Notice of intent to award a sole source contract

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) intends to award a sole source contract to Penn State University for “Rail Safety Improvement Through Enhanced Understanding Of Ballast & Subgrade Interactions”

 This research and development effort is a continuation of work begun under “Laboratory Development and Testing of "Smartrock" For Railroad Ballast Research” - DTFR53-14-C-00024, where a prototype sensor with realistic ballast particle shape was developed. To validate this SmartRock sensor and utilize a network of SmartRocks to investigate qualitative ballast failure mechanisms, the second project were proposed and funded in 2016 ("Laboratory and Field Evaluation of Ballast Failure Mechanisms Using "SmartRocks"", - DTFR53-16-C-00023). This project was followed by a new project “Quantification of Track Instabilities Due to Ballast Movement At Special Locations Using Integrated Sensor Network”, 693JJ618C000009. The objectives of the second and third projects were to improve the original SmartRock and develop a general ballast stability monitoring tool that can not only pass/fail a ballast but also evaluate the ballast performance under a numerical scale. The proposed new project will conduct similar testing, data collection, data processing, and analysis on revenue service track, while focusing specifically on ballast behavior and associated tamping. The project will investigate track stability change through characterization of ballast particle movement before, during, and after tamping for various subgrade conditions track ballast performance. To re-develop past efforts through a new research project with a different supplier would be cost prohibitive.

The proposed contract action, for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source, is under the authority of FAR 6.302-1 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, Devona Jackson at devona.jackson@dot.gov no later than 1:00 p.m. ET, Friday, July 17, 2020, 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.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) intends to award a sole source contract to Penn State University for “Rail Safety Improvement Through Enhanced Understanding Of Ballast & Subgrade Interactions”

 This research and development effort is a continuation of work begun under “Laboratory Development and Testing of "Smartrock" For Railroad Ballast Research” - DTFR53-14-C-00024, where a prototype sensor with realistic ballast particle shape was developed. To validate this SmartRock sensor and utilize a network of SmartRocks to investigate qualitative ballast failure mechanisms, the second project were proposed and funded in 2016 ("Laboratory and Field Evaluation of Ballast Failure Mechanisms Using "SmartRocks"", - DTFR53-16-C-00023). This project was followed by a new project “Quantification of Track Instabilities Due to Ballast Movement At Special Locations Using Integrated Sensor Network”, 693JJ618C000009. The objectives of the second and third projects were to improve the original SmartRock and develop a general ballast stability monitoring tool that can not only pass/fail a ballast but also evaluate the ballast performance under a numerical scale. The proposed new project will conduct similar testing, data collection, data processing, and analysis on revenue service track, while focusing specifically on ballast behavior and associated tamping. The project will investigate track stability change through characterization of ballast particle movement before, during, and after tamping for various subgrade conditions track ballast performance. To re-develop past efforts through a new research project with a different supplier would be cost prohibitive.

The proposed contract action, for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source, is under the authority of FAR 6.302-1 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, Devona Jackson at devona.jackson@dot.gov no later than 1:00 p.m. ET, Friday, July 17, 2020, 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.