DTFH6117R00001.pdf

SECTION B - Supplies or Services/Prices

B.1 IDIQ MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNTS

This is an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Contract utilizing Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) and Time-and-Materials (T&M)/Labor Hour task orders in accordance with FAR 16.500.

During the term of the contract, the Government shall place orders totaling a minimum of $25,000.00. The maximum amount of all task orders issued against all contracts awarded as a result of this acquisition shall not exceed a ceiling of $15,000,000.00.

B.2 SCHEDULE OF RATES

Labor skill sets and rate ceilings governing this contract shall conform to the descriptions herein and be listed in a Microsoft Excel format similar to the format found at Section J.1 and apply for each of the described categories for each of the contract year(s). The unit of issue (rates) is the fully burdened fixed price hourly rate.

The maximum amount of the contract listed in Section B.1 includes travel and materials.

Inclusion of the indirect burden amounts or fee on material costs and travel expenses is not allowable.

SECTION C - Description/Specifications

C.1 BACKGROUND

The Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Office of Planning, Environment and Realty (HEP) Office of Planning, Environment and Realty serves as FHWA's advocate and national leader for environmental protection and enhancement, comprehensive intermodal and multi-modal transportation planning, and for fair and prudent acquisition and management of real property.

HEP provides policy and direction in several areas: transportation planning, natural and human environment, project development and environmental review, and real estate.

The purpose of the proposed multiple award IDIQ contracts is to assist HEP in key program areas as they relate to key initiatives to provide FHWA and the USDOT partners the flexibility to address various transportation issue areas supporting the transportation program requirements and priorities within the Office of Project Development and Environmental Review (HEPE), Office of Real Estate Services (HEPR), Office of Human Environment (HEPH), and Office of Natural Environment (HEPN).

C.2 CONTRACT SCOPE

The contractor shall furnish all necessary personnel, materials, facilities, and supervision to perform all technical, non-personal services necessary to provide Transportation Human/Natural Environment and Realty support to the FHWA Office of Planning, Environment, and Realty.

The scope of this contract is limited to providing technical support services in the twelve task areas identified in Section C.4 Detailed Task Requirements, which can be found on pages 4-20.

C.3 OBJECTIVE

The objective of this contract is to provide the Federal Highway Administration and its U.S.

Department of Transportation partners the flexibility to address a number of planning, environment, and realty task areas. The contract shall provide a series of services as needed, with a variety of transportation and other expertise. The contractor shall organize resources and experiences to answer sophisticated research questions which will often be multifaceted, sometimes contentious in nature, and broad in range of support functions. The anticipated task areas include:

1. Wetlands, Wildlife Habitat, and Other Ecological Resources

2. Highways and Water Resources

3. National Environment Policy Act and FHWA’s Environmental Review Process

4. Historic and Archeological Preservation and Aesthetics

5. Conflict Resolution, Facilitation, and Mediation of Environmental Disputes

6. Livability, Sustainable Communities, and Ladders of Opportunity

7. Pedestrian and Bicycle Transportation

8. Transportation Air Quality and Noise

9. Climate Change and Sustainability

10. Real Property Acquisition Under the Uniform Act

11. Outdoor Advertising Control and Legislative and Policy Analysis

12. Marketing and Outreach

C. 4 DETAILED TASK REQUIREMENTS

The contractor shall perform in accordance with issued task orders. The contractor shall be able to perform the task order requirements in all of the following areas:

TASK AREA 1: WETLANDS, WILDLIFE HABITAT, AND OTHER ECOLOGICAL

RESOURCES

The planning, environmental analysis, construction, use, and maintenance of highway systems have potential direct, indirect, secondary, and cumulative impacts on ecosystems. By their linear design, highway projects cross multiple watersheds, ecosystems, wetlands, and important wildlife habitats. For example, placing highways in river valleys and on drainage boundaries increases the potential for interaction between highway facilities and wetland and wildlife habitat resources, which are often confined by the same geophysical constraints. The land use changes that provide the impetus for highway construction or that follow highway construction as a secondary development can generate impacts to habitats in addition to those directly attributable to the highway itself. Known impacts of highways and associated development on ecosystems include direct destruction of wetlands by fill, removal, or alteration of native vegetation, changes in surface and ground water hydrology adverse effects of highway noise and light, vehicle-caused wildlife mortality, fragmentation of wildlife habitat, pollution of waters by highway runoff, and alteration or elimination of ecosystem services.

