RFP 12R00003 Synopsis SOW.docx

DTFH61-12-R-00003

Section C – Statement of Work

STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1 BACKGROUND

The Travel Model Improvement Program (TMIP) was established as a partnership by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct research as well as deliver technical assistance and training to transportation planning professionals. In June 2002, TMIP updated its five-year strategic plan which represents a continuation of activities that had been the foundation of the program since its inception in 1994. These activities are: training, technical assistance, information sharing and research. A critical part of the TMIP program is the transfer of technology to travel modelers at state and local planning agencies. Currently, TMIP is funded by the Federal Highway Administration’s Office of Planning, Environment and Realty’s Surface Transportation Environment and Planning Cooperative Research Program (STEP).

The TMIP Mission – Support and empower planning agencies, through leadership, innovation and support of travel analysis improvements, to better meet current and future mobility, environmental, safety and security goals.

TMIP Activities – The following are the current and past TMIP activities. For more information on TMIP services, please visit TMIP website at http://tmip.fhwa.dot.gov. TMIP FY 2008-2009 Annual Report provides detailed information on current TMIP focuses. You can access the annual report at http://tmip.fhwa.dot.gov/resources/clearinghouse/docs/annual_reports/fys08-09/.

E-mail List – The TMIP-L e-mail discussion list is subscribed to by over 1,400 members of the transportation forecasting and simulation profession from around the globe. Users post issues or questions to the list, starting discussions among the membership. Many hot topics in analysis, modeling and simulation are initially vetted through the list. To subscribe to any of the TMIP e-mail lists, go to the TMIP Web site http://tmip.fhwa.dot.gov.

Clearinghouse – One of the most important functions that TMIP carries out is making information and knowledge available to the planning community. The TMIP clearinghouse is a resource for planning analysis research, case studies and best practices documentation generated both by the TMIP program and by others. The clearinghouse site also highlights new documents of interest, making it an excellent resource for keeping abreast of developments in the field. Electronic and printed reports are available free of charge and are available through the Web site. To order printed documents, or to browse the electronic collection, go to the “Clearinghouse” section of the Web site.

Technical Assistance – Travel Model Improvement Program (TMIP) offers limited individual technical assistance, available by contacting the TMIP staff. The Virtual Mentoring and Technical Support Center (VMTSC) represents an effort by TMIP to expand the reach of the mentoring program by offering biweekly one-hour online virtual office sessions via the TMIP Web conferencing system.

Seminars and Training – TMIP serves as a clearinghouse for courses on all aspects of analysis, modeling and simulation. TMIP develops and delivers seminars and training on a variety of topics. TMIP also sponsors regular on-line Web Knowledge and Information Exchanges on topics of interest to the modeling and simulation community. Typically held monthly, these webinars provide a great opportunity to stay current on all aspects of analysis, modeling and simulation issues.

Peer Exchanges – TMIP sponsors peer exchanges, which are facilitated discussions on a focused topic relating to planning analysis. These exchanges are very effective in disseminating techniques being used by those leading the profession on a particular subject. The information is conveyed not only to the participants, but also to others in the profession through the documentation of the peer exchange.

Research – TMIP has conducted a large amount of analysis, modeling and simulation research since its inception. Research serves long-term and short-term needs to both improve current planning tools and create completely new approaches to analysis, modeling and simulation. Research publications are available through the TMIP clearinghouse.

Peer Review Program – Planning agencies can use peer reviews to ensure that technical processes they are applying or developing meet the agency’s needs, and/or the standards of professional practice. Peer reviews of travel forecasting and data collection procedures are crucial to planning agency model development and improvement efforts. TMIP supports peer reviews by assisting agencies in panel assembly, logistics and funding for travel.

Technical Roundtables – TMIP sponsors technical roundtables, which are facilitated discussions on a focused topic relating to analysis, modeling and simulation. These exchanges are very effective in disseminating techniques being used by those leading the profession on a particular subject. The information is conveyed not only to the participants, but also to others in the profession through the documentation of the technical roundtable process.

C.2 OBJECTIVE

The National Academy of Science’s (NAS) report identified two fundamental recommendations:

1. “…development and implementation of new modeling approaches to demand forecasting that are better suited to providing reliable information….”

2. “…steps must be taken to improve both current and future practice in metropolitan travel forecasting”. (TRB Special Report 288, page 87)

You can access the special report at http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/sr/sr288.pdf. As part of implementation in response to the Special Report 288, FHWA plans to expand and refocus current initiatives with TMIP. The objective of this contract is to assist FHWA in conducting outreach and capacity building to the TMIP user community through delivery of timely research, training, technical assistance, and dissemination of information to those users.

C.3 SCOPE

The contractor shall provide support for the deployment of transport modeling techniques to local planning agencies and state governments and assist the TMIP in conducting outreach and capacity building. The support and assistance to be provided includes research deployment, technical assistance, technology transfer and capacity building.

C.4 DELINITATION OF TASKS

In order to meet the objectives of this contract, the Contractor shall perform the following tasks:

Task 1 – Kickoff Meeting

The contractor, the Contracting Officer (CO), and the Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR) shall have a kickoff meeting within 30 days of the contract award. At the kickoff meeting, the contractor and COTR shall work out the timing and details of the Work Plan required at Task 3 (Technology Transfer). A question and answer session will also be held during the kickoff meeting in order to ensure that all parties have an understanding of the contract requirements. The kickoff meeting will be held for each of the subsequent contract years to discuss issues encountered during the previous year and to review plans for the upcoming year (base year 2 or option years if exercised).

