CATS Ultrasonic Rail Testing Services

The City of Charlotte is seeking proposals for annual ultrasonic rail flaw detection services across the Charlotte Area Transit System's Blue Line, including equipment, field verification, defect marking, reporting, and technical expertise.

City of Charlotte > Charlotte Area Transit System


General
Open
269-2027-2098
Oct 23, 2026 03:00 PM
Sep 21, 2026 10:00 PM
3 years base + 2 × 1 year options
Request for Proposal (RFP)
Local
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Original Solicitation Links
Contact
andra.branch@charlottenc.gov
Submission Instructions
Description

The City of Charlotte, through the Charlotte Area Transit System, seeks a contractor to perform annual ultrasonic rail flaw detection on approximately 40 miles of double-track mainline, plus yard, storage, siding, grade-crossing, interlocking, and special-trackwork infrastructure on the Blue Line. The contractor must provide all labor, supervision, transportation, materials, software, and equipment, including a road-to-rail ultrasonic inspection vehicle, real-time data acquisition and analysis capabilities, stop/start testing, repeat scans, and hand-held ultrasonic equipment for field verification. Testing will occur annually during non-revenue service hours over four consecutive nights, with testing scheduled between 12:30 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. The contractor must identify, verify, classify, mark, and immediately report defects; provide nightly inspection summaries and a comprehensive final report with electronic data files, inspection logs, defect records, field-verification documentation, and recommendations; and comply with applicable APTA, AREMA, FTA, OSHA, and CATS safety requirements. Proposals must include a cover letter, proposed solution, required forms, pricing, sample inspection reports, safety-program documentation, and at least three client references, with similar-project references preferred from the past five years.

Classification Codes
NAICS541380Testing Laboratories and Services
PSCH322Inspection and Laboratory Services (except medical/dental): Railway Equipment
Smart Codes
rail inspection servicesultrasonic testing servicestransit infrastructure inspection
Specifications
Service
Timeline
Sep 21, 2026 07:00 PM-Open Date
Oct 02, 2026 07:00 PM-Written Questions Due Before Pre-Proposal Conference
Oct 05, 2026 09:00 PM-Request for Proposal Acknowledgement Due for Pre-Proposal Conference Attendance
Oct 07, 2026 02:00 PM-Pre-Proposal Conference (optional)
Non-mandatory virtual conference; the attendance link will be provided after submitting Required Form 1 to Andre Branch.
Oct 12, 2026 09:00 PM-Questions Due
Oct 23, 2026 07:00 PM-Proposal Submission Deadline
Requirements
Required
  • Automobile Liability — $1,000,000.00
  • Commercial General Liability — $1,000,000.00
  • Workers' Compensation
  • Employers' Liability — $100,000.00
  • Errors & Omissions Insurance — $3,000,000.00
Scored
  • Minimum 3 references
  • Within the last 5 years
  • Client point of contact required for each reference
No
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