The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), through the US Department of Transportation (USDOT), has launched a Request For Proposal (RFP) to develop a high-speed rail system.

The rail system will be developed on design, build, finance, operate and maintain (DBFOM) basis. The potential corridors are the following:

1. Northeast corridor
2. California corridor
3. Empire corridor
4. Pacific Northwest corridor
5. South Central corridor
6. Gulf Coast corridor
7. Chicago Hub network
8. Florida corridor
9. Keystone corridor
10. Northern New England corridor
11. Southeast corridor

According to the RFP, which was issued on March 11, FRA will have to review the proposals within 90 days of their receipt and the Secretary may establish commissions to further review proposals. Later the Secretary will decide warrant further consideration.

The USDOT will consider the proposals to determine whether any of the corridors are likely to provide substantial benefits to the national transportation system and are cost-effective. In that case, USDOT would submit reports endorsing any projects to the Congress.

Interested parties must submit their proposals on or before August 31.

See notice of request for proposals:

http://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/details/L17368