V3332040 Limited Sources Justification v7 Redacted.pdf

V220T.12 (01/15)

Procurement Request No. V3332040

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY

VOLPE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS CENTER (VOLPE CENTER)

STRUCTURES & DYNAMICS DIVISION, V333

LIMITED SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

A. Description of Supplies/Services.

The Volpe Center is supporting the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) in the development of an innovative crash energy management (CEM) system for locomotives. As part of its ongoing support to the FRA, the Volpe

Center has developed several technical concepts for more crashworthy locomotives that include two key design features: a push-back coupler (PBC) and deformable anti-climber (DAC). Through a series of task orders

(DTRT57-09-F-50053, DTRT57-15-F-50013, and 6913G618F500083) issued under the GSA schedule, Volpe secured the engineering firm, TIAX, LLC (TIAX) GS-23F-0064L to design, build and successfully test the locomotive crashworthy components. TIAX originally designed these components for retrofit onto a Motive

Power MP40 locomotive under competitive task order No. DTRT57-09-F-50053. TIAX then modified these designs for retrofit onto a General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD) F40 locomotiveunder competitive task order No. DTRT57-15-F-50013. To fulfill the research needs of the FRA, Volpe has also fabricated, retrofit onto a conventional locomotive, and successfully conducted CEM coupling impact tests to demonstrate the robustness of the PBC. TIAX then provided engineering analysis and consulting under a non-competitive task order (No.

6913G618F500083) for full-scale dynamic testing of the retrofit CEM locomotive for two vehicle-to-vehicle impact tests between a CEM locomotive (retrofit with a PBC and DAC) and conventional vehicles. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the second vehicle-to-vehicle test was postponed and could not be conducted before the end of the period of performance of that task order.

The next step in the process is to conduct the second vehicle-to-vehicle test between a CEM locomotive (retrofit with a PBC and DAC) and a conventional cab car, as well as the final test in the program, a CEM locomotive train-to-train test. These full-scale dynamic impact tests will demonstrate the performance of the CEM components (PBC and DAC) working as a system within a locomotive, as well as demonstrate their performance within a complete train consist. In this program, the engineering services of the original component designers at

TIAX are instrumental in successfully modeling the remaining impact tests, which will include making necessary model changes and conducting numerous finite element analyses to aid in determining the impact test parameters as well as providing test predictions. These engineering services to be performed by TIAX under its GSA

Schedule contract GS-23F-0064L shall include quality control and troubleshooting of the CEM components’ and

CEM locomotive’s performance in the impact tests, including finite element modeling and analyses, as well as conducting a locomotive override study. These engineering services also include post-test repair recommendations for the equipment, if necessary. The total estimated value of these services are $225,606.00.

B. Market Research.

Market research was conducted using the GSA Schedules e-Library and a general internet search in June 2020 by

. research identified TIAX, LLC.

TIAX having been competitively awarded task order DTRT57-15-F-50013 is the only GSA Schedule contractor that has first-hand knowledge and experience of the design, quality control, troubleshooting of the CEM components, their retrofit, and their performance in the impact tests, including finite element modeling and analyses to perform the work required. Beginning in 2009, TIAX, under competively awarded DTRT57-09-F-

50053 designed, evaluated, fabricated and successfully tested a push-back coupler (PBC) and a deformable anti-climber (DAC) for retrofit onto a Motive Power MP40 locomotive. TIAX, under competively awarded DTRT57-

15-F-50013, subsequently modified these designs for retrofit onto a General Motors Electro-Motive Division

(EMD) F40 locomotive. Not only does TIAX have unrivaled knowledge of the designs, the design development, and the design requirements, TIAX also has extensive experience with the finite element models of the components and vehicles they designed to evaluate the crashworthy component designs. Because of the years of experience working on these designs and tests, no other company has the extensive knowledge of the existing component designs, the intricate understanding of the associated finite element models (some of which are proprietary), and the success with fabricating and testing the individual crashworthy components that will be invaluable for the modeling and analysis required for the successful completion of two remaining locomotive impact tests.

Similarly, an internet search for American companies with engineering expertise in the design, simulation, and testing of crashworthy components and crashworthy rail vehicles provided companies that were conducting engineering work for automobile crashworthiness, and not rail vehicle crashworthiness. The companies found with some rail crashworthiness engineering experience, , do not have the experience or expertise necessary to generate and evaluate multi-vehicle crash energy management train-to-train collision analyses.

C. Supporting Rationale.

(1) Sole Source: Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

(i) Explain why a particular expertise or level of expertise is critical to the requirement.

TIAX is uniquely qualified to provide these engineering services, including quality control and troubleshooting, of the modeling and analysis of the components, vehicles, and consists because they designed, fabricated, tested, and evaluated the crashworthy components. TIAX also designed and evaluated the fabrication, retrofit, and testing of these crashworthy components as part of a test locomotive. As the designer of these crashworthy components, TIAX’s level of expertise with the technology of these components is unique and unmatched. This high level of expertise is required to ensure the successful impact testing of these components.

(ii) Provide evidence that this contractor is the only source that has the required expertise, referencing the market research outcome.

TIAX is the only engineering firm that possesses the experience, expertise, and intimate knowledge of their designs and models required by Volpe to complete the required work. As a result of the market research effort described above, no other company has designed and built multiple vehicle finite element models and successfully tested a complete crash energy management system for locomotives. TIAX, as the designer and prototype tester, has unrivaled knowledge of these unique, innovative, state-of-the-art designs of the locomotive crashworthy components and vehicles, as well as extensive experience with the finite element models of the components and vehicles, including material failure modeling, involved in the collision scenarios used to evaluate the crashworthy component designs.

(iii) Define the impact in terms of feasibility, time, and cost of educating another contractor to obtain that expertise.

Not only does TIAX have unrivaled knowledge of the designs, the design development, and the design requirements, TIAX also has extensive experience with the finite element models and testing of the prototype components and vehicles they built to evaluate the crashworthy component designs. Their extensive and intimate knowledge of the existing component designs will be invaluable for the modeling and analysis required for the successful completion of the work for this contract, the vehicle-to-vehicle and train-to-train impact tests. If this work were to be undertaken by another company, the cost and duration of the project would increase significantly.

In order to educate another contractor to obtain the high level of expertise required for the work of this contract, it is estimated that the cost to the government would be at least $270,000, the cost of the initial modeling effort contract. Therefore, TIAX is the engineering firm that can meet the Government need and complete this work in the most cost-effective and time-efficient manner.

(2) Brand Name: A specific brand that is available from multiple vendors.

N/A

(3) Unusual and Compelling Urgency.

N/A

D. Required Signatures. The following signatures represent concurrence/approval of this justification: