II 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 3268 

To authorize the Secretary of Transportation to issue a request for proposals 

for a private-sector entity to develop an operating model for an interoperable gray chassis pool at the rail ramps around Memphis. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 19, 2021 

Mrs. BLACKBURN (for herself and Mr. WICKER) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 

Science, and Transportation 

A BILL 

To authorize the Secretary of Transportation to issue a 

request for proposals for a private-sector entity to develop an operating model for an interoperable gray chassis pool at the rail ramps around Memphis. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Improving Memphis’ 

5 Supply Chain Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. DEVELOPMENT OF OPERATING MODEL FOR INTER2 OPERABLE GRAY CHASSIS POOL AT THE RAIL 

3 RAMPS AROUND MEMPHIS. 

4 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

5 (1) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 

6 means the Federal Maritime Commission. 

7 (2) INTEROPERABLE GRAY CHASSIS POOL.— 

8 The term ‘‘interoperable gray chassis pool’’ means a 

9 single enterprise for voluntary chassis provisioning 

10 that allows for the use of any container chassis for 

11 marine shipping containers not less than 20 feet and 

12 not more than 45 feet in length at the rail ramps 

13 around Memphis by shippers or motor carriers. 

14 (b) DEVELOPMENT OF PLAN.— 

15 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of 

16 appropriations, not later than 6 months after the 

17 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 

18 Transportation, in coordination with the Commis19 sion, shall develop a plan to issue a request for pro20 posals to develop an operating model for an inter21 operable gray chassis pool at the rail ramps around 

22 Memphis, Tennessee. 

23 (2) PLAN DETAILS.—In developing the plan 

24 under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Transpor25 tation, in coordination with the Commission, shall 

26 identify a suitable location or locations for the interVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:02 Nov 23, 2021 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3268.IS S3268

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1 operable gray chassis pool and consult with relevant 

2 stakeholders, including the International Port of 

3 Memphis, ocean carriers, railroad carriers, motor 

4 carriers, chassis providers, shippers, and the Surface 

5 Transportation Board. 

6 (3) CONTENT OF PLAN AND AVAILABILITY.— 

7 The plan under paragraph (1) shall— 

8 (A) include— 

9 (i) objectives and duties of a private10 sector contractor to establish the interoper11 able gray chassis pool; 

12 (ii) expectations for voluntary partici13 pation based on consultations; and 

14 (iii) the appropriate approach for 

15 seeking and receiving feedback from Mem16 phis stakeholders regarding the interoper17 able gray chassis pool; and 

18 (B) be publicly available on a website not 

19 later than 7 days after the plan is completed. 

20 (c) REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS.— 

21 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of 

22 appropriations, not later than 1 year after the date 

23 of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transpor24 tation, in coordination with the Commission, shall 

25 issue a request for proposals for a private-sector enVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:02 Nov 23, 2021 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3268.IS S3268

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1 tity to develop an operating model for an interoper2 able gray chassis pool consistent with the plan re3 quired under subsection (b). 

4 (2) CONTENT OF PROPOSAL.—A proposal sub5 mitted pursuant to a request under paragraph (1) 

6 shall include— 

7 (A) a fee structure that would sustain the 

8 interoperable gray chassis pool without a sub9 sidy; 

10 (B) specification of performance goals, in11 cluding rates of chassis in maintenance and av12 erage turn times, and a plan to achieve the per13 formance goals; 

14 (C) expectations for communication and 

15 coordination among carriers and local busi16 nesses, including any facilitation by the private17 sector entity; 

18 (D) expectations for total chassis involved, 

19 whether from voluntary participation of existing 

20 providers or addition of chassis by the con21 tractor; 

22 (E) identification of real property nec23 essary to implement the interoperable gray 

24 chassis pool, whether from voluntary partici25 pants or to be acquired; and 


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1 (F) a commitment from the awardee to im2 plement the interoperable gray chassis pool at 

3 the rail ramps around Memphis based on the 

4 operating model developed for the proposal 

5 within a specified timeframe. 

6 (d) AWARDING OF CONTRACT.— 

7 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of 

8 appropriations, except as provided in paragraph (2), 

9 from the proposals submitted under subsection (c), 

10 the Secretary of Transportation, with approval from 

11 the Commission, shall award a contract to a private12 sector entity to develop and implement an operating 

13 model for an interoperable gray chassis pool at the 

14 rail ramps around Memphis. 

15 (2) NO SATISFACTORY PROPOSAL.—If no satis16 factory proposal is submitted under subsection (c), 

17 the Secretary of Transportation, in coordination 

18 with the Commission, shall submit, not later than 6 

19 months after the date all proposals are submitted, a 

20 report to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

21 Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on 

22 Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 

23 Representatives with potential alternative options to 

24 improve chassis provisioning and supply chain effi25 ciency at the rail ramps around Memphis. 


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1 (e) EVALUATION.—The Secretary of Transportation, 

2 in coordination with the Commission, shall— 

3 (1) evaluate the effectiveness of an interoper4 able gray chassis pool developed under this section 

5 not later than 1 year after implementation; and 

6 (2) issue a report to the Committee on Com7 merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 

8 and the Committee on Transportation and Infra9 structure of the House of Representatives regarding 

10 the evaluation, including best practices and lessons 

11 learned, not later than 2 years after implementation. 

12 (f) LIMITATIONS.— 

13 (1) VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION.—Participation 

14 in the interoperable gray chassis pool developed 

15 under this section shall be voluntary. 

16 (2) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this 

17 section shall be construed to authorize the Depart18 ment of Transportation or the Commission to pur19 chase or operate tangible property related to the de20 velopment of the interoperable gray chassis pool 

21 under this section. 

22 (g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

23 authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 

24 $500,000. 

Æ 


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