REQUEST FOR QUOTES (RFQ)

Transcription

1 VIRGINIA RAILWAY EXPRESS REQUEST FOR QUOTES (RFQ) BRAKE SHOES FOR VRE PASSENGER RAILCARS AND LOCOMOTIVES RFQ ISSUED: August 1, 2017 QUESTIONS DUE: QUOTES DUE: August 7, 2017 at 10:00 A.M. EST August 11, 2017 at 4:00 P.M. EST Submit Quotes To: Amanda Vitko, Contract Specialist Telephone/Facsimile: (703) VIRGINIA RAILWAY EXPRESS 1500 King Street, Suite 202 Alexandria, VA P: (703) F: (703) Gerri Hill Manager of Purchasing and Contract Administration Telephone/Facsimile: (703) Page 1 of 18

2 1. PURPOSE/BACKGROUND A. INTRODUCTION Virginia Railway Express (VRE) is soliciting Quotes to establish a Purchase Order with one (1) qualified and experienced Contractor to deliver brake shoes for VRE passenger railcars and locomotives to VRE s Warehouse located in Fredericksburg, Virginia. B. VRE BACKGROUND 1. VRE is a commuter rail service linking the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia. The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) and the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC) are transportation districts established under Virginia law and jointly own this service. An Operations Board consisting of members from each of the jurisdictions within the VRE service area governs the development and operation of VRE and serves as an advisory board to the NVTC and PRTC governing boards. Use of the term VRE in this RFQ refers to NVTC and PRTC. 2. VRE began operations in 1992 and carries an average of approximately 19,000 weekday trips on two (2) lines. In January 2014, VRE s Operations Board adopted System Plan 2040 which calls for expansion of service, requiring the addition of railcars, expansion of station and maintenance and storage facilities, as well as expanding operations to meet the goal of doubling ridership by VRE s multi-prong program addresses short term growth needs, as well as longer term capacity improvements and investments in maintaining and servicing VRE s equipment and facilities. 3. The primary mission of VRE is to provide commuter-oriented passenger rail service between outlying suburbs and the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria urban core. Some tourists and day-trippers also ride the trains. The service is heavily oriented towards that core area in the morning peak and in the opposite direction in the evening peak. C. PROJECT BACKGROUND 1. The brake shoes currently in use on VRE s passenger railcars and locomotives are Railroad Friction Products Corp., the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). 2. The preponderance of VRE s passenger railcars only have tread braking with multi-wear Class B wheels and operate at seventy (70) miles per hour with frequent stops. Page 2 of 18

3 3. The following equipment chart identifies the brake shoes in use by VRE, for which approved equals will be accepted: Item No. Equipment Brake Shoe Type Wheel Size 1. Gallery IV V inch., wide flange, 1:20 taper multi-wear, Class B 2. MP36 V inch wide flange Brake Type 26C 26L Tread Brake Unit GB-5 Standard Page 3 of 18

4 2. SUBMISSION OF QUESTIONS A. DEADLINE 1. All questions and requests for clarifications regarding the meaning or interpretation of this RFQ and other solicitation documents, or any ambiguities, discrepancies, inconsistencies, or conflicts in or between any of the technical, pricing, or contractual provisions, must be submitted no later than the date and time specified on Page 1 of this RFQ. Questions and clarifications requested after such time will not be answered unless VRE elects, in its sole discretion, to do so. 2. Any interpretation of a question made by VRE will be in the form of an addendum to the RFQ. Questions and responses will be posted on VRE s website at for all interested Contractors. B. FORMAT FOR QUESTIONS Questions must be submitted to the VRE Manager of Purchasing and Contract Administration and Contract Specialist in writing via electronic mail as listed on Page 1 of this RFQ. No questions or requests for additional information, clarification or any other communication should be directed to any other individual. C. VRE POINT OF CONTACT The VRE Project Manager will be the point of contact for all aspects of this project. D. NO ORAL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ACCEPTED VRE will not be bound by any oral communications, written interpretations or clarifications that are not set forth in an addendum. Page 4 of 18

