of Work, Page 2 of 4

7. How the rail industry is developing an international collaboration for standardized technology adoption and making informed strategies for harnessing emerging technologies to enhance the sustainability of rail operations.

3.0 DELIVERABLES

The Contractor shall deliver a 2-day course on the subject of emerging technologies in the rail industry. The Contractor shall supply all training materials.

The Contractor shall provide the following coordination and instructional support:

1. Develop course content and materials, including handouts, demonstrations, and visual presentations (PowerPoint). Coordinate course design and content with the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) no later than two (2) weeks after date of contract award. COR will give final approval on course outline and teaching material. Act as the authoritative source of information and developer for the course, including preparation of all instructional and student materials for the presentation of all the training modules.

2. Ensure teaching materials are updated to reflect new developments in the railroad industry.

3. Make changes to teaching materials as necessary. Modify, update and retool lesson plans and other course materials (see 2 above) to reflect new methods, techniques and developments in the field.

4. Provide names, background and availability of all proposed instructors. These instructors must be recognized experts in the area of railroad specialized technology with a diverse portfolio that encompasses a wide range of subjects, including cutting-edge technologies in train operations, track and infrastructure, signal and wayside, highway-rail grade crossing warning systems, and equipment health monitoring and maintenance.

4.0 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance shall be for one (1) base period and one (1) option period. Up to one (1) course delivery may be required in each period.

Base Period: Date of Award through December 31, 2025

Option Period 1: January 1, 2026 through September 30, 2026

The exact dates of training shall be coordinated between the NTSB Contracting Officer’s Representative and the Contractor.

5.0 AUDIENCE

The target audiences are NTSB employees in the investigative and support areas. This includes rail transportation, operations and human performance investigators, and research and engineering investigators specializing in accident investigations, technology and engineering.

6.0 QUALIFICATIONS

Instructors shall have the necessary training, experience and knowledge of the subject matter to adequately present course material, provide demonstration and instruction, and answer participant questions. Instructors must be recognized experts in specialized railroad technology.

RFQ 9531BM25Q0011, Section C – Statement of Work, Page 3 of 4

INSTRUCTOR QUALIFICATIONS

• General - Instructors will be selected to conduct courses based on their working knowledge of the content and skills required this session. Instructors shall meet the following general criteria:

• Employment Experience - At least seven years’ experience in the area in which they are instructing. (Contractor is required to assure compliance with all applicable Federal regulations restricting the hiring of former Federal employees.)

• Special Qualifications - Candidates must demonstrate a mastery of instructional competencies and have experience in training. Acceptable evidence of such skills may include experience in training other in the specialty areas, or other directly related occupations.

• Exceptions to Qualifications - Candidates possessing exceptional qualifications, previous experience as an NTSB instructor, or those possessing closely related experience, who do not meet the minimum criteria will be considered for instructor positions, provided that a written request for waiver of qualifications is submitted to the NTSB and approved by the COR in advance of the candidate’s selection. Each request for exception shall be considered on an individual basis.

7.0 OTHER GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

The optimum class size is 20 participants, with no more than 25 participants. The Contractor shall provide all training and reference material.

The Contractor shall provide course materials, printed or electronic (PowerPoint or PDF) at least 7 working days prior to the start of the Course.

Training shall be performed at the NTSB Headquarters, located at 490 L’Enfant Plaza East, SW Washington, DC 20594.

The training hours are 8:00AM through 5:00PM. Training shall take place between these core hours.

8.0 QUALITY ASSURANCE PLAN

Program Evaluation

The NTSB will determine the effectiveness of the contractor in instructing the course by measuring the general level of satisfaction and the attainment of the objectives for each distinct training session. The NTSB will perform this measurement by having course attendees complete and submit an evaluation form at the end of the training course.

9.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

The Contracting Point of Contact is:

P. Matt Hazlinsky

Contracting Officer NTSB Acquisition Division National Transportation Safety Board 490 L’Enfant Plaza, SW Washington, DC 20594 Phone (202) 314-6205

RFQ 9531BM25Q0011, Section C – Statement of Work, Page 4 of 4

Email address: matt.hazlinsky@ntsb.gov

10.0 CONTRACTING OFFICER’S REPRESENTATIVE:

TBD

11. BILLING

The contractor shall bill for the training course upon completion of the training. The Contractor shall bill for actual travel costs incurred in accordance with Section G of the contract. Receipts must be provided with the invoice to substantiate the travel expenses.

