693JK420R800002.pdf

Action Code: R

Classification Code: R499 Other Professional Services

Solicitation: 693JK420R800002

Agency/Office: Office of the Secretary (OST)

NAICS Code:

541511 Custom Computer Programming 541618 Other Management Consulting 541370 - Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services 541990 All Other Professional, Scientific and Technical Services 561990 All Other Support Services 519120 Libraries and Archives

$27.5 M.

Point of Contract: Sheronda Jones, Contracting Officer, ph (202) 366-0655

Title: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) Analytical Support Services IDIQ

Description(s):

The Office of the Secretary (OST) is issuing this Sources Sought Notice to identify potential qualified sources, including, but not limited to Small Business (SB), Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), 8(a) Certified SDB, HUBZone SB, SDVOSB, or WOSB concerns that may be interested in and capable of performing the work described herein to provide analytical support for the BTS Analytical Support Services.

OST welcomes all qualified sources with the appropriate NAICS Code and past experience to submit their Corporate Capability Statements that demonstrate their ability to successfully accomplish the goals of the proposed project as listed below. In addition to soliciting on the open market, the government may decide to later limit its competition to those qualified GSA 00CORP Professional Services Schedule (PSS) Schedule holding contractors or One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services (OASIS).

OST does not intend to award a contract on the basis of responses to this notice or otherwise pay for the preparation of any information submitted. Acknowledgement of receipt of responses will not be made; and no formal evaluation of the information received will be conducted by OST. OST may; however later on issue a Request for Proposals (RFP). However, should such a requirement fail to materialize, no basis for claims against OST shall arise as a result of a response to this notice.

Contract Type: Hybrid

BACKGROUND

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is the Principal Federal Statistical Agency that provides objective, comprehensive, and relevant information on the extent and use of the Nation’s transportation system, how well the system performs, and the effects of the system on society and the environment. BTS collects, compiles, analyzes, and publishes statistical and geospatial information on the factors contributing to the demand for transportation; on the extent, use, condition, performance, and safety of the transportation system; and on the economic, environmental, and social consequences of transportation. BTS is the preeminent source of statistics on commercial aviation, multimodal freight activity, and transportation economics, and provides context to decision makers and the public for understanding statistics on transportation. BTS assures the credibility of its products and services through rigorous analysis, transparent data quality, and independence from political influence. BTS promotes innovative methods of data collection, analysis, visualization, and dissemination to improve operational efficiency, to examine emerging topics, and to create relevant and timely information products that foster understanding of transportation and its transformational role in society. The Bureau’s National Transportation Library (NTL) is the permanent, publicly accessible home for research publications from throughout the transportation community; the gateway to all DOT data; and the help line for the Congress, researchers, and the public for information about transportation.

The BTS Director is by law the senior advisor to the Secretary of Transportation on data and statistics.

BTS is one of 13 principal federal statistical agencies and is governed primarily by statistical policy directives of the Office of Management and Budget and Title 49 of the United States Code.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the multiple award contracts is to provide Analytical Support Services to support the mission of BTS in the compilation, analysis, dissemination and archiving of transportation information and statistics. The contracts will also provide expertise in the identification and implementation of strategic business process improvements to optimize the efficiency of BTS’s business operations.

The BTS Analytical Support Service contract provides support to offices within BTS, including the Office of Statistical and Economic Analysis (OSEA), Office of Data Development and Standards (ODDS), Office of Transportation Analysis (OTA), Office of Safety Data and Analysis (OSDA), Office of Spatial Analysis and Visualization (OSAV), Office of Airline Information (OAI), and Office of Information and Library Sciences (OILS).

The primary skill requirements This skill list below is in alphabetical order and is a combined list inclusive of all task areas. Not all skills listed will be required for each of the task areas.

Business Analyst Business Process/Business Systems Analyst Cartographer Cataloger Communication Specialist Data Analyst Data Architect Data Curator Data Quality Analyst Data Scientist Data Warehousing Specialist Database Administrator (Sybase) Database Developer Database Manager Database Tech Support Economist Editor Enterprise Architect Geographer Geospatial Analyst Geospatial and Transportation Network Analyst Geospatial Database Manager GIS Specialist Information Architect Librarian Multimedia Editor Principal Investigator Program Manager Project Manager Research Analyst Research Assistant Research Scientist Statistician, Math Statistician, Spatial Statistician, Survey Survey Methodologist System Analyst Technical Specialist Technical Writer Transportation Analyst/Specialist – Airlines and Airports Transportation Analyst/Specialist – Automation

