Rail Road Materials

Solicitation

This document is a solicitation (W519TC26QA1030002) for Railroad Materials, issued by the Army Contracting Command - Rock Island. It is a 100% Small Business Set-Aside and will result in a firm fixed price Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) with a 1-year base ordering period and 4 additional ordering years, totaling 5 years.

The solicitation details various railroad materials, including:

• Spikes (screw and track)
• Railroad tie plates
• Railroad rails (136 RE and 115 RE)
• Railroad turnouts and frogs
• Railroad switch ties and cross ties
• Anchors, joint bars, bolts, and washers
• Railroad crossings
• Derails
• Car stops

All materials must be domestic origin and comply with the Buy American Act. Specific salient characteristics, including dimensions, material types, and standards (e.g., AREMA), are provided for each item. All materials must be new and palletized for truck delivery.

• Contract Type: Firm Fixed Price Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA)

• Period of Performance: 1 base ordering year + 4 additional ordering years (total 5 years)

• Set-Aside: 100% Small Business Set-Aside

• Offerors must submit a completed pricing spreadsheet attached to the solicitation.

• Orders against awarded BPAs will be competed amongst BPA holders based on schedule and quantity.

• The solicitation includes various FAR and DFARS clauses, including those related to:

  • Small business set-asides (FAR 52.219-6)
  • Payment by electronic funds transfer (FAR 52.232-33)
  • Buy American and Balance of Payments Program (DFARS 252.225-7000)
  • Prohibition on the Acquisition of Covered Defense Telecommunications Equipment or Services (DFARS 252.204-7017)

• Offerors must submit signed and dated offers by the specified due date (June 3, 2026, 12:00 PM Local Time).

This acquisition is a 100% Small Business Set-Aside.

• Government Representatives (Points of Contact) include Carrie Kammer (Contract Specialist) and Ryan Buhman (Contracting Officer).
• Large businesses must submit a subcontracting plan in accordance with FAR 19.704.
• The Government may use AI tools in proposal evaluation, but final decisions remain with Government personnel.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, "Salient Characteristics - Railroad Materials for MCAAP BPA," dated May 12, 2026, details the specific requirements and characteristics for various railroad materials to be procured under a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA).

The document outlines numerous line-item contracts (CLINs) for different railroad materials, including:

• Spikes and Screws: Various types of track spikes and screw spikes with specific dimensions, material requirements (all domestic, new material), and packaging preferences (palletized for truck delivery, 100lb kegs preferred).
• Plates: Railroad tie plates for 115 RE and 136 RE standard rail, specifying dimensions, incline, hole count, and material requirements.
• Rail: Straight rail (136 RE and 115 RE) with specified lengths, punch details, AREMA specification compliance, and delivery requirements.
• Turnouts and Frogs: Various types of turnouts and frogs (e.g., #6, #8, #9, #10) for different rail types, detailing components, material origins (domestic except for imported SMSG frogs), and specifications.
• Switch Stands: Specifications for switch stands, including brand name or equal, model numbers, and functional details.
• Anchors, Bars, Bolts, and Washers: Various components like rail anchors, joint bars, compromise bars, track bolts, and lock washers, with detailed dimensions, material, and packaging requirements.
• Railroad Crossing Panels: Precast concrete crossing panels for 136 RE and 115 RE rail, specifying dimensions, design features, and lifting capacity.
• Derails: Hinged derails (left and right hand throw) with specific models and flag requirements.
• Wood Ties: Cross ties and switch ties of various lengths, specifying material (Red Oak, other hardwoods acceptable), treatment process (Borate and Creosote), AREMA grade and standards compliance, end plating, and shipping requirements.

This document is critical for potential bidders as it defines the exact technical specifications, minimum order quantities, maximum order quantities, and material requirements for each item. Bidders must carefully review these salient characteristics to determine their ability to meet the specifications and to accurately prepare their proposals or quotes for each CLIN. All items require new, domestic material unless otherwise specified, and most require palletization for truck delivery.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a pricing matrix for the solicitation W519TC-26-Q-A103. It outlines the Contract Line Item Numbers (CLINs), item names, units, quantity tiers, unit prices, and weight percentages for each tier. Bidders are expected to use this matrix to provide their pricing for the various items.

