693JJ324R000009_MATC Amendment 0002.pdf

SECTION B - Supplies or Services and Prices

B.1 CONTRACT SUMMARY

This is a non-personal services contract to provide personnel, material, equipment, services, tools, supplies, engineering, transportation, facilities, and supervision to support the “Mobile Asphalt Technology Center (MATC) Program,” as described in Section C below.

B.2 CONTRACT PRICING

The Government anticipates award of a Firm-Fixed Price (FFP)/ Time-and-Materials (T&M)/ Labor Hour (LH) Hybrid Contract.

CLIN

Contract Line Item Number

Description Type Total Hours Proposed Price

00101 Base Period: MATC Support Services FFP N/A $

00201 Base Period: Use of Subject Matter Experts TM/LH Not to Exceed:

10101 Option Period I: MATC Support Services FFP N/A $

10201 Option Period I: Use of Subject Matter Experts TM/LH Not to Exceed:

20101 Option Period II: MATC Support Services FFP N/A $

20201 Option Period II: Use of Subject Matter Experts TM/LH Not to Exceed:

30101 Option Period III: MATC Support Services FFP N/A $

30201 Option Period III: Use of Subject Matter Experts TM/LH Not to Exceed:

40101 Option Period IV: MATC Support Services FFP N/A $

40201 Option Period IV: Use of Subject Matter Experts TM/LH Not to Exceed:

00301 Other Direct Costs (ODC) Cost Not-To-Exceed Amount:

$1,650,000.00

00401 Travel Cost Not-To-Exceed Amount:

$1,042,800.00

Total: $

The maximum potential value of this FFP/TM/LH Hybrid Contract is: $12,140,442.86.

NOTE: The Offeror may propose a payment schedule for the Base Period and each Optional Period with payments based on completion and Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) acceptance of tasks and/or deliverables.

B.3 TRAVEL

All travel shall be reimbursed at cost in accordance with the Travel and Per Diem clause (reference Section G). Travel and Per Diem shall not exceed $1,042,800.00 for the period of performance.

(End of Section B)

SECTION C - Description/Specifications/Statement of Work

BACKGROUND

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Preconstruction, Construction, and Pavements (HICP-40) oversees the MATC Program. The MATC Program is essential in the demonstration and deployment of new asphalt pavement technologies, materials laboratory and field evaluation test procedures, and sustainable materials design methods. To accomplish this requires continued refinement of these new procedures and methods, and the demonstration and dissemination of information to government, industry, and academic personnel.

The Mobile Asphalt Technology Center is the only program of its kind. It is empowered with a unifying mission to improve the quality, safety, and longevity of America’s roadways. It serves as one of FHWA’s most impressive and highly visible tools in assisting with the advancement and implementation of new technologies and proven practices for long-life asphalt pavements.

For the past three decades, MATC has created and matured a number of services to answer the differing needs of individual programs and of asphalt pavement community professionals.

1. Project Site Visits: MATC is an independent party with a national perspective that provides agencies and the greater asphalt pavement community first-hand exposure to new technologies on-site to facilitate implementation.

2. Customized Training Workshops: MATC experts present project site visit test results and observations in classroom trainings to agency and the asphalt pavement community for further facilitation of technology transfer implementation.

3. Equipment Loan Program: MATC loans equipment to stakeholders to provide hands-on experience and exposure to benefits of new technologies prior to making a resource commitment.

4. Technical Information: MATC provides topical information documents (in video, social media, or written formats) based on identified national trends to encourage agencies to evaluate and improve their specifications and practices.

As an unbiased connector between the public and private sectors, the sole purpose of the MATC is to listen to and serve the needs of asphalt pavement professionals and the innovators supporting them. MATC effectively bridges the gaps between essential asphalt pavement community groups, knowledge, technology, and more.

In order to provide a long lasting, safe and efficient highway network, FHWA uses the MATC Program to respond to stakeholder needs (State, local, and tribal government highway agencies, FHWA division offices, and industry), bridge the gap between research and implementation, and demonstrate innovations in the asphalt pavement industry. The MATC Program utilizes a series of initiatives and tools to gather and identify stakeholder input and needs, showcase, refine, and validate innovative asphalt pavement materials and procedures, perform asphalt material tests and evaluations, monitor deployment trends in the asphalt pavement industry, disseminate findings on a national and sometimes international scale, and provide demonstration on-site that promotes asphalt quality assurance in design, production, and placement. These tasks are crucial to the effective implementation and adoption of these new and innovative procedures, materials, and evaluation technologies by both industry and agencies.

FHWA’s MATC Program was originally developed to showcase Superpave design and volumetric mixture control; it is the essential FHWA program used to implement new and emerging asphalt pavement technologies. The MATC brings technical assistance on-site to contractors and State agencies on various technologies, test procedures, and quality initiatives.

