I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 6081 

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, Tennessee. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 26, 2021 

Mr. KUSTOFF (for himself, Mr. CRAWFORD, and Mr. COHEN) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 

and Infrastructure 

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, Tennessee. 

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 Chassis Ca5 pacity for Memphis’ Supply Chain Act’’. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 6081 IH

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

3 RAMPS AROUND MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE. 

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, Tennessee, by shippers or motor 

14 carriers. 

15 (b) DEVELOPMENT OF PLAN.— 

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

17 appropriations, not later than 6 months after the 

18 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 

19 Transportation, in coordination with the Commis20 sion, shall develop a plan to issue a request for pro21 posals to develop an operating model for an inter22 operable gray chassis pool at the rail ramps around 

23 Memphis, Tennessee. 

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

25 under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Transpor26 tation, in coordination with the Commission, shall 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 6081 IH

1 identify a suitable location or locations for the inter2 operable gray chassis pool and consult with relevant 

3 stakeholders, including the International Port of 

4 Memphis, ocean carriers, railroad carriers, motor 

5 carriers, chassis providers, shippers, and the Surface 

6 Transportation Board. 

7 (3) CONTENT OF PLAN AND AVAILABILITY.— 

8 The plan under paragraph (1) shall— 

9 (A) include— 

10 (i) objectives and duties of a private 

11 sector entity to establish the interoperable 

12 gray chassis pool; 

13 (ii) expectations for voluntary partici14 pation based on consultations; and 

15 (iii) the appropriate approach for 

16 seeking and receiving feedback from Mem17 phis stakeholders regarding the interoper18 able gray chassis pool; and 

19 (B) be publicly available on a website not 

20 later than 7 days after the plan is completed. 

21 (c) REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS.— 

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

23 appropriations, not later than 1 year after the date 

24 of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transpor25 tation, in coordination with the Commission, shall 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 6081 IH

1 issue a request for proposals for a private sector en2 tity to develop an operating model for an interoper3 able gray chassis pool consistent with the plan re4 quired under subsection (b). 

5 (2) CONTENT OF PROPOSAL.—A proposal sub6 mitted pursuant to a request under paragraph (1) 

7 shall include— 

8 (A) a fee structure that would sustain the 

9 interoperable gray chassis pool without a sub10 sidy; 

11 (B) specification of performance goals, in12 cluding rates of chassis in maintenance and av13 erage turn times, and a plan to achieve the per14 formance goals; 

15 (C) expectations for communication and 

16 coordination among carriers and local busi17 nesses, including any facilitation by the private 

18 sector entity; 

19 (D) expectations for total chassis involved, 

20 whether from voluntary participation of existing 

21 providers or addition of chassis by the private 

22 sector entity; 

23 (E) identification of real property nec24 essary to implement the interoperable gray 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 6081 IH

1 chassis pool, whether from voluntary partici2 pants or to be acquired; and 

3 (F) a commitment from the private sector 

4 entity to implement the interoperable gray chas5 sis pool at the rail ramps around Memphis, 

6 Tennessee, based on the operating model devel7 oped for the proposal within a specified time8 frame. 

9 (d) AWARDING OF CONTRACT.— 

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

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

12 from the proposals submitted under subsection (c), 

13 the Secretary of Transportation, with approval from 

14 the Commission, shall award a contract to a private 

15 sector entity to develop and implement an operating 

16 model for an interoperable gray chassis pool at the 

17 rail ramps around Memphis, Tennessee. 

18 (2) NO SATISFACTORY PROPOSAL.—If no satis19 factory proposal is submitted under subsection (c), 

20 the Secretary of Transportation, in coordination 

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

22 months after the date on which all proposals are 

23 submitted, a report to the Committee on Commerce, 

24 Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the 

25 Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
6 

•HR 6081 IH

1 the House of Representatives with potential alter2 native options to improve chassis provisioning and 

3 supply chain efficiency at the rail ramps around 

4 Memphis, Tennessee. 

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

6 in coordination with the Commission, shall— 

7 (1) evaluate the effectiveness of an interoper8 able gray chassis pool developed under this section 

9 not later than 1 year after implementation; and 

10 (2) issue a report to the Committee on Com11 merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 

12 and the Committee on Transportation and Infra13 structure of the House of Representatives regarding 

14 the evaluation, including best practices and lessons 

15 learned, not later than 2 years after implementation. 

16 (f) LIMITATIONS.— 

17 (1) VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION.—Participation 

18 in the interoperable gray chassis pool developed 

19 under this section shall be voluntary. 

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

21 section shall be construed to authorize the Depart22 ment of Transportation or the Commission to pur23 chase or operate tangible property related to the de24 velopment of the interoperable gray chassis pool 

25 under this section. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
7 

•HR 6081 IH

1 (g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

2 authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 

3 $500,000. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS