Notice of Intent to Sole Source for development and Testing of HiP-HEX Components for efficiency and safety

Notice of Intent to Issue a Sole Source Contract to Thermadynamics Rail, LLC for development and Testing of HiP-HEX Components for efficiency and safety. The United States Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Office of Acquisition Services, under the authority of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) 6.302-1 - Only One Responsible Source, intends to issue a sole source contract to : Thermadynamics Rail, LLC for development and Testing of HiP-HEX Components for efficiency and safety. The period of performance will be 18 months after award. The sole source justification is as follows: Thermadynamics Rail, LLC developed and patented the High Pressure Heat Exchanger technology for recovery and conversion of waste heat into useable energy under US Patent number 6,374,613, approved April 23, 2002. Under FRA grant agreements, FR-RRD-0005 and FR-RRD-0035, and FR-RRD-0068, this technology was review for application to locomotives, its safety and its durability in such equipment. FRA is interested in ultimately understanding the performance of the high pressure heat exchanger technology integrated with advanced energy storage systems, retrofitted unto a locomotive platform, and operated in revenue service. FRA has identified Thermadynamics Rail, LLC as the only viable source available. In accordance with the proposed statement of work, Thermadynamics Rail LLC will validate safety and reliability performance of the L-WHRS-retrofitted locomotive during commercial operations. The research project objectives include integration with locomotive interfaces, locomotive static and field testing following implementation of L-WHRS thermal-hydraulic and electrical connection with locomotive interfaces. Conditioned electrical energy produced by the L-WHRS will be distributed to selected locomotive loads (e.g. batteries/energy storage system, compressor, pumps, power fans) or directly to the locomotive bus. The detailed design of the system is confidential and proprietary to Thermadynamics Rail, LLC. Selection of another entity is not possible because of the proprietary nature of the design. NO SOLICITATION OR REQUEST FOR QUOTE IS AVAILABLE . This synopsis is not a request for competitive proposals; however interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement. Respondents must provide a capability statement. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this synopsis. Interested parties with the capability of meeting the proposed requirements are requested to identify their interest by email to the FRA point of contact, Devona Jackson, [email protected] , no later than 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Thursday, Seotember 4, 2018. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely to determine whether to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed effort on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government.