Since 1988, the mobile testing trailer has traveled to 48 States across every region of the United States to assist State agencies and asphalt contractors in implementing these technologies. It has taken field equipment that is mobile to all 50 states including the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. The program has continued to evolve and also includes assisting State agencies with Quality Assurance1 initiatives by providing technical assistance, guidance and training materials for improved State quality assurance programs and adoption of statistically valid acceptance programs. It introduces new concepts for material testing, evaluation, and selection, new test protocols, new equipment, new design methods and new performance testing tools and evaluation and provides technical expertise to facilitate effective use of recycled and low carbon emitting materials in highway pavements.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this contract is to provide technical assistance on-site to the asphalt pavements community on various technologies, test procedures, and quality initiatives. The program is to focus on assisting State agencies and their stakeholders with initiatives by providing technical assistance, hands-on demonstration, and training materials to design, produce, and construct longer lasting, safe, and sustainable asphalt pavements. The MATC Program also supports the implementation of Balanced Mixture Design (BMD), Performance Engineered Pavements, and Intelligent Construction by coordinating with stakeholders, sharing data, and facilitating the implementation of emerging test procedures. The MATC Program is also expected to support aspects of the Low Carbon Materials activities resulting from multiple related grant programs.

The primary means for meeting the objective includes: field site visits (i.e., full: mobile laboratory trailer sets up on-site at a State DOT facility and samples and tests on a specific project over the course of 3 to 4 weeks; mini: attaché team of MATC crew takes various mobile equipment and travels to an active project for one week without mobilizing the entire laboratory trailer); specification reviews; equipment loans; workshop deliveries; and, production of information briefs (social media, one-page documents, videos, etc.). The MATC is a premier information dissemination program that brings technology to the stakeholder for an in-person experience and a contractor team having strong communications skills and demonstrated experience with dealing directly with agencies and paving contractors is preferred.

1 Quality Assurance includes the areas of quality control, acceptance, independent assurance, and risk analysis.

DETAILED REQUIREMENT AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN

The Contractor shall provide all personnel, materials, equipment, services, tools, supplies, engineering, transportation, training, certification of personnel, facilities, supervision, and other items and non-personal services necessary to perform the MATC Program. The Contractor shall perform the elements of the following three tasks: Field Visits and Testing, Equipment and Facilities, and Technology Transfer.

The Contractor shall develop, update, and execute the features of a Project Management Plan.

The Project Management Plan is the Contractor’s approach on how the Contractor plans to meet the performance objectives for the services outlined in Section C.3.

The Contractor shall provide a Project Management Plan that contains, the items described below, for acceptance no later than 14 days from the contract effective date. The COR will notify the Contractor of acceptance or required modifications to the plan on or before 21 days after the contract effective date. The Contractor shall make appropriate modifications and obtain acceptance of the plan by the COR on or before 30 days after the contract effective date.

The plan shall include:

1. A description of the inspection system to cover all tasks listed in Section C.3. The description shall include specifics as to the areas to be inspected on both a scheduled and unscheduled basis, frequency of inspections, and the title and organizational placement of the inspectors. Additionally, control procedures for any Government-provided keys or lock combinations shall be included.

2. A description of the methods to be used for identifying and preventing defects in the quality of services performed.

3. A description of the records to be kept to document inspections and corrective or preventive actions taken.

The records of inspections shall be kept and made available to the Government, when requested, throughout the contract performance period. The Project Management Plan shall be updated formally on an annual basis to adjust to directional shifts in the MATC Program priorities as Federal initiatives come and go, as directed by the COR.

C.3.1 Field Site Visits and Testing

The Contractor shall provide sufficient manpower to perform all asphalt pavement related tests on active project sites throughout the United States as specified in the testing plan developed by the Contractor and approved by the COR. Field work may be located in remote geographical locations and may require work during the night and during weekends to coincide with project construction activities. All Contractor employees shall be outfitted with personal protective equipment (PPE) and be trained in construction work zone safety and laboratory safety.

To facilitate this effort, FHWA operates and maintains the MATC, whose capabilities and efforts impact a significant number of government and industry engineers and technicians. The Program’s efforts involve a thorough evaluation of new testing, calibration, performance monitoring equipment, and techniques developed from research. Then, the program refines and promotes technologies for use by a wide audience throughout the United States. Central to this effort is assisting the State and Federal agencies in evaluating new equipment and test procedures on active construction project sites throughout the United States.

Requests shall be logged into the Master MATC technical assistance spreadsheet within 7 days of receipt of email or communication from a stakeholder. The Contractor PM shall provide oversight of the Master MATC technical assistance spreadsheet and shall perform quality assurance checks on it every 30 days. This spreadsheet shall be updated and maintained on the MATC TEAMS site.

C.3.2 Project Coordination

The Contractor shall make all necessary arrangements, in a professional manner, with the requesting agency, FHWA Division Office, asphalt mixture supplier, State asphalt paving association or equivalent entity, and field project prime contractor concerning schedule and activities. The Contractor shall also maintain a log of all verbal and written communications with requesting agencies. This log is part of electronic database (e.g., Excel spreadsheet) that tracks any technical assistance requests and shall be updated monthly by the Contractor. This spreadsheet shall be updated and maintained on the MATC TEAMS site. See Exhibit J.6.

