Action
Notice of intent to grant Buy America waiver.
Summary
FRA is issuing this notice to advise the public that it intends to grant the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) and the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak), a waiver from FRA's Buy America requirement under 49 U.S.C. 24405(a)(2)(B) for the purchase of one No. 20 RH 136RE Turnout, one No. 20 LH 136RE Turnout, and one No. 20 LH Crossover 136RE (Turnouts and Crossover) manufactured by VAE Nortrak North America, Inc. at its plant in Birmingham, Alabama, for use in the Kingston Track Capacity and Platform Improvements Project (Kingston Project). Nortrak will manufacture the Turnouts and Crossover at its plant in Birmingham, Alabama. The Turnouts and Crossover will contain four components (ZU1-60 steel left and right switch point rail sections and Schwihag roller assemblies and plates) not produced in the U.S. The roller assemblies and plates are manufactured in Switzerland, and the ZUl-60 steel switch point rail sections are manufactured in Austria. The total amount of foreign material under this waiver request amounts to approximately $126,000. The foreign material comprises approximately 8 percent of the Turnouts' $350,000 cost or approximately $56,000 and 10 percent of the Crossover's $700,000 cost or approximately $70,000. FRA believes a waiver is appropriate under 49 U.S.C. 24405(a)(2)(B) for the ZUI-60 steel switch point rail sections and roller assemblies and plates because domestically-produced components meeting the specific needs of RIDOT and Amtrak are not currently produced in the U.S.