SOURCES SOUGHT
69 -- Clear Signal for Action (CSA) - DRAFT Material Performance Requirements XXX5 - CSA DRAFT SOW - ConOps XXX4 - CSA Method XXX1
- Notice Date
- 7/12/2012
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541690
— Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Transportation, Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, 55 Broadway, Kendall Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02142-1093
- ZIP Code
- 02142-1093
- Solicitation Number
- DTRT57-12-SS-00014
- Archive Date
- 8/11/2012
- Point of Contact
- Peter Kontakos, Phone: 6174942602, Bonnie Murray, CTR, Phone: 6174942574
- E-Mail Address
-
peter.kontakos@dot.gov, bonnie.murray.ctr@dot.gov
(peter.kontakos@dot.gov, bonnie.murray.ctr@dot.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- CSA Method XXX1 ConOps XXX4 CSA DRAFT SOW DRAFT Material Performance Requirements XXX5 1.0 Description. The U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT), Research and Innovative Technology Administration, John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center), Cambridge, MA, is issuing this Sources Sought Notice to assist the Government in determining the acquisition strategy. The Government is contemplating an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract with provisions for cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price task order types. All capable business concerns who are interested shall submit responses to all of the questions listed below. Interested small businesses shall indicate whether they are certified 8(a), Small Disadvantaged, Historically Underutilized Business Zone, Service Disabled Veteran-Owned, or Woman-Owned. As a result of recent changes to FAR Part 19, small business concerns must ensure their status certifications are up to date. 2.0 Background. Clear Signal for Action (CSA) is one of the Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) proactive safety culture methods focused on reducing human factor incidents. CSA integrates three (3) approaches that have been applied previously to proactively improve the safety of worker practices, work conditions, and the organizational culture. The three (3) components are: peer-to-peer feedback on the safety of worker behaviors and work conditions, continuous improvement applied to the safety of workers and conditions, and safety leadership development. CSA has been shown to improve safety and safety culture in railroad operations, with safety events, such as derailment rates, consistently falling to a fraction of their pre-CSA levels. While an established Class I railroad may have funds to implement and run a CSA-type method, such expenditure would be difficult or impossible for most intercity passenger railroads. This project seeks to address these cost barriers by developing and providing CSA-type training and data tracking materials to railroad carriers, specifically relatively small passenger rail carriers, at little or no cost to the carriers. The intent is that the training and data tracking materials will allow railroad operators to affordably and effectively implement and sustain a CSA method on their own. The Volpe Center is supporting the FRA in these efforts. 3.0 Information Sought. The U.S. DOT seeks all informed views on current and future practices/approaches from CSA-type program contractors, carriers, and various transportation industries in which CSA-type safety improvement programs have been implemented, utilizing any process like the CSA components, either independently or combined. The U.S. DOT is specifically interested in safety programs developed for in-cab operations, including self-observations for those who frequently work alone, in single operator or small road cab crews, and programs targeting other transportation operations that regularly interact with in-cab operations. For those contractors or carriers who have existing, or are planning future programs and/or tools related to this project, the U.S. DOT seeks capability information in response to the following specific topics and questions: 1. General description of the program (e.g. how it is implemented, how are participants trained to carry it out, what is the scope of the program, what is the timeframe and resources necessary, etc.) 2. The target audience for the program (workers, supervisors, mid-management, senior leaders, safety personnel, etc.) 3. General description of the core modules, tools (including software), activities, or elements utilized for any/all of the three (3) program components (peer-to-peer feedback, continuous improvement, and safety leadership development). In addition, we are interested in plans or experience in utilizing self-observation and feedback for individuals who are required to work alone for some of the time. 4.0 Additional Information/Request for Information. In addition to the capability information, the U.S. DOT is seeking industry feedback on the DRAFT Statement of Work (SOW) and DRAFT Material Performance Requirements which are included as attachments to this synopsis. In order to enhance understanding of CSA, The CSA Method and a Concept of Operations are also attached. The Government anticipates a forty five (45)-month period of performance (through the completion of Task 7); however, early delivery is desired. The Government requests that industry provide comments related to the SOW and provide questions regarding areas of the SOW that require clarification. The attached SOW and Material Performance Requirements are DRAFT documents and do not reflect any final scope of work. It is also requested that industry include in their capability package a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM), as a dollar amount, to complete the CSA project (SOW Paragraph 5, Tasks 1 through 7 (minus data rights)) as delineated in the DRAFT SOW within the 45-month period of performance or sooner. The Government requests a separate ROM amount for data rights (see Material Performance Requirements Paragraph R12). Industry shall assume that standard warranties apply. Associated assumptions related to the ROM are welcomed. All ROM information is meant for planning purposes only and as a method to improve the SOW. It is not a commitment by the vendor or the Government, nor does it serve to bind the Government in any way. The following information is provided to enhance understanding of the Government's material and software requirements: • There is no difference in the rights the Government requires for different kinds of materials (e.g., documents versus software). • Storage of the materials shall be on a web server from which individuals representing railroad sites can download the materials. This web server may be a Government server, the server of a railroad industry group (e.g., American Public Transit Association), or a contracted commercial server. • The Government requires the ability to distribute the materials to multiple sites within the U.S. passenger railroad industry. This includes installing copies of the software on railroad, union, or other servers or computers for use by railroad employees and managers of a site. At this time, the Government does not intend to distribute any materials for use beyond the U.S. passenger rail industry. The Government, or a Government contractor, requires the ability to modify the materials as improvements are identified and requirements change. This includes changing the format and content of the documents, the structure of the database(s), and the source code of the software applications. This may include "forking" the materials (preparing multiple versions each for different uses). • The Government, or a Government contractor, shall maintain the materials, including backing them up periodically. • The Government may demo or present portions of the materials to various audiences, such as at conferences, etc. Finally, the Government requests that industry include a description of their warranty associated with software materials developed/customized, describing the potential coverage, redress, and duration. 5.0 Submission Instructions. All capability information under Paragraph 3.0 of this Sources Sought Notice submitted by respondents shall identify, if applicable: Contract number; Customer (Government agency or private industry); Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) name, telephone and fax numbers; contract value and type of contract; period of performance; and description of product(s)/service(s). Capability information provided should be detailed in the area(s) outlined in Paragraph 3.0 above so the Government can assess the ability of the company to provide the described products. All of the capability information sought under Paragraph 3.0 of this Sources Sought Notice should be conveyed in no more than 20 pages. Additional information requested under Paragraph 4.0 of this Sources Sought Notice has no page limit. Page size is set at 8½ x 11 inches; text font must be no smaller than 12 point; and text should be doubled spaced. Each response must reference the Sources Sought title and number. The NAICS Code for this acquisition is 541690 and the small business size standard is $14.0 Million. Interested parties must respond to this announcement in writing within 15 days of publication (no later July 27, 2012, 2:00 PM Eastern Time). Telephone requests will not be honored. All responses must be submitted via e-mail to the Contracting Officer, Peter Kontakos at Peter.Kontakos@dot.gov. Electronic attachments to the e-mail should be submitted in Microsoft Office 2007 (or later) productivity application formats, or any format that can be imported by Microsoft Office. 6.0 Information Availability. THIS NOTICE IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. This notice is for information and planning purposes only, and is a market research tool to determine the availability and adequacy of potential business sources prior to determining the method of acquisition and possible issuance of a Request for Proposal, including the use of any non-profit organization or small business program. The notice does not constitute a solicitation for bids, quotations, and proposals, and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government. The information provided herein is subject to change and in no way binds the Government to solicit for or award a competitive contract. The Government is not obligated to and will not pay for any information received from potential sources as a result of response to this Sources Sought Notice. The Government will not pay for any materials provided in response to this Sources Sought Notice and submittals will not be returned to the sender. Submissions must be disclosable to the public or the submitter should provide a summary statement that can be disclosed to the public with fuller supporting information that is clearly marked as restricted. The Government will use customary means to safeguard proprietary information, but only when such information is (1) clearly marked as proprietary; (2) is, in fact, information that could not have been obtained from another party or source; and (3) is otherwise deserving of such treatment under standards and processes described in the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Executive Order 12600.
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