Transportation Analyst/Specialist – Congestion/Traffic Transportation Analyst/Specialist - Domestic Freight Transportation Analyst/Specialist - Domestic Passenger Transportation Analyst/Specialist – Energy Transportation Analyst/Specialist - Environment Transportation Analyst/Specialist – Finance Transportation Analyst/Specialist – Hazardous Materials Transportation Analyst/Specialist – Infrastructure Transportation Analyst/Specialist - International Transportation Analyst/Specialist - International Freight Transportation Analyst/Specialist - International Passenger Transportation Analyst/Specialist – Maritime Transportation Analyst/Specialist – Pipeline Transportation Analyst/Specialist – Ports Transportation Analyst/Specialist – Rail Transportation Analyst/Specialist - Safety Transportation Analyst/Specialist - Security Transportation Analyst/Specialist – Transit Transportation Analyst/Specialist – Truck Transportation Analyst/Specialist – Vehicles/Crafts/Vessels Visualization Analyst/Specialist – Dynamic Visualization Analyst/Specialist – Static Web Content Analyst

TASK AREAS

There are eleven (11) task areas that describe the requirement objectives for this contract.

NOTE: AWARDS WILL BE MADE BY TASK AREA.

1. Support for Statistical Activities (Policy, Techniques and Procedures)

2. Statistical Data Compilation, Curation, Quality and Evaluation

3. Surveys and Data Development

4. Transportation Economic and Financial Analysis, Interpretation and Research

5. Freight Transportation Analysis, Interpretation and Research

6. Passenger Transportation and Travel Analysis, Interpretation and Research

7. Aviation Transportation Analysis, Interpretation and Research

8. Safety Transportation Analysis, Interpretation and Research

9. Geospatial Collection, Analysis, Interpretation, Visual Analytics and Research

10. Support for Publication and Dissemination of Products

11. Quick Response to Analysis, Data and Information Request

The Contractor shall provide the required knowledge, skills, abilities, experience, labor and all other related resources to successfully manage, perform and deliver services and deliverables as identified in the objectives at the Task Order level.

SCOPE OF WORK

BTS’s programmatic requirements cut across all modes of transportation, including domestic and international requirements. BTS expects to use this multiple award contract vehicle to fulfill both on-site and off-site requirements. Some tasks (e.g. large survey efforts) will require off-site Contractor facilities and infrastructure. Due to the changing nature of the programs that BTS supports, resources must be easily accessible and flexible in terms of the skill sets required. The Contractor must be responsive to changing technical requirements, program initiatives, and priorities to enable BTS to meet project deadlines. The specific projects requiring support will vary depending on the national transportation priorities during the life of the contracts.

Descriptions of each task area for the contract are as follow:

TASK 1 – SUPPORT FOR STATISTICAL ACTIVITIES (POLICY, TECHNIQUES and PROCEDURES)

This task area provides support to BTS for practices of statistical agencies.

Contractor performance requires adherence to BTS protocols and statistical guidelines as set forth by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 (Evidence Act), the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002 (CIPSEA).

Contractor performance requires knowledge in the following statistical areas: disclosure avoidance methodologies, sampling and non-sampling error assessments, inferential statistics, and statistical modeling.

Contractor performance requires work on statistical activities including: evaluating data quality following OMB and BTS statistical standards, ensuring continuity between data collection and data analysis while applying disclosure avoidance techniques, and writing methodological and/or technical reports of substantive survey findings for the government and trade publications.

Contractor performance supports BTS research efforts to meet the OMB and international standards by developing statistical methodology to quantify use, condition, performance, and safety of the Nation’s transportation system and the effects of the system on society, economics and the environment.

Contractor performance supports statistical activities that assist evidence building functions, including but not limited to: data quality assessments; estimations or forecasts; use of auxiliary data and alternative data sources, construction of secondary data, or development of models that are an integral part of generating statistical series or forecasts.

TASK 2 – STATISTICAL DATA COMPILATION, CURATION, QUALITY and EVALUATION

Contractor performance requires collecting, compiling, performing quality review, and disseminating comprehensive transportation statistics and data products for all modes of transportation. Data collection programs provide quality data and information to support both public and private decision-making. This task area provides support to the BTS data program, as well as a variety of transportation analysis projects. Published transportation statistics are ultimately derived from the data collected, compiled, and analyzed. This information is used by the BTS, DOT, other Federal agencies, the transportation industry, state and local governments, metropolitan planning organizations, Congress, the academic community, and the public.

Contractor performance requires a cross-functional skill set that includes knowledge of transportation data sources for airlines and airports, energy and environment, freight transportation, infrastructure, passenger travel, safety, system performance, and the economy;

technical computer skills and attention to detail to access and manipulate complex data; and experience in collecting and processing data in a statistical environment. Additional knowledge and skills required to support this work include an understanding of data processing turn-around time requirements; input and output checking; data cleaning; data editing; data mining;

data quality analysis; data wrangling; experience in working with large datasets using a variety of database software programs and the ability to maintain and monitor compliance with data collection procedures.