The Contractor shall provide a detailed itinerary to the COR 12 days prior to departure of the MATC for a project. The Contractor shall be aware that other paving contractors at the project location are engaged in similar work at the same time, requiring close cooperation and coordination with all parties involved. The Contractor shall cooperate with all other project contractors and adjust the work schedule to avoid conflicts with the other contractor’s performance and work schedules, while maintaining the testing schedule and test plan.

C.3.3 State Specification Review

The Contractor, in advance of the field visit, shall obtain and review the requesting agency’s asphalt binder and mixture and/or construction specifications. This review shall include conversations with the requesting agency’s FHWA Division Office to help identify needs in the requesting agency’s state-of-the-practice. The Contractor shall then compile recommendations to improve the specifications, with an emphasis being placed on the materials and quality assurance elements of the specification. This review will require the Contractor to have a broad understanding of asphalt binder, mixture, and construction specifications in the United States, as well as more localized review of neighboring states on a per-project basis. Suggestions based on the review shall be outlined in a specification briefing presentation to the FHWA Division Office. Any suggested adjustments shall be made prior to scheduling a briefing presentation with the State DOT. Final considerations to be shared with the State DOT shall be outlined in a specification review briefing report delivered to the FHWA Division Office.

Preliminary recommendations from this task must be submitted to the COR no later than 14 days before the specification review briefing presentation. The COR will review the final specification review considerations as part of the specification review report and briefing presentation reviews. The Contractor shall have COR approval before presenting any recommendations resulting from this task. The specification review briefing reports and slide decks shall be uploaded and maintained on the MATC TEAMS site.

Note: The COR may task the Contractor with state specification review without a related field visit. These requests would come to the COR from a requesting agency and would be assigned to the Contractor for completion within 60 days of the request from the COR.

C.3.4 Test Plan

The Contractor shall develop a test plan based on the testing needs of the COR and the requesting agency where the field work is to be performed. A test plan shall be developed for a full site visit or for a mini-site visit. The Contractor shall submit a draft plan to the COR 10 days prior to the assigned project start date. The details of the testing plan will require the Contractor to discuss and coordinate the specific testing needs over the telephone, via email, using videoconferencing, and on rare occasions may require a visit to the requesting agency’s place of business. The work and test plan shall also be coordinated with FHWA’s Asphalt Binder and Mixture Laboratory (ABML), housed at the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC). Upon written approval of the test plan by the COR, the Contractor shall ensure that all equipment required in the test plan is calibrated, in working order, and available for use. The scheduled start of field work shall be mutually agreed upon by the COR and requesting agency.

As a minimum, each test plan shall offer the following routine asphalt pavement test options to the host agency:

Asphalt Mixture Tests:

1. Maximum specific gravity of bituminous mixtures.

2. Asphalt binder content determination.

3. Compaction of bituminous mixtures utilizing the Superpave Gyratory Compactor (SGC).

4. Bulk specific gravity of compacted bituminous mixtures.

5. Aggregate gradations, specific gravities, absorption.

6. Aggregate consensus properties.

7. AASHTO procedures for oven conditioning of bituminous mixtures.

8. Superpave volumetric mixture design for bituminous mixtures.

9. Asphalt Mixture Performance Tester (AMPT) procedures and equipment; including cyclic fatigue, dynamic modulus, and stress sweep rutting.

10. Overlay test fatigue.

11. Illinois fatigue index test (I-FIT) for fracture energy and fatigue.

12. IDEAL-CT cracking test.

13. IDEAL-RT rutting test.

Asphalt Binder, Mix, or Aggregate Tests (some to be coordinated and run at TFHRC)

1. Asphalt Specific Gravity.

2. Superpave Asphalt Binder Specification Tests:

a. Bending Beam Rheometer, Dynamic Shear Rheometer, Pressure Aging of Asphalt Binder, and asphalt viscosity using the Rotational Viscometer.

3. Multiple Stress Creep and Recovery with the Dynamic Shear Rheometer.

4. Aggregate Imaging System (AIMS) test for aggregate consensus properties.

5. Fourier Transform Infrared Test (FTIR) for binder chemical elements.

6. Asphalt Binder Cracking Device (ABCD) test for asphalt binder to find delta Tc.

7. Double-Edge-Notched-Tension (DENT) test for asphalt binder.

8. Hamburg wheel track test rutting and stripping.

9. X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) Spectrometer Test for asphalt binder elemental composition.

Asphalt Pavement Nondestructive Field Tests:

1. Paver-Mounted Thermal Profiler for pavement mat temperature.

2. Dielectric Profiling System and calibration puck kits for pavement compaction.

3. Pulse Induction Testing for in situ pavement thickness.

4. Circular Track Meter for pavement macrotexture testing in the field.

5. Laser Texture Scanner for pavement macrotexture testing in the laboratory or the field.

After receipt of the draft plan from the Contractor, the COR will review the draft plan and provide written comments back to the Contractor within 10 days. The Contractor will hold a videoconference with the State DOT to go over the test plan and identify and make any adjustments. The Contractor shall revise the draft plan to incorporate or address the COR’s comments and submit as a final plan for acceptance by the COR. The final plan shall be submitted to the COR no later than 7 days after receipt of the COR written comments. The test plans shall be uploaded and maintained on the MATC TEAMS site.

