DOT/RSPA/VOLPE National Transportation Systems Center, 55 Broadway, Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA 02142

A -- BODY SHELL-BEAM STRUCTURE INTERACTION STUDY SOL DTRS57-97-Q-80219 DUE 092997 POC Karen Marino, Purchasing Agent, (617) 494-2437 WEB: Volpe Center Acquisition Division Home Page, http://www.volpe.dot.gov/procure/procure.htm. E-MAIL: Purchasing Agent, doylek@volpe1.dot.gov. The Volpe Center plans to acquire through Simplified Acquisition procedures, a sole source procurement from Dr. Thomas Wierzbicki, for the development of an approach for evaluating the crush behavior of rail car structures from the fundamental principles of applied mechanics. The Volpe Center is conducting research on all rail equipment crashworthiness. Simulation model have been developed using finite-element computer codes. The contractor shall develop an analytical approach for determining the force/crush characteristics of rail equipment structures and supporting body sheet metal and models of rail car substructures that would include a closed-form model of a cab car side sill ahead of the body bolster. These closed form models shall account for the influence of the body sheet metal on the collapse mode of the structure and should be suitable for evaluating the large deformations associated with rail equipment carbody crush in a collision. The models shall account for beams bending while the body sheet metal is subjected to folding and extensional deformation. The bending-rotation functions for corner beam shall be calculated from known analytical solutions. Small Business firms classified under SIC Code 8734 interested in proposing on this requirement must demonstrate in writing, prior to receiving a solicitation, that they have the expertise and knowledge to develop Simulation models using the finite-element computer codes, and they have access to the known analytical solutions used to calculate the bending-rotation functions for corner beams. RFQ issuance date will be on or about 9/30/97. NO telephone requests will be accepted -- only written requests for this solicitation will be accepted -- however, we will accept requests for this solicitation via facsimile, at (617)494-3649, ATTN: Karen Marino, DTS-852. This notice is for informational purposes for Minority, Women-Owned and disadvantaged Business Enterprises: The Department of Transportation (DOT), Office of Small and Business and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), has a program to assist minority, women-owned and disadvantaged business enterprises to acquire short-term working capital assistance for transportation-related contracts. Loans are available under the DOT Short Term Lending Program (STLP) at prime interest rates to provide accounts receivable financing. The maximum line of credit is $500,000. For further information and applicable forms concerning the STLP, please call the OSDBU at (800) 532-1169. For information concerning the acquisition, contact the contracting official listed above. The solicitation and any document related to this procurement will be available on the Internet, these documents will be available in text format and reside on a WWW server which may be accessed using Web browsers. The WWW address, or URL, of the Volpe Center Acquisition Division home page is: "http://www.volpe.dot.gov/procure/procure.htm". Offerors desiring to receive electronic notification of the solicitation's posting and availability for downloading may register at the Volpe Center site. Contractors are warned that when they register to receive solicitations, amendments, and other notices, the responsibility for providing the Government with an accurate and complete e-mail address lies with the contractor. The Government will make no additional efforts to deliver information when the system indicates that transmission cannot be delivered to the e-mail address provided. Requests for a hardcopy of the solicitation may be mailed or sent via E-Mail to doylek@volpe1.dot.gov. Telephone requests will not be honored. (0258)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0007 19970917\A-0007.SOL)