The four (4) sub-areas of Task 2 are: (1) Data Compilation; (2) Data Development and Discovery;

(3) Data Quality Evaluation and Analysis Review; and (4) Data Curation.

Data Compilation

Contractor performance under this sub-area requires the Contractor to support ongoing collection and compilation of new data as well as updating and validating existing data in various databases. This includes the compilation of data, multimodal, and intermodal data, statistics and information derived from transportation analyses covering transportation topics and summarization of data in various formats. Provide technical and analytical support in resolving data reporting issues and system anomalies and update and maintain databases as necessary to correct erroneous, inaccurate, missing or inconsistent data and interacting with data providers to resolve problems. Collect, develop, update and maintain metadata.

Data Development and Discovery

Data Development and Discovery shall include work with administrative records and sensor data, web scraping, machine learning, data wrangling, imagery, remote sensing, developing and programming Application Programming Interface endpoints (APIs); and data science.

Contractor performance under this sub-area involves support to ensure the successful integration of data into systems or technologies to allow BTS customers to:

• Query and download raw data and metadata in an open, machine-readable format.

• Access selected data through APIs (application programming interfaces).

• Program, generate, and maintain new dataset and metadata APIs based on BTS and DOT data using Socrata and other open source tools.

• Update and maintain programming for existing APIs (to reflect new table IDs, code, source changes, etc.)

• Perform queries and calculations with APIs using tools such as SoSQL, SQL, R, and Python

• Programming and upkeep of APIs used in existing tools for decision-makers such as visualizations, maps, subsets of tables, reports, web apps, mobile apps, and metadata information.

Data Quality Evaluation and Analysis Review

Contractor performance under this sub-area requires contractor’s technical and analytical support in reviewing and analyzing the quality of data; resolving data reporting issues and system anomalies; and developing and maintaining processes to maintain and improve overall quality, integrity, and validity of data. Provide technical support regarding sources, statistical validity, reliability, and overall quality of data to ensure completeness and integrity of data.

Data Curation

Contractor performance under this sub-area requires Contractor to: employ BTS-adopted best practices, workflows, and standards for data collection, documentation, and preservation;

engage in the active and ongoing management and improvement of data through its lifecycle of interest and usefulness to BTS; and, support BTS goals for data discovery and retrieval, data quality, data re-use. Contractors are expected to create, follow, and update data management plans; as well providing data to BTS in open, machine-readable formats, consistent with the DOT Public Access Plan, the OPEN Government Data Act, and other laws and policies.

Contractors shall provide robust documentation of data collection methods, variable definitions, code books, and any other documentation needed to make the data understandable to future users.

The Contractor shall provide expertise in information management and the design, development, operation, and maintenance of the various databases, data pipelines, data warehouses, and associated applications under the cognizance of BTS and in coordination with the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO). Work in this functional area includes detailed technology assessments; requirements analysis; concept development and architecture design; database and data warehouse design, development, testing, integration, and deployment; and system operational support.

Contractor performance under this functional area shall require staff with capabilities and experience in transportation industry analysis as specifically applied to database, data pipelines and data warehouse modeling, design, development, implementation, operation, maintenance, and end-user support. The Contractor shall possess a strong knowledge of and experience in transportation functions, including specialized knowledge of all modes (i.e., aviation, surface transportation, marine, pipeline and rail systems) of domestic and international transportation to design and maintain databases, data pipeline, data warehouses, and associated applications for the collection, analysis, and dissemination of transportation data.

This work requires the Contractor to have knowledge and skills in designing, programming, administering, and maintaining databases and data warehouses, data schema, data dictionaries, and system architecture, both in government-owned networks and using Cloud-based solutions such as Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), including experience in the use of a variety of software products and solutions.

TASK 3 – SURVEYS AND DATA DEVELOPMENT

Contractor performance shall consist of all aspects of the design, implementation, operation, publication, and support for surveys that collect data on all aspects of passenger and freight travel and transportation. Survey services are needed to support BTS’ existing and potentially new survey programs in fulfilling a critical role within the DOT of providing planning and policy-making information to the transportation community. Services shall include the re-design and continuous improvement of BTS’ legacy survey programs, as well as the design and implementation of new survey programs based on information needs within the DOT. Services shall range from the development and administration of a small, simple design survey samples of households to a highly complex design survey sample surveys of over 100,000 establishments. Surveys shall vary in target population and sample size, scope and coverage, data collection methodology, content, survey length, and periodicity of collection. Support to BTS survey programs shall require compliance with regulations governing Federal statistical data collection activities and adherence to survey and statistical standards, guidelines, and best practices. Contractors shall be familiar with the full survey cycle including frame creation; sample design; sample selection procedure; response monitoring;

nonresponse follow-up; post collection processing (i.e., cleaning, editing, imputation, weighting, point and variance estimation); non-sampling bias assessments; survey data and methodology documentation, and metadata, as well as development of products and tools to communicate survey results. Survey support services shall also include the application of confidentiality protection to public data and data products to ensure that the identities of survey respondents are appropriately protected in accordance with confidentiality regulations.

