FHWA_EAR_BAA_693JJ3-18-BAA-0001_-_AMENDMENT_1.pdf

FHWA EXPLORATORY ADVANCED RESEARCH BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCMENT – 693JJ3-18-BAA-0001

AMENDMENT NO. 1 – Q&A

Responses are provided for questions received through March 27, 2018.

General Questions

1. Is the BAA open to foreign participants? All interested parties may submit an application or proposal in response to the broad agency announcement.

2. Regarding page 3 of the above-referenced BAA, what are the Pros and Cons of “contract” versus “assistance agreement?” By contract is it meant cooperative agreement that require 20% cost-share? Assistance agreements and contracts are two different acquisition vehicles as stated in the BAA. There are different rules and processes for each. Legislation requires a 20% cost-share for assistance agreements. A contract also could have a cost-share, but the cost-share on a contract is not legislatively mandated.

3. The anticipated duration and funding/year is not fully clear to us. While the BAA mentions that there will be $7M for all awards and that 5-8 contracts or cooperative agreements may be awarded, it is not clear if the $7M is to be spent EACH YEAR or total over the duration of the 5-8 projects. This is a significant difference in funding level available for the proposals, and would make a huge difference in what we would propose. Would you clarify the anticipated project durations and if the $7M is for the first year only or to be spread over several years? There is $7M total for the FY18 EAR program for the anticipated 5-8 awards. No additional funding is available.

4. I read the BAA to indicate that each proposal should cover only one topic, but a colleague of mine read that as optional such that a single proposal could be submitted that covered multiple (say all four) topics. Would you clarify what the FHWA is hoping to receive from an institution like TAMU/TTI? Would a single proposal that covers all topics be preferred, or multiple proposals that cover only one topic each? An offeror may submit a proposal for a single topic.

You may submit a separate proposal for each topic, but not a combined proposal for all topics.

5. Can an individual or organization be a sub-awardee in more than one proposal in the same topic? An individual or an organization may be a sub-awardee in more than one proposal in the same topic.

6. Will we be able to partner with NIST (a federal agency)? If yes, would NIST be considered a sub-awardee? A proposal may include a federal laboratory as a sub-awardee.

7. A small business partner is no longer required for an assistance agreement, correct? A small business subcontracting plan is required only for proposals for contracts exceeding $700,000.

8. The sample naming convention for the proposal volumes and for the email transmittal listed, “XYZ University.” Is it FHWA’s expectation that the submittals will be university led? The naming convention provided in the BAA is an example only. Proposals are welcome from all interested parties.

9. Can FHWA quantify the difference in scoring between contracts and assistance agreements? That is, if two proposals are of equal technical merit, what is the priority of the contract proposal versus the assistance agreement? There is no priority between contracts and assistance agreements. They are considered equal.

10. Can the initial phase of a proposed project extend beyond a 12-month period of performance? YES. Or is any use of an option period beyond the 12-month base period considered a future phase? Offerors should propose the period of performance adequate for successful performance of its planned work. The periods of performance for BAA awards usually range from three to four years.

11. Is providing the following information optional at the time of the application submission? All information starting on the 3rd paragraph of page 21 (Volume 2 - Budget Information) and afterwards. All the information on pages 22 and 23 3-All the information on page 24 until Section Vii. Offerors must respond to all items on Page 21, 22, 23 and 24. The "OPTIONAL" refers to adding a cover page and a Table of Contents to the Budget Application for an assistance agreement.

12. Is there a requirement that a university lead a proposal team? NO. Will FHWA consider funding proposals with a research organization in the lead, in partnership with universities, national research labs, etc.? YES

13. Does FHWA expect partners such as a State DOT to provide matching funds? FHWA considers partnership with agencies under the second criterion, “Importance to Agency Programs.”

Partnerships may or may not include matching funds including in-kind funds. For Topic 1 and Topic 4, FHWA anticipates partnership with an asset owner as part of a pilot demonstration of the research.