C.3.5 Transport of MATC to/from Project

The Contractor shall prepare and transport the MATC using the tractor truck to the field projects.

This tractor truck shall remain property of the Contractor for the remainder of the period of performance. The tractor truck shall be used exclusively for MATC-related transport during the period of performance. The existing equipment consists of a 2021 Peterbilt Model 389 tractor mounted with a diesel-fueled generator. The current generator provides 117 kw, 225 amps and 208-240 volts AC single phase.

The testing trailer is a semi-trailer measuring 8.5 ft. wide by 53 ft. long, with a 5 ft. by 15 ft.

expansion in the back one-third section of the trailer. When fully set up the MATC requires an area of approximately 20 ft. wide by 53 ft. Including the length of the tractor, the rig is about 72

ft. long. After setup, the tractor is usually uncoupled and moved from under the trailer kingpin. It is desirable to have a secure location near the production plant that is flat and level. The trailer requires a hard, level surface, capable of supporting the 75,000 lbs. load from the four outrigger support legs (18,750 lb. per support).

The electrical requirements for the mobile lab require a 208 - 240-volt AC, single phase, 200-amp service. The trailer has 150 ft. of 1/0 AWG outdoor wrapped cable with an additional pigtail attachment for connecting to a power box or transformer. The 4-wirepigtails, which have a coupled connection on one end and bare wire on the opposite end, can be sent in advance for attachment to a power source by an electrician.

The mobile lab has a self-contained potable water supply system with a 150 gal. tank and an on-demand pump. When possible, a regular garden hose connection is used to bypass the tank. If no potable water is immediately available near the trailer site, then water can be brought in daily in a tank truck or other containers. Average daily potable water consumption during HMA production testing is 100 gal.

Field projects may be located in remote geographic areas throughout the United States. The Contractor shall obtain all necessary permits, if necessary, and adhere to all Federal and State regulations concerning the transport of the MATC. All drivers must have a valid Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) applicable to provide legal and safe transport of the MATC. At least two of the technicians are expected to hold (or be sent by the contractor to obtain) a CDL.

C.3.6 Kickoff Presentations

The Contractor shall make all necessary arrangements with the requesting agency, field project prime contractor, the requesting agency’s FHWA Division Office, asphalt mixture supplier, and State asphalt pavement association to schedule and provide kickoff presentations. Unless otherwise advised by the COR, the kickoff shall be delivered virtually by videoconferencing.

Either the Project Manager (PM) or the Project Engineer (PE), in coordination with the COR or designated FHWA staff liaison, shall develop, attend, and deliver the kickoff meeting held for each project. The Contractor shall develop a presentation for use at the kickoff meeting. The presentation (MS PowerPoint or equivalent) shall provide an overview of the program goals, and the specifics of the individual project, including overview of tests to be performed and equipment to be used. This presentation shall receive pertinent reviews from FHWA’s Offices of Chief Counsel and Public Affairs. The presentation shall be submitted for approval by the COR within 21 days of the targeted delivery date. The COR will submit comments within 7 days and the Contractor shall address all comments within 5 days. The Contractor shall not deliver the kickoff presentation without COR approval. For reference, the kickoff presentation usually occurs six to 12 months in advance of a full site visit, and two to three months in advance of a mini-site visit. These presentations shall be updated for each individual state delivery by revision of a few key slides, and then uploaded and maintained on the MATC TEAMS site.

C.3.7 Testing and Evaluation

The Contractor shall coordinate its activities with all parties involved with the project and perform all mixture and field testing included in the approved testing plan. The binder and Hamburg wheel track tester (HWTT) testing in the approved testing plan shall be conducted by the ABML, under the direction of the Federal Laboratory Manager of the ABML, and aggregate imaging (if desired by the host State agency) will be done by MATC Contractor staff in coordination with the COR and the Federal Laboratory Manager of the Geotechnical laboratory.

It is anticipated that the COR and Federal Laboratory Managers at TFHRC will work in close communication to support goals of FHWA’s Offices of Preconstruction, Construction, and

Pavements and Infrastructure Research, Development, and Technology. The data generated by the ABML will be shared with the Contractor for additional analysis and review as needed.

Field testing and evaluation may require night and weekend work in order to coordinate with project activities.

The Contractor shall perform all asphalt tests in accordance with applicable American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), ASTM International (ASTM), or State DOT procedures and standards. Neither the Contractor nor its employees shall release information obtained during the testing prior to COR approval. The Contractor shall demonstrate and explain any test procedure conducted during the project to the requesting agency on an as-needed basis or as-requested basis. Any data collected or generated by the MATC shall be entered into the MATC database for the program and be stored in multiple locations according to the Contract requirements. This data should be stored in a format appropriate for annual submission to the FHWA InfoMaterialsTM Federal Manager at TFHRC, and the MATC database should be updated on a biweekly basis. The Contractor shall complete all sampling identified in the testing plan before departure from the field project site. Any testing not completed during the field project visit shall be completed at the official duty stations of the MATC.

