Notice of a Buy America Waiver for Proposed Innovative Electronic Platform Track Intrusion System, 76739-76740 [2015-31153]
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 237 / Thursday, December 10, 2015 / Notices
is obliged to formally inspect the car for
compliance. All the information in the
customer request is forwarded to the
region for review. Once the inspection
is completed, the assigned inspector
provides his report in a memorandum to
the Motive, Power, and Equipment
(MP&E) Specialist. The MP&E Specialist
reviews the documents and provides a
memo to the Regional Administrator
who sends a response by memorandum
to FRA Headquarters of the finding from
the field inspection.
FRA Headquarters is responsible for
gathering all the information from the
request from the customer as well as
assigning and forwarding the
information to the Region. All the
information is reviewed by the MP&E
Specialist at Headquarters. The MP&E
Specialist prepares a grid letter response
for the MP&E Staff Director who then
offers the response letter to the Director,
Office of Safety Assurance and
Compliance. The formal response letter
is then sent to the customer through the
Control Correspondence Management
(CCM) system.
Type of Request: Revision of a
currently approved information
collection.
Affected Public: Businesses
(Railroads).
Form(s): New Forms FRA F
6180.161(a)–(k).
Total Annual Estimated Responses:
121.
Total Annual Estimated Burden: 121
hours.
Title: FRA Safety Advisory 2015–03,
Operational and Signal Modifications
for Compliance with Maximum
Authorized Passenger Train Speeds and
Other Restrictions.
OMB Control Number: 2130–0613.
Abstract: FRA issued Safety Advisory
2015–03 on June 12, 2015 (see 80 FR
33585) to stress to passenger railroads
and railroads that host passenger service
and their employees the importance of
compliance with Federal regulations
and applicable railroad rules governing
applicable passenger train speed limits.
This safety advisory makes
recommendations to these railroads to
ensure that compliance with applicable
passenger train speed limits is
addressed by appropriate railroad
operating policies and procedures and
signal systems.
Type of Request: Regular Clearance
without change of a currently approved
Emergency Clearance.
Affected Public: Businesses
(Railroads).
Form(s): N/A.
Total Annual Estimated Responses:
5,880.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:33 Dec 09, 2015
Jkt 238001
Total Annual Estimated Burden:
2,217 hours.
Addressee: Send comments regarding
these information collections to the
Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs, Office of Management and
Budget, 725 Seventeenth Street NW.,
Washington, DC, 20503, Attention: FRA
Desk Officer. Comments may also be
sent via email to OMB at the following
address: oira_submissions@
omb.eop.gov.
Comments are invited on the
following: Whether the proposed
collections of information are necessary
for the proper performance of the
functions of the Department, including
whether the information will have
practical utility; the accuracy of the
Department’s estimates of the burden of
the proposed information collections;
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and ways to minimize the
burden of the collections of information
on respondents, including the use of
automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
A comment to OMB is best assured of
having its full effect if OMB receives it
within 30 days of publication of this
notice in the Federal Register.
Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501–3520.
Issued in Washington, DC, on December 4,
2015.
Corey Hill,
Acting Executive Director.
[FR Doc. 2015–31048 Filed 12–9–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–06–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
[Docket No. FTA–2015–0026]
Notice of a Buy America Waiver for
Proposed Innovative Electronic
Platform Track Intrusion System
AGENCY:
Federal Transit Administration,
DOT.
ACTION:
Notice of a Buy America waiver.
The Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) received a request
from the Los Angeles County
Metropolitan Transportation Authority
(LACMTA) for a Buy America nonavailability waiver for the procurement
of a proposed innovative electronic
platform track intrusion system (PTIDS).
LACMTA seeks to procure the PTIDS for
research and testing purposes to
determine whether such a system will
help to increase rail safety by
identifying obstacles in the right-of-way.
PTIDS uses radar transponder
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00086
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
76739
technology, such as sensors, to detect
intrusions on rail tracks. If an object is
detected, the sensors immediately send
notification to personnel who may then
stop the train and take appropriate
action. LACMTA seeks a waiver for the
PTIDS because it contains twelve
components, six of which only are
available from a single source and
currently are not manufactured in the
United States. In accordance with 49
U.S.C. 5323(j)(3)(A), FTA published a
notice of the waiver request and sought
public comment in deciding whether to
grant the request. Having received no
comments opposing the waiver, FTA is
hereby granting a non-availability
waiver for this one procurement of the
specific PTIDS components identified in
this waiver request, and not to any
future procurement by LACMTA or
others.
DATES: This waiver is effective
immediately.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Laura Goldin, FTA Attorney-Advisor, at
(202) 366–2743 or laura.goldin@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
purpose of this Notice is to announce
that FTA is granting a non-availability
waiver to LACMTA for the procurement
of a PTIDS. On May 1, 2015, LACMTA
requested a Buy America nonavailability waiver for the PTIDS
because several components are only
available from a single source and are
not produced in sufficient and
reasonably available quantities of a
satisfactory quality in the United States.
