U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration, Office of Acquisition and Grants Services, RAD-30, 400 7th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590

A -- NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CRITICAL ISSUES FOR THE FUTURE OF PASSENGER RAIL SOL DTFR53-97-C-00008 DUE 040897 POC Contracting Officer, Thomas L. Riddle, 202-632-3391 The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) intends to negotiate a 1-year cost-sharing (no fee) type contract, on a sole source basis, with the National Academy of Sciences (NAS or Academy), Transportation Research Board (TRB or Board) to organize and conduct a conference to explore major issues related to intercity passenger rail service as a component of a national transportation system. The conference will provide a broad perspective on existing and planned intercity rail services (conventional and high-speed) for decision-makers involved in providing, supporting, and regulating these services. Invited participants will include Federal, state, and local multimodal transportation officials, transportation analysts and researchers, Amtrak officials, and representatives of rail labor, suppliers, freight railroads, consultants, and passenger advocacy groups. The Academy, through its principal operating agency, the National Research Council (NRC), will appoint a steering committee of individuals with expertise in issues related to passenger rail services from public agencies, private industry, and academia. The steering committee will be responsible for identifying individuals with relevant expertise from a variety of disciplines who should be invited to participate; commissioning the preparation and presentation of several resource papers; and designing the overall conference program. A TRB Circular containing the commissioned papers will be prepared following the conference for distribution to conference participants and other organizations and individuals subscribing to TRB publications in the areas of rail transportation, energy and environment, and planning and development. The report will also be made available to the general public. The Academy is a not-for-profit publicly supported honorary organization of scientists, engineers, educators, attorneys and other professionals elected on the basis of outstanding contributions to knowledge. The NAS was chartered by an Act of Congress in 1863, and under the terms of that charter is called upon to act as an official, yet independent, advisor to the Federal Government in any matter of science or technology. As an operating arm of the NAS/NRC, the TRB consists of over 300 technical committees, task forces and panels, each composed of voluntary experts from among more than 3,500 of the nation's top administrators, engineers, social scientists, attorneys, and educators (all concerned with transportation issues) serving on these organizational bodies without compensation. The ability of the TRB to meet its Congressionally chartered objectives derives mainly from its large pool of highly qualified technical committees, task forces, and volunteer experts. The Board's Anti-Bias Policy fosters a culture and forum for open and candid discussions between the TRB and its members -- which, in turn, serves to assure the TRB's reputation for objectivity, and further bolsters its role as a scientific advisory body to the Government. The NAS/TRB is singular and distinctive in its organizational structure, versatility in technology dissemination, and accessibility to large and diverse numbers of highly specialized technical committees and task forces comprised of volunteer experts. As a result of its exceptional subject knowledge base from and standing in the scientific, professional and academic communities, and its experience and successes in convening similar transportation-related conferences, the NAS/TRB has been determined to be the only organization capable of fully meeting the needs of the subject contracting action and it is thereby considered the only source capable of satisfying the agency requirements. The applicable authority for this announced intention to solicit and negotiate only with the NAS/TRB is that under 41 U.S.C. 253 (c)(1) as implemented by FAR 6.302-1, "Only One Responsible Source." This is not a Request for Proposals (RFP) and a competitive solicitation is not available. See Note 22. (0066)

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