As outlined throughout Section C.4.7 the Contractor shall also conduct testing and evaluation in support of FHWA’s stakeholders to address forensic issues, support activities for FHWA initiatives such as low carbon materials or pavement materials resilience, or to better understand emerging materials and practices. These efforts may or may not require MATC mobilization from the official duty station and are likely to be part of a mini site visit.

C.3.8 Open House Sessions

The Contractor shall plan and execute an Open House session of the MATC for each full site visit, unless otherwise expressed in writing by the COR. The Open House will feature hands-on demonstration of innovative equipment on the MATC, as well as the delivery of a half-day classroom-style workshop to be held at a location selected by the host agency. The Contractor shall make all necessary arrangements with the requesting agency, field project prime contractor, the requesting agency’s FHWA Division Office, asphalt mixture supplier, Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP), Tribal Technical Assistance Program (TTAP), Asphalt Institute regional representative, and State asphalt pavement associations to promote the event. Open Houses may also be held at conferences or industry meetings, as directed by the COR. The Contractor will be required to hold an annual Open House session at FHWA’s Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC) for interested stakeholders. Travel reimbursement would be provided for attendees directly through FHWA. These presentations shall be uploaded and maintained on the MATC TEAMS site.

C.3.9 Technical Assistance Reports

The Contractor shall submit a draft technical assistance report to the COR no later than 60 days after receipt of data analysis summary from ABML. The ABML at TFHRC will furnish a draft test data analysis summary for each agreed-upon project. The Contractor shall work with ABML

Federal Manager (via the COR) to review and finalize the test data analysis summaries, which shall then be included as a component of the overall technical assistance report submitted to the COR. Each report shall contain the information shown in Exhibit J.4.

After receipt of the draft report from the Contractor, the COR will review the draft technical assistance report and provide written comments back to the Contractor within 14 days. The Contractor shall revise the draft technical assistance report to incorporate or address the COR’s comments and submit as a final technical assistance report for acceptance by the COR. The final technical assistance report shall be submitted to the COR no later than 10 days after receipt of the COR written comments. These reports shall be uploaded and maintained on the MATC TEAMS site.

C.3.10 On-site Closeout Presentation

The Contractor shall make all necessary arrangements with the requesting agency, field project prime contractor, the requesting agency’s FHWA Division Office, and State asphalt pavement association to schedule and provide the on-site closeout presentation.

On-Site Closeout Presentation: Either the Project Manager (PM) or the Project Engineer (PE), in coordination with the COR or designated FHWA staff liaison, shall develop, attend, and deliver the on-site closeout presentation held for each full site visit. The contractor shall develop an on-site closeout presentation (MS PowerPoint or equivalent) which provides preliminary project results, data analysis, interpretation, and recommendations. The on-site closeout presentation should be scheduled within 7 days of the scheduled departure of the MATC from the site. This presentation shall be approved by the COR before delivery. The Contractor shall submit the presentation to the COR for review and approval within 2 days of the on-site closeout presentation date. It is expected that at a minimum, the primary contact from the requesting agency and the host paving contractor are present for this meeting, which should include a virtual participation option by videoconferencing, and will be a small audience. These presentations shall be uploaded and maintained on the MATC TEAMS site.

C.3.11 Workshop Delivery

The Contractor shall make all necessary arrangements with the requesting agency, field project prime contractor, the requesting agency’s FHWA Division Office, and State asphalt pavement association to schedule and provide the delivery of the one-day MATC Asphalt Paving 101 workshop, multi-day MATC Quality in the Asphalt Paving Process (QAPP) workshop, and any future workshops related to supporting agencies and their industry/academic partners in exploration and implementation of low carbon asphalt materials.

The MATC Asphalt Paving 101 workshop is a one-day event that covers the basics of asphalt mixture design, production, and paving. It is intended for an audience who is not well-versed in asphalt paving or needs a refresher on foundational topics related to asphalt. There are four to six deliveries of this 1-day workshop expected annually and it is expected to be in-person delivery.

The MATC QAPP workshop is a 2-day event that covers the methods, practices, and potential benefits of a quality-focused asphalt paving program which increases the longevity of asphalt pavements. This interactive workshop presents a practical overview and quantification of what leads to increased quality in the asphalt paving process with real world examples and data from the Mobile Asphalt Technology Center (MATC) site visits. The workshop is intended to provide a platform for the exchange of information and experiences. Participants will observe the impact of applying practices that can aid in resolving State-specific issues and concerns with asphalt materials and construction. It includes Quality Assurance (QA) concepts and practices on material handling, testing, inspection, and the paving process. The following topics are covered:

• Introduction to QA; • Quality Assurance Programs; • QA Acceptance Asphalt Materials and Mixture Design Asphalt Pavement Construction; • Mixture Production; • Paving Process Asphalt Mixture Testing and Evaluation; • Laboratory vs. Construction Site; • Performance Tests; • Emerging Technologies; • Balanced Mix Design (BMD); • Utilizing Quality Concepts; and • Review the results of the testing performed at the full site visit.