[END OF SECTION]

mailto:matt.hazlinsky@ntsb.gov

RFQ 9531BM25Q0011, Sections G – M, Page 1 of 8

SECTION G – CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

Travel and Per Diem

Travel and per diem will be reimbursed in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and the Federal Travel Regulations (FTR) in effect at the time of the travel. The purchase order will include a not-to-exceed allocation for travel, and per diem (lodging/meals & incidentals) costs, for the base year of the contract, and a “not to exceed” a 3% increase (from the previous year) for the aforementioned costs for each option year thereafter.

Receipts are required, with the submission of invoices, for all travel, lodging, parking and related expenses. Receipts are not required for meal expenses.

Pursuant to FAR 31.102 and FAR 31.205-46, the requirements of this section shall flow down and apply to any subcontractors that travel under the resulting contract.

Information on current FTR and current per diem rates may be obtained at the following web site:

FTR website: www.gsa.gov/federaltravelregulation

Per Diem website: www.gsa.gov/perdiem

A helpful lodging site is: www.fedrooms.gov, which is also linked through www.gsa.gov.

Travel reimbursed under this contract shall be based on the most economical form of transportation available only. Any costs deemed unreasonable will be reduced to a reasonable amount. Improper costs will be disallowed and deducted from the invoice. Any exceptions shall be fully justified and if at all possible, be approved in advance by the Contracting Officer. All travel shall be scheduled sufficiently in advance to take advantage of available discount rates.

For lodging, the contractor should make use of Government rates whenever possible; otherwise, corporate rates or other discounts should be obtained. Any hotel expenses considered excessive or unreasonable will not be reimbursed. In those cases, lodging reimbursement will be limited to the GSA lodging rate under the established GSA per diem.

Travel requirements shall be met using the most economical form of transportation available.

This includes using connecting rather than direct flights, and reasonable efforts to insure the most economical flights are secured. Simply relying on a travel agent may not be sufficient. If economy class transportation is not available, the invoice must include justification for use of higher class travel indicating dates, times, and flight numbers. Air travel should be in coach class only, unless the contractor bears the cost of the difference between coach and first class.

If the contractor purchases non-refundable tickets as a cost saving measure, and then is required to change or cancel the tickets due to causes beyond its control (such as travel delays or http://www.gsa.gov/federaltravelregulation http://www.gsa.gov/perdiem http://www.fedrooms.gov/ http://www.gsa.gov/

RFQ 9531BM25Q0011, Sections G – M, Page 2 of 8 cancellations due to acts of God), the contractor may claim reasonable reimbursement for service charges. Unused tickets paid for by the Government must be sent promptly to the Contracting Officer, unless it is likely they can be re-issued for a later trip, under this contract, and the contractor maintains an adequate accounting system to protect the tickets from misuse, and insures the Government will not be billed for the subsequent trip. The contractor shall provide complete justification and accounting with the invoice.

The contractor shall justify in writing the use of a rental car, and their use is to be the exception rather than the rule. The contractor shall use alternate methods of local travel whenever possible, such as hotel or airport shuttles and taxis. If using a rental car, the contractor shall include in the justification the distance from the airport to the hotel and then to the training site; the name, phone number, and cost of a shuttle service, or statement that none are available. The Government is only obligated to pay reasonable costs, and without proper justification, charges will be reduced or eliminated as being unreasonable.

Personal convenience or “club” membership is not a justification for higher airfares, rental cars, or the choice of airlines or hotels.

The contractor shall always attempt to receive the Government rate for auto rentals and hotel rooms. Authorization letters will be issued to travelers upon request.

RFQ 9531BM25Q0011, Sections G – M, Page 3 of 8

SECTION J – LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

1. Past Performance Questionnaire (1 page)

RFQ 9531BM25Q0011, Sections G – M, Page 4 of 8

SECTION L – QUOTE INSTRUCTIONS

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) solicits your quote for training in accordance with Section C – Statement of Work of the Request for Quote (RFQ).

This Request for Quotations (RFQ) will result in the award of a purchase order. Award will be made to the Quoter whose quote conforms to the RFQ and represents the best value quote based on an evaluation of price and non-price factors.

The NAICS code for this requirement is 611519, Other Technical Trade Schools. The Small Business Size Standard is $21.0M.

