Project 0301-0154 NHL Signal Equipment Request for Proposals

The Connecticut Department of Transportation is seeking proposals for new pre-wired signal equipment on the New Haven Line from Norwalk to Bridgeport, Connecticut (Solicitation 26-CTRAIL-SIGNALS-1), with proposals due November 5, 2026 at 3:00 PM EST. No set-asides, preferences, or eligibility restrictions apply; the solicitation is open to all vendors.

The scope encompasses design, fabrication, and delivery of pre-wired signal houses and cases for new interlockings at control points CP-244, CP-255, CP-256, and CP-257, with upgrades to CP-248 and intermediate equipment across approximately 13.8 miles of four-track mainline. The system must incorporate a vital microprocessor-based wayside signal architecture replacing existing relay infrastructure, including 100 Hz AC track circuits, redundant fiber optic communication networks with TCP/IP over ethernet, remote diagnostic systems, cab signal systems supporting speeds up to 96 MPH, local control panels, bridge indication panels, and interfaces to existing systems. The Contractor must submit design documents at 60%, 90%, 100%, As-Shipped, and As-In-Service submission levels and provide factory testing and field support during minimum thirty-five separate weekend and nighttime cutover operations. The Contractor must be certified in ASQ/ANSI/ISO 9001:2015 and must demonstrate that all proposed products have been in reliable service for at least five years on similar North American railroads unless otherwise approved. Compliance with 49 CFR Part 236, AREMA Communications and Signals Manual, IEEE, EIA, NEC, and Metro-North Railroad Standards is required. Key personnel — a dedicated Project Manager, Signal Engineer, Application Engineer, and Network Engineer — must each hold minimum ten years of relevant experience. Performance requirements include processing controls and indications within two seconds total, Non-Vital Microprocessor system cycle completion within 500 milliseconds, route clearing within ten seconds, and traffic direction changes within five seconds.

The contract provides for a minimum two-year warranty. Liquidated damages are $800 per day per signal house or case for delivery delays and $1,000 per day for late documentation, test reports, or training deliverables. The Contractor must provide performance, payment, and warranty bonds, with payment bond set at $2.5 million and warranty bonds equal to 25% of signal houses and cases cost. The Contractor bears full transportation costs and risk of loss until CTDOT provides conditional acceptance. No estimated contract value is disclosed.