SOLICITATION NOTICE
B -- RAILWAY INTERMODAL CONTAINER TRANSPORT DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
- Notice Date
- 11/20/2003
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- Contracting Office
- United States Trade and Development Agency, TDA, USTDA, 1000 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1600, C/O US TDA 1000 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1600, Arlington, VA, 22209-3901
- ZIP Code
- 22209-3901
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-0330041B
- Response Due
- 12/23/2003
- Archive Date
- 1/7/2004
- Point of Contact
- Evangela Kunene, Procument Data Manager, Phone 703-875-4357, Fax 703-875-4009,
- E-Mail Address
-
ekunene@tda.gov
- Description
- POC: Evangela Kunene, USTDA, 1000 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1600, Arlington, VA 22209-3901, Tel: (703) 875-4357, Fax: (703) 875-4009. Email: ekunene@tda.gov. PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE CONTRACTS OFFICE. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION PLACE: Yuanxing, Manager Senior Engineer, Equipment Management Dept., China Railway Container Transport Center, No.6,Beifengwo,Haidian District, Room 2218 CCECC PLAZA,Beijing China, Tel: 010 51876552, Fax: 010 51892710, E-mail: yx@crct.com. The Grantee invites submission of qualifications and proposal data (collectively referred to as the "Proposal") from interested U.S. firms which are qualified on the basis of experience and capability to conduct a feasibility study to analyze China? railway intermodal transport system and recommend options for improvements of the transport system. China's railroads handle more freight than U.S. railways, despite the fact that China's rail network is only about 1/3 the size of the U.S. network. Approximately 1.5 million employees work for China's railways, which currently have an emphasis on transporting heavy, low value commodities. In 1995, the Ministry of Railways (MOR) established the China Railways Container Transport Center (CRCTC) to be responsible for all rail container transport operations. To help facilitate these operations, China plans to develop a network of 18 major intermodal terminals, 40 specialized container terminals with logistics capabilities, and 200 container handling stations. The proposed study would look at a number of technical issues that need to be resolved before this network can be implemented: operations of international intermodal container transport; solutions for freight yard arrangements; selection of crane systems and related technologies; development a management information system for container transport; and development of new intermodal transport, such as double stack container operations and RoadRailer? (which allows for easy transition from rail to truck transport) operations. These technologies could help reduce costs by as much as 25-40%. Modern logistics are relatively new to China and have the potential to speed up economic development and progress through the use of information technology and intermodal vehicles. The development of a railway tracking system would have a direct and significant impact on economic development and foreign trade for all areas of China. Both the MOR and the CRCTC have developed transport management systems to track containers thereby providing security and better service to customers. However, the MOR has yet to develop a container tracking and security system that will relay real-time information about container whereabouts. The proposed study will design a system that will encompass a broader spectrum of the logistics supply chain, by allowing the MOR and CRCTC to track cargo and containers from overseas to final destination throughout the country. In the past, the World Bank and Asian Development Bank have commissioned studies on improving railway networks in China. Many of their recommendations will be studied and examined in the course of this feasibility study. One World Bank study notes that China's interior does not currently enjoy the benefits of container transport. Only approximately 8% of all seaborne containers that arrive on China's East coast travel beyond the coastal regions. It states that a study focused on container transport development would directly contribute to the elimination of economic disparities between the coastal and interior regions. The proposed project would help to develop an efficient intermodal container transport network to address these disparities and improve the rail industry's competitiveness. The Feasibility Study Terms of Reference (TOR) are as follows: 1. Data Gathering 1a. Review of Current Operations 1b. Market Measurement 1c. Customer Requirements 2. Analysis 2a. Identification of opportunities for new business development 2b. Identification of barriers to business development 2c. Identification and evaluation of rail-based transportation product service options that will lead to new business development 2d. Evaluation of CRCTC structure 2e. Estimates of U.S. export opportunities 2f. Environmental assessment 2g. Plan for orientation visit 3. Conclusions and Recommendations 3a. Conclusions 3b Recommendations 4. Final Report The U.S. firm selected will be paid in U.S. dollars from a $679,550 grant to the Grantee from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA). A detailed Request for Proposals (RFP), which includes requirements for the Proposal, the TOR, and a background desk study report are available from USTDA, at 1000 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1600, Arlington, VA 22209-3901. Requests for the RFP should be faxed to the IRC, USTDA at 703-875-4009. In the fax, please include your firm?s name, contact person, address, and telephone number. Some firms have found that RFP materials sent by U.S. mail do not reach them in time for preparation of an adequate response. Firms that want USTDA to use an overnight delivery service should include the name of the delivery service and your firm's account number in the request for the RFP. Firms that want to send a courier to USTDA to retrieve the RFP should allow one hour after faxing the request to USTDA before scheduling a pick-up. Please note that no telephone requests for the RFP will be honored. Please check your internal fax verification receipt. Because of the large number of RFP requests, USTDA cannot respond to requests for fax verification. Requests for RFPs received before 4:00 PM will be mailed the same day. Requests received after 4:00 PM will be mailed the following day. Please check with your courier and/or mail room before calling USTDA. Only U.S. firms and individuals may bid on this USTDA financed activity. Interested firms, their subcontractors and employees of all participants must qualify under USTDA's nationality requirements as of the due date for submission of qualifications and proposals and, if selected to carry out the USTDA-financed activity, must continue to meet such requirements throughout the duration of the USTDA-financed activity. All goods and services to be provided by the selected firm shall have their nationality, source and origin in the U.S. or host country. The U.S. firm may use subcontractors from the host country for up to 20 percent of the USTDA grant amount. Details of USTDA's nationality requirements and mandatory contract clauses are also included in the RFP. Interested U.S. firms should submit their Proposal in English and Chinese directly to the Grantee by 4:00 P.M., December 23, 2003 at the above address. Evaluation criteria for the Proposal are included in the RFP. Price will not be a factor in contractor selection, and therefore, cost proposals should NOT be submitted. The Grantee reserves the right to reject any and/or all Proposals. The Grantee also reserves the right to contract with the selected firm for subsequent work related to the project. The Grantee is not bound to pay for any costs associated with the preparation and submission of Proposa
- Record
- SN00473773-W 20031122/031120212721 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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