693JJ323SS0014 Sources Sought Notice.pdf

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE

For the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)’s Office of Safety, Research and Development

SOURCES SOUGHT NUMBER: 693JJ23SS0014

“FHWA Human Factors On-Site Support”

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE; BEING RELEASED PURSUANT TO

FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION (FAR) PART 10: MARKET RESEARCH.

This SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE is issued solely for informational, market research, and planning purposes only and does not commit the Government to any further contract actions (i.e., solicitation and/ or contract). Respondents are advised that the United States Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in responding to this SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE. Not responding to this SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE does not preclude participation in any future Request for Proposals/Quotations (RFP/RFQ) that may be issued.

Responses to this notice are not offers and will not be accepted by the U.S Government to form a binding contract.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) / Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is conducting market research to determine if there are any small business concerns, educational institutions (with specific attention to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)), etc. capable of performing the Technical Support Services for the Human Factors team in the Office of Safety & Operations Research & Development located at the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center in McLean, VA.

An overview of the required services, objectives is provided below.

1 Scope

The Federal Highway Administration’s Office of Safety & Operations, Research and Development (R&D), Human Factors (HF) Team is the lead organization responsible for human factors activities in the RD&T, Safety, and Operations program areas. To fully meet its research responsibilities and agency’s mission in a timely and effective way, the HF Team requires both technical and administrative support.

The HF Team is seeking support in human factors and highway engineering to provide effective program administration and the special skills needed to address complex technical program issues. This contract will provide support to the FHWA with the administration and execution of its behavioral research programs requiring human factors, experimental design and data analysis, and traffic engineering expertise. However, ultimate decision-making responsibility remains with the FHWA. Contractor staff, under Government oversight, will handle technical and administrative program activities. FHWA staff will always handle programmatic decision-making. The nature of this work demands that the Contractor does not engage, nor have a potential to engage, in other activities that give rise to either perceived or real conflicts of interest.

Availability of contract staff in the Washington, D.C. area is necessary, to facilitate the needed close working relationship with FHWA staff required by the effort. All full-time, key Contractor staff will be working on-site at FHWA’s Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center in McLean, Virginia.

2 Synopsis

The FHWA Office of Safety R&D Human Factors Team has a requirement for non-personal, on-site human factors behavioral research support within the highway safety and operations research programs in an efficient, cost-effective, and innovative manner.

3 Objective

The Human Factors Team is seeking support in human factors and transportation engineering to address complex technical program issues. This contract will provide support to FHWA with the administration and execution of its research studies, under Government oversight.

Some FHWA research entails close cooperation with state, local and private entities. The Contractor must be able to provide objective, independent, technical support, be free from any competitive threat to FHWA’s program partners, and adequately assure these partners that proprietary information will remain confidential.

Primary objectives of this contract are:

1. Planning and conducting human factors research in one or more of the following areas – intersection, roadway, vulnerable road users, visibility, traffic control device, weather, work zone, SHRP2 and other naturalistic data, and ITS/Connected and Automated Vehicles.

2. Providing technical support in the design and execution of contract and in-house research to fulfill program requirements.

3. Providing technical and administrative support in ongoing and planned special projects.

4. Analyzing and reviewing specific technical and/or program issues.

5. Preparing documentation to support FHWA in planning, executing, and managing program activities.

6. Ensuring that program documentation, research designs, and laboratory products are technically sound and cost effective.

7. Maintaining and inspecting equipment in the Highway Driving Simulator.

8. Providing support to the FHWA Human Factors Team during tours of the facilities, and at professional conferences.

4 Instructions for SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE Responses:

Responses shall be submitted electronically to the e-mail addresses below:

EMAIL: Jessica.Prutz@dot.gov HCFA-22sri@dot.gov

SUBJECT LINE: 693JJ323SS0014 Sources Sought Notice Response

ATTN: Jessica Prutz & Bob Brown

Responses shall be submitted on or before June 22, 2023; 1:00 pm Eastern Time.

Format requirements are:

• White paper/thesis format on 8.5”x11” size paper and prepared in Microsoft Word.

• Single-sided and not more than 10 (ten) pages in length.

• The total page count of 10 pages includes the cover letter, table of contents and acronym list.

• The total page count also includes all other information provided, i.e., graphs, technical, etc.

• Font size should be 12 point, 8-lines/inch, Times New Roman.

• Proprietary information submitted in response to this SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE will be protected from unauthorized disclosure as required by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). All proprietary markings should be clearly delineated. The respondent shall identify where data is restricted by proprietary or other rights and mark it accordingly.

The services and/or any product solutions should include supporting data/rationale for the offered services, and any product solution(s) if applicable, adequately to determine capability.

The cover page shall contain:

• Company name

• Primary Point of Contact

• Phone Number and Email Address

• DUNS/Cage Code

• NAICS Code(s)

• Business Size

• Socio Economic Category (i.e., HBCU, Women Owned Small Business, Veteran Owned

Small Business, etc.)

• Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) or OASIS Contract Number and SIN, if applicable.

mailto:Jessica.Prutz@dot.gov mailto:HCFA-22sri@dot.gov

Technical Ability: Respondents shall submit a capabilities statement package to include an overall description of the proposed services and/or any product solution(s) and provide technical data and a demonstrated ability for those areas identified. Please ensure the following information is included:

1. Prior/current corporate experience performing efforts of similar size and scope within the last three years, including contract number, federal customers, indication of whether as a prime or subcontractor, contract amount, Government point of contact with current telephone number, and a brief description of how the referenced requirement relates to the services herein.

2. Resources available such as corporate management and key personnel to be assigned to tasks under this effort to include professional qualifications, and specific experience of such personnel.

3. Statement regarding capability to obtain the Department of Transportation (DOT) security clearances for personnel.

4. Please note that under a Small-Business Set-Aside, in accordance with FAR 52.219-14, the small business prime must perform at least 50% of the work themselves in terms of the cost.

5. Company's ability to begin performance upon contract award.

Note: Responses may include links or web addresses that demonstrate evidence of your technical expertise (i.e.: final reports, technical Journals, peer reviewed papers, etc.).

4.1 SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE Response Contact

Respondents to this notice shall designate a primary and one alternate point of contact within the company (Name, Title/Position, Address, Email, and Telephone).

4.2 Clarification of SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE Responses

FHWA reserves the right to seek additional information from respondents identified with unique solutions that are determined to be beneficial to FHWA. To fully comprehend the information contained within a response to this notice, there may be a need to seek further clarification from respondents. This clarification may be requested in the form of brief verbal communication by telephone; written, electronic communication; or a request for a presentation of the response to a specific FHWA group or groups.