Notice of Intent to Issue a Sole Source Contract to Sharma & Associates, Inc. , to conduct Tank Car Rollover at TTC.

Notice of Intent to Issue a Sole Source Contract to Sharma & Associates, Inc., to conduct Tank Car Rollover at TTC.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Washington, DC, intends to award a Sole Source, Contract to Sharma & Associates, Inc., to conduct the engineering, drawings and shipping needed to transfer the government’s tank car rollover test fixture from Chicagoland (SA facility) to the DOT’s Transportation Technology Center (TTC) in Pueblo, Colorado. The contractor shall facilitate the installation, configuration and checkout of the fixture and its supporting structure and proctor the initial tank car rollover top fittings protection test at TTC.

Sharma and Associates, Inc. designed, installed, configured and used the tank car rollover test fixtures for many tests dating back approximately 15 years. Sharma and Associates, Inc. have been the custodians of the fixtures for the government since fabrication and have been storing the fixtures the last couple of years at one of their facilities. They have the unique knowledge and experience necessary to complete the transfer to TTC and to proctor the first test at TTC. There are no other firms that possess the unique qualifications and expertise to perform the requirement in a timely and cost-effective manner. FRA will follow the 8.405-6(a)(2) requirement to publish notice within 14 days of award.

The proposed contract action, for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source, is under the authority of 8.405-6 (a)(2) and 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1).

NO SOLICITATION OR REQUEST FOR QUOTE IS AVAILABLE. This synopsis is not a request for competitive proposals; however interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement. Respondents must provide a capability statement.  Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this synopsis. Interested parties with the capability of meeting the proposed requirements are requested to identify their interest by email to the FRA point of contact, Akwasi Kankam, akwasi.kankam@dot.gov no later than 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Friday August 16, 2024.  Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely to determine whether 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.