Program Support for Highway Policy Analysis 2013-2017

The Federal Highway Administration awarded a Master IDIQ on June 3, 2013, to provide technical and program support services for FHWA's Office of Policy, with a last date to order of December 2, 2018—the vehicle is now closed to new task orders.

Over its five-year ordering period, FHWA issued 106 task orders worth $42.3 million in combined potential value, with $37.9 million obligated (90% drawdown). Work spans policy formulation on procurement mechanisms, public-private partnerships, and innovative finance; quantitative assessment tools for highway investment; data systems and travel surveys; performance management; and international transportation research. Recent task orders illustrate breadth: "Bridge Bundling Guidebook and Training Material," "Tools and Technical Assistance for Evaluation of Alternative Contracting Methods" ($1.98 million), "Connected and Automated Vehicles" impact analysis, "Geospatial Database Covering Posted Speed Limit Information," and "National Bicycle Facility Inventory Data."

Activity peaked in 2014 and 2015 (20–22 orders per year) before settling to 12–21 orders annually in 2016–2018. Nearly all orders funded FHWA directly (105 of 106); one order supported the Department of Transportation Office of the Secretary.

Competition concentrated among five primes: Cambridge Systematics, Inc. (20 orders, $7.7 million), Battelle Memorial Institute (20 orders, $4.9 million), ICF Incorporated (17 orders, $4.4 million), Mingo Roger D (11 orders, $4.4 million), and Macrosys, LLC (10 orders, $7.3 million) collectively held 74 percent of task orders and 70 percent of combined potential value. A longer tail of five additional primes completed the 10-firm awardee base. All orders were unrestricted (no set-aside used).

Task orders ranged from under $20,000 (synthesis reports, pocket guides) to approximately $3 million (statistical data collection and analysis, travel behavior research). Most were firm fixed price; roughly 20 percent used cost-plus-fixed-fee pricing for longer-duration, evolving-scope work such as website maintenance and model support.

The Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) has awarded a Master IDIQ for technical and program support services for FHWA's Office of Policy. The scope of work includes: 1) Developing and refining tools and information needed for FHWA to formulate policy positions in areas related to procurement and revenue mechanisms, public-private partnership, and innovative finance; 2) Developing and refining tools and information needed to analyze current and emerging issues relating to a broad range of transportation issues to assist FHWA in formulating policy positions; 3) Developing new tools and refining existing tools for quantitative assessment of highway investment; 4) Enhancing the agency's strategic plan and performance management process; 5) Developing and refining data systems and application tools supporting a broad range of transportation data and analysis; 6) Designing household travel surveys; 7) Analyzing intergovernmental policy issues and investigating broader issues that impact future policy decisions; 8) Undertaking studies relating to international transportation innovations.