49 U.S.C. 5323(j)(2)(A); 49 CFR 661.7(c).
LACMTA operates both heavy rail
and light rail for 80 stations spanning 87
service miles. In December 2013,
LACMTA entered into a partnership
with Honeywell International, Inc.
(Honeywell) and ProTran Technology
LLC to submit an application in
response to FTA’s Notice of Funding
Availability Solicitation of Project
Proposals for Innovative Safety,
Resiliency, and All-Hazards Emergency
Response and Recovery Research
Demonstrations. The goal of LACMTA’s
proposal is to demonstrate that the
PTIDS is the most reliable, efficient, and
secure system available and can
immediately identify any right-of-way
obstacles. The PTIDS relies on radar
transponder technology to send an
instant warning to rail operation safety
systems and personnel. If an intrusion is
detected, the PTIDS sensors trigger
safety systems and notify personnel, so
that the train can be stopped. Due to the
accuracy and immediacy of the
technology, LACMTA claims that the
PTIDS allows for the greatest response
time so more accidents will be avoided.
E:\FR\FM\10DEN1.SGM
10DEN1
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
76740
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 237 / Thursday, December 10, 2015 / Notices
PTIDS also has fail-safe mechanisms
and uses algorithms to prevent false
alarms, which plague many other
platform intrusion detection systems on
the market. In addition, LACMTA states
that some components of this system are
custom-designed. For instance, the
PTIDS uses a radio-wave based sensor
sub-system, a signal processing subsystem, a video sub-system, and a
communications sub-system that
provides alerts to operators. All of these
sub-systems work together and are
connected to one another by custom
cables that are designed for the
particular rail system and equipment.
Honeywell currently manufactures the
safety system equipment in Germany.
LACMTA states that some PTIDS
components currently are not available
in the United States and no U.S.
manufacturers make acceptable
substitutes. Therefore, LACMTA
requested a Buy America nonavailablily waiver for certain PTIDS
components that are manufactured
abroad. 49 CFR 661.7.
According to LACMTA’s request, six
of the 12 components that comprise the
PTIDS are foreign-made and require a
non-availability waiver under 49 CFR
661.7. Those components requiring a
waiver are: The AXIS fixed outdoor
dome camera manufactured in Sweden;
the AXIS wall mount for dome cameras
manufactured in Sweden; the
Honeywell Module Radar Sensor
Modules Pair manufactured in
Germany; the Honeywell GPC/CCU
controller units manufactured in
Germany; the Honeywell GPC Cabinet
for equiptment manufactured in
Germany and; the Honeywell Custom
Cables for interconnection
manufactured in Germany.
FTA also conducted a scouting search
through its Interagency Agreement with
the U.S. Department of Commerce’s
National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST). The scouting search
identified three domestic manufacturers
as potential matches for this
opportunity: Extreme Endeavors in West
Virginia, Innovative Solutions Through
Technology in Kentucky, and BFW, Inc.
in Kentucky. The manufacturers
identified either produce similar
products to the PTIDS sought, possess
the capabilities to produce this PTIDS,
have produced an item similar to the
PTIDS in the past, or have expressed a
business interest in producing the
PTIDS. However, none of these U.S.
manufacturers identified currently
produce the exact PTIDS that LACMTA
is seeking, as described in this Notice.
With certain exceptions, FTA’s Buy
America requirements prevent FTA
from obligating an amount that may be
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:33 Dec 09, 2015
Jkt 238001
appropriated to carry out its program for
a project unless ‘‘the steel, iron, and
manufactured goods used in the project
are produced in the United States.’’ 49
U.S.C. 5323(j)(1). A manufactured
product is considered produced in the
United States if: (1) All of the
manufacturing processes for the product
take place in the United States; and (2)
all of the components of the product are
of U.S. origin. A component is
considered of U.S. origin if it is
manufactured in the United States,
regardless of the origin of its
subcomponents. 49 CFR 661.5(d). If,
however, FTA determines that ‘‘the
steel, iron, and goods produced in the
United States are not produced in a
sufficient and reasonably available
amount or are not of a satisfactory
quality,’’ then FTA may issue a waiver
(non-availability waiver). 49 U.S.C.
5323(j)(2)(B); 49 CFR 661.7(c).
LACMTA requested a Buy America
non-availability waiver in order to
conduct research on and test the PTIDS
for future use. LACMTA also notes that
Honeywell may consider domestic
manufacturing of certain elements of the
PTIDS if this research and testing is
successful and if there is adequate
industry demand.
On Tuesday, September 29, 2015, and
in accordance with 49 U.S.C.
