VIRGINIA RAILWAY EXPRESS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) VARIABLE MESSAGING SYSTEM RFI Issued: August 18, 2017 Submission of Written Questions Due: August 30, 2017 at 11:00 A.M. EST RFI Responses Due: September 18, 2017 at 2:00 P.M. EST Contact: Robert Hostelka, Director of Information Technology Virginia Railway Express 1500 King Street, Suite 202 Alexandria, VA 22314 Phone: (703) 838-9322 Email: vmsrfi@vre.org Page 1 of 15
Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction... 3 2.0 Submission of Written Questions to VRE... 6 3.0 Background... 7 4.0 Proposed VMS Features... 10 5.0 Questions for Vendors... 11 6.0 Demonstrations... 14 Appendix A: VRE Stations... 15 Page 2 of 15
1.0 INTRODUCTION A. The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to solicit responses from firms who have proven capability to develop, implement, and support a transit Variable Messaging System (VMS) display solution that will provide Virginia Railway Express (VRE) with transit-relevant information in real-time to VRE passengers at designated station locations (both indoor and outdoor on the platform). It is the intent of this RFI to yield information to assist VRE to move forward with potentially issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a new VMS solution at the VRE stations listed in Appendix A. B. VRE s intent is for the vendor to provide a turnkey solution consisting of design, installation, hardware, servers, software, connectivity, support and training for the installation and connectivity of a fully operational VMS solution as well as providing commercial outdoor-rated self-contained displays that will replace the existing monitors that currently display train number and status, as seen in Figure 1. C. VRE will be the project and implementation management entity for this initiative. D. Currently, VRE uses Train Information Provider (TRIP) which is an integrated system allowing commuter rail operators to closely track the performance of the trains and easily disseminate information about the train system to its patrons. The TRIP system consists of the Vehicle Subsystem, the Platform Subsystem and the Communications Room Subsystem. The Communications Room Subsystem consists of the TRIP Server and the Interactive Voice System (IVR). 1. The Vehicle Subsystem consists of a GPS unit installed on each train which communicates through the onboard Computer Diagnostic System (CDS) provided through Motive Power, a Wabtec Company. These units use Global Positioning Satellites (GPS) to determine their position and to communicate information about their position in relation to the current train schedule. This information is directed to the Communications Room Subsystem where it can be displayed in the Rail Time map through the VRE website. 2. The Platform Subsystem consists of a Public Address (PA) system and a Variable Message System (VMS). The VMS includes monitors and an onsite computer. This platform subsystem provides audio and visual announcements to the patrons regarding the train service. The platform subsystem accepts input from the communications room subsystem to allow changes in the service to be communicated to the patrons. Page 3 of 15
3. The Communications Room Subsystem consists of a TRIP Server, Interactive Voice Response (IVR) server, a local area network (LAN) and internet communications. The TRIP server uses inputs from the vehicle subsystem to show the operator the position of each train, and the performance of each train relative to its schedule. The TRIP Server also allows the operator to manage the announcements that are played at each platform subsystem. Communication to the platform subsystem is provided to allow the operator to update the announcements as changes to the train service occur. 4. The Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system consists of a server that uses SQL database and runs interactive voice response software. The IVR subsystem allows patrons to call in via a telephone line to receive the latest information regarding delays and cancellations. Train service information such as schedules, fares, riders guides, and even directions on how to reach a station is also available. The IVR system connects to the TRIP server and dynamically changes information being provided to callers as delays occur and the TRIP Operator releases cancellations. E. Interoperability with Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority s (WMATA) transit services and Amtrak is a desired long-term objective and VRE hopes to gain valuable experience towards future capabilities for increased passenger mobility with WMATA and Amtrak. Page 4 of 15
Figure 1: Curent Platform VRE Digital Signage F. VRE s project goals are to obtain information regarding a VMS solution that achieves the following requirements: 1. A forward-looking commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) messaging display system; 2. A system that is a turn-key solution; 3. Offers a wide range of transit and non-transit data points to best serve VRE passengers on both VRE rail lines; 4. Demonstrates an ability to host the server solution securely in the cloud; 5. Ability for VRE to customize the messaging system at each VRE station; 6. Demonstrates interoperability with the current VRE Mobile ticketing system mobile application such as in-app alerts to the VRE Mobile app coinciding with VRE train status alerts through the VMS. More information on VRE Mobile can be found at http://www.vre.org/service/vre-mobile/ 7. Establishes a platform sufficiently robust to support a diverse content management system of both static and dynamic content feeds, including but not limited to,.xml format and Rich Site Summary (RSS) feeds; Page 5 of 15
