FY'26 Licenses to Operate NUCARS Software
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The U.S. Department of Transportation's John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center), supporting the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), intends to award a sole source purchase order to Transportation Technology Center, Inc. DBA MxV Rail Software Products for the renewal of two NUCARS software licenses for FY2026. This software is critical for rail dynamics studies and accessing historical simulation data. Responses from interested parties are due January 28, 2026.
Scope of Requirement
The requirement is for the renewal of two licenses to operate NUCARS software. NUCARS is a proprietary simulation package from the Association of American Railroads (AAR) that is essential for predicting the nonlinear dynamic response of North American Railroads to specified track conditions. It is also necessary to access and utilize decades of past simulation work performed by Volpe Center engineers.
Contract & Timeline
- Type: Intent to Award Sole Source Purchase Order
- Vendor: Transportation Technology Center, Inc. DBA MxV Rail Software Products
- NAICS Code: 541519 (Small Business Size Standard: $30.0M)
- Response Due: January 28, 2026, at 21:00 UTC
- Published: January 22, 2026
Rationale for Sole Source
Market research confirmed that NUCARS is the only sufficiently validated simulation package for this specific application. While other software exists (SIMPACK, VAMPIRE, VI-Rail), they are incompatible with the Government's existing vehicle models and past results. MxV Rail is the sole provider of NUCARS licenses. Converting the extensive library of existing vehicle models and simulation results to an alternative platform would incur significant labor hours and costs, negatively impacting project timelines.
Point of Contact
For inquiries, contact Darcy Hubbard at Darcy.Hubbard@dot.gov or 857-928-3714.