The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is seeking qualified vendors to provide a Mobile Railcar Inspection Portal (M-RIP) delivered as a fully managed Solution-as-a-Service. This initiative focuses on enhancing rail safety and inspection productivity through a portable, automated railcar inspection system that requires no permanent infrastructure investment.

The M-RIP system must be a self-powered, containerized unit housed within a customized 20-foot ISO container mounted on a 30-foot chassis, enabling rapid deployment and relocation—up to 12 times per year. The system should deliver high-speed, high-resolution automated imaging of railcar undercarriages and side-truck panoramas. Advanced Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) capabilities are required for automated defect detection, with inspection results provided in near real-time (within 60 seconds).

The selected vendor will offer the system as a turnkey managed service, owning and maintaining all equipment while providing remote inspection services via certified personnel. Vendors with proven capability in wayside detection or similar rail technologies are encouraged to respond, detailing their technical expertise, relevant experience, and compliance with all specified requirements.