Examples of survey topics include the movement of freight, intercity passenger travel, vehicle inventory and use, and the public’s satisfaction with various aspects of the transportation system. BTS’s existing survey programs include the following:

• Omnibus Surveys–

• https://www.bts.gov/browse-statistical-products-and-data/statistical-products/surveys/household-survey

• National Census of Ferry Operators - https://www.bts.gov/NCFO

• Commodity Flow Survey - https://www.bts.gov/cfs

• Tank Car Data Collection Program - https://www.bts.gov/surveys/annual-tank-car-facility-survey/annual-tank-car-facility-survey-program https://www.bts.gov/browse-statistical-products-and-data/statistical-products/surveys/household-survey https://www.bts.gov/browse-statistical-products-and-data/statistical-products/surveys/household-survey https://www.bts.gov/NCFO https://www.bts.gov/cfs https://www.bts.gov/surveys/annual-tank-car-facility-survey/annual-tank-car-facility-survey-program https://www.bts.gov/surveys/annual-tank-car-facility-survey/annual-tank-car-facility-survey-program

The specific projects requiring survey support shall vary depending on the Government’s transportation information needs during the term of the contract.

Task 4 – TRANSPORTATION ECONOMIC and FINANCIAL ANALYSIS, INTERPERTATION and

RESEARCH

Contractor performance required under this task consists of analyses of the business and economic aspects of the transportation industry. Some examples include financial analysis, business case analysis, market analysis, supply and demand forecasting, statistical analysis, econometric analysis, spatial econometric analysis, economic trends analysis, input-output modeling, macroeconomic indicator development, regulatory analysis, and productivity analysis. Work shall encompass economic analyses on the performance impacts of the national transportation system including but not limited to economic efficiency; domestic and global economic competitiveness; demographic, economic and other variables influencing travel behavior; economic costs and impacts for passenger travel and freight movement; national accounting of expenditures; and capitals stocks of each mode of transportation and intermodal combination. The work shall employ advanced economic concepts and statistical methods and effective writing to produce relevant, high quality, timely, comparable, complete, and accessible deliverables and products.

Contractor performance shall require knowledge of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) databases as well as familiarity with the following standard classification systems used in freight transportation data sources: Standard Classification of Transported Goods (SCTG); North American Industry Classification System (NAICS); North American Product Classification System (NAPCS); Standard Transportation Commodity Classification (STCC); Harmonized Tariff System (HS); Waterborne Commerce Codes (WCC); and the United Nations and North American (UN/NA) hazardous materials identification coding scheme. In addition, this functional area shall require experience in economic analysis;

knowledge of modal capital stocks; experience in the field of transportation safety and security;

experience with voluntary reporting systems and confidentiality of data.

TASK 5 – FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS, INTERPRETATION and RESEARCH

The Contractor shall provide research and analytical support on the movement and flow of commodities and freight vehicles, crafts and vessels over the nation’s transportation network.

Topical areas include freight facility capacity and throughput, intermodal connections; modal and intermodal trends; infrastructure, safety, security, congestion, mobility, livability and sustainability; and energy and environmental aspects of freight transportation. This work includes Contractor performance of research and analysis to identify and document current or prospective data needs associated with these subjects based on information gaps as well as analyzing transportation data from disparate sources and formulating summaries and recommendations of findings. Contractor support is required for short- or long-term transportation studies and projects related to all modes of transportation at the national, international, regional, state, or sub-state level(s).

Contractor performance shall require knowledge of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) databases as well as familiarity with the following standard classification systems used in freight transportation data sources: Standard Classification of Transported Goods (SCTG); North American Industry Classification System (NAICS); North American Product Classification System (NAPCS); Standard Transportation Commodity Classification (STCC); Harmonized Tariff System (HS); and the United Nations and North American (UN/NA) hazardous materials identification coding scheme. In addition, this functional area shall require experience in economic analysis; knowledge of modal capital stocks; experience in the field of transportation safety and security; experience with voluntary reporting systems and confidentiality of data; experience in the use of Automatic Identification System (AIS), Global Positioning System (GPS), and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software; the ability to perform geospatial analysis and cartographic tasks; the ability to complete technical documentation and compilation processes; and experience with national-level geospatial transportation datasets, in particular those found on the National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD).