8. Has the ability to allow content to be inputted from remote web-based access points; 9. Offers a robust support and maintenance program; 10. Offers a third-party TV monitor solution such as Samsung OH55D that allows information to be displayed in either landscape or portrait orientation; 11. Increases the ease of convenience and improves the experience for passengers; 12. Increases operational efficiencies; 13. Meets Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compatibility; 14. Operates optimally in challenging network connectivity conditions; 15. Has an update frequency rate as close to real time as possible, no more than two (2) seconds per update; 16. Available at minimal costs to VRE for all stages of implementation; and 17. Includes the option to integrate with an onboard VMS for unified messaging purposes to display the same information on both the platform and onboard train displays or announcement screens using a single interface. 2.0 SUBMISSION OF WRITTEN QUESTIONS TO VRE All questions and requests for clarifications regarding this RFI must be submitted to VRE no later than the date and time specified on Page 1 of this RFI. Questions must be submitted in writing via electronic mail to vmsrfi@vre.org. Questions and responses will be posted on VRE s website at www.vre.org. Page 6 of 15
3.0 BACKGROUND A. VRE is a transportation partnership of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) and the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC). An Operations Board consisting of members from each of the jurisdictions within the VRE service area governs the development and operation of VRE and serves as an advisory board to the NVTC and PRTC commissioners. B. VRE is a commuter rail service linking the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia. NVTC and PRTC are transportation districts established under Virginia law and jointly own this service. Use of the term VRE in this RFI refers to NVTC and PRTC. C. VRE began operations in 1992 and carries an average of approximately 19,000 weekday trips on two (2) lines. In January 2014, VRE s Operations Board adopted System Plan 2040 which calls for expansion of service, requiring the addition of railcars, expansion of station and maintenance and storage facilities, as well as expanding operations to meet the goal of doubling ridership by 2040. VRE s multi-prong program addresses short term growth needs as well as longer term capacity improvements and investments in maintaining and servicing VRE s equipment and facilities. D. The primary mission of VRE is to transport commuters between outlying suburbs and the Washington-Arlington urban core. The service is heavily oriented towards the central business district in the morning peak and in the opposite direction in the evening peak. Some tourists and day-trippers also ride the trains, but there are limited opportunities for non-commuters and people who work nontraditional hours to ride VRE. The only nonpeak service is an early-afternoon return trip from Washington on each line, and two (2) limited-stop reverse-direction trains on the Manassas Line in each peak period. Additionally, certain Amtrak trains honor VRE tickets and become, in effect, additional frequencies between the stations served by the Amtrak train. Page 7 of 15
Figure 2: VRE System Map All VRE stations are included in this RFI. E. The Fredericksburg and Manassas lines share the same right-of-way for approximately 9.6 miles from Union Station to just south of Alexandria, Virginia where the lines split. The Fredericksburg line parallels I-95 and the Potomac River and the Manassas line runs along the I-66 corridor. The Fredericksburg right-of-way is owned by CSX Transportation, Inc. and the Manassas right-of-way is owned by Norfolk Southern Corporation. An Operating Agreement also exists with Amtrak that supports the use of Union Station, which is owned by Amtrak along with their right-of-way. Page 8 of 15
F. A recent increase in market demand has driven VRE to create one (1) new station and plan for additional projects. A new VRE station in Spotsylvania County on the Fredericksburg Line opened in 2016 and a project to extend VRE service on the Manassas line to the Gainesville area of Prince William County and the town of Haymarket is also under consideration. 3.1 Current VMS Solution VRE currently utilizes a trip-based VMS solution that performs the following key functions: A. View and modify schedules B. Reports C. Configuration/Settings D. Maps E. Messaging F. Tracking G. Train numbers and stations H. Users I. Way Points Figure 2: Sample TV Monitor at VRE Station Page 9 of 15
4.0 PROPOSED VMS FEATURES A. While not a complete list, the following major features are desired by VRE to be displayed on the monitors. Vendors are encouraged to outline any and all potential data feed options available in their solution. B. These features will cover the following key areas: 1. Visual representation of the train location on a 2D map in real-time to represent train arrival times on the route map 2. Real-time multi-modal transit schedules 3. Display real-time announcements on train updates, e.g. a scrolling message displayed at the bottom of the monitor screen 4. Capability to show VRE trains at specific track locations 5. Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) utilizing Geographic Positioning System (GPS/AVL technologies) 6. Emergency alerts 7. Locomotive GPS positions 8. Passenger count data 9. News and weather feeds 10. NextBus information 11. Amtrak data/messaging 12. Advertisements 13. DC Bikeshare information 14. Endpoint management by site with trouble reporting 15. Self-contained hardware units without cooling requirements 16. Integration with VRE s passenger count system 17. Optional: Compatibility with existing onboard GPS locomotive hardware Page 10 of 15