Provide the pertinent updated presentation modules of the QAPP workshop to the COR and schedule the workshop to the host agency no later than 183 days (6 months) after the MATC departs the field project site. The workshops related to full site visits are held in-person format and at a location designated by the host agency. There are four to six deliveries of this workshop anticipated per year.

The MATC QAPP Workshop shall also be offered for delivery to mini site visit participants and will include reporting of test results from demonstrations. These can be held as in-person format (preferred) or virtually (by videoconferencing), as determined by the COR. It is expected that there could be two offerings to mini site visit participants per year.

The Contractor may be also required to develop and deliver new content for a one-to-two-day workshop related to the implementation of low carbon asphalt materials activities, as directed by the COR. These can be held as in-person format (preferred) or virtually (by videoconferencing), as determined by the COR. There are four to six deliveries of this 1-to-2-day workshop expected annually. These presentations and agenda shall be uploaded and maintained on the MATC TEAMS site.

C.3.12 MATC Metric Tracking

As part of FHWA’s effort to closely monitor the impacts of each MATC full or mini site visit, virtual follow-up meetings will be scheduled with the host agency approximately 12 and 24 months after the MATC departs the field project site. FHWA will lead these meetings, but the Contractor shall attend and provide support in the form of data, expertise, and recommendations from the MATC testing plan and technical assistance reports.

The MATC Metric Tracking shall be updated on a monthly basis. This spreadsheet shall be updated weekly and maintained on the MATC TEAMS site. The tracking has been done by spreadsheet and shows all the data for the MATC related to the following items:

1. Kickoff Meetings for site visits or mini site visits (held virtually);

2. Open Houses (held in person);

3. Asphalt Paving 101, QAPP, Low Carbon Asphalt Materials Workshops (held in person);

4. MATC Interactions;

5. MATC Lunch and Learn Events (held virtually);

6. Technical Assistance Requests; and

7. Equipment Loans.

EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES

C.4.1 Mobile Asphalt Technology Center (MATC)

The Contractor shall operate the MATC with contractor staff at the Government-provided mobile laboratory/office space with Government-furnished equipment., The testing equipment, computers, printers, office supplies, etc. required to operate the equipment and document and maintain the test data and populate and maintain the test database system will be provided for this option. Other direct costs authorized are reimbursed at cost.

The MATC shall be housed at the official duty station when not in travel status, which would include transport to/from a field project, training, or conference location, as well as the time it is present at the field project, training, or conference location. FHWA shall provide the official duty station location with electrical, water, and sanitary capabilities which meet the requirements of the MATC. The official duty station is:

Federal Highway Administration Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center 6300 Georgetown Pike McLean, Virginia 22101

The Contractor shall not request travel or per diem reimbursement when the MATC is located within 75 miles of the duty station. If the Contractor wishes to seek travel and/or per diem reimbursement for any members of the team to travel to the duty location from outside of 75 miles, a waiver must be submitted for COR approval to request this reimbursement.

C.4.2 Care and Maintenance

The Contractor shall ensure that the trailer, all vehicles, equipment, and systems are clean, maintained, calibrated, and operating.

Repairs and maintenance purchases under $3,000 do not require COR approval and documentation before the purchase can be made. Instead, the Contractor shall notify the COR of the incident within 3 working days of when the need for repairs and maintenance arose. When the Contractor submits reimbursement requests to FHWA, it is expected that rationale and documentation will be provided with the Contractor’s invoice, and that it should be clearly itemized and listed in the Contractor’s monthly invoice submission.

Any expense over the $3000 threshold shall be submitted to the COR in writing with appropriate documentation, including quotations from qualified vendors and rationale.

C.4.3 Laboratory Accreditation

The Contractor’s Senior Lab Technician (SLT) shall ensure all equipment is in working condition, properly maintained, and calibrated so as to meet, obtain, and maintain AASHTO re:source accreditation for the asphalt pavement materials tests required for aggregates, ignition oven, and basic asphalt mixture testing laboratory operations (as listed below).

The Contractor Project Manager (PM) shall enroll the MATC into the applicable AASHTO re:source proficiency sample programs for any accredited testing laboratory operations. The Contractor PM is responsible for all communications (emails, calls, etc.) with AASHTO and for paying the AASHTO invoices. The Contractor shall then conduct the testing, reporting, and recordkeeping required to maintain AASHTO re:source accreditation.

The Contractor SLT shall provide and maintain all documents, forms, and records required which indicate that the mixture testing laboratory operations have a quality system in place that conform to AASHTO re:source accreditation requirements.

The Contractor SLT shall report to FHWA and AASHTO re:source, the proficiency sample test results and providing evidence that all deficiencies, nonconformities, observations, and alerts noted during AASHTO re:source on-site assessment(s) were investigated, root causes determined, resolved, and corrective actions taken. Test results, documents, reports, root cause analysis, and corrective actions shall be submitted prior to AASHTO re:source reporting deadlines by the Contractor PM or SLT. The Contractor shall schedule the AASHTO re:source accreditation assessment for the MATC laboratory trailer and is responsible for carrying the assessment out per AASHTO re:source direction.

Note: To ensure proper working condition, and also maintain AASHTO re:source accreditation, the FHWA relies on the Contractor to provide the routine maintenance and calibration of all test equipment and systems used to power/operate the equipment. AASHTO re:source accreditation is critical to the success of the MATC Program. Historically, the MATC Program has obtained and maintained accreditation in the following areas of asphalt pavement materials:

Quality Management System: R 18 Asphalt Mixture: T 166 (Cores), T 209, T 269 Aggregate: R 76, T 27, T 255

Other test procedures and programs may be required as a result of MATC Program focus areas, expansion of accreditation programs, or other standardized test procedures and specifications are adopted by AASHTO re:source for accreditation. The COR shall be briefed by TEAMS call on a quarterly basis on the progress and status of accreditation activities.

C.4.4 Equipment Inventory

The Contractor shall maintain all equipment and material furnished by the Government. All equipment shall have a FHWA bar code physically attached to it. Any new equipment purchased should have a FHWA bar code attached to it by the Contractor within 30 days of receipt at the laboratory. All equipment, whether laboratory or field equipment, shall have a FHWA bar code assigned and affixed to it and this shall be listed in the Master inventory spreadsheet. The Master inventory spreadsheet shall include: (1) equipment inventory; (2) expendable supplies inventory;

and, (3) equipment loan program inventory and status. This spreadsheet shall be maintained on the MATC TEAMS site.

Equipment inventory lists turned over to the Contractor shall be updated every 3 months. The Contractor shall provide an electronic copy of the updated inventory list to the COR after every update, as well as update it on the MATC Teams site, access to which will be shared with the Contractor.

The Contractor shall maintain a list of expendable supplies available (for example: shop towels, buckets, printer ink cartridges, core bits, epoxy, grease, solvents, etc.). Supply lists shall be updated every two months in the Master inventory spreadsheet. The Contractor shall provide an electronic copy of the updated supply list to the COR after every update, as well as update it on the MATC Teams site, access to which will be shared with the Contractor.

The Contractor shall maintain a list of equipment available for loan to external entities and information on the status of these loans (for example: test jigs, dielectric profiling system, laser texture scanner, etc.). Information on equipment loans shall be updated every two weeks in the Master inventory spreadsheet. The Contractor shall provide an electronic copy of the updated equipment loan list to the COR after every update, as well as update it on the MATC Teams site, access to which will be shared with the Contractor.

The Contractor shall identify parts and materials needed during the performance of this contract.

The Contractor shall provide part numbers, a description of the service or materials required and the estimated cost from at least three vendors, if possible. This inventory spreadsheet shall be updated weekly and maintained on the MATC TEAMS site.

C.4.5 Preventive Maintenance

The Contractor shall establish and implement a comprehensive preventive maintenance (PM) program covering all binder and mixture laboratory operations, equipment and vehicles (including the MATC trailer, the tractor truck used to transport the MATC, the generator attached to the tractor, and chase vehicle). The PMP consists primarily of inspection, cleaning, lubrication, adjustment, calibration, minor parts (mirrors, windows, etc.), and component replacement (e.g., filters, o-rings, belts, cables, fluids, oil, electrical connections, grease, etc.).

The PMP is required to minimize malfunction, breakdown, and deterioration of equipment and ensure continuous operation and AASHTO re:source accreditation. The PMP shall also document in writing all repairs required to bring the equipment up to the manufacturer’s recommended operating standards and provide a copy of the documentation to the COR. The solar panels on the roof of the trailer, along with the access panels along the belly, shall be inspected to determine functionality after each transport of the MATC trailer.

The PMP shall include at a minimum, equipment priority, frequency, description of the maintenance to be performed, and an annual PMP schedule for all equipment and vehicles included in the program. The PMP performed must be as recommended by the original equipment manufacturer as a minimum.

The Contractor shall submit its proposed PMP to the COR for approval within 60 calendar days of the contract start date, and annually thereafter. The Contractor shall update this program as necessary to reflect the addition, replacement or removal of equipment and furnish a copy of the updates to the COR.

Submit written details (including costs) to the COR within 3 working days after the Contractor detects that any Government equipment or component being maintained under the contract is in need of reconditioning, repair, replacement, or disposal. Upon notification to the COR, the Contractor may begin steps to rectify the equipment issue if the costs are less than $3,000.

Disposal of equipment shall follow the FHWA Excessing Equipment procedures through Form FHWA-1363 Report of Transfer of Property and coordinated through the COR.

Disposal of debris (such as asphalt specimens, mix samples, and other waste) shall be coordinated with the TFHRC Facilities Manager and via the COR.

If the costs to recondition, repair, replace, or dispose of any Government equipment or component exceeds $3,000, the Contractor shall first submit written documentation, justification, and presentation of quotes from qualified vendors to the COR for approval. Upon COR approval, the Contractor shall proceed.