• CLINs: Numbered line items for specific products or services.
• Item Name: Description of the item (e.g., Spikes, Screw; Plate, Tie; Rail, 136 RE).
• Unit: Unit of measure (e.g., Each, Pair).
• Quantity Tiers: Defined ranges for quantities.
• Unit Price: The price per unit for each quantity tier.
• Weight %: The weighting assigned to each tier for evaluation purposes.
• Weighted Evaluation Price: Calculated price based on tiers and weights (currently shows 0.0 for all items).

This pricing matrix is critical for bidders to understand the structure of pricing expected by the government. Bidders must fill in the unit prices for each tier corresponding to the CLINs. The government will use this information, along with the specified weight percentages, to evaluate the pricing component of proposals. The multiple tiers suggest that pricing may be evaluated based on different potential order quantities.

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document contains clarifications and recommendations regarding a solicitation for rail components, likely related to track maintenance or construction.

• Pricing: Bid prices must be firm fixed prices for the 5-year contract duration.
• Tie Plate Dimensions: The solicitation should specify "7-3/4 x 14" for tie plates, aligning with AREMA standards and previous procurements, rather than "7-1/2 x 14".
• Obsolete Rail: Item 9, "110RE Rail," is obsolete and no longer produced. It should be removed from the procurement. Consideration should be given to upgrading to 115 or 136 lb rail.
• Size Standard: Clarification is needed on the size standard for small business set-aside; one part states 100 employees, while another states 1500 employees.
• Turnout Rail Section: Item 10, referencing "AREMA Plan 112" for turnouts, should be updated to specify "115RE Rail" as 112RE rail is also obsolete. Specific wording changes are recommended for clarity.
• Connecting Rod Lengths: Connecting rods for items 10, 11, 12, and 13 should be standardized to 42" (3'6") instead of 60", which is non-standard.
• Frog Type: Clarification is needed on whether the procurement requires Railbound Manganese (RBM) frogs or Solid Manganese Self-Guarded (SMSG) frogs, as RBM frogs are not self-guarded.
• Frog Material: The solicitation should allow for both domestic and imported material for frogs (items 14-18), as domestic frogs can have very long lead times.

Several items and descriptions within the solicitation need revision to reflect current standards, available materials, and correct terminology. These changes may impact the scope of work, required materials, and potentially the evaluation criteria if size standards are not clarified. Specific recommendations for revising salient characteristics and item descriptions are provided.

Solicitation

This document is a solicitation (Solicitation Number: W519TC26QA1030001) for Railroad Materials. It is a 100% Small Business Set-Aside.

The solicitation details a variety of railroad materials, including:

• Spikes and Plates (various types and sizes)
• Railroad Rails (136 RE, 115 RE, 110 RE)
• Turnouts and Frogs (various types and sizes)
• Railroad Cross Ties and Switch Ties (wood, treated, specific dimensions)
• Anchors, Joint Bars, Bolts, and Washers
• Railroad Crossings and Derails

All materials must be domestic origin and comply with the Buy American Act. New material is required for all items. Specific salient characteristics and quantities are detailed for each item.

• The solicitation will result in a firm fixed price Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA).

• The BPA will have a 1 base ordering year and 4 additional ordering period years, for a total of 5 years.

• Offers must be submitted by 12:00 PM on 19 May 2026.

• BPA holders will compete on pricing matrix, schedule, and quantity.

• A completed pricing spreadsheet is required.

• Large businesses must submit a subcontracting plan.

• This acquisition is a 100% Small Business Set-Aside.

• It is also designated for Small Business, HUBZone Small Business, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB), and Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB).

• Salient Characteristics dated April 29, 2026, are attached.

• Government representatives include Carrie Kammer (Contract Specialist) and Ryan Buhman (Contracting Officer).

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a pricing matrix for the solicitation W519TC-26-Q-A103. It outlines the Contract Line Item Numbers (CLINs), item names, units, quantity tiers, unit prices, and weight percentages for various railway components. Bidders are expected to use this matrix to provide their pricing.

• CLINs: Numbered line items for specific railway components (e.g., Spikes, Screw; Plate, Tie; Rail; Turnout; Frog, rail; Switch Stand; Anchors, Rail; Bars, Joint; Bolts, Track; Washers, Lock; Cross Tie; Switch Ties).
• Item Name: Description of the railway component.
• Unit: Unit of measure for each item (e.g., Each, Pair).
• Quantity Tiers: Defined ranges of quantities for each item.
• Unit Price: The price per unit for each quantity tier.
• Weight %: The weighting assigned to each quantity tier for evaluation purposes.
• Weighted Evaluation Price: Calculated price based on unit price and quantity tier weight.

