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Publications iconKansas Register

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Volume 42 - Issue 3 - January 19, 2023

(Published in the Kansas Register January 19, 2023.)

South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad

Request for Proposals

Interested parties are invited to submit a proposal to complete the below scope of repairs for the South Kansas & Oklahoma (SKOL) Railroad.

Scope of Work

This project consists of the replacement of four switches and switch tie packages in the SKOL’s Winfield, Kansas Yard that are critical for our interchanges with the Burlington Northern-Santa Fee (BNSF) and the Union Pacific (UP) Railroads. The current switches consist of heavily worn 90# and 136# turnouts.

Minimum Requirements

MSA and Roadway Worker Protection

  • Contractors must complete, and have on file, a current Master Services Agreement with SKOL Railroad prior to submitting a proposal.
  • Contractors shall always comply with all parts of 49 CFR Part 214 and 219 regarding FRA Roadway Worker Safety. Workers and equipment shall remain clear of the track unless they have gained Roadway Worker Protection from a qualified person.
  • Contractor, contractor employees, agents and/or subcontractors must be enrolled and comply with the FRA 219 approved drug testing program.
  • Any subcontracted work will need to be approved by the SKOL Railroad prior to any work starting.
  • All contractors will be required to complete Watco Contractor Orientation at https://watcocontractor.com. Any contractor who was previously enrolled in e-SHORTLINE with Watco in the past, will be required to complete the Watco Contractor Orientation.

Work Windows

Impact to current railroad operations must be kept to a minimum. When work must take place that causes an active track to be taken out of service for the purposes of performing work that pertains to the project, the contractor must pre-arrange a defined work window with the railroad. Contractor can anticipate a minimum work window of eight hours, between the hours of 07:00 and 17:00. For work windows extending more than eight hours, a minimum of 72 hours notification is required to the railroad to arrange this window. Work windows may be arranged seven days a week, if desired. Current railroad operations consist of three trains per day through the work area. These trains operate in the early morning and evening hours; however, this schedule is subject to change at any time. Weekend outages will be most ideal for two out of the four turnouts. This topic will be further discussed during the pre-proposal meeting.

Standards

All standards referenced by the project plans and specifications, as well as all applicable AREMA standards must be upheld during all phases of the project work, unless certain standards are excluded from the project with written approval by the SKOL Railroad. All rails shall be replaced at standard gauge of 56-1/2”.

Submittals

The following documents shall be submitted by the contractor as part of the project–at the times listed:

  • Schedule of Work – Submitted with proposal
  • Certificate of Insurance – Submitted prior to construction
  • Safety Plan – Submitted prior to construction
  • Proof of Roadway Worker Training – Submitted prior to construction

Other Responsibilities

  • Permits – Contractor is responsible for all federal, state, and local permits required for the work. Additional permit information will be covered at the pre-proposal meeting.
  • Utilities – Contractor is responsible to locate and protect site utilities.
  • Site Clean-up – Contractor is responsible for proper site restoration and proper disposal of materials removed in accordance with all local, state, and federal laws.

Insurance

Contractor shall purchase required coverage and submit for verification a Certificate of Insurance.

Materials

All materials shall meet the requirements found in the project plans and/or specifications as well as applicable AREMA requirements. Material storage is granted on railroad right of way to the contractor. However, no materials shall be stored closer than 15 feet from the centerline of any active track at any time. Material and equipment laydown areas and reclaimed materials stockpiling locations shall be discussed and further clarified at the pre-proposal meeting. All removed materials will be disposed of accordingly by the contractor unless otherwise arranged with the SKOL Railroad.

Non-Project Areas

The SKOL Railroad has secured access to the project through the railroad right of way. Other access may be obtained by the contractor if they so choose. All areas (public, private and railroad right of way) that are used for access to the project, including parts of the railroad right of way which have no proposed work, shall be maintained and/or remediated, incidental to the project, by the contractor to the satisfaction of the property owner if any damage to these areas occurs.

Pre-Proposal Meeting

The SKOL Railroad (Watco) shall hold a pre-proposal meeting in Winfield, Kansas at 9:00 a.m. (Central Time) Tuesday, February 14, 2023, to address any questions or clarify any portions of the project tasks. For specific meeting details, please reach out to Cameron Ginther.

Project Completion

It is expected the contractor must start construction no later than 60 days after being awarded the bid (dependent upon material deliveries) and complete the project within an agreed upon timeline. Prior to the completion of the project, there will be a third-party final inspection. If there are any issues with the quality of work, the contractor will be responsible for fixing any issues found at cost to them.

Submission of a Proposal

All proposals must be submitted no later than at 4:00 p.m. Thursday, March 2, 2023. All submitted proposals shall be reviewed by the SKOL Railroad. Please ensure your proposal includes all required information. All incomplete proposals shall be rejected. The structure of your proposal must be able to be clearly understood, all proposals shall provide the following line items and provide costs as required below:

  • Provide a total sum of all line Items on the proposal.
  • Mobilization and Demobilization – Lump sum.
  • Material (Supply) and Labor (Install) for each line item; include all applicable taxes.
  • RRPL Insurance – Lump sum.

For further information or questions regarding the Request for Proposals or submittal of a proposal, please contact:

Work Reporting

Daily work reports must be filled out and submitted to Mike Mulnix – SKOL Roadmaster, Jerod Gofourth – SKOL Asst. Roadmaster, Cody McGee – Division Engineer, and Cameron Ginther – Project Manager. Those reports should include updates to project schedules, any delays and/or changes in the scope of work. A detailed summary report must be submitted upon the completion of the project.

Cameron Ginther
Project Manager
Watco

Doc. No. 050814

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