Task 2 – Technical Assistance

The contractor shall assist the TMIP in providing transport modeling, simulation and analysis support to transportation modelers and planners at local, regional and state agencies. When requested by the COTR, the contractor shall deliver TMIP technical assistance to planning agencies on travel forecasting related issues. The technical assistance may be in the form of responding to email questions, answering questions over the phone, manning current TMIP Virtual Mentoring and Technical Support Center (VMTSC), and troubleshooting a MPO’s model etc.

Task 3 – Technology Transfer

One of the most essential and critical elements of the TMIP program is technology transfer. The program accomplishes this function through facilitating applied research related to transportation modeling, simulation and analysis via tasks such as publishing reports and articles, conducting and publishing applied case studies, providing working example models and technical documents. The contractor will prepare and deliver reports and presentations based on case studies, syntheses of practice, peer exchange summaries and other appropriate means. As part of this task, the contractor shall develop a work plan specifying how to effectively facilitate the technology transfer for the COTR’s approval. The COTR will provide feedback to the contractor within 10 days of receiving the completed Work Plan. The contractor will incorporate the comments provided by the COTR and submit the final work plan to the COTR within 10 days of having received the COTR’s comments.

Task 4 – Capacity Building Workshops and Seminars

The contractor shall develop presentation and training materials to help increase technical capacity at planning agencies. Activities to be accomplished under this task include development of workshop materials; development of briefing materials to describe TMIP and products developed by TMIP; development of seminars and webinars; hosting and facilitating TMIP webinars. This task shall also include making and facilitating payment for site arrangements, marketing, conducting registration, logistics, and providing instructional material for conducting workshops, seminars, peer review panels and peer exchanges addressing current issues in transport modeling. The contractor will also conduct TMIP workshops, TMIP webinars, facilitate TMIP topical peer exchanges and roundtables, and support the TMIP peer review program, all as directed by the COTR. Seminars and workshops shall include land use forecasting and modeling and simulation techniques, and other topics to be identified later.

Task 5 – Special Studies

All work to be performed under Task 5 will be performed through the issuance of Task orders, signed by the Contracting Officer. All funding expended under Task 5 will be through the Task Orders issued under this Task 5. The contractor shall invoice separately for each Task Order issued under Task 5. The contractor is NOT authorized to commence ANY work or expend any funds under Task 5 until the work has been awarded and funding has been obligated to a Task Order signed by the Contracting Officer, or the contractor receives in writing, and signed by the Contracting Officer, a Notice to Proceed with the work under the Task Order.

The contractor shall work with FHWA to accomplish special studies that may be needed to facilitate technology transfer and program support for the Travel Model Improvement Program. These “special studies” could range from a synthesis study on travel forecasting methods to direct technical assistance to a planning agency. Once a special study is identified, FHWA will issue a Task Order Proposal Request (TOPR) to the contractor. The contractor shall prepare and submit a technical and cost proposal to the Contracting Officer (CO) and the COTR in response to each TOPR., The proposal submitted shall include a detailed technical approach, work plan, and a proposed budget for the project. Specific instructions for preparation of proposals will be outlined in each TOPR.

In order to match the appropriate tasks to the staff with the right expertise, the contractor shall maintain a list of recognized technical experts in the subject areas to include, but not limited to, data collection, transport model development and application, simulation, dynamic traffic assignment (DTA), land use forecasting/modeling, integrated land use and transport modeling, strategic models, and macroeconomic models.

C.5 STAFFING

Staffing under this contract shall fall under two categories: 1) Key Personnel to perform the daily functions of supporting ongoing TMIP activities, and 2) Other Required Personnel/Professional Staffing to satisfy the technical requirements of specific tasks or projects as required.

Key Personnel:

Program Manager - Demonstrated expertise in transport modeling, land use modeling and other transportation analysis related areas with national perspectives and a minimum of 15 years of progressive experience including transport model development, application and presentation.

Senior Subject Expert – Demonstrated expertise in transport modeling with a minimum of 10 years of progressive experience including transport model development, application and presentation at multi-locations.

Mid-level Subject Expert – Demonstrated expertise in transport modeling with a minimum of 5 years of progressive experience including transport model development, application and presentation.

Junior Level Subject Expert – Demonstrated knowledge in transport modeling with at least a Bachelor degree from a accredited college or university.

Other Required Personnel/Professional Staffing:

At a minimum, the Contractor shall be able to ensure that staff with the stated qualifications are available within 10 days of a project notification (the program manager or subject experts may fill some or all of these roles if their specific experience matches these required qualifications, and the same staff person may fill more than one role):

1. Demonstrated knowledge and experience in established transport modeling methods and theory (three staff).

2. Demonstrated knowledge and experience in advanced transport modeling (two staff).

3. Demonstrated knowledge and experience in the use of travel forecasting techniques among state, regional and local planning agencies (two staff).

4. Demonstrated knowledge and experience in land use modeling/forecasting and strategic models (two staff).

5. Demonstrated knowledge and experience in state of practice and state of art micro and meso simulations (two staff).

6. Demonstrated knowledge and experience in integrated land use and transport modeling and Macroeconomic models. (one staff)

7. Demonstrated knowledge and experience in bicycle and pedestrian analysis methods (one staff).

8. Demonstrated knowledge and experience in integrating transport models with air quality models (one staff).

9. Demonstrated knowledge and experience in sophisticated data gathering and analysis (one staff).

10. Demonstrated ability in creating/updating/managing workshops, peer reviews, webinars, conferences, teleconferences, informational meetings, demonstration projects et cetera (one staff).

11. Demonstrated ability in conducting scans that review document literature relating to best practices and innovative efforts, documenting findings, and disseminating results (one staff).

12. Demonstrated ability in assisting in the development and facilitation of meetings with partners, preparing materials for meetings, and handling travel arrangements (one staff).