ITB 26-16-315930 Seward Yard Ballast Supply

The Alaska Railroad Corporation (ARRC) is soliciting sealed bids through Invitation to Bid (ITB) 26-16-315930 for the supply, production, quality control, handling, delivery, and stockpiling of Type 5 Yard Ballast material at the ARRC Seward Yards facility located at 9 Leirer Road in Seward, Alaska. The primary objective is to procure railroad ballast material to support Terminal Track Rehabilitation projects and maintenance activities across the southern Railbelt region. Bidders must deliver a base quantity of 2,000 tons with an additive alternative for an additional 2,000 tons on a per-ton basis, with all material to be stockpiled at a designated staging site within ARRC's Seward Yard (exact location to be determined prior to delivery). The ballast material must meet rigorous quality control standards assessed through sieve analysis testing performed at minimum once per 1,000 tons of production, with specification limits established across seven particle size categories (1-1/2", 1", 3/4", 1/2", 1/4", No. 4, and No. 200). Unit prices must remain firm for 30 days from bid opening and continue as firm prices throughout contract performance, with payment due 30 days after receipt of supplies and proper documentation. Sealed bids must be submitted by 3:00 PM Alaska local time on April 15, 2026, to Rob Walker at ARRC's Supply Management office in Anchorage, with an anticipated final delivery completion date of October 1, 2026. Minimum bidder qualifications include authorization to serve Alaska, demonstrated capacity to provide full product support, and documented financial ability to perform the contract; no formal site visit or bidders' conference is explicitly mentioned in the solicitation documents.

The contract incorporates federal requirements from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), including Buy America provisions, Davis-Bacon wage requirements, and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program compliance. ARRC operates a race-neutral DBE program with an overall annual participation goal of 4% on federal contracts; however, no specific contract goal has been established for this individual solicitation. The contract references the March 2025 edition of ARRC's Standard Specifications for Construction and applies a pay factor adjustment mechanism based on material quality performance, with compensation adjustments ranging from approximately 79% to 93% of the base unit price depending on conformance to specification limits, as demonstrated in the provided BPF Calculator (Revision 5.0). Based on the example calculations provided, the contract value could range significantly based on bid unit prices and quality performance factors, though the base contract represents 2,000 tons with an optional additional 2,000 tons. Funding sources for this procurement include FTA and/or FRA assistance through the U.S. Department of Transportation. ARRC reserves the right to reject any material failing to meet compliance standards, and bidders should utilize the provided Ballast Pay Factor Calculator tool to understand the quality assessment methodology and potential price adjustments when preparing their proposals during the 21-day bidding period.