5323(j)(3)(A), FTA published a notice in
the Federal Register announcing the
LACMTA Buy America waiver request
(80 FR 58530), seeking comment from
all interested parties, including
potential vendors and suppliers. The
comment period closed on October 13,
2015, and no comments were received.
Based on the representations from
LACMTA, the lack of any comments,
and the fact that the NIST supplier
scouting search did not identify a
domestically made PTIDS, FTA is
granting a non-availability waiver for
the procurement of a PTIDS described
above.
Issued on December 7, 2015.
Dana Nifosi,
Deputy Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2015–31153 Filed 12–9–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–57–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
[Docket No. FTA–2015–0027]
Notice of Buy America Waiver for Voith
Propulsion Unit
AGENCY:
Federal Transit Administration,
DOT.
ACTION:
PO 00000
Notice of Buy America waiver.
Frm 00087
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
The Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) received a request
from the Virginia Department of
Transportation (VDOT) for a Buy
America waiver for Voith Turbo
Schneider Propeller GmbH (Voith) 21/
R5 propulsion units based on nonavailability. Voith, located in Germany,
is the sole manufacturer of the required
propulsion units. VDOT is procuring the
propulsion units as part of an engine
and drive system replacement for the
Ferry Boat Pocahontas, which is
operated by VDOT. There are no
domestic manufacturers of equivalent
propulsion units. In accordance with 49
U.S.C. 5323(j)(3)(A), FTA published a
notice of the waiver request and sought
public comment in deciding whether to
grant the request. Having received no
comments opposing the waiver, FTA is
hereby granting a non-availability
waiver for this one procurement of the
specific Voith Turbo Schneider
Propeller GmbH identified in this
waiver request, and not to any future
procurement by VDOT or others.
DATES: This waiver is effective
immediately.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Laura Ames, FTA Attorney-Advisor, at
(202) 366–2743 or laura.ames@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
purpose of this Notice is to announce
that FTA is granting a non-availability
waiver to VODT for the purchase of two
(2) Voith 21/R5 propulsion units based
on non-availability. On August 12, 2015,
VDOT requested a Buy America waiver
for the procurement of the propulsion
units. VDOT’s request identified Voith,
located in Germany, as the sole
manufacturer of the required propulsion
units. No known domestic equivalents
exist. VDOT is procuring the propulsion
units as part of an engine and drive
system replacement for the Ferry Boat
Pocahontas, which is operated by VDOT
on the Jamestown-Scotland ferry route
crossing the James River in Virginia.
The original propulsion units have
reached the end of their useful life.
Although the new ferry engines will be
manufactured domestically by
Caterpillar, Inc., the vessel has a specific
propulsion design utilizing a vertical
axis cycloidal propeller. The Pocahontas
was designed around the vertical
propeller configuration. The entirety of
the vessel’s hull, the engine housing, the
dimensions of the vessel, and the ballast
locations, are all configured to work
with a vertical propulsion unit, which
ensures proper piloting and vessel
stability. As part of the procurement
planning, VDOT contracted with Alion
Science and Technology Corp. (Alion)
to develop the design of the entire
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\10DEN1.SGM
10DEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 237 (Thursday, December 10, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76739-76740]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-31153]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
[Docket No. FTA-2015-0026]
Notice of a Buy America Waiver for Proposed Innovative Electronic
Platform Track Intrusion System
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of a Buy America waiver.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) received a request
from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
(LACMTA) for a Buy America non-availability waiver for the procurement
of a proposed innovative electronic platform track intrusion system
(PTIDS). LACMTA seeks to procure the PTIDS for research and testing
purposes to determine whether such a system will help to increase rail
safety by identifying obstacles in the right-of-way. PTIDS uses radar
transponder technology, such as sensors, to detect intrusions on rail
tracks. If an object is detected, the sensors immediately send
notification to personnel who may then stop the train and take
appropriate action. LACMTA seeks a waiver for the PTIDS because it
contains twelve components, six of which only are available from a
single source and currently are not manufactured in the United States.
In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 5323(j)(3)(A), FTA published a notice of
the waiver request and sought public comment in deciding whether to
grant the request. Having received no comments opposing the waiver, FTA
is hereby granting a non-availability waiver for this one procurement
of the specific PTIDS components identified in this waiver request, and
not to any future procurement by LACMTA or others.
DATES: This waiver is effective immediately.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Goldin, FTA Attorney-Advisor, at
(202) 366-2743 or laura.goldin@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of this Notice is to announce
that FTA is granting a non-availability waiver to LACMTA for the
procurement of a PTIDS. On May 1, 2015, LACMTA requested a Buy America
non-availability waiver for the PTIDS because several components are
only available from a single source and are not produced in sufficient
and reasonably available quantities of a satisfactory quality in the
United States. 49 U.S.C. 5323(j)(2)(A); 49 CFR 661.7(c).
LACMTA operates both heavy rail and light rail for 80 stations
spanning 87 service miles. In December 2013, LACMTA entered into a
partnership with Honeywell International, Inc. (Honeywell) and ProTran
Technology LLC to submit an application in response to FTA's Notice of
Funding Availability Solicitation of Project Proposals for Innovative
Safety, Resiliency, and All-Hazards Emergency Response and Recovery
Research Demonstrations. The goal of LACMTA's proposal is to
demonstrate that the PTIDS is the most reliable, efficient, and secure
system available and can immediately identify any right-of-way
obstacles. The PTIDS relies on radar transponder technology to send an
instant warning to rail operation safety systems and personnel. If an
intrusion is detected, the PTIDS sensors trigger safety systems and
notify personnel, so that the train can be stopped. Due to the accuracy
and immediacy of the technology, LACMTA claims that the PTIDS allows
for the greatest response time so more accidents will be avoided.
[[Page 76740]]
PTIDS also has fail-safe mechanisms and uses algorithms to prevent
false alarms, which plague many other platform intrusion detection
systems on the market. In addition, LACMTA states that some components
of this system are custom-designed. For instance, the PTIDS uses a
radio-wave based sensor sub-system, a signal processing sub-system, a
video sub-system, and a communications sub-system that provides alerts
to operators. All of these sub-systems work together and are connected
to one another by custom cables that are designed for the particular
rail system and equipment. Honeywell currently manufactures the safety
system equipment in Germany. LACMTA states that some PTIDS components
currently are not available in the United States and no U.S.
manufacturers make acceptable substitutes. Therefore, LACMTA requested
a Buy America non-availablily waiver for certain PTIDS components that
are manufactured abroad. 49 CFR 661.7.
According to LACMTA's request, six of the 12 components that
comprise the PTIDS are foreign-made and require a non-availability
waiver under 49 CFR 661.7. Those components requiring a waiver are: The
AXIS fixed outdoor dome camera manufactured in Sweden; the AXIS wall
mount for dome cameras manufactured in Sweden; the Honeywell Module
Radar Sensor Modules Pair manufactured in Germany; the Honeywell GPC/
CCU controller units manufactured in Germany; the Honeywell GPC Cabinet
for equiptment manufactured in Germany and; the Honeywell Custom Cables
for interconnection manufactured in Germany.
FTA also conducted a scouting search through its Interagency
Agreement with the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST). The scouting search identified three
domestic manufacturers as potential matches for this opportunity:
Extreme Endeavors in West Virginia, Innovative Solutions Through
Technology in Kentucky, and BFW, Inc. in Kentucky. The manufacturers
identified either produce similar products to the PTIDS sought, possess
the capabilities to produce this PTIDS, have produced an item similar
to the PTIDS in the past, or have expressed a business interest in
producing the PTIDS. However, none of these U.S. manufacturers
identified currently produce the exact PTIDS that LACMTA is seeking, as
described in this Notice.
With certain exceptions, FTA's Buy America requirements prevent FTA
from obligating an amount that may be appropriated to carry out its
program for a project unless ``the steel, iron, and manufactured goods
used in the project are produced in the United States.'' 49 U.S.C.
5323(j)(1). A manufactured product is considered produced in the United
States if: (1) All of the manufacturing processes for the product take
place in the United States; and (2) all of the components of the
product are of U.S. origin. A component is considered of U.S. origin if
it is manufactured in the United States, regardless of the origin of
its subcomponents. 49 CFR 661.5(d). If, however, FTA determines that
``the steel, iron, and goods produced in the United States are not
produced in a sufficient and reasonably available amount or are not of
a satisfactory quality,'' then FTA may issue a waiver (non-availability
waiver). 49 U.S.C. 5323(j)(2)(B); 49 CFR 661.7(c).
LACMTA requested a Buy America non-availability waiver in order to
conduct research on and test the PTIDS for future use. LACMTA also
notes that Honeywell may consider domestic manufacturing of certain
elements of the PTIDS if this research and testing is successful and if
there is adequate industry demand.
On Tuesday, September 29, 2015, and in accordance with 49 U.S.C.
5323(j)(3)(A), FTA published a notice in the Federal Register
announcing the LACMTA Buy America waiver request (80 FR 58530), seeking
comment from all interested parties, including potential vendors and
suppliers. The comment period closed on October 13, 2015, and no
comments were received. Based on the representations from LACMTA, the
lack of any comments, and the fact that the NIST supplier scouting
search did not identify a domestically made PTIDS, FTA is granting a
non-availability waiver for the procurement of a PTIDS described above.
Issued on December 7, 2015.
Dana Nifosi,
Deputy Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2015-31153 Filed 12-9-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P