14. Does FHWA have concerns about the use of proprietary data, for example, from an industry partner? A Proposal may include proprietary data or technology, which are summarized in section (g), “Proprietary Claims.” FHWA is seeking to demonstrate advances that have a potential for broad impact in highway transportation. A proposal demonstrated using propriety data or technology may have a broader impact if it also could work with other data or related technology. Accordingly, a proposal may want to discuss the role of proprietary items in section (i), “Technology Transition Plan.”

15. In relation to the EAR funding opportunity, we will try a joint effort between two institutions and wonder if this project allows multiple PIs (from individual institutions). A proposal may have more than one Principle Investigator.

Topic 1

1. Does FHWA have a preferred application scenario? FHWA provided illustrative scenarios to suggest where there may be value in applying a Mobile Ad Hoc Network (MANET). The proposal should provide a clear indication of anticipated public value to highway transportation from a MANET such as improved safety or mobility.

2. Does FHWA expect the demonstration to be permanent? Field testing or a pilot demonstration likely will be temporary given the exploratory nature of the EAR Program. The purpose of a field test is to show the potential of the technology in a realistic physical environment.

3. Does FHWA expect the research to provide a basis for standards? FHWA does not expect proposals to include standards development given the exploratory nature of the EAR Program.

Future research efforts building on EAR Program-funded work may provide useful information for future standards development.

Topic 2

1. Can proposals include the use of data other than from the SHRP2 NDS? Yes. Proposals may include the use of other relevant image data in combination with use of SHRP2 NDS data.

2. Will FHWA provide access to SHRP2 NDS data? Funded proposals most likely will need to obtain data use licenses to access SHRP2 NDS data. Proposals should reflect the time and cost to do

so. More information on the data is located at https://insight.shrp2nds.us.

3. Are proposals able to include use of specialized Graphic Processing Units (GPUs)? Yes. Use of GPUs may require bringing the technology to a secure data enclave – located in Blacksburg, Virginia or in McLean, Virginia – to process SHRP2 data with facial images.

4. Does use of fiber reinforced polymers in structures fit within this topic? FHWA is interested in proposals relating to supplements or alternatives to ordinary portland cements or asphalts for use in either highway pavements or structures. A proposal could include fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) as part of a supplementary or alternative cementitious system.

5. Does FHWA expect proposals to include a government partner? FHWA does not expect proposals in topic 2 to include a government partner. Proposals may include a government partner.

Topic 3

1. Would the rendering partially artificial scenes – for example, artificial traffic over real roadways

– fit within this topic? The FHWA interest is in developing artificial data that realistically represent crash causation factors. Rendering of data in simulations could be beneficial but is secondary to creating correct rules for generating data.

2. Is there FHWA interest in applying the concept of artificial realistic data to other areas of the highway program where there are limited data? The FHWA interest is in developing artificial data that realistically represent crash causation factors. The intention of developing ARD is not to fill highway program data gaps. The intention is to develop a test bed on which various highway safety models could be tested and results validated. FHWA may be interested in other applications for model validation where data are limited. Rendering of data in simulations could be beneficial but is secondary to creating correct rules underlying generated. artificial data for model testing.

Topic 4

1. Topic 4 seems more undefined than the other topics. Is the intention of the topic to focus on a certain class of materials (e.g., asphaltic or cementitious) or is it purposely vague so as to generate proposals that focus on either class or materials or both? FHWA is interested in proposals relating to supplements or alternatives to ordinary portland cements or asphalts for use in either highway pavements or structures.

2. Does use of recycled plastic or thermoplastic for bridge structures fit within this topic? FHWA is interested in proposals relating to supplements or alternatives to ordinary portland cements or asphalts for use in either highway pavements or structures. Recycled plastic or thermoplastic bridges are outside the scope of the topic.

3. Does use of fiber reinforced polymers in structures fit within this topic? FHWA is interested in proposals relating to supplements or alternatives to ordinary portland cements or asphalts for use in either highway pavements or structures. A proposal could include fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) as part of a supplementary or alternative cementitious system.

4. FHWA referenced prior awards that focused on material characterization or modeling. Is FHWA interested in proposals that combine characterization and modeling? Or should proposals focus https://insight.shrp2nds.us/ on one aspect or the other? FHWA is interested in proposals that combine materials characterization and modeling. FHWA also is interested in proposals that focus on characterization or modeling.