C.4.6 Cleanliness

The MATC trailer, tractor truck, chase vehicle, and generator interiors and exteriors shall be cleaned on a regular basis paying particular attention to when units are on display at conferences, tradeshows, meetings, seminars, training, or other public events. The interior and exteriors shall be kept in a clean and safe condition at all times. The Contractor shall have the MATC professionally washed 24 hours in advance of any conference, tradeshow, or other public event.

The Contractor shall clean rusted and corroded areas on the MATC trailer, tractor truck, chase vehicle, and generator as required. Remove the rust, prime the cleaned surfaces and paint using a high-quality primer and paint suitable for the surface being painted. Paint colors shall match the original colors. Equipment identification data, bar codes, inventory data, manufacturer plates, serial numbers, calibration data, etc., shall not be obscured or covered.

The Contractor shall follow commonly accepted laboratory safety and cleanliness procedures.

C.4.7 Technology Transfer

The Contractor shall be responsible for assisting in the technology transfer, training, demonstration, technical review, and technical assistance activities, as identified by the FHWA, to the asphalt pavement community. The Contractor is expected to provide training opportunities and certification for its staff in order to meet the FHWA MATC program mission. The mission may evolve during the overall contract period to include support of the Low Carbon Asphalt Materials implementation. The SrPE is expected to conduct the vast majority of technology transfer related to low carbon materials support activities, with limited support from the PM and PE on an as-needed basis.

Any documents or presentation materials shall be uploaded and maintained on the MATC TEAMS site.

C.4.8 Demonstration

In order to advance innovative technologies, it is beneficial for FHWA to demonstrate equipment and practices to stakeholders. The Contractor shall possess the expertise to utilize, produce and analyze data, and demonstrate to stakeholders any practice or piece of equipment at the MATC, at the direction of the COR. It is expected that the Contractor should seek out annual training for its staff, at least once per year, to keep staff members proficient in the areas in which each member of the team plays a role. The plans for training of Contractor staff shall be communicated to the COR. Strong oral communications skills are an expected requirement of all members of the MATC Contractor staff. Demonstrations may be held at full and mini site visits, conferences, industry meetings, open houses, and other invited training sessions.

C.4.9 Deployment Feedback

The Contractor shall determine deployment needs, technical training needs, equipment demonstration needs, and other technical issues associated with asphalt pavement materials, testing equipment, standards, technologies, etc. These should be determined with an emphasis on State Highway Agency (SHA) and FHWA Division Office (DO) needs and priorities related to asphalt pavements; however, the MATC also supports industry and local agencies at the direction of the COR. The Contractor shall also provide technical feedback to the FHWA, FHWA technical working groups, and the AASHTO Committee on Materials and Pavements and Committee on Construction upon request by the COR. This feedback shall summarize the type and extent of questions and their resolutions received from SHAs and DOs requesting assistance.

The Contractor shall document the deployment, training, equipment, technical and other feedback for each six (6) month period in a report and submit it to the COR. Any documentation related to this task shall be updated and maintained on the MATC TEAMS site.

C.4.10 Equipment Loan Program

The MATC Program operates an equipment loan program (https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/asphalt/matc/equipment-loan-program.cfm) for interested parties to experiment with innovative technologies and borrow equipment. The Contractor shall ship or deliver the equipment to the borrower and maintain a record of all vital information concerning any equipment loans, including names, addresses, telephone numbers and email address of borrowers, date of loan, and approximate return date. This spreadsheet shall be updated and maintained on the MATC TEAMS site.

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/asphalt/matc/equipment-loan-program.cfm

Shipment of the equipment will be reimbursed to at-cost to the Contractor. The Federal government is self-insured, as such no extra shipping insurance is permitted to be taken by the Contractor.

Upon return of the equipment, the Contractor shall interview the borrower and detail in a report the borrower’s intent in obtaining the equipment, experiences, and potential for future implementation. Equipment loan includes the following actions by the Contractor:

• Pre-loan virtual meeting with the borrower.

• On-site training by MATC Contractor staff for the borrower.

• Mid-Loan period virtual meeting with the borrower.

• Extract data & conduct data analysis for the borrower.

• Post-loan virtual briefing with the borrower to go over results and capture the borrower’s experience with the technology.

• Produce a Lessons Learned document (for some loans) for the borrower.

• Arrange for return of the equipment to FHWA.

Requests shall be logged into the Master MATC equipment inventory within 7 days of receipt of email or communication from a stakeholder. The Contractor PM shall provide oversight of the Master MATC equipment inventory spreadsheet and shall perform quality assurance checks on it every 30 days.

C.4.11 Identify, Distribute, and Analyze Project Information and Data

The Contractor shall work directly with the FHWA to identify and collect asphalt pavement materials test results and any pending MATC Program project data generated as a result of the program in the previous contract. The MATC database is an Access-based database, which will be furnished to the Contractor. This database shall be updated in real time by the LTs, with periodic quality assurance checks for completeness by the SLT.

The Contractor shall modify, update, correct, or improve the database functions, reports, data fields, query, display, etc. to accommodate data collection, mining, analysis, and storage from projects assigned.