Amtrak Procurement Portal

How can I sign-up to become a registered supplier with Amtrak?

Vendor registration can be completed by going to this Portal’s Home page tab where you will find the Vendor Registration Form. The registration, however, does not constitute a guarantee that your company will receive an invitation to participate in a solicitation or a contract from Amtrak, nor does it imply that your company has or qualified for any type of business relationship with Amtrak.

Registration will include the use of the United Nations Standard Products and Services Code System (UNSPSC) to have suppliers identify the commodities and/or services their firm would like to provide to Amtrak. Learn more about the UNSPSC system at https://www.unspsc.org.

Q.	How does the procurement review process work?
A.	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 suppliers that possess the requisite ability to perform successfully under the terms and conditions of a proposed procurement. 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.
Q.	Where do I find a list of projects that have not yet been put out to bid?
A.	The Amtrak Procurement Portal is the best way to identify procurement related opportunities and this information will be posted under the Business Opportunities Tab.

Q.	Will Small Business (SB) concerns and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) be able to compete for Amtrak’s contracting opportunities?
A.	Amtrak encourages SBs and DBEs to compete for its procurement opportunities either as a prime or sub-contractor. Further, Amtrak has long had a policy of non-discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, or gender in the award or performance of contracts or agreements. Therefore, Amtrak also encourages Minority, Women and Veteran-owned Businesses to seek contracting opportunities with us.
Q.	What is the definition of a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)?
A.	As defined in 49 CFR 26, a DBE is a for-profit small business concern where socially and economically disadvantaged individuals own at least a 51% interest and also control management and daily business operations. African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, Asian-Pacific and Subcontinent Asian Americans, and women are presumed to be socially and economically disadvantaged. Other individuals can also qualify as socially and economically disadvantaged on a case-by-case basis.
Q.	What is a socially and economically disadvantaged individual?
A.	According to 49 CFR Part 26.67, socially and economically disadvantaged individuals are citizens or legal permanent residents of the United States who are rebuttably presumed to be Black Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, Asian-Pacific Americans, Subcontinent Asian Americans, Women, or other individual found on a case-by-case basis to be disadvantaged, whose personal net worth is verified to not exceed $1.32 million. (49 CFR Part 26).
Q.	What is the definition of a Small Business (SB)?
A.	A Small Business is a for-profit concern, including its affiliates, which is independently owned and operated, not dominant in the field of operation and qualifies as a small business under the criteria and size standards in 13 CFR part 121 (see 19.102). Such a concern is "not dominant in its field of operation" when it does not exercise a controlling or major influence on a national basis in a kind of business activity in which a number of business concerns are primarily engaged. In determining whether dominance exists, consideration shall be given to all appropriate factors, including volume of business, number of employees, financial resources, competitive status or position, ownership or control of materials, processes, patents, license agreements, facilities, sales territory, and nature of business activity.
Q.	What are size standards?
A.	According to the United States Small Business Administration a size standard “is the largest a for-profit concern can be and still qualify as a small business for Federal Government programs.” Size is measured by standards set forth in the “U.S. Small Business Administration Table of Small Business Size Standards Matched to North American Industry Classification System Codes,” used to calculate a firm’s size as determined by its number of employees or via “the average annual receipts” of the firm. (United States Small Business Administration, Oct. 2007).
Q.	What are annual receipts?
A.	Receipts means “total income” (or in the case of a sole proprietorship, “gross income”) plus “cost of goods sold” as these terms are defined and reported on Internal Revenue Service tax return forms. Receipts are averaged over a concern's latest three (3) completed fiscal years to determine its average annual receipts. If a concern has not been in business for three (3) years, the average weekly revenue for the number of weeks the concern has been in business is multiplied by 52 to determine its average annual receipts. (U.S. SBA).
Q.	What is the definition of a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE)?
A.	An MBE is a for profit enterprise that is physically located in the U. S. or its trust territories, which is at least 51 percent minority-owned, operated and controlled day-to-day by a member(s) of a minority group that is at least 25 percent Asian American, Black American, Hispanic American or Native American with minority eligibility established via a combination of screenings, interviews and site visits. Ownership, in the case of a publicly-owned business, means that at least 51 percent of the stock is owned by one or more minority group members.
Q.	What is a Woman Business Enterprise (WBE)?
A.	A Women's Business Enterprise is an independent business concern that is at least 51 percent owned and controlled by one or more women who are U.S. citizens or Legal Resident Aliens; whose business formation and principal place of business are in the U.S. or its territories; and whose management and daily operation is controlled by a woman with industry expertise.
Q.	What is the definition of a Veteran-Owned Business (VOB)?
A.	A VOB is at minimum 51 percent owned by one or more veterans (as defined at 38 U.S.C. 101(2)) or, in the case of any publicly owned business, not less than 51 percent of the stock of which is owned by one or more veterans and whose management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more veterans.
Q.	What is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (SDVOB)?
A.	A SDVOB is at minimum 51 percent owned by one or more service-disabled veterans or, in the case of any publicly owned business, not less than 51 percent of the stock of which is owned by one or more service-disabled veterans and whose management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more service-disabled veterans or, in the case of a veteran with a permanent and severe disability, the spouse or permanent caregiver of such veteran. Service-disabled veteran is as defined in 38 U.S.C. 101(2), with a disability that is service-connected, as defined in 38 U.S.C. 101(16).
Q.	Does Amtrak certify ownership status of firms?
A.	Amtrak does not certify the size or ownership status of firms. It uses the following state and federal agencies and national organizations acceptable to Amtrak to verify ownership claims: Amtrak accepts Disadvantaged Business Enterprise certification from any state DOT under the U.S. DOT’s Unified Certification Program (UCP). For more on DBE certification, go to https://www.transportation.gov/DBE State Websites. Small Business verification is achieved by using the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Small Business Administration and its System for Award Management (SAM). Visit the U.S. Small Business Administration’s SAM at www.sam.gov. Veteran and Service-disabled Veteran-owned firms can receive certification from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs at http://www.va.gov. Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises are verified through the National Minority Supplier Development Council and the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council located respectively at http://www.nmsdc.org/nmsdc and http://www.wbenc.com.

Q.	Why are the Business Opportunity boxes for Construction and Non-Construction blank?
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Q.	Is my browser supported by Amtrak’s Procurement Portal website?
A.	To get the best experience of Amtrak’s Procurement website, it is recommended that you use one of the following web browsers: Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, or Apple Safari.