This pricing matrix is critical for bidders to understand the structure of the pricing proposal. Bidders must fill in their unit prices for each specified quantity tier for each CLIN. The "Total Evaluated Price" field indicates the sum of the weighted evaluation prices, which will likely be a key factor in the overall evaluation of proposals. The document details the specific items and quantities that will be priced, allowing bidders to prepare accurate and competitive bids.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document outlines the salient characteristics for various railroad materials to be procured under a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) for MCAAP. It details the specific requirements for each line item (CLIN) to guide potential bidders on the technical specifications of the materials.

• Spikes: Screw and track spikes with specific dimensions, materials (domestic), and packaging (kegs, palletized).
• Plates: Railroad tie plates with varying dimensions, rail base widths, inclines, and hole configurations, requiring domestic material and palletized delivery.
• Rail: Straight rail sections (110 RE, 115 RE, 136 RE) with specified lengths, punch details, AREMA specifications, domestic material, and truck delivery only.
• Turnouts: Various types of railroad turnouts (CLIN0010-CLIN0013) with detailed components including frogs, switch points, plates, and switch stands, requiring domestic material (except imported SMSG frog) and new material.
• Frogs: Rail frogs (CLIN0014-CLIN0019) for different rail types (136RE, 115RE), specifying frog number, material (RBM), self-guarded features, and domestic material.
• Switch Stands: Specific model requirements (Racor 22-E) for switch stands, including adjustable rods and target details.
• Anchors & Bars: Rail anchors and joint/compromise bars for various rail sizes, specifying dimensions, material (domestic), and palletized delivery.
• Bolts & Washers: Track bolts with nuts and washers, specifying size, packaging, and domestic material.
• Railroad Crossing: Panelized concrete railroad crossings for 136RE and 115RE rail, detailing design, dimensions, lifting capacity, and tie requirements.
• Derails: Hinged LH and RH derails with specific models, profiles, and flag assembly.
• Wood Ties: Cross ties and switch ties of various lengths (8'6" to 17'), specifying material (Red Oak, other hardwoods), treatment (Borate and Creosote), AREMA grade, end plating, branding, and shipping requirements.

This document is critical for bidders as it defines the exact technical specifications, materials, and packaging requirements for each item. Understanding these details is essential for accurately quoting prices, ensuring compliance, and preparing proposals for the railroad materials BPA.

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document provides responses to vendor questions regarding a solicitation for rail products, likely a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) for a duration of 5 years.

• Procurement Type: The solicitation is for a 5-year BPA, not just budgetary pricing. Orders will be placed as needed using a price matrix.
• Supplier Quantity: There will be more than one supplier for this procurement.
• Pricing: Prices must be firm for 5 years. Freight costs to McAlester must be included. Base will not always order in full truckload quantities, making freight quoting difficult for variable tier quantities.
• Item Availability: Several listed items (e.g., #2, 3, 11, 15-18, 20) are no longer manufactured in the US and have been removed from the materials list. Refer to revised salient characteristics for details on rail sections for turnouts (item 21) and AREMA plan 136-55 (items 22-24).
• Tie Acceptability: Douglas Fir is not acceptable for ties. Air seasoning is required for ties.
• Award Eligibility: Bidders must be small businesses. The associated NAICS code indicates a small business size standard of 1500 employees, which will be strictly enforced.
• Tie Plates: Relay tie plates (second-hand) are not acceptable for 90RA and 100RE. Only new tie plates will be considered.
• Bid Date: The bid date is May 5, 2026, with an amendment pending. The website may show June 5th, 1:00 CDT.

This Q&A clarifies key aspects of the solicitation, including the nature of the BPA, pricing requirements, item availability, eligibility criteria, and submission deadlines. Vendors should review the "revised salient characteristics" for specific item details and confirm the correct bid date.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a pricing matrix for the solicitation W519TC-26-Q-A103. It outlines the Contract Line Item Numbers (CLINs), item names, units, quantity tiers, unit prices, and weighting percentages for each tier. Bidders are expected to use this matrix to provide their pricing for the various items.

