FAQs

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) FAQs

1. Where will vendors be able to find out about Amtrak ARRA procurement opportunities?

Amtrak ARRA procurement opportunities will be posted at http://procurement.amtrak.com.  Vendors should review listed opportunities frequently as postings are updated daily.  Postings remain on the site for one week.

2. Will Amtrak ARRA procurement opportunities be competed?

Yes.  With the exception of situations where there is only one source, all Amtrak ARRA procurements will be competed and awards will be made to the responsive responsible contractors whose proposal represents the best value for Amtrak.

3. What procedures will Amtrak be using for ARRA procurement opportunities?

Amtrak will award all contracts using ARRA funds in a manner that is consistent with its current procurement procedures and any special guidance applicable to Amtrak provided by the Office of Management and Budget or the Federal Railroad Administration, which is Amtrak's granting agency.  These procedures are consistent with the guidelines set forth by the FRA in its grant agreement with Amtrak.

4. Will Small and DBE businesses be able to compete for Amtrak ARRA procurement opportunities?

Amtrak encourages Small and DBE businesses to compete for Amtrak ARRA and all procurement opportunities either as prime or sub-contractors. 

5. What are the close dates for Amtrak ARRA procurement opportunities?

Amtrak ARRA procurement opportunities will be posted at http://procurement.amtrak.com.  Each posting will include the close date for the procurement opportunity listed. 

6. When does work on Amtrak ARRA procurement projects have to be completed?

Work on Amtrak ARRA procurement projects must be completed on or before February 17, 2011.

7. How much funding has Amtrak received as a result of the ARRA?

Amtrak has received $1.3 billion. 

8. Where can I find out more information about the ARRA?

Please visit http://recovery.gov for additional information on the ARRA.

9. Are there special contract requirements that vendors must adhere to if awarded a contract using ARRA funds?

Yes, there are supplementary general provision in addition to our regular terms and conditions.  They will be included in all Invitations for Bids and Requests for Proposals.

10. Are there Buy America requirements for ARRA projects?

Yes, if a procurement is valued at one million dollars or more, Amtrak is required to adhere to the Buy America requirements set forth at 49 USC 24305(f) which require that products must be manufactured in the US and more than 50% of the components must be of US origin.  Regardless of dollar value, if a procurement involves a "public building" or "public work," then Amtrak is required to comply with the Buy America requirements set forth at Section 1605 of ARRA which require that for the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of a public building or public work, contractors must use American iron, steel, and manufactured goods in the project unless one of the specified exemptions applies.  Specific requirements will be included in all Invitations for Bids and Requests for Proposals.

11.  Is a list of ARRA-related contract awards available?

Yes, a complete list of all ARRA contract awards to date can be found here. (Updated as of 11/17/09)

12. I have heard Amtrak is hiring Regional Program Managers.  What is their role and will the contracts they oversee be posted to this web site?

Amtrak does not have the resources of the scale necessary to procure, manage and administer the design services and construction work required to complete the ARRA funded projects by the February 17th 2011 deadline.  The Regional Program Managers will assist us in this effort. The contracts they will manage will be posted for competitive award to our procurement web site.

13. I don’t see the project I am interested in listed on the procurement web site. How do I find out whether a contract has already been out for bid, if it was awarded, and what firm was selected?

The Amtrak procurement web site is used to post upcoming Amtrak ARRA procurement opportunities.  The best way to stay up to date is to regularly monitor the web site to determine what opportunities are currently available.  Once a contract is awarded the project will be listed under a link that is listed in our response to the frequently asked question number 11. The awarded contract list will be updated on a weekly basis.

14. Where do I find a list of projects that have not yet been put out to bid?

Daily monitoring of the Amtrak procurement web site is the best way to identify procurement opportunities and be in a position to bid on them. 

15. Does the web site only contain Amtrak ARRA projects? What about non-stimulus funded projects?

Currently the Amtrak procurement web site is being used only to post Amtrak ARRA procurement opportunities.  Non-stimulus procurement opportunities will be added to the Amtrak procurement web site at a future date yet to be determined.

16. How does the procurement review process work?

Our procurement process is governed by the Amtrak Procurement Manual that provides definitive instructions and guidance on how to prepare for, conduct and award procurements for goods and services at Amtrak. Awards shall be made to responsible vendors that possess the requisite ability to perform successfully under the terms and conditions of a proposed procurement. It is important to note that under ARRA additional terms and conditions have been added to promote transparency and minimize the potential for fraud waste and abuse.  When awarding a contract consideration shall be given to such matters as contractor integrity, record of past performance, and financial and technical resources.  Procurement procedures and practices shall encourage competition while ensuring goods and services are obtained in a timely, efficient and economical manner.