The four (4) sub-areas of Task 4 are: (1) Research and Analysis of Trade and Transportation Data; (2) Research and Analysis of Freight Data; (3) Freight Safety, Security, Environment, and Hazardous Materials Analysis and Research Support, and (4) Research and Analysis of System Capacity, Throughput, Congestion, and National and Multinational Corridors.

Research and Analysis of Trade and Transportation Data

Under this sub-area, the Contractor shall conduct technical research and analysis on the transportation of domestic and international U.S. trade. The Contractor shall document key issues resulting from the analysis of various international trade and transportation topics. The analyses cover a wide range of multimodal, geographic, and commodity perspectives in support of a variety of analytical studies that BTS conducts. Past examples include the:

• Transportation Statistics Annual Report - https://www.bts.gov/tsar

• U.S.-North American Trade and Freight Transportation Highlights -https://www.bts.gov/archive/publications/us_north_american_trade_and_freight_tran sportation_highlights/index

• Port Performance Freight Statistics Annual Reports to Congress - https://www.bts.gov/ports

Research and Analysis of Freight Transportation Data

Under this sub-area, the Contractor shall conduct research and analyses on the movement and flow of commodities and freight vehicles vessels, and craft over the nation’s transportation network. The Contractor shall conduct transportation industry studies specifically related to freight on all modes of transportation. In addition, the Contractor shall develop analytical reports and data that demonstrate the link between international and domestic freight transportation and the interdependencies and competition between the freight modes as well https://www.bts.gov/tsar https://www.bts.gov/archive/publications/us_north_american_trade_and_freight_transportation_highlights/index https://www.bts.gov/archive/publications/us_north_american_trade_and_freight_transportation_highlights/index https://www.bts.gov/ports as the relationship and potential conflicts between freight transport. Research and analyses shall reflect current and emerging freight issues that are mission critical to BTS and shall address specific agency and DOT strategic goals. The research and analysis efforts must consider the mode of transportation and categories of commodities being transported and all relevant data, trends, and issues. Examples include:

• Freight Facts and Figures - https:// https://www.bts.dot.gov/product/freight-facts-and-figures

• Port Performance Freight Statistics Annual Reports to Congress - https://www.bts.gov/ports

Freight Safety, Security, Environment, and Hazardous Materials Analysis and Research Support

Under this sub-area, the Contractor shall review, conduct, and coordinate transportation safety and security studies and analyses on all modes of freight transportation. Safety and security research and analyses will include all relevant data, trends, and issues, including hazardous materials transportation, economic and societal costs of accidents and crashes, application of risk analyses, exposure data, data needs or gaps, conflicts related to safety and security, and system-wide safety and security indicators. The Contractor shall perform technical analyses of critical issues and trends in areas such as hazardous materials transport and energy efficiency for all modes of transportation.

Research and Analysis of System Capacity, Throughput, Congestion, and National and Multinational Corridors

Under this sub-area, the Contractor shall perform research and analysis on the effects of congestion on system capacity, throughput, and transportation system performance. Analyses shall include all relevant data, trends, and issues.

TASK 6 – PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION and TRAVEL ANALYSIS, INTERPRETATION and

RESEARCH

The Contractor shall provide research and analytical support on the movement and flow of people and passenger vehicles, craft and vessels over the nation’s transportation network. This work includes Contractor performance of research and analysis to identify and document current or prospective data needs associated with these subjects based on information gaps as well as analyzing transportation data from disparate sources and formulating summaries and recommendations of findings. Contractor support is required for short- or long-term transportation studies and projects related to all modes of transportation at the national, international, regional, state, or sub-state level(s).

Contractor performance shall require knowledge of various passenger travel data sources and databases, such as those from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the U.S. Census Bureau, and various modal agencies within the U.S. Department of Transportation. Contractors shall have https://www.bts.dot.gov/product/freight-facts-and-figures https://www.bts.dot.gov/product/freight-facts-and-figures https://www.bts.gov/ports familiarity with the following coding systems and microdata used in passenger transportation data sources: American Time Use Survey (ATUS), Consumer Expenditure Survey (CEX), American Community Survey (ACS), National Household Travel Survey (NHTS), National Transit Database (NTD), Amtrak/Rail data, Highway Statistics, National Performance Management Research Data Set (NPMRDS) and Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS), and crowdsourcing and private transportation company data such as Waze.

In addition, this functional area shall require experience in economic analysis; knowledge of modal capital stocks; experience in the field of transportation safety and security; experience with voluntary reporting systems and confidentiality of data; experience in the use of Global Positioning System (GPS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software; the ability to perform geospatial analysis and cartographic tasks; the ability to complete technical documentation and compilation processes; and experience with national-level geospatial transportation datasets, in particular those found on the National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD).

