On April 20, 2012, the United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) announced a Request for Proposals (RFP), valued at approximately $551 million, for the production of approximately 130 American-made, standardized bi-level passenger rail cars.  The RFP requires that all components of the cars be built by American workers with American-produced steel, iron, and manufactured goods.  The RFP is being issued as a result of a multi-state effort to jointly purchase standardized equipment for use on Amtrak’s intercity routes in California, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Missouri, and potentially Iowa.  In preparation for this and other orders, DOT is partnering with the Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership to connect large car builders with domestic suppliers.  U.S. DOT will select the winning manufacturer in the fall of 2012, with delivery of the cars expected in 2015.  Funding for the RFP is being provided by the Federal Railroad Administration’s High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail Program.