RFQ 693JJ326Q000025 - Q and A.xlsx
XLSX spreadsheet 23 KB Posted
- Attached to
- Collecting Eye Tracking and Vehicle Kinematics Data from Alternative Intersection and Interchange Sites
- Solicitation number
- 693JJ326Q000025
About this file
This is a Questions and Answers (Q&A) document for RFQ 693JJ326Q000025, addressing clarifications on the collection of eye-tracking and vehicle kinematics data from Alternative Intersection and Interchange (AII) sites. The solicitation, issued by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), seeks a contractor to conduct driver eye-tracking and vehicle kinematics data collection across up to three regions containing 15 AII sites total, with a minimum of 25 participants per region. The quotation due date is August 11, 2026, by 11:00 a.m. ET.
Key operational requirements clarified in the Q&A include: each of the 25 drivers per region must complete four traversals at every AII site within that region; the 15 sites may be distributed unevenly across regions; trip times may exceed the recommended two hours if necessary to avoid excessive fatigue; the government will furnish one Smart Eye Pro 3 system (with GPS module at 1 Hz or higher) within two weeks of award, along with a controlling computer; the contractor must provide the research vehicle and recruit local drivers (within approximately 60-minute drive); participant compensation is estimated at $100 per participant with a $7,500 ceiling for 75 participants, all recruitment costs included in base pricing; and continuous eye-tracking video (60 Hz minimum) and vehicle kinematics data (10 Hz minimum) must be collected and delivered in native formats on physical media. The contractor may demonstrate acceptable qualifications through strong vehicle kinematics and GPS experience if utilizing government-furnished Smart Eye equipment and government-funded training (estimated $7,700 for prior training). Proposals are limited to 20 pages (excluding cover page, table of contents, and resumes capped at 2 pages each) and must not exceed 10 megabytes when submitted electronically.
View the file
Other files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| RFQ - 693JJ326Q000025_A000001.pdf | ||
| RFQ - 693JJ326Q000025.pdf |
On GovTribe
Work with this file
- Download the original file
- Contacts named in this file
- Similar government files
- Ask GovTribe AI about this file
Text version
Q&A
| # | Question | Response |
| 1 | PWS Task 4.2 states that each driver "traverses each site four times" and recommendslimiting each data collection trip to two hours or less. Please confirm the following: |
a.
Is each of the 25 drivers in a region expected to complete four traversals of every sitewithin that region, or may the four-traversal requirement be satisfied in aggregateacross participants?
b.
Where a region's site count makes a participant's assigned routes exceed therecommended two-hour trip length, should the contractor plan multiple trips perparticipant?
c.
| Is there a target for total driving time or data-hours per participant? | a. Correct, each of the 25 drivers in a region is expected to complete four traversals at every AII site (each traversal is for completing a different movement from a different direction) within that region. b. Not necessarily, the two-hour trip time is suggested target and there will be variations. As long as the trip doesn't cause excessive fatigue to the driver and the in-vehicle contractor staff, trip time can exceed two hours. c. On avergae, the Govenrment desires to collect 2-hours eye tracking trip data per participant. | ||
| 2 | May the 15 AII sites be distributed unevenly across the up-to-three regions (e.g., 7/5/3) basedon where inventories naturally cluster, or does the Government expect an approximatelyeven split? | Yes, the 15 AII sites may be distributed unevenly across up to three regions. Any reasonable distribution, such as 7/5/3 or 6/6/3 or 5/5/5, will be acceptable. | |
| 3 | Please confirm if the kick-off meeting and monthly technical meetings be conducted virtually? | Yes. The kick-off meeting and monthly technical meetings will generally be conducted virtually. In-person meetings may be arranged on occasion if Government and Contractor personnel are in close proximity. | |
| 4 | Will Smart Eye technical training be conducted at the contractor's facility or at anotherlocation? Is contractor travel associated with training reimbursable under CLIN 00201? | Smart Eye technical training, if needed, may be conducted at the contractor's facility or at another facility where the research vehicle and the contractor staff responsible for operating the data acquisition system(s) are located. The Government can cover the training fee charged by Smart Eye but not the contractor's over-night travel or related expenses for participating in this training. | |
| 5 | How many Smart Eye Pro 3 units will be furnished, how soon after award will they beavailable, and is the contractor responsible for shipping and insurance of the GFE while in itscustody? | The Government can furnish one Smart Eye Pro 3 system within 2 weeks after award. The contractor is expected to return the GFE at end of the contract. | |
| 6 | Please confirm if the contractor is expected to furnish the research vehicle that participantswill operate. Are there any Government requirements regarding vehicle type, ownershipversus rental, or insurance coverage for participants operating the contractor's vehicle? | Yes. The Contractor shall provide a research vehicle for use by study participants. The Government expects the Contractor to have experience outfitting research vehicles for collecting eye-tracking or vehicle kinematic data and know the technical requirements for integrating and powering the two in-vehicle data acquisition systems, as well as the insursnce requirements for such vehicles. | |
| 7 | Is the $100-per-participant level implied by the CLIN 00301 ceiling ($7,500 ÷ 75 participants)the Government's expectation, or may the contractor set compensation within the ceiling?Are recruitment costs (advertising, screening platforms) reimbursable under CLIN 00301, orshould they be included in CLIN 00101? | The $100 per participant is an estimated compensation amount. The Contractor may set the participant compensation within the ceiling provided it is sufficient to attract the desired participants. This budget is reserved solely for participant compensation. All participant recruitment costs shall be included in CLIN 00101. | |
| 8 | The Experience evaluation factor references experience using dash mounted eye trackingsystems and vehicle kinematics data acquisition systems at 60 Hz or higher, while PWSSection 4.0 requires demonstrated expertise in vehicle kinematics and GPS data collection at10 Hz or higher and describes dash mounted eye-tracking experience as "desirable but notmandatory," with Sponsor-funded Smart Eye training available. Please confirm if a quoterdemonstrating strong vehicle kinematics/GPS data acquisition experience but utilizing theGovernment-furnished Smart Eye Pro 3 and Sponsor-funded training, may be ratedAcceptable under the Experience factor. | Yes. If the Offeror demonstrates strong experience in collecting vehicle kinematic data through the OBD-II port and GPS data at a frequency of 10 Hz or higher, and has the authorization and technical expertise to modify its data acquisition system to incorporate additional vehicle kinematic data elements, the Experience will be considered acceptable. | |
| 9 | Is a commercial Institutional Review Board (e.g., WCG, Advarra) acceptable for the Task 2.2human-subjects review, or does FHWA require a specific IRB or Federal wide Assurance?Additionally, does the Government hold or intend to obtain any OMB clearance requiredunder the Paperwork Reduction Act for this information collection, or is that the contractor'sresponsibility? | Yes, either a commercial IRB, or the traditional university or Government IRB will be acceptable. The Government expects the contractor to provide the Govenrment a copy of approved version of the IRB application and the dated approval from IRB. | |
| 10 | Provision 1252.239-71, Information Technology Security Plan and Accreditation, isincorporated by reference. Given that data collection and processing will occur on contractor-owned systems, confirm the expected IT security plan and accreditation requirements. | This requirement applies to the storage and transfer of driver profile information, and the collected eye-tracking and vehicle kinematics data. Storage devices used for this purpose typically include hardware-based encryption with a physical encryption key or other secure authentication mechanism. | |
| 11 | For delivery of the eye-tracking video datasets, does the Government prefer encryptedphysical media or secure cloud transfer? Is site-level data analysis required only for the 15AII sites, with the "other intersections between" covered solely by continuous recording? | The eye-tracking data and vehicle kinematic data shall be delivered in their respective native formats. Continuous data recording shall begin immediately after completion of each participant's on-site eye-tracker calibration and shall continue throughout the entire driving session, including travel through all designated AII sites within a region as well as all intervening intersections and roadway segments. The Contractor shall inspect the collected data to verify that it meets the requirements and quality standards. However, the Contractor is not required to perform any analysis or interpretation of the site-level data. | |
| 12 | Is teaming or subcontracting encouraged? | This is the offeror's business decision. | |
| 13 | Is prior eye-tracking research experience required for the prime contractor? | No, but prior eye-tracking research expereince will be a plus. | |
| 14 | Will there be opportunities for follow-on work under this effort? | It is unknown at this time. | |
| 15 | Is there an estimated contract value or budget range? | Under the simplified acquisition threshold | |
| 16 | Are there page limits for the proposal, resumes, or other submission elements? Are any templates provided or required for past performance, resumes, budgets, or quotation responses? | Jason to update - 20-page max, not including cover page and table of context. Resumes not included in this 20-page count however ever resume cannot exceed 2 pages each. | |
| 17 | Does the sponsor expect the collection of subjective measures, such as workload, ease of use, user satisfaction, or other survey-based assessments? | Such human factor elements are desirable, offerors may consider collecting such data throug post-trip interview. The sponsor also plans to derive such information from eye tracking data analysis. | |
| 18 | How does the sponsor define a "local driver"? Is there a geographic or distance-based requirement relative to the AII sites? | "Local drivers" may be consider those who are within about 60-minute drive to the gathering location. | |
| 19 | The RFP specifies a minimum of 25 participants per region and allows for up to three regions. If only one region is selected, is the minimum participant requirement 25 participants total, or does the sponsor expect the contractor to recruit 75 participants regardless of the number of regions included? | If all 15 AII sites are located within a single region (which is considered very unlikely), the Contractor may recruit either 25 participants, with each participant driving through all 15 AII sites, or 75 participants, with each participant driving through an average of five AII sites. Because participants are compensated based on the time they spend driving the research vehicle, the total participant compensation would be comparable under either approach. Likewise, the travel costs incurred by the research team would be similar. The Sponsor values diversity in both the selected AII sites and the participant population and therefore prefers that the 15 AII sites be distributed across three different regions whenever practical. The final selection and distribution of the AII sites will be determined jointly by the Contractor and the Government. | |