5 3. GENERAL CONDITIONS FOR QUOTERS A. BRAND NAME OR EQUAL 1. If items called for by this RFQ have been identified in the scope of work, project drawings, or technical specifications by a brand name or equal description, such identification is intended to be descriptive, but not restrictive, and to indicate the quality and characteristics of products that will be satisfactory. (As used in this clause, the term "brand name" includes identification of products by make or model.) 2. A Quoter quoting "equal" products will be considered for award if such products are clearly identified and are determined by VRE to be equal in performance and all material respects to the brand name products referenced. 3. There shall be no substitution for any accepted material, component, design or fabrication unless and until the proposed substitute has received written acceptance from VRE. VRE may require the removal of this substitute or unaccepted item at no additional cost to VRE, which is installed without the written acceptance of VRE. 4. If quoting other than the brand name manufacturer or specifications, the Quoter must provide the manufacturer, brand or trade name, catalog number, etc. of the article offered in ATTACHMENT 1 QUOTE FORM AND SCHEDULE OF PRICES. B. DESCRIPTIVE LITERATURE 1. The Quoter shall clearly and specifically identify the product being offered even if quoting the exact brand name, make or manufacturer specified. 2. The Quoter shall provide sufficient descriptive literature, technical detail, etc. only if the product being offered is other than what is specified herein, to enable VRE to determine if the product offered meets the requirements of the solicitation. 3. Descriptive literature is not required if quoting the exact brand, make or manufacturer specified. Only the information furnished with the Quote shall be considered in the evaluation. 4. Unless the Quoter clearly indicates in its Quote that the product offered is an equal product, such Quoter will be considered to offer the brand name product referenced in the solicitation. By submission of a Quote, the Quoter certifies that the items offered meet or exceed the specifications described herein. Page 5 of 18

6 4. SCOPE OF WORK A. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS 1. The Contractor shall deliver brake shoes to VRE that adhere to all applicable requirements of the current editions of the following: a. 49 CFR 229, Railroad Locomotive Safety Standards b. 49 CFR 238, Passenger Equipment Safety Standards c. Section E, Brakes and Brake Equipment of the Association of American Railroads (AAR) Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices 2. The brake shoes must be manufactured in an AAR M-1003 certified facility. 3. The composite material utilized must be able to minimize heat rise, cool rapidly and be able to facilitate appropriate stopping distances, now being experienced (refer to the VRE website at for train consists, locomotive types and schedules). 4. The Contractor shall deliver brake shoes that meet the following requirements: a. Have contours representative of wheel diameters and shall not crack during operation; b. Wear shall be representative of intervals now being experienced; c. Have shoe applications identical to those currently on VRE equipment; d. Have a witness groove, where applicable, that denotes wear limits for change out; and e. Made of material free of asbestos and any other harmful material. 5. The brake shoes shall not: a. Crumble, split or otherwise become unusable while in storage or normal service; b. Require special handling or storage prior to use; and c. Cause excessive wear to wheel treads nor cause wheels to crack from overheating. Page 6 of 18

7 B. PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS The brake shoe shall conform to the following specifications: 1. Transit Brake Shoe, Railroad Friction Products Corp. Part Number V Composition Brake Shoe, Railroad Friction Products Corp. Part Number V High Friction Composition Brake Shoe, Anchor Brake Shoe Company Part Number H High Friction Composition Brake Shoe, Anchor Brake Shoe Company Part Number H33-4 C. SHIPMENT 1. The Contractor shall use VRE s YRC freight or UPS ground account for shipping. 2. Shipments shall be FOB destination, freight prepaid and allowed. 3. Any damage incurred in shipping the items to VRE is the sole responsibility of the Contractor. 4. A written shipping release shall be obtained from VRE before shipping any items. 5. With each shipment to VRE, the Contractor shall include documentation listing the individual associated brake shoe by part number and quantity. D. DELIVERY 1. The Contractor shall deliver all items to: VRE Crossroads Warehouse 9400 Crossroads Parkway Fredericksburg, VA Delivery shall be made between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. EST, Monday through Friday. Page 7 of 18

8 5. SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS A. TERM The Purchase Order shall be valid for one (1) year. B. SCHEDULE OF SERVICE 1. The Contractor shall respond to a request for delivery of equipment and/or parts within fifteen (15) calendar days. 2. Any deviation or delay from the established schedule must be presented to VRE in writing for approval. 3. Requests for delivery of equipment may be initiated by phone, facsimile or electronic mail. 4. Upon receipt of a request for delivery, the Contractor shall initiate the company s own work order form. Upon delivery of material, a VRE representative must sign the work order form. This signed form must accompany all invoices submitted to VRE. 5. VRE shall not be obligated to expend all funds authorized for the Purchase Order. C. POINT OF CONTACT The Contractor shall assign a single point of contact that must be available between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. EST., Monday through Friday. D. MODIFICATION OF THE SCOPE OF WORK VRE reserves the right to modify the Scope of Work at its discretion when it is in the best interest of VRE. See Clause 22. CHANGES of the General Provisions. E. GENERAL PROVISIONS AND TERMS The Contractor shall comply with ATTACHMENT 2 GENERAL PROVISIONS and ATTACHMENT 3 GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT, as applicable to the scope of work. Page 8 of 18

9 F. QUOTE ACCEPTANCE PERIOD The Quote and any modification thereof shall be binding upon the Quoter for ninety (90) calendar days following the Quote closing date. Any Quote in which the Quoter shortens the acceptance period shall be rejected, although the acceptance period may be extended by mutual agreement between VRE and the Quoter. At the end of the Quote acceptance period, the Quoter may withdraw its Quote by giving written notice to VRE. G. PRIME CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES 1. The Contractor shall be responsible for completely supervising and directing the work under this Purchase Order and all Subcontractors that it may utilize, using adequate skill and attention. Subcontractors who perform work under this Purchase Order shall be responsible to the Prime Contractor. 2. The Contractor agrees that it is fully responsible for the acts and omissions of its Subcontractors and of persons employed by the Subcontractor as it is for the acts and omissions of its own employees. H. SUBCONTRACTING 1. In the event the Contractor desires to subcontract part of the work specified herein, the Contractor shall submit with the Quote, a list of Subcontractors. 2. During the period of performance, the Contractor shall not substitute Subcontractors without prior written approval by VRE. The Contractor shall provide VRE with information as to the circumstances necessitating the proposed change and other information as requested. 3. VRE reserves the right to request from the Contractor during the solicitation process and any time during Purchase Order performance, additional information about a Subcontractor proposed by the Contractor, that VRE deems necessary to evaluate the qualifications of the Subcontractor. 4. The Contractor shall, however, remain fully liable and responsible for the work to be done by Subcontractor(s) and shall assure compliance with all requirements of the Request for Quotes. 5. The volume of work performed by the Subcontractor(s) shall not exceed forty-nine percent (49%) of the total Purchase Order value. I. WARRANTY OF MATERIALS AND WORKMANSHIP 1. The Contractor shall guarantee the associated parts/equipment pursuant to the Scope of Work and/or technical specifications to be free of defective workmanship and materials Page 9 of 18

10 for one (1) year. The Contractor at no expense to VRE shall correct all defects covered by the guarantee. 2. If any portion of the work performed, replacement parts, or rehabilitated parts furnished by the Contractor prove to be defective within the warranty period, the Contractor will be notified by VRE. Upon receipt of such notification, the Contractor shall immediately furnish VRE with instructions for the disposition of the defective part(s). 3. Within ten (10) business days from notification of the warranty claim, the Contractor shall deliver the replaced and/or replacement parts. Prior written authorization is required from VRE for completions exceeding ten (10) business days. 4. Any material or labor applied by the Contractor to correct warranted defects to the affected part/equipment shall be warranted for one (1) additional year from the date of delivery. 5. All defective parts returned to and by the Contractor for repair or replacement shall be shipped at the Contractor s sole expense. 6. The Contractor shall supply a failure analysis for any warranty failure, unless the requirement is waived in writing by VRE. It is not acceptable to avoid warranty failures by changing components at routine inspection intervals. 7. Repetitive failure (i.e., three (3) failures during the warranty period) of an item that was repaired by the Contractor shall be considered a breach. VRE may at its sole discretion, have the repairs made by another party, with no further notice to the Contractor, and the Contractor shall be fully liable to pay for all such third-party work. J. QUALITY ASSURANCE Any part which fails to meet any of the requirements in the Scope of Work and/or technical specifications shall be subject to rejection and shall be replaced, or brought up to specification, free of charge, by the Contractor, if so directed by the VRE Project Manager. K. NEW MATERIALS Unless noted otherwise, the Contractor shall furnish all materials required to produce the work in accordance with the Scope of Work and/or technical specifications, and said materials shall meet the requirements of the Scope of Work, plans, drawings and/or specifications for the kind of applications involving their use. Only quality materials, which are generally accepted in the industry and conform to the requirements of the Scope of Work, plans, drawings and/or specifications, shall be used in the work. Page 10 of 18