5.0 QUESTIONS FOR VENDORS Vendors submittals must address the following: A. Technology 1. What digital signage technology would you advise VRE to implement and do you support Bluetooth options? 2. How do you propose to interface your solution so that VRE can take advantage of regional partner inter-operability? 3. Explain the security built in to your solution to ensure the integrity of the VMS used on the VRE system. 4. Explain if your VMS solution could be incorporated into the VRE Mobile application that provides service updates, trip planning, schedules and other travel information for VRE passengers. 5. What type of content is the solution capable of displaying? 6. Are there a limited number of data feeds that can be displayed on the signs? If so how many? 7. What type of audio content will your solution support? 8. What type of content files does your solution currently support? a. Does your solution currently support GTFS feeds? VRE publishes static General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) schedule data at http://www.vre.org/about/app-dev/ 9. Does your solution offer any external content such as advertising, news or weather etc.? 10. What transportation datasets can the system ingest and display? VRE is interested in systems with the capability of utilizing industry standard datasets and other transportation service providers. 11. Who is responsible for installing the equipment and connecting it to VRE s network? Page 11 of 15
12. Does your solution allow for video integration into your content feed? 13. What are the cellular and/or Wi-Fi requirements for your solution? 14. What network bandwidth is necessary to support your solution? 15. For screens located far from a source what signal distribution do you recommend? 16. For screens located far from a source what signal distribution does your solution support? 17. Does your digital signage solution meet all local and federal codes and requirements? 18. What network port availability does your solution require? 19. What screen size and resolution is preferred for your solution? 20. What are the minimum and maximum screen resolutions supported? 21. Can the solution send information to a specific station about trains on either VRE line? 22. Can VRE remotely connect into the VMS from any secure device? B. Software 1. Is your solution offered as both locally hosted and software as a service? 2. If locally hosted, how are updates to the software installed? 3. Does your solution include preloaded templates and layouts? 4. Does your solution allow customized templates for VRE? 5. Does your solution generate automated e-mail alerts to your support center in case of system or screen failure? 6. Does your solution currently support video wall processing? 7. Does your solution currently support touch screens? Page 12 of 15
C. Schedule 1. Describe your POC development and implementation timeline and phases. D. Reporting 1. Describe your VMS s reporting capabilities. 2. Can a user filter reports? 3. What report formats are available? 4. Can your reports be exported via API to other systems/dashboards such as SharePoint which is a system VRE currently interfaces with. E. Passenger Experience 1. Describe in detail how VRE passengers can interact with the display digital signage. 2. Describe what passenger support functions you provide. 3. Explain your plan or ability to engineer a message criticality hierarchy to ensure the most important messages impacting a given station or line are displayed and certain pre-programmed audio of lesser importance is muted during a live voice announcement. F. Approach 1. Describe your project approach to design and install the solution. 2. What are the relevant requirements of the United States Americans with Disabilities Act that apply to your technology and does your solution comply with them? 3. Describe the training and post-installation support you would provide. 4. What is your proposed marketing plan to educate VRE passengers to a new VMS solution? 5. Describe any intellectual property issues relating to your technology or solution. 6. Does the proposed organization have capacity to procure and install hardware? 7. Does the proposed solution currently have installations that interface with external hardware? Page 13 of 15
8. Does the vendor need to have remote network access to control and configure the displays at each location? G. Support 1. Once the solution is installed, who is VRE s primary contact for support? 2. Is there a third party contracted for support? 3. Who should be notified if a display or player goes off-line? 4. Does your solution provide real-time status checks and log of content? 5. Where is content stored, and how is it delivered? 6. What is the typical time delay between the moment new content is saved or posted, and the moment that content begins appearing on the signage? 7. Does your solution provide power down or other energy-saving modes during nonoperational hours? 8. Describe your typical maintenance agreement? 9. What are your typical response times to remedy issues? 10. What help options are available? H. General 1. Provide any additional information or comments not addressed in this RFI. 6.0 DEMONSTRATIONS Upon request by VRE, vendors may be asked to provide a demonstration of their VMS display solutions to include hardware and software. Page 14 of 15
Appendix A: VRE Stations The following stations are locations for the VMS solution. The table also includes the number of monitors required per station. In addition, should additional monitors be required for additional platforms, the VMS needs to be scalable to accommodate up to twice as many monitors and displays as the current VMS system. Table 1: VRE Stations Line Station VMS Monitors Required* Broad Run 4 Manassas 3 Manassas Manassas Park 3 Burke Centre 4 Rolling Road 2 Backlick Road 2 Spotsylvania 6 Fredericksburg 2 Franconia/Springfield 3 Leeland Road 2 Fredericksburg Brooke 2 Quantico 2 Rippon 2 Woodbridge 6 Lorton 2 Shared Alexandria 3 Crystal City 3 L Enfant Plaza 4 Union Station 1 Spares - 5 Total: 61 *These counts are accurate at the time of advertisement of this RFI. Page 15 of 15