| 20 | What level of GPS accuracy is required for the study? | The Sponsor expects offerors with demonstrated experience in collecting eye-tracking and/or vehicle kinematics data to understand the minimum GPS accuracy required for this effort and to propose equipment and methodologies capable of meeting those requirements. | |
| 21 | Is the 3–4 person team size a mandatory requirement? If so, does this include personnel serving in a standby or backup capacity? | A field data collection team of three to four personnel is recommended, including at least two technical staff members who are thoroughly trained to set up, calibrate, and operate the data acquisition systems. These technical staff members should rotate responsibility for supervising the local drivers during data collection. | |
| 22 | Will FHWA provide the test vehicle for data collection activities? | No. | |
| 23 | Must the same vehicle be used across all test sites, or may different vehicles be used at different locations? | This is a decision to be made by the Contractor. The Sponsor requires at least the same model of vehicle be used to avoid having to modify the vehicle kinematics data acquisition system. | |
| 24 | Must the same vehicle be used across all test sites, or may different vehicles be used at different locations? | See Question 23 | |
| 25 | Task 3 references three regions, while Task 2.2 references "up to three regions." Can the sponsor clarify the required number of regions? | Consdier the require is three different data collection regions and on average five AII sites in each region. | |
| 26 | Is each participant required to visit every selected AII site within their local region and complete four distinct traversals through each site? | Yes. The four distinct traversals are typically the traffic movements most impacted by the respective AII designs. | |
| 27 | If Smart Eye training is required for project personnel, will the sponsor pay the training provider directly, or should the contractor include the training as a reimbursable expense? If the latter, can the sponsor provide an approximate cost per trainee to support proposal pricing? | If the Contractor does not have prior experience using the Smart Eye dash-mounted eye tracker, technical training will be required. Any training costs shall be included in CLIN 00101. In the past, a 2-day in-person hand-on training at the Contractor facility cost about $7,700. Potential offerors may contact Smart Eye for the latest price. | |
| 28 | Does the sponsor require video recordings of each session? If so, are there minimum requirements for video resolution and frame rate? | Yes. The Sponsor expects qualified Offerors know the requirement. | |
| 29 | Does the sponsor require eye-tracking video recordings to be anonymized (e.g., participant faces blurred) prior to delivery? | No, only forward view and the eye-tracking fixations need to be collected. Participants' facial videos may be discarded. | |
| 30 | May all required traversals be completed at one site before proceeding to the next, provided the 0.25-mile approach and exit distance requirements are met? | This decision shall be made by the Contractor and may depend on the locations of the selected AII sites and the distances between them. | |
| 31 | What method of data delivery does the sponsor prefer for final deliverables: electronic transmission, physical media shipment, or other? | Physical media shipment | |
| 32 | The PWS (Section 4.0, page 7) states the requirement for vehicle kinematics data collection is "10 Hz orhigher," while the Evaluation Factors in Part I (page 3) state that demonstrated experience must be at "60 Hzor higher frequency." Please confi rm which sampling rate is the actual performance requirement forcontract execution, and which applies to the experience evaluation criterion. | Eye-tracking data typically is collected at 60 Hz or higher, and vehicle kinematics data is collected at 10 Hz or higher. These are the minimum requirements. | |
| 33 | In Part I, page 2 of the RFQ it states that, “The quotation must be submitted electronically with thetechnical and pricing factors submitted in a SINGLE email whose size must not exceed 10 Megabytes.” Isthere a page limit for the response to this RFQ, and if so, what is that page limit? Similarly, what elementsof the proposal are included in this page limit, and what elements are excluded from the page limit? | See question 16. | |
| 34 | In Section 2, page 7 of the RFQ it says, "The qualified contractor may use either their own dash-mountedeye tracker or the Government-furnished Smart Eye Pro 3 dash-mounted eye tracker, which includes a GPSmodule." If the contractor wants to use this Government Furnished Equipment, will the Government alsosupply the computer that controls the Smart Eye Pro dash-mounted eye tracker? | Yes. | |
| 35 | Also, in that same passage (Section 2, page 7) mentioned above in question 3 above, is that GPS moduleseparate from the Smart Eye Pro 3 dash-mounted eye tracker? If the GPS unit is separate, what is the make,model, and update rate (in Hz) of the GPS unit that the FHWA would loan to the contractor? If the GPS ispart of the Smart Eye Pro 3 dash-mounted eye tracker, what is the update rate (in Hz) of the GPS? | The Government owned Smart Eye system includes a GPS module with a refresh rate of 1 Hz or higher |
File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .