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(BAA) 2000-1: Funds Availability for Research Projects Primary Sponsor: Department of Transportation Deadline: 6/30/2001 KEYWORDS COMMERCE BUSINESS DAILY ISSUE OF JUNE 19,2000 PSA#2624 A -- BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT (BAA) 2000-1: FUNDS AVAILABILITY FOR RESEARCH PROJECTS AND TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENTS UNDER THE NEXT GENERATION HIGH-SPEED RAIL PROGRAM SOL Reference-Number-BAA2000-1. DUE 063001 POC Thomas Riddle, Contracting Officer, Phone (202) 493-6149, Fax (202) 493-6171. INTRODUCTION: The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is soliciting proposal concept papers for various research projects, technology advancements and/or demonstrations directed at enhancing the deployment of high-speed rail service in the United States. Technologies most likely to enhance the deployment of high-speed rail service in the U.S. are those which will -- (a) enhance the revenue-generating capability of high-speed operations; (b) bring about capital cost reductions and economy in producing equipment and facilities; (c) reduce operating costs of high-speed rail service; (d) improve the reliability of equipment and infrastructure components; (e) improve safety; and/or (f) enhance the social benefits and/or environmental aspects of high speed rail. ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS: This is an unrestricted solicitation. Any responsible source may submit a proposal concept paper for consideration under this Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) including, but not limited to, states or local governments, or organizations of state or local governments, institutions of higher education, hospitals or other non-profit organizations, private individuals, corporations, businesses or commercial organizations, except that any business owned in whole or in part by the Federal Government is not eligible. Although businesses owned in whole or in part by the Federal Government are not eligible for funding under the Program, they may contract with eligible participants. Cooperative arrangements (e.g., joint ventures, limited partnerships, teaming arrangements, or collaboration and consortium arrangements) are permitted and encouraged. Small, Small Disadvantaged (SD), and Women-Owned (WO) Business Concerns, and Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) Small Business Concerns, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and Minority Institutions (MIs) are encouraged to submit proposal concept papers on their own and/or in collaboration with others. However, no portion of this BAA will be set aside exclusively for Small, SD, or WO Business Concerns, or for HUBZone Small Business Concerns, or for HBCU and MIs. AREAS OF TECHNOLOGY INTEREST: Technologies which are high-priority research candidates for evaluation pursuant to this BAA include: (1) Grade crossing hazard mitigation systems. (2) Innovative, low cost technologies to improve track and structures. (3) Advance train control systems. (4) Non-electric locomotives and passenger equipment systems. (5) Other scientific study, technology adaptation, or demonstration directed toward advancing the state-of-the-art or increasing the knowledge or understanding of high-speed passenger rail service in the U. S. EXCHANGES: Exchanges of information between interested parties and the Government, prior to submission of proposal concept papers, are strongly encouraged. Such informal exchanges may provide potential offerors with preliminary information on the Government's level of interest in prospective works or projects and possibly forestall costly effort on the part of interested parties whose proposed work may not be of interest to the FRA under this BAA. Any exchanges of information must be consistent with procurement integrity requirements of Section 27 of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act (41 U.S.C. 423, as amended) (see Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 3.104). For [pre-submission] technical inquires, interested parties may contact the BAA primary technical point of contact, Mr. McCown (Tel: 202/493-6350, Fax: 202/493-6333), or one of the other, secondary technical points of contact identified in Appendix A of the BAA 2000-1 Proposal Preparation Package. All non-technical inquiries should be directed to the Grants/Contracting Officers, Mr. Riddle or Ms. Dearing. After submission of proposals, all technical and non-technical exchanges will be conducted through the Grants/Contracting Officers in accordance with FAR 15.306. PROPOSAL CONCEPT PAPERS AND PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS: For the purposes of this BAA, proposal concept papers are considered offers and should contain the offeror's best terms from both a cost or price, and a technical standpoint. Successful proposal concept papers may be used, in whole or in part, as the basis for award in any ensuing contract or other award instrument as the