NOI to award a sole source contract - FY 25 aashto annual conference meeting

NOI TO AWARD A SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT - FY 25 AASHTO ANNUAL CONFERENCE MEETING

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) intends to award a sole source contract to American Association of State Highway and Transportation for the FY 25 AASHTO Annual Conference Meeting on Jan 27 – 30, 2025.

The overall purpose of this request is to make payment to AASHTO for the registration fees for FRA/RPD employees who will be attending the annual meeting.

The 2025 AASHTO Winter Council on Rail Transportation Annual Meeting (held in Arlington, VA) is an opportunity to discuss industry trends and challenges, provide technical assistance to grantees, and build relationships with FRA’s stakeholders. Additionally, this meeting allows FRA to conduct critical stakeholder outreach. FRA has been lauded by oversight agencies for its outreach activities, many of which have occurred at the Rail Council. RPD participation will include presentations, informal technical assistance to states and professional development opportunities.

Competition is not possible because AASHTO is the sole sponsor of this nationwide event to which RPD employees have been invited. This event addresses the aforementioned opportunities and venue for FRA experts to both present to the industry, as well as evaluate industry trends/needs.

The proposed contract action, for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with single source, is under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b) and 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1).  

This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals; however, interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement. Interested parties with the capability of meeting the proposed requirements are requested to provide an email to the FRA point of contact, Akwasi Kankam at akwasi.kankam@dot.gov no later than 12:00 p.m. ET, Friday, January 24, 2025 expressing interest and outlining their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort.  Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed effort on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government.