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 -- INDEFINITE QUANTITY CONTRACTS FOR A-E SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE HIGH SPEED RAIL PROGRAM SOL DTFR53-97-C-00013 DUE 072397 POC Contract Specialist Christine Henderson, 202-632-3239/Contracting Officer, Elaine Duke, 202-632-3237 These are Indefinite Quantity (IDQ) contracts for A-E support services for the high speed rail program. The FRA has a broad range of responsibilities in the area of high speed rail. The Federal Railroad Safety Act of 1970 assigns to FRA the exclusive responsibility for regulating the safety of almost all forms of rail operations including high-speed rail. Title VII of the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 assigns to FRA the authority to fund and oversee the development of the nation's first high-speed rail system -- the NEC. FRA also has a substantial role in managing a program to support improved rail passenger service on five intercity corridors designated by the DOT, pursuant to Section 1010 of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991. FRA will undertake numerous activities in support of high speed rail developments, ranging from feasibility studies and environmental assessments to monitoring construction projects receiving public funding. These contracts will provide FRA with technical support to undertake these activities. The work will include, but not be limited to, engineering and related technical assistance to FRA to (1) develop standard methodologies and requirements to evaluate high-speed rail projects, (2) conduct technical and financial evaluations of proposed high speed rail improvements, (3) conduct review and oversight of the implementation of specific high-speed rail improvements, and (4) evaluate the feasibility of developing high-speed rail in various corridors. An individual statement of work will be prepared for each task ordered as a separate delivery order. The estimated start date is October 1997 and the estimated completion date is October 2002. The individual total cost for any one project may not exceed $250,000. Each contract amount will not exceed $1,000,000 per year, the guaranteed minimum being $25,000. This solicitation will result in two contract awards. One contract will be for work to be performed in the Northeast Corridor (NEC) and non-site specific work. The NEC includes effort in the states of ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, CT, NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, VA, NC, and the District of Columbia. One contract will be for work to be performed outside the NEC. Effort involving Canada and/or Mexico may fall under either contract as deemed appropriate. In rare circumstances, the selected contractors may be requested to perform a project which could more appropriately fall under the opposite contract. The proposed contracts are for a term of one year with four, one-year options. These will be a combination of firm-fixed price and cost type contracts, based on individual delivery orders. Interested firms must demonstrate professional qualifications and capacity to perform in the following disciplines: civil, structural, electrical, and mechanical engineering, financial and economic analysis, and environmental analysis. The specific required evaluation criteria, in descending order of importance, include: (1) professional qualifications necessary for satisfactory performance of work in the areas of railroad operations and engineering; architecture; transportation and urban planning; and ridership demand and revenue analysis; (2) specialized experience and technical competence in the areas of railroad operations and engineering; architecture; transportation and urban planning; and ridership demand and revenue analysis; (3) capacity to perform multiple tasks and sustain the loss of key personnel while accomplishing the work in the time required; (4) past performance on contracts with Government agencies and private industry in terms of cost control, quality of work, and compliance with performance schedules; (5) location in the general geographical area of the projects and knowledge of the locality of the project; provided that application of this criterion leaves an appropriate number of qualified firms, given the nature and size of the project; (6) demonstrated success in prescribing the use of recovered materials and achieving waste reduction and energy efficiency in facility design; and (7) for large business firms, a subcontracting plan is required, in accordance with FAR 19.704, to be submitted with the SF 254 and 255. The subcontracting plan will be evaluated against the Federal goal of 5% participation by women-owned business and 5% participation by small disadvantaged business. This procurement is unrestricted. The Standard Industrial Code is 8711. The Small Business Size Standard is $2.5 million. Interested firms which meet the requirements described in this announcement are invited to submit a completed SF 254 and 255 (3 copies) to the office shown above. Interested firms responding within 30 days of this announcement will be considered for selection. Firms having a current SF 254 on file with this office need not file again, but must submit a completed 255 and a subcontracting plan, if appropriate, by the closing date. No other general notification to firms under consideration for these projects will be made and no further actions are required. This is not an RFP. (0170)

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