scope of work, statement of objectives, or work statement, or they may be used as the basis for negotiations and subsequent award pending the submission of any additional or supplemental information or clarification, as requested. Proposal concept papers should be ten (10) pages or less (except as otherwise noted). Proposal concept paper submissions must contain a Technical Concept Section and a separate Cost or Pricing Section, and a separate section containing Past Performance Information from all offerors other than states or local governments, or organizations of state or local governments. Specific medium, content and format requirements and additional instructions for preparing submissions, as well as further information on the areas of interest themselves and the evaluation/selection process, will be provided in the BAA 2000-1 Proposal Preparation Package (BAA 2000-1 Package). On or about July 6, 2000, the BAA 2000-1 Package will be made available in electronic media and posted to the Electronic Posting System (EPS). Once posted, the BAA 2000-1 Package may be download from the following Internet address: http://www.eps.gov. The FRA does not intend to make the BAA 2000-1 Package available in hard copy. BAA TIME LINE: BAA 2000-1 will be open from the date of posting of the BAA 2000-1 Package (currently anticipated to be on or about July 6, 2000) on EPS through June 30, 2001. Prospective offerors may submit and the FRA will accept proposal concept papers as of the date the BAA 2000-1 Package is posted on EPS. Unless BAA 2000-1 is superceded or canceled, FRA will continue to accept concept submissions and inquiries through June 30, 2001. Although the BAA is open for an extended period, interested parties would be well advised to submit proposals as early as possible. Submissions that are incomplete or materially lacking, pursuant to the instructions in the BAA 2000-1 Package, may be returned unevaluated, or evaluated as is, without further opportunity for revision, at the discretion of the Source Selection Authority. EVALUATION PROCESS: All materially complete proposal concept papers submitted under this BAA will be subject to technical review in accordance with the established evaluation criteria. Proposal concept papers which are evaluated favorably from a technical perspective and determined by the FRA to be consistent with the objectives of the BAA and of interest to the Government, and in which there are no significant or outstanding issues or areas for clarification, will be subject to a cost review. Technically acceptable proposal concept papers that are considered realistic and reasonable, in terms of proposed cost, and fee, if applicable, will be subject to a review of past performance information provided by the offeror or obtained from sources other than those identified by the offeror, and used in assessing performance risk, making a responsibility determination, and making a best value decision. Proposal concept papers which are evaluated favorably from a technical perspective and determined by the FRA to be consistent with the objectives of the BAA and of interest to the Government, but in which there are outstanding issues or areas for clarification, from a technical, cost, or past performance perspective, must be resolved favorably before they can be advanced to each subsequent stage of consideration. In such cases, the Grants/Contracting Officer and Program/Technical Officials may contact the offeror and request additional or supplemental information or clarification to augment the initial submissions and assist in determining if the offer will receive further consideration. Proposal concept papers that are not evaluated favorably, contain material deficiencies or significant weaknesses, or are otherwise deemed unacceptable from a technical perspective, or that are not consistent with the objectives of the BAA or not of interest to the Government; will not be afforded further opportunity to submit proposal information or revisions, will not be subject to cost or past performance review, and will be rejected/declined. EVALUATION CRITERIA: Proposal concept papers (and other submissions, if and when requested) will be evaluated using the following criteria, which are listed in descending order of relative importance: (A) Technical Factor: (1) The relationship of the proposed research project, technology advancement and/or demonstration to the FRA's mission and its potential to advance U.S. high-speed rail technology, and the extent to which its application to railroad operations would improve intercity passenger operations through improved railroad capital equipment or infrastructure, traffic control centers, interfaces among these, or operating methods, and/or its potential for performance improvement in one or more qualities such as, cost effectiveness, reliability, safety, availability, or maintainability. (2) The overall scientific and/or technical merit of the proposal. (3) The technical qualifications and demonstrated experience of key personnel proposed to perform the technical efforts. (4) The administrative qualifications and demonstrated experience of the proposing organization to support the projected. (B) Cost/Price Factor: (1) The reasonableness and realism of the proposed costs and fee (if any). (2) The extent of any proposed Cost Sharing/Cost Participation under the proposed effort (exclusive of the offeror's prior investment). (C) Past Performance Factor: The extent or level of relevant corporate performance, or relevant performance by key personnel or by subcontractors or parties to cooperative arrangements. (Note: Assessments of past performance will not be applicable to offers/applications from states or local governments, or organizations of state or local governments.) AWARDS: Awards will be made to those responsible offerors whose offers provide the best value to the Government, in terms of technical excellence, cost or price, and performance risk (as applicable), and other factors to include consistency and accord with the objectives of the BAA and the FRA's mission and its interest in pursuing the proposed research project, technology advancement and/or demonstration. Awards may take the form of contracts, grants or cooperative agreements. Contracts will be used when the principal purpose is the acquisition of supplies or services (including research and development) for the direct benefit or use of the Federal Government. Grants or cooperative agreements will be used when the principal purpose of the transaction is to stimulate or support research and development for another public purpose. Applicants may include in their submissions, for consideration, an opinion on the type of award instrument they consider would be the most suitable or appropriate venue for their proposed project. Offers (i.e., proposal concept papers) being pursued as (or which are subsequently determined by FRA as) Federal financial assistance (e.g., grants or cooperative agreements), must be accompanied by the appropriate application forms as specified and instructed in the BAA 2000-1 Package to be posted to EPS, as identified above. Forms or related submission materials for Federal financial assistance application will also be made available. All awards will be subject to the availability of funds. FUNDING AUTHORITY AND RELATED INFORMATION: Funds for this program are authorized in the Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act 2000, Public Law 106-69 (October 9, 1999). FRA will make available up to $4.3 million for awards under the BAA during fiscal year 2000 (FY 00) for proposal concert papers evaluated favorably and determined by the FRA to be consistent with the objectives of this BAA and of interest to the Government, and for which adequate funding exists. Fiscal year 2001 (FY 01) awards are subject to the availability of FY 01 appropriations or the continued availability of unobligated prior no-year funds. Awards may be of any dollar value within the maximum amounts allowed for each area of interest (so long as those amounts do not exceed the total amount available under the BAA), but it is anticipated that most, if not all, individual awards (or that part of the Government's portion in a cost sharing arrangement) will have dollar values ranging between $25,000 and $500,000 each. Prospective offerors are advised that contract awards greater than $500,000 will generally require the awardee (except a small business concern) to already have in place or prepare, at or before the time of award, an acceptable plan to maximize the participation of minority, women-owned and disadvantaged business enterprises. Cost sharing by awardees is not mandatory under this BAA, however because of the potential for long-term benefits to those firms or institutions involved in these research and development activities, offerors are strongly encouraged to consider sharing the cost of their proposed projects. ATTENTION: Minority, Women-Owned and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs)! The DOT, Short-Term Lending Program (STLP) offers working capital financing in the form of lines of credit to finance accounts receivable for transportation related contracts. Maximum line of credit is $500,000 with interest at the prime rate. For further information call (800) 532-1169. Internet address: http://osdbuweb.dot.gov. For information concerning the BAA only, all parties should contact the grants/contracting or technical officials listed above. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION. NO OTHER REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS OR ANNOUNCEMENT (EXCEPTING THE BAA 2000-1 PROPOSAL PREPARATION PACKAGE) WILL BE ISSUED. Email tom.riddle@fra.dot.gov -- Linda Dearing, Contracting Officer, Phone (202) 493-6154, Fax (202) 493-6171. Email linda.dearing@fra.dot.gov. WEB: Visit this URL for the latest information about this, http://www.eps.gov/cgi-bin/WebObjects/EPS?ACode=P&ProjID=Reference-Number-BAA2000-1&LocID=1042. Posted 06/15/00 (D-SN465263). (0167)