R --Data-Link Communications in Railroad Operations

NA The Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center) plans to issue a sole source Simplified Acquisition to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Cambridge, MA, to analyze data collected in a field evaluation of a railroad roadway worker communication application. The contractor will be required to prepare a letter report documenting how the field test was conducted and the results of the test. Working under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the Volpe Center, the contractor, under previous efforts developed an application using digital technology for roadway workers to request information about train status and to request track occupancy. The contractor has collected the data necessary to evaluate th e usability of this application. This procurement will be conducted under Simplified Acquisition procedures in accordance with FAR Part 13. Small business firms classified under NAICS Code 541990, Business Size Standard $6M, that are interested in proposing on this requirement must respond in writing no later than 15 days from the date of this publication that they have a detailed and comprehensive knowledge of human factors impact of new technology on railroad operations. The contractor must possess the rights to the railroad roadway worker communication application previously developed by MIT. This proposed action is for services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under authority in FAR Part 6.302. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotes. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed purchase order based upon responses received to this notice would normally be considered, solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. The RFQ issuance will be on or about August 30, 2004. Small business firms will be required to submit a maximum of three but not less than two pages of documentation in support of the above for evaluation prior to receiving a solicitation. No telephone requests will be accepted – only written requests for this solicitation will be accepted, however, we will accept requests via facsimile at (617) 494-3024, ATTN: Karen Marino, DTS-853.