• CLINs: A list of contract line items, numbered from 0001 to 0064.
• Item Name: Specific items such as 'Spikes, Screw', 'Plate, Tie', 'Rail, 136 RE', 'Turnout', 'Cross Tie', etc.
• Unit: The unit of measure for each item (e.g., Each, Pair).
• Quantity Tiers: Defines ranges of quantities for each item.
• Unit Price: The price per unit for each quantity tier.
• Weight %: The percentage weight assigned to each quantity tier for evaluation purposes.
• Weighted Evaluation Price: Calculated based on unit price and weight percentage.

This pricing matrix is crucial for bidders to understand the cost structure and evaluation methodology for the solicitation. Bidders must accurately fill in their proposed unit prices for each tier, which will be used by the government to calculate the weighted evaluation price. The different quantity tiers suggest that pricing may be evaluated based on anticipated order volumes. The document is provided in multiple sheets (Base, OP1, OP2, OP3, OP4, TEP), indicating potential variations or options for pricing evaluation.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation, W519TC26QA103, is for the procurement of various Railroad Materials. The acquisition is set aside 100% for Small Business Concerns.

The solicitation details a wide range of railroad materials, including:

• Spikes (Screw and Track)
• Railroad Tie Plates
• Railroad Rails (various weights and types)
• Railroad Turnouts
• Railroad Frogs
• Switch Stands
• Rail Anchors
• Joint Bars
• Compromise Bars
• Car Stops
• Lock Washers
• Railroad Crossings (precast concrete)
• Derails (hinged, LH and RH)
• Wood Cross Ties (various lengths)
• Wood Switch Ties (various lengths)

All materials are specified as "All domestic material" and "Only new material will be accepted," with specific requirements for palletization for truck delivery. Detailed salient characteristics, including AREMA specifications, dimensions, and material types, are provided for each item. The procurement is for Railroad Materials IAW Salient Characteristics dated January 7, 2026.

• The solicitation will result in a firm fixed price Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA).

• The BPA will have a 1 base ordering year and 4 additional ordering period years, for a total of 5 years.

• Pricing Arrangement: Firm Fixed Price for all items.

• Offer Due Date/Local Time: 05 May 2026, 01:00 PM.

• Offers must be submitted signed and dated.

• The solicitation includes FAR clauses incorporated by reference and by full text, as well as DFARS clauses.

• Evaluation will be conducted in accordance with FAR 6.203 and Part 225 of the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement.

• Offers of qualifying country end products will be evaluated without regard to Buy American statute or Balance of Payments Program restrictions.

• A "Price Matrix" is attached and must be submitted by BPA holders.

• Orders will be competed amongst BPA holders based on schedule and quantity.

• This acquisition is a 100% Small Business Set-Aside.

• NAICS Code: 336510 (Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing).

• Size Standard: 100.

• Government Representatives (Point of Contact) include Carrie Kammer (Contract Specialist) and Ryan Buhman (Contracting Officer).

• Domestic Material Compliance: A signed certification confirming domestic origin and compliance with the Buy American Act is required.

• Subcontracting Plan: Required for large businesses, outlining meaningful opportunities for small businesses.

• Use of AI tools in proposal evaluation is noted, but final judgments remain with Government personnel.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document outlines the salient characteristics for various railroad materials to be procured under a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) for MCAAP. It details specific requirements for each line item (CLIN) to ensure vendors understand the exact specifications needed.

• CLINs (Contract Line Item Numbers): The document is organized by CLIN, covering a wide range of railroad materials including spikes, plates, rail, turnouts, frogs, switch stands, anchors, joint bars, bolts, compromise bars, car stops, washers, railroad crossings, derails, and wood ties.
• Salient Characteristics: For each CLIN, detailed specifications are provided, such as dimensions, material type, standards (e.g., AREMA), quantity ranges (minimum and maximum order/contract quantities), and specific features.
• General Requirements: Across many CLINs, common requirements include:
  • All domestic material.
  • Only new material will be accepted (with exceptions for some rail types).
  • Palletization for truck delivery.
  • Specific treatment and branding requirements for wood ties.

This document is critical for potential bidders as it defines the precise technical specifications and quantities for each item. Bidders must review these characteristics carefully to determine their ability to meet the requirements and to accurately price their proposals for each CLIN. It serves as the primary reference for the technical aspects of the procurement.