11 L. SUBSTITUTIONS 1. The Purchase Order is based on the materials, equipment and methods described herein that will allow for compliance to all AAR, Federal, State, and Local rules and regulations. No substitutions or cancellations shall be permitted without the written approval of VRE. VRE will consider requests for substitutions of materials, equipment and methods only when such requests are accompanied by full and complete technical data and all other information required to evaluate the proposed substitution. 2. The Contractor shall not substitute materials, equipment or methods unless VRE has specifically approved such substitutions in writing. Substitutions, if approved, shall be without any additional compensation from VRE, unless approved otherwise. M. DELAYS 1. When delay occurs due to reasonable causes beyond the control of the Contractor, including but not limited to acts of God, acts of government or any governmental agency, war or war conditions, riot or civil conditions, sabotage, strikes, lockouts, accident, fire, flood, typhoons, hurricanes, explosion, damage to equipment, or facilities, the time for performance and completion of work may be adjusted with the written consent of the VRE Project Manager and extended as required to accommodate those delays and their effect. 2. Upon written receipt of a request and justification for an extension from the Contractor, VRE may extend the time for delivery herein specified. 3. The Contractor shall use reasonable diligence to remove or overcome any such causes as expeditiously as possible. Page 11 of 18

12 6. DELIVERABLES A. CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE 1. By signing and submitting a Quote under this solicitation, the Contractor certifies if issued the Purchase Order, the Contractor will have the insurance coverage identified and described in ATTACHMENT 4 VRE INSURANCE COVERAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR SMALL PURCHASE OF GOODS/SERVICES. 2. The Contractor shall furnish VRE proof of compliance with these insurance requirements in the form of an original Certificate of Insurance signed by an authorized representative or agent of the insurance company(ies). The Certificate of Insurance must be furnished within three (3) calendar days of requested by VRE. 3. Failure to provide the Certificate(s) when required may be cause for VRE to issue a Purchase Order to the next responsive Contractor. However, in no event shall work be performed until the required Certificate(s) of Insurance have been furnished and approved by VRE. 4. All insurance must be raised to an amount approved by VRE as changes are made to the Purchase Order. B. PROJECT REPORTS/DOCUMENTS The Contractor agrees that all reports, drawings, studies, specifications, estimates, maps, computations and other data prepared by or for it under the resultant Purchase Order shall become the property of VRE. VRE shall have the right to use the same hard copies or electronic files without restriction or limitation and without compensation to the Contractor other than that provided for in the Purchase Order. Documents shall be directed to: Detrius Williams, Project Manager Virginia Railway Express 1500 King Street, Suite 202 Alexandria, VA dwilliams@vre.org Page 12 of 18

13 7. INVOICES A. INVOICES 1. Invoices shall be submitted by the Contractor for services/goods ordered, delivered, and accepted by VRE. 2. Invoices shall be submitted via VRE s electronic mailbox or US mail. 3. It is preferred that invoices be submitted electronically in one (1) continuous electronic copy in PDF format to mechanicalinvoices@vre.org. 4. Hard copy invoices may be mailed to: Virginia Railway Express Attn: Mechanical Operations Specialist 1500 King Street, Suite 202 Alexandria, VA The VRE Project Manager shall be indicated on the invoice cover sheet. 6. At a minimum, invoices shall contain the following information: a. Name, address and telephone number of Contractor b. VRE Purchase Order number c. Invoice number d. Date of invoice e. Date of delivery f. Description of unit count including the part number for each item g. Signed work order form h. Total invoice amount i. Total cumulative amounts invoiced j. Contractor s signature Page 13 of 18

14 7. If invoices fail to meet all of the above requirements, they will not be processed for payment and will result in the invoice being returned to the Contractor for correction and resubmission. VRE may request additional substantiating documentation as necessary. B. PAYMENT Payment will be made on a per order basis upon receipt and acceptance by VRE. Page 14 of 18

15 8. DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES POLICY A. DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES (DBE) 1. VRE is committed to an active effort to involve Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) in contracting opportunities and encourages participation in procurement activities. Where it is practicable for any portion of the issued Purchase Order to be subcontracted to other businesses, the prospective Contractor is encouraged to offer such business to minority and/or women-owned businesses. 2. Disadvantaged Business Enterprises or DBE means a for-profit small business concern: a. That is at least fifty-one percent (51%) owned by one (1) or more individuals who are both socially and economically disadvantaged, or, in the case of a corporation, in which fifty-one percent (51%) of the stock is owned by one (1) or more such individuals; and b. Whose management and daily business operations are controlled by one (1) or more of the socially and economically disadvantaged individuals who own it. 3. Contractors must state any plans to utilize such businesses and the manner in which they shall be utilized under the resultant Purchase Order. B. DBE CERTIFICATION 1. All DBEs proposed must be certified by one of the following: a. United States Department of Transportation (DOT); b. Another Federal agency using essentially the same definition and ownership and control criteria as DOT; c. Another recipient of DOT funds; d. Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority; e. Virginia Department of Minority Business Enterprise; or f. Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. 2. The prospective Contractor and its Subcontractors agree to ensure that Disadvantaged Business Enterprises as defined in 49 CFR Part 26 have a level playing field on which DBE s can compete fairly and participate fully in contracts and subcontracts financed in whole or in part with Federal funds. Page 15 of 18

16 3. Prospective Contractors shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin or sex in the award and performance of Purchase Orders. Failure by the Contractor and its Subcontractor(s) to carry out these requirements is a material breach of this Purchase Order, which may result in the termination of this Purchase Order or such other remedy as VRE deems appropriate. 4. The prospective Contractor, its agents, employees, assigns or successors, any persons, firms, or agency of whatever nature with whom it may contract or make agreement, in connection with the Purchase Order shall cooperate with VRE in meeting its commitment and goals with regard to the creation of a level playing field for Disadvantaged Business Enterprises. The prospective Contractor shall use its best efforts to ensure that Disadvantaged Business Enterprises shall have a level playing field to compete for subcontract work under this Purchase Order. Reference: Federal Regulations Sec. 49 CFR Part Page 16 of 18

17 9. PRICE INFORMATION Quoters are strongly encouraged to read this section carefully. INCOMPLETE QUOTES WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY DISQUALIFIED A. The price information must be submitted in ATTACHMENT 1 QUOTE FORM AND SCHEDULE OF PRICES included herein. B. The price shall be quoted in U.S. Dollars. C. Unless indicated otherwise, a Quoter s TOTAL PRICE shall be inclusive of all costs and shall include full compensation for all taxes, fees, materials, labor, equipment, tools, transportation, insurances, permits, overhead and profit, etc. necessary to complete the work in conformance with the Purchase Order and to the satisfaction of VRE. Extra charges will not be allowed. D. The prices, without exception shall be net, not subject to discount, and shall include all royalties and costs arising from patents, trademarks, and copyrights in any way involved in the work. E. No erasures or other handwritten changes may appear on the Schedule of Prices. F. The Quote must be signed in ink. G. The Quoter shall submit to VRE a copy of the AAR certification for the facility where the brake shoes were manufactured with the Quote. Page 17 of 18

18 10. ATTACHMENTS The following documents are incorporated in this and the resulting Purchase Order by this reference. A. Attachment 1 Quote Form and Schedule of Prices (4 Pages) B. Attachment 2 General Provisions, dated February 9, 2017 (25 Pages) C. Attachment 3 General Terms and Conditions for Supplies and Equipment, Revised February 9, 2017 (4 Pages) D. Attachment 4 VRE Insurance Coverage Requirements for Small Purchase of Goods/ Services (1 Page) Page 18 of 18