The four (4) sub-areas of Task 6 are: (1) Research and Analysis of Domestic and International Passenger Transportation Data; (2) Research and Analysis of Passenger Travel Data; (3) Passenger Safety, Security, Environmental Analysis and Research Support, and (4) Research and Analysis of System Capacity, Throughput, Congestion, and National and Multinational Corridors.

Research and Analysis of Domestic and International Passenger Transportation Data

Under this sub-area, the Contractor shall conduct technical research and analysis of passenger transportation of significance to the U.S. The Contractor shall document key issues resulting from the analysis of various international transportation topics. The analyses cover a wide range of multimodal, geographic, and commodity perspectives in support of a variety of analytical studies that BTS conducts. Past examples include the:

• U.S.-International Travel and Transportation Trends https://www.bts.gov/archive/publications/us_international_travel_and_transportation _trends/index

Research and Analysis of Passenger Travel Data

Under this sub-area, the Contractor shall conduct research and analyses on the movement and flow of people and passenger vehicles, vessels, and aircraft over the nation’s transportation network. The Contractor shall conduct transportation industry studies specifically related to passengers on all modes of transportation. Topical areas include passenger transportation including pedestrian and bicycle transportation, transit and rail use, passenger demographics and travel trends, access to transportation, intermodal passenger transportation facilities, ride-hailing use, online purchases and home deliveries, zero vehicle households, travel patterns for adults with disabilities, transportation spending, alternative transportation choices, https://www.bts.gov/tsar https://www.bts.gov/archive/publications/us_international_travel_and_transportation_trends/index https://www.bts.gov/archive/publications/us_international_travel_and_transportation_trends/index characteristics and trends in passenger travel; modal and intermodal trends; passenger vehicle and autonomous vehicles, infrastructure, safety, security, congestion, mobility, livability and sustainability; and energy and environmental aspects of passenger transportation.

In addition, the Contractor shall develop analytical reports and data that demonstrate the link between international and domestic passenger transportation and the interdependencies and competition between the freight modes as well as the relationship and potential conflicts between freight and passenger transport. Research and analyses shall reflect current and emerging passenger issues that are mission critical to BTS and shall address specific agency and DOT strategic goals. The research and analysis efforts must consider the mode of transportation and categories of people being transported and all relevant data, trends, and issues. Examples include:

• Passenger Travel Facts and Figures - https://www.bts.dot.gov/product/passenger-travel-facts-and-figures

• Travel Patterns of American Adults with Disabilities - https://www.bts.gov/travel-patterns-with-disabilities

Passenger Safety, Security, and Environmental Analysis and Research Support

Under this sub-area, the Contractor shall review, conduct, and coordinate transportation safety and security studies and analyses on all modes of passenger transportation (including bicycle and pedestrian transportation). Safety and security technical research and analyses will include all relevant data, trends, and issues, including hazardous materials transportation, fatality and injury statistics, contributing factors that impact transportation safety such as distracted driving and substance abuse, preventative equipment such as seatbelts and helmet use, economic and societal costs of accidents and crashes, application of risk analyses, exposure data, data needs or gaps, conflicts related to safety and security, transportation-system vulnerabilities and resiliency from manmade and natural disruptions, and system-wide safety and security indicators.

The Contractor shall perform technical analyses of critical issues and trends for transportation energy use and environmental impacts such as energy efficiency for all modes of transportation; transportation energy use and fuel consumption; alternative fueled, hybrid electric, and battery-electric vehicles and related fueling stations and infrastructure, transportation-related air pollutants including greenhouse gas emissions, water quality/transportation-related spills, transportation’s environmental footprint on solid waste, transportation’s impacts on habitats, and air and highway noise impacts.

https://www.bts.gov/tsar https://www.bts.dot.gov/product/passenger-travel-facts-and-figures https://www.bts.dot.gov/product/passenger-travel-facts-and-figures https://www.bts.gov/travel-patterns-with-disabilities https://www.bts.gov/travel-patterns-with-disabilities

Research and Analysis of System Capacity, Throughput, Congestion, and National and Multinational Corridors

Under this sub-area, the Contractor shall perform research and analysis on the effects of congestion on system capacity, throughput, and transportation system performance by mode and intermodal. Analyses shall include all relevant data, trends, and issues.

TASK 7 - AVIATION TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS, INTERPRETATION, and RESEARCH

The Contractor shall provide research and analytical support of aviation data related to traffic operations, financial and operational performance, and origin and destination data from domestic and international air carriers. The Contractor may be required to perform ad-hoc reporting of aviation data and statistics in response to customer data calls, special reports, and data quality improvement efforts. The Contractor may also be required to perform research and analysis to identify potential improvements to the airline data program.

Contractor performance under this area requires development of interactive data visualization of airline data. The Contractor may be required to create interactive data visualization using Tableau to analyze the data using the best industry standards in visual analytics. Data visualization will be for On-time Performance data for on-time, cancellation, diversion, delays and total flights. Air Traffic data includes enplanements, transported passengers, seats, departures and freight. Financials data includes balance sheet, cash flow, employment and income and expense statements. Origin and Destination Survey data includes market passengers and average fare by carriers for both domestic and international routes.

The two (2) sub-areas of Task 7 are: (1) Research and Analysis of Aviation Data - freight And (2) Research and Analysis of Aviation Data – passenger.

Research and Analysis of Aviation Data - freight

Contractor performance under this sub-area requires the analysis of aviation freight data related to traffic operations, financial and operational performance, and origin and destination survey data from domestic and international air carriers. The Contractor shall perform research, analysis, and ad-hoc reporting of aviation data and statistics in response to customer data calls, special reports, data quality improvement efforts and research and analysis to identify potential improvements to the airline data program.

Research and Analysis of Aviation Data - passenger

Contractor performance under this sub-area requires the analysis of aviation passenger data related to traffic operations, financial and operational performance, and origin and destination survey data from domestic and international air carriers. The Contractor shall perform research, analysis, and ad-hoc reporting of aviation data and statistics in response to customer data calls, special reports, data quality improvement efforts and research and analysis to identify potential improvements to the airline data program.

TASK 8 - SAFETY TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS, INTERPRETATION, and RESEARCH

Contractor performance under this area includes the review, conduct and coordination of transportation safety studies and analyses on all modes of transportation, including bicycle and pedestrian. Safety research and analyses shall include all relevant data, trends and issues, including hazardous materials transportation, economic and societal costs of accidents and crashes, application of risk analyses, exposure data, data needs or gaps, conflicts related to safety, and system-wide safety indicators. The Contractor may be required to utilize transportation injury epidemiology and biostatics methods to document health and safety effects and fatality data.

TASK 9 - GEOSPATIAL ANALYSIS, INTERPRETATION, VISUAL ANALYTICS and RESEARCH

Contractor performance shall consist of all aspects of cartography, geospatial analysis, transportation network analysis, spatial statistics, and geospatial data services.

Cartography

Cartographic services are needed to design and carry out cartographic projects, operations, and studies and translate objectives into cartographic specifications and procedures. Maps shall include both reference and thematic maps and may be static or dynamic and rendered in 2D or 3D. Thematic maps may include choropleth, proportional symbol, isarithmic or isopleth, dot, cartograms, hex, and dasymetric type maps. Cartographers will also create or organize geospatial content for dynamic geospatial data visualizations to be hosted on the web. This includes but not limited to manipulating data symbology and scaling of data to be rendered efficiently in a web map, and verify the data is being represented in a meaningful and intended way at all scale ranges through the web map. Cartographers will conduct critical reviews and edits of a variety of geospatial materials, verifying that appropriate data are correctly applied and portrayed, and that final products are complete and accurate.

Geospatial and Transportation Network Analysis

Geospatial and Transportation Network Analysis Services develops and conducts geospatial and transportation network analyses. These analyses may communicate system extent, performance, patterns, current issues and trends in freight and passenger transportation.

Analysts shall develop multimodal freight and passenger network models and tools capable of supporting intermodal network analysis to flow people, goods, vehicles, and craft over the transportation networks. Analysts shall also conduct scenario based geospatial and network “what if” and historical trend analysis and develop electronic or web based interactive transportation network data, analysis and visualization tools.

Spatial Statistics

Spatial Statistics Services involves the planning, initiation, design and delivery and analysis for the BTS spatial statistics program. This includes conducting spatial statistical analysis to identify emerging trends, demonstrate patterns, correlations or relationships within topics such as transportation system characteristics, mobility of people and goods, influence of economic factors on travel, as well as influence of transportation on the economy, safety, security, reliability, energy use, and environment. Spatial Statisticians will apply spatial statistical principles and evaluating, analyzing, reviewing and editing geospatial files to ensure completeness and accuracy of the information and then developing written reports on the accuracy and completeness of the files.

Geospatial Data

Geospatial Data Services includes discovering, collecting, compiling, creating, automating, publishing, conducting quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) and archiving geospatial data and information through geospatial data set and geospatial database management, mainly for the National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD). It also involves facilitating and coordinating the automation, development, implementation, updating and review of geospatial-transportation data standards and metadata. Activities include Federal Geographic Data Committee work related to developing and implementing plans, assessments, evaluations, training and outreach for National Geospatial Data Asset (NGDA) and Transportation Theme (Theme) and applying standards/metadata to datasets on the National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD).

