Office Safety Investigations Support
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 Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) intends to award a sole-source, firm-fixed-price contract to Sharma and Associates, Inc. for Office Safety Investigations Support. This effort involves providing engineering simulations and analytical support for railroad incident and derailment investigations, primarily utilizing the Train Energy and Dynamics Simulator (TEDS).
Scope of Work
This contract will provide urgent, short-notice technical reviews and analyses for the FRA Office of Safety (OSS), often following accidents, derailments, or in preparation for congressional testimony. The work requires deep familiarity with TEDS, extensive industry knowledge, and an independent investigative approach. Sharma and Associates, Inc. has supported FRA R&D with TEDS simulations since 2013, averaging 3-5 studies per year, and has performed 11 derailment simulations between January 2024 and December 2025.
Contract & Timeline
- Type: Sole-Source, Firm-Fixed-Price
- Intended Awardee: Sharma and Associates, Inc.
- Duration: Three (3) years from the date of award
- Set-Aside: None (Sole Source)
- Capability Statement Due: June 2, 2026, 2:00 PM Eastern Time
- Published: May 12, 2026
- Product Service Code: AS32 (Transportation R&D Services; Water Transportation; Applied Research)
- Place of Performance: Hinsdale, IL, United States
Justification & Response Instructions
This sole-source action is conducted under the authority of FAR 6.302-1, implemented by 41 U.S.C. § 3304(a)(1), "Only One Responsible Source." The FRA Office of Safety strongly recommends continuing with Sharma due to their extensive experience and long-standing performance, which is critical for program continuity and avoiding disruption or duplication of cost.
This is a Notice of Intent and not a request for competitive proposals. However, interested parties may submit a capability statement that clearly demonstrates their ability to perform the required Office Safety Investigations Support without disruption, duplication of cost, or loss of program continuity. Oral communications will not be accepted.
Point of Contact
- Name: Akwasi Kankam
- Email: akwasi.kankam@dot.gov