Questions and NHTSA Response_RFP 24R000021_Older Novice Driver NAT Driving Study_07.08.2024.pdf

RFP # 693JJ924R000021

Questions and Responses Title: Older Novice Driver Naturalistic Driving Study

Questions and NHTSA Response:

1. (Reference Section C.5.3, (Submit Data Acquisition Systems Report))

Does the government anticipate the need to involve an IRB (for guidance) when selecting a smartphone and Data Acquisition System if they require collecting PII?

NHTSA Response: Obtaining IRB approval is a requirement of Section C.5.8 (Obtain IRB Approval for Pilot Study) and Section C.5.11 (Obtain IRB Approval for Full Study). An Offeror may propose to consult an IRB for guidance when preparing the Data Acquisition Systems Report (Section C.5.3) if the Offeror believes doing so would help inform the selection of data acquisition systems. Any costs associated with consulting an IRB for this task (Section C.5.3) should be included in an Offeror’s business proposal.

2. (Reference Section C.5.6, (Identify Potential Study Sites))

Should the study site location be considered during data collection for the Pilot Study?

NHTSA Response: The Pilot Study is not required to be conducted in the same location as the study site.

3. (Reference Section C.5.9, (Finalize Study Site))

The RFP states that within twenty months of the award, the contractor shall finalize the State (and State licensing agency) to serve as the site for the full study. It also states that within twenty months of the award, the Contractor shall submit to the COR the Pilot Study Results letter report. Data collection and analysis does not seem to be captured in this timeline. How long does the government anticipate for these (data collection and analysis) activities?

NHTSA Response: As described in response to question #2, the Pilot Study is not required to be conducted in the same location as the study site. Data collection for the Pilot Study may begin upon receipt of IRB approval for the Pilot Study (Section C.5.8), which is required to be obtained by fifteen (15) months after award. Therefore, there is a five (5) month period during which the Contractor can collect/analyze the pilot data and prepare the Pilot Study Results letter report (Section C.5.10).

4. (Reference Section L.3, (Proposal Delivery))

Is there an email file size limitation (e.g., 10MB) for submission of the technical and cost proposals?

NHTSA Response: Yes, the email file size limit is 75MB. Offerors should consider ensuring any electronically transferred files are reasonably manageable and are able to be viewed by the Government.

5. (General Inquiry)

Can videos of participants be stored in a secure and encrypted cloud environment, or do they need to be maintained on premise?

NHTSA Response: Offerors may propose any approach to data storage provided the proposed approach complies with Federal and DOT security, privacy, and human subjects protection policies and requirements. See Section H.5 (Security Requirements), Section H.6 (Protection of Human Subjects), and relevant contract clauses (Section I).

6. (General Inquiry)

Does NHTSA allow encrypted over-the-air data downloads from participant vehicles, or does the data need to be downloaded via a physical device?

NHTSA Response: Offerors may propose any approach for the retrieval/transfer of data from participants’ vehicles provided the proposed approach complies with Federal and DOT security, privacy, and human subjects protection policies and requirements.

See Section H.5 (Security Requirements), Section H.6 (Protection of Human Subjects), and relevant contract clauses (Section I).

7. (General Inquiry)

Is a contractor precluded from bidding due to the potential of an OCI if they worked on the work plan and materials for this Request for Proposal?

NHTSA Response: The prior pilot study was completed and published in 2023 and is available to the public at https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/67045. The Statement of Work for this project was developed by NHTSA, not by contractors. No contractors are precluded from bidding on this effort.

https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/67045

8. (General Inquiry)

Is this a brand-new contract, or if there is (was) an incumbent performing these services? If not brand new, could you please provide the current / previous contract number?

NHTSA Response: This requirement is new. There is not an incumbent.