TASK 10 – SUPPORT FOR PUBLICATION AND DISSEMINATION OF PRODUCTS

Contractor performance in this area provides support to a broad range of BTS initiatives and projects. BTS uses a variety of traditional and new information dissemination techniques to inform stakeholders about its initiatives and products.

The experience and skills required include experience in writing professionally about complex technical topics in transportation and/or technology for consumption by various audiences;

proofreading and editing; desktop publishing; graphic design; communications media design;

infographics; and digital production, creating data visualizations and narratives to enhance user experience, including converting static visualizations and printed reports into dynamic digital content.

This work also requires skills in working with technical staff to understand and communicate their programs effectively to stakeholders.

Visualization

The contractor shall provide business and technical visualizations and graphics creation and editing services, to communicate and disseminate information to BTS internal and external stakeholders. This will include print and web static and dynamic graphic service and program support. Skills include data visualization, desktop publishing; graphic design; communications media design; and state-of-the-art website design and development using the latest graphic design and web development applications (e.g., Adobe Acrobat, Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop) and visualization and analytics tools (e.g. as Tableau, Socrata, R, Python, and other open source software and libraries such as Google Charts). In addition, the Contractor shall comply with and remediate products to meet Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. For example, all visualizations and graphics will be accessible to blind, color blind, or those who have low vision by providing descriptive alternative text, selecting web safe colors, and testing compatible with screen readers.

• Federal Accessibility Laws and Policies - https://www.section508.gov/

Communications

Contractor performance under this sub-area requires the Contractor to support the scheduled release and dissemination of data and analysis to internal and external stakeholders in the form of press releases, survey results, reports, and other publications or on the Web, as determined by the government. This shall include use the internet and other media.

Provide support to ensure the successful integration of Drupal, Tableau, Socrata, and other systems or technologies to allow BTS customers to:

• View, download, print, and share data visualizations, the underlying data used to create the visualizations, associated metadata, and accompanying narrative.

• Query and download raw data and metadata in an open, machine-readable format.

• Access selected data through APIs (application programming interfaces). Program, generate, and maintain new dataset and metadata APIs based on BTS and U.S. DOT data using Socrata and other open source tools.

• Update and maintain programming for existing APIs (to reflect new table IDs, code, source changes, etc.)

• Perform queries and calculations with APIs using Socrata tools such as SoSQL, SQL, R, and Python

• Programming and upkeep of APIs used in existing tools for decision-makers such as visualizations, maps, subsets of tables, reports, web apps, mobile apps, and metadata information.

Writing and Editing

The Contractor performance in this sub-area are: Writing, Editing, and Publishing Support. The Contractor shall create written materials to effectively communicate BTS’s projects, programs, and initiatives to various internal and external audiences, including the public.

The Contractor shall provide business and technical writing, editing and proofreading services, and publication support to communicate and disseminate information to BTS internal and https://www.section508.gov/ external stakeholders. The Contractor shall have experience in writing professionally about complex technical topics in transportation and/or technology for consumption by various audiences, including the media, key stakeholders, and the public; proofreading and editing;

experience editing using the GPO Style Manual and the Chicago Style Manual; media design and communications; and developing engaging narratives and interactive content for websites.

Additionally, the Contractor shall have experience writing accessible and inclusive content, especially for the web and print. Performance requires skills in working with technical staff to understand and communicate their programs effectively to the media and to the public.

Contractors may be asked to write about data and data processes, communication interpretations of data and transportation for research reports and public versions; and tell the story of data.

The work may include requirements to research and write concise analytical pieces on a range of transportation topics and modes at the international, national, regional, state, or sub-state levels and to assist in the development and production of data or data-driven reports and other compilations, publications, or analytical products such as:

Transportation Statistics Annual Report - https://www.bts.gov/tsar Port Performance Freight Statistics Annual Reports to Congress -https://www.bts.gov/ports Publications for National Transportation Statistics -https://www.bts.gov/topics/national-transportation-statistics State Transportation Statistics - https://www.bts.gov/product/state-transportation-statistics Pocket Guide to Transportation - https://www.bts.gov/browse-statistical-products-and-data/pocket-guide-transportation/pocket-guide-transportation

In addition, the Contractor may be required to assist in the development of regulations, rulemaking documents, accounting and reporting directives, compliance documentation, OMB clearances, and other internal and external communications; and coordinate reviews (including regulatory reviews) within the BTS, DOT and OMB. The content developed under this task must compile with all applicable Federal standards (e.g., 2016 edition of the Government Publishing Office Style Manual) and regulations (Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973). The Contractor may develop alternative / accessible formats to accommodate stakeholder.

Work in this area shall include proofreading, editing, and formatting text generated by others to support the production and publication of final written and/or web products. Written products may be technical or non-technical in nature and may be published in a variety of formats.

Products may be prepared for printing…