Solicitation Question and Answer Instructions Written questions concerning this solicitation must be submitted by 4:00PM EST on July 9, 2025 via e-mail to Matt Hazlinsky, Contracting Officer, at matt.hazlinsky@ntsb.gov and Ciara Bond, Contract Specialist, at ciara.bond@ntsb.gov. Answers to all questions will be provided through an amendment to the Request for Quote (RFQ).

Electronic Dissemination of RFQ Documents Access to this RFQ and amendments will be provided electronically to Quoters through the System for Award Management (SAM) Contracting Opportunities website. All Quoters are cautioned that it is your responsibility to ensure that you have received all issued amendments by monitoring the SAM Contracting Opportunities website.

Quotes Quotes must be submitted and received via e-mail to matt.hazlinsky@ntsb.gov by the time and date specified in Block 10 of the SF18. Close of business is considered 5pm EST. Quotes shall be submitted in Adobe PDF format.

LATE QUOTES WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. Quotes submitted with inadequate information may be found unacceptable.

The maximum email file size that the NTSB e-mail server can accept, including attachments, is 35 megabytes (MB). Quoters may segregate quotes and submit in separate e-mails if the combined file size of the quote will exceed 35MB. Quoters are encouraged to remove excess graphics from their quotes to ensure quotes remain under the file size limit.

As a reminder, it is the Quoter’s responsibility to confirm the Government has received their quote prior to the quote submission deadline.

The successful Quoter must be registered in the System for Award Management (www.sam.gov) at the time of award.

mailto:ciara.bond@ntsb.gov http://www.sam.gov/

RFQ 9531BM25Q0011, Sections G – M, Page 5 of 8

Instructions for Preparation of Quotes –

Quote Organization Quoters shall respond to all requirements of this solicitation. Quotes submitted with inadequate information may be found unacceptable. For this solicitation, Quoters shall submit quotes in two

(2) separate volumes as follows:

(1) Volume I -Technical Section: Include all information requested under paragraph “Volume I: Technical Section.” Exclude any references to price in the Technical Section.

(2) Volume II - Price Section: Include all information requested under paragraph “Volume II:

Price Section”.

Requirements for Quote Content Include the following for both Volumes:

(1) Cover sheet containing the Quoter's name, address, phone number, e-mail, website address;

title of Quoter's quote, NTSB Solicitation Number; and quote Volume Number.

(2) "Table of Contents" which provides enough detail to quickly locate key elements of the Quote.

Volume I: Technical Section Include all information required for evaluation. Exclude references to price. The Quoter is responsible for including details to permit a complete and accurate evaluation of the quote strictly from a technical standpoint.

Technical Section Content

The Quoter shall provide the following information in response to the solicitation in the format specified below:

1. Training Experience

Quoters shall submit at least two (2) examples of recent and relevant training experience of the Quoter or of the proposed instructor(s) that would qualify the Quoter or proposed instructor(s) to deliver the training required in this solicitation. For each training experience listed, provide a brief description of the contract, total contract value, contracting organization, contract number, contractual and technical point of contact, phone number, and e-mail. Contracts listed may include those entered into with the Federal Government, agencies of state and local governments and commercial customers.

Include the following information for each contract:

(1) Customer Name and Address

(2) Contract Number

(3) Contract Award Date and Completion Date

(4) Contract Type

(5) Total Contract Period of Performance and Dollar Value

(6) Contracting Office Points of Contact (name and telephone number)

(7) Technical Office Points of Contact (name and telephone numbers)

(8) Brief Description of Services

RFQ 9531BM25Q0011, Sections G – M, Page 6 of 8

2. Course Outline

The Quoter shall submit a course outline based on the requirements stated in the Statement of Work (SOW). Quoters shall ensure all aspects of the SOW and training requirements are addressed in the Outline. The course outline shall specify in clear, understandable terms the topics proposed to be covered by the contractor. The Quoter may include additional topics in the outline that it believes should be addressed to meet the NTSB’s goals for Rail Emerging Technologies Training. The Quoter’s understanding of the SOW and knowledge of the training topic should be fully demonstrated in the Quoter's proposed course outline. In accordance with paragraph 3.0 Deliverables of the Statement of Work, the training course outline may be modified post-award upon coordination and approval by the NTSB training point of contact.

3. Instructor Qualifications

The Quoter shall submit the resume of the proposed Instructor(s) and any other documentation (i.e. certifications) to demonstrate the proposed instructor’s background, work experience and expertise to satisfy the requirements in paragraph 6.0 Qualifications of the Statement of Work.

Qualifications provided shall demonstrate the proposed instructor’s working knowledge of the content and skills required to provide the training required.

Volume II: Price Section

4. Past Performance

Quoters shall ask their reference(s) provided under Factor 1, Training Experience, to complete the past performance questionnaire (Attachment 1) and submit it directly to Matt Hazlinsky at matt.hazlinsky@ntsb.gov and Ciara Bond at ciara.bond@ntsb.gov. It is the Quoter’s responsibility to ensure that Past Performance Questionnaires are completed and timely submitted by customer references, and that correct names, addresses and phone numbers are provided in the responses for each reference. A Quoter will not be penalized in the evaluation with an unfavorable rating for the failure of its Training Experience references to complete and submit the Past Performance Questionnaires. The Government may contact Quoters’ customer references or use other references/information to verify past performance.

5. Price

For each Contract Line Item Number, Quoter must provide a firm-fixed price for training and a not-to-exceed amount for travel, if travel applies. All proposed travel must be priced in accordance with Section G of the RFQ and resulting contract. Quoters must provide pricing for each Contract Line Item Number in the RFQ. Quoters that fail to price all line items may be excluded from consideration for award.

mailto:ciara.bond@ntsb.gov

RFQ 9531BM25Q0011, Sections G – M, Page 7 of 8

6. Quoter Representations and Certifications

Include a completed and signed SF18 and Pricing Schedule in this Volume. Include completed FAR 52.212-3 Offeror’s Representations and Certifications in this Volume unless this information is already contained in an active System for Award Management (SAM) registration.

RFQ 9531BM25Q0011, Sections G – M, Page 8 of 8

SECTION M – EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

Basis for Award

The Government intends to award one (1) purchase order to the responsible Quoter whose quote conforms to the RFQ, will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other non-price factors considered, such that it provides the best value to the Government. Best value is defined as the procurement process that results in the most advantageous acquisition decision for the Government that is performed through an integrated assessment and trade-off analysis between price and non-price factors.

The Government reserves the right to reject any or all Quotes if such action is in the public interest. Under a best value procurement, the NTSB may reasonably determine that the superior capability merits a higher price. The NTSB may also reasonably determine that the Quoter with other than the highest capability in non-price factors is the best value. The Government may waive informalities and minor irregularities in Quotes. The Government reserves the right to award without discussions. Quoters are cautioned that they must submit a best quote with the initial quote.

Responsibility Determination

In order to be eligible for award, the Contracting Officer must determine that the Quoter is responsible according to the standards of FAR 9.1, "Responsible Prospective Contractors".

Evaluation Process

The following factors will be evaluated by the Government:

QUOTE PART # FACTORS TITLE

I Technical Quote 1 Training Experience 2 Course Outline 3 Instructor Qualifications

II Business Quote 4 Past Performance 5 Price

The NTSB will evaluate the above factors for each quoter as well as conduct a comparative evaluation of quotes in accordance with FAR 13.106-2 Evaluation of quotations or offers to determine the Quoter that represents the best value to the NTSB. Technical Factors Training Experience, Course Outline and Instructor Qualifications are of equal importance. Technical and Past Performance, when combined, are significantly more important than price. In order to be eligible for award, pricing quoted must be determined to be fair and reasonable.

Attachment 1 – 9531BM25Q0011

National Transportation Safety Board Past Performance Questionnaire

Upon completion, please return a copy of the questionnaire to Matt Hazlinsky, Contracting Officer, at matt.hazlinsky@ntsb.gov and Ciara Bond, Contract Specialist, at ciara.bond@ntsb.gov. Thank you.

Offeror’s Name: _____________________________.

Solicitation: 9531BM25Q0011 – Rail Technology Training

Person/Point of Contact: ____________________________ Telephone: ________________

E-Mail: ______________________________ Facsimile: ________________

Title and Organization: ________________________________________________________

1. Type of Work. What type of work did the contractor perform for your agency/company?

2. Quality of Performance. Did the contractor perform in a manner that conformed to contract requirements and demonstrated standards of good workmanship? Please explain.

3. Timeliness of Performance. Did the contractor adhere to the contract schedule?

4. Customer Satisfaction. Did the contractor demonstrate reasonable and cooperative behavior and commitment to customer satisfaction? Did the contractor display a business-like concern for the interest of the customer? Was the customer ultimately satisfied?

5. Based on the contractor’s overall performance, would you award them another contract?

[ ] YES [ ] NO Please explain.

Attachment 1 - Past Performance Questionnaire.pdf