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Publications iconKansas Register

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Volume 41 - Issue 33 - August 18, 2022

(Published in the Kansas Register August 18, 2022.)

Garden City & Western Railway

Request for Proposals

Intent

Interested parties are invited to submit a proposal for the Garden City & Western Railway (Railroad) track rehabilitation project and the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT). The Railroad is soliciting bids from qualified railroad track contractors interested in the title project. The quantities represent our best estimate at this time and are subject to adjustment. All rail, ties, and necessary other track material (OTM) will be supplied by the contractor. All supervision, labor, and equipment, liquid plugging compound will be supplied by the contractor.

This invitation to bid is for the Garden City & Western Railway track rehabilitation only. This Request for Proposals (RFP) will be conducted under a bid method, and the Railroad will evaluate proposals and award the project. The Railroad reserves the right to terminate planned projects or add additional projects as funding and priority allow.

Interested bidders shall submit their proposal in accordance with this Invitation to Bid electronically via email to tmarklin@pioneerlines.com on or before September 19, 2022.

Project Description

  1. The proposed work shall consist of furnishing all labor, equipment, and supervision to affect the railroad track rehabilitation project in accordance with the contract documents.
  2. Track-related programs shall be done in accordance with the AREMA Manual for Railway Engineering, Pioneer Standard Specifications, and the project specifications.
  3. All work of track repairs shall meet the project specifications and will be evaluated by a 3rd party FRA Qualified Track Inspector.

Contract Documents Available

All contract documents are available electronically via email request from the Vice President of Engineering or his designee.

Scope of Work

The Scope of Work document contains the summary scope of work for the project as detailed in the contract documents.

The project consists of providing all labor, equipment, and machinery for the following trackwork:

  1. Garden City & Western Railway – 2022 KDOT RSIF Grant
    • 3,200 cross ties to be distributed, installed and disposed of
    • 1,200 tons of ballast to distributed by rotary dump
    • 4 miles of surfacing (Approximately 21,120 track feet)
    • 1 – 32’ Grade crossing rehabilitation
  2. Bill of Materials to be provided by the contractor
    • 3,200 – 6x8 Grade 3 or 7” industrial grade
    • 2 – 40’ 115RE new or No. 1 relay rails
    • 160 kegs (100lb) track spike
    • 42 Pandrol Style plate with E clips
    • 32 track feet of 10W style concrete crossing board
    • 22 – 10’ switch ties
    • 170 screw spikes
    • 1200 tons limestone railroad ballast
    • 4 thermite welds for grade crossing replacement
  3. The quantities and units given are selected to convey the overall magnitude of the major tasks of the project, but the individual line items shall be paid on a per unit basis.
  4. The quantities shown are estimated quantities only intended to provide a basis for progress billings.
  5. The contractor may submit bids for any line item for which they can provide a quality service at a competitive rate.
  6. Track occupancy will be provided at maximum time possible consistent with required train operations, with a target of eight hours occupancy per workday. However, eight hours per day is not guaranteed and may not be continuous hours.
  7. Prevailing wages are not a requirement for the programs included in this RFP.
  8. Performance and payment bonds are not a requirement for the programs included in this RFP.
  9. All necessary flagging services are provided by the Railroad. Train schedule and window of work may be coordinated with the Transportation department on a limited basis.
  10. Cooperative scheduling of the work may be negotiated with the awardee and coordinated with track work contractor. Work to be performed during mutually agreed and planned work windows.
  11. It is the goal of the Railroad to work efficiently and productively until the project is complete. All track-related work must be completed by December 31, 2022.
  12. The contractor will be solely responsible for the disposal of all unused or removed equipment, waste, debris, and material, including but not limited to ties, track, OTM, Ballast, sub-ballast, material spoils, warning devices and equipment, foundations, etc. All unused or removed equipment and material shall be properly disposed of in a suitable and authorized disposal facility. All material to be disposed of that is hazardous materials per federal, state, or local laws, must be disposed of in a suitable facility with the manifest documentation completed within 45 days of the installation, and records furnished to Pioneer contacts as directed by the Vice President of Engineering.

Pre-Bid Conference

There will be a pre-bid conference located at the Garden City & Western Railway at 9:00 a.m. September 8, 2022.

  1. The conference will continue as necessary to address bidder questions.
  2. The pre-bid conference is intended to provide the bidder with an open forum in which to discuss the project and further his understanding of the work. The pre-bid conference is not intended to supplement or replace the information contained in the contract.
  3. Railroad shall publish the minutes of the pre-bid conference after the conference, and they will become part of the contractual documents.
  4. Any discussion items the Railroad deems to be an alteration of the contract documents shall be issued as an addendum to the contract documents.
  5. All questions concerning the work or technical aspects of this bid shall be addressed to via email to tmarklin@pioneerlines.com no later than 12:00 p.m. (CDT) September 15, 2022. Questions will be answered in the form of an addendum distributed to all bidders. Oral explanations or interpretations given before the award of the contract will not be binding.

Site Access

  1. Railroad’s operating right-of-way is off limits to all unescorted personnel.
  2. Prior to entering the site for any purposes, the bidder must arrange access through the Railroad.
  3. Such access shall be granted at the convenience of the Railroad and shall be arranged as to afford equal opportunity for all bidders.
  4. All personnel entering Railroad property shall comply with Railroad’s safety requirements as shown in the general conditions.

Proposal

  1. Bidders are instructed to submit proposals for the work on the Proposal Form.
  2. Daily and hourly labor and equipment pricing is intended to provide a basis for issuing expedient change orders for time and material work and calculating standby time.
  3. Project schedule information is intended to gage the responsiveness of the contractor and set milestones for the work.
  4. Project management team experience information is intended to gage the ability of the project management to execute the work.
  5. Alternative proposals for the work may be considered by the Railroad provided that the alternative clearly states the benefit of the alternative to the Railroad.

Due Diligence

  1. Prior to submitting a bid, the bidder shall carefully examine the contract documents to determine the nature of the work and shall report to the Railroad any discrepancies found.
  2. The bidder shall prepare a bid considering the conditions reasonably anticipated during the work such as expected weather, railroad traffic delays, and site conditions discernible from the contract documents and site visits.
  3. No payment increase consideration will be given to the bidder for conditions which are determinable by examining the contract documents. Bidders are responsible for consulting the reference standards.
  4. Records of subsurface investigation made by the Railroad may be viewed by the bidder upon request. Access to these records is for the convenience of the bidder. The Railroad is not responsible for the sufficiency of the records.
  5. Any questions relative to the contract documents must be settled by the bidder before submitting a bid. Request for interpretation shall be made in writing to the Railroad who shall issue such interpretations he deems necessary in the form of addenda to the to the Invitation to Bid.
  6. By preparing a bid and executing the contract, the contractor represents that they have familiarized themselves with the local conditions under which the work is to be performed and correlated his observations with the requirements of the contract documents.

Withdrawal and Modification of Bids

Bids may be withdrawn or modified upon written or facsimile request received from the bidder prior to the time set for opening.

Award

  1. The Railroad may waive any formalities, technicalities, or irregularities contained in any or all of the proposals. The Railroad may further reject any part of any bid which in the opinion of The Railroad will be insufficient to deliver the work.
  2. The Railroad may accept any bid it deems to be in the best interest of the Railroad and shall award the entire scope of work to the bidder of the Railroad’s choice.
  3. The project will be awarded at Pioneer’s sole discretion, with consultation and approval from KDOT, to the contractor whose proposal offers the best value based on the following (but not limited to) criteria that will determine the total cost of the purchase service:
    • Proposal price
    • Understanding and ability to meet scope of work
    • Quality assurance/reliability of service
    • Experience and technical support

Execution of Contract

  1. The successful bidder shall execute the contract within ten (10) calendar days after the date of the Notice of Award. The Railroad will consider the contract fully executed when the required contract and Certificates of Insurance are executed and submitted to the Railroad.
  2. If the successful bidder fails to execute said documents within ten (10) days of the Notice of Award, the Railroad may, at its sole discretion, determine that the bidder has abandoned the contract. At that time the bid shall be declared null and void and the Railroad may award the contract to another bidder.
  3. Contractor must be willing to sign and abide by the Construction Agreement, Contractor Code of Ethics, Safety Rules.

Schedule of Events

  • Contractor Pre-Bid Conference: 9:00 a.m. September 8, 2022
  • Questions Due: 12:00 p.m., September 15, 2022
  • Proposal and Pricing Due Date: 5:00 p.m. September 19, 2022

Please submit your bid written proposal based on the General Specifications and using Bid Form A to tmarklin@pioneerlines.com.

Todd Marklin
Vice President of Engineering
Pioneer Lines

Doc. No. 050424

Secretary of State Seal