The overall objectives for this task area include, but are not limited to the following:

• Advancing planning processes, methods and tools that systematically and effectively avoiding and minimizing environmental impacts to natural resources;

• Developing tools and methods to improve minimization and mitigation management science; and

• Disseminating guidance and technical assistance to further wetland and stream compensatory mitigation, and corridor habitat management utilizing ecological principles.

For more background on the FHWA’s Wetland, Wildlife and Habitat program, please visit the following websites:

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/wetland/index.htm https://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/index.asp https://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/ecological/eco_entry.asp http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/wetland/index.htm https://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/index.asp https://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/ecological/eco_entry.asp

Topic areas for task orders include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Developing and implementing decision support tools, web-based training and standardized techniques that quickly and effectively assess wetland impacts and evaluate wetland functions;

• Improving the effectiveness of compensatory mitigation through better techniques of native vegetation and habitat restoration, habitat enhancement, and creation;

• Enhancing the use of ecosystem service markets as viable, effective, tools of choice in situations where compensatory mitigation is necessary and appropriate;

• Improving our understanding of transportation system impacts on both endangered species and their habitat and wildlife population viability and habitat connectivity;

• Developing tools, methodologies, and processes that can lead to faster permitting of projects while maintaining or improving the environment and minimizing additional costs;

• Continuing to roll out and implementing Strategic Highway Research Program 2 (SHRP 2)’s Implementing Ecological (C06) and other SHRP 2 Capacity projects;

• Developing tools and methods to improve roadside management practices to promote controlling exotic and invasive species and establishing native vegetation; and

• Developing tools and methods to improve roadside management to benefit pollinator species and their habitat.

TASK AREA 2: HIGHWAYS AND WATER RESOURCES

The planning for and implementation of highway systems can interact with the nation's water resources in numerous ways. Since all highway sections lie within or cross a watershed, all phases of project development have the potential for impacting both surface and underground water resources. Highway project planning, location, and design activities can greatly influence future uses of water resources in localities by reflecting patterns of growth, secondary development, and water supply distribution.

Construction and maintenance activities can have direct impacts to both supply and water quality characteristics of the project area. A variety of impacts could be possible, ranging from the erosion of disturbed soils to the chemical pollutants associated with highway maintenance practices.

An important benefit of the Federal assistance provided to state and local transportation agencies is the protection of water quality and other watershed values through area-wide and project planning, mitigation and enhancement activities. Title 23, United States Code (U.S.C.), Section 328 provides Federal-assistance eligibility to projects for environmental restoration and pollution abatement. Projects may include the retrofit or construction of stormwater treatment facilities.

Environmental mitigation to address water pollution due to highway runoff is also eligible under the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act’s (MAP-21) Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) in Title 23, U.S.C., Section 213. Funding is available to lessen the impacts of highway sources on overall watershed water quality problems. Changes due to implementation of watershed-based resource management programs will require continuing research to provide the transportation community with tools for area-wide impact assessment and mitigation techniques.

Implementation of the Total Maximum Daily Load, which is the maximum amount of pollutant that a watershed can receive and still meet water quality standards, is based on watershed management techniques. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Phase II adds additional requirements under a permit program to address stormwater runoff from urbanized areas and construction sites. In particular, water quality and ecosystem protection programs need to be applied on a watershed basis. Therefore, state and local transportation agencies will continue to rely on FHWA's water quality expertise.

• Showcasing best practices in the control of highway storm water runoff;

• Developing tools and guidance for implementation of best management practices and meeting permit requirements; and

• Supporting activities that advance regional watershed planning and investment decision support tools.

For more information about FHWA's Water Resources program activities, go to http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/h2o.htm.

• Determining the feasibility of using the Stochastic Empirical Loading Dilution Model (SELDM) - http://webdmamrl.er.usgs.gov/g1/FHWA/SELDM.htm - in any current draft of Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) that may have water quality impacts;

• Examining the variation of quantitative highway water quality data when using SELDM versus the Driscoll Model;

• Improving effectiveness of storm water mitigation through better techniques;

• Assessing the value of including storm water early on in the Planning and Environment

Linkages (PEL) phase and how to improve involvement of storm water from planning to maintenance;

• Encouraging the availability and accessibility of state Best Management Process (BMP) water quality data sets nationwide; and

• Improving BMP data collection procedures to be consistent nationwide.

TASK AREA 3: NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT AND FHWA’S

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS

The National Environment Policy Act (NEPA) requires, and the FHWA is committed to, the examination and avoidance of potential impacts to the social and natural environment when considering approval of proposed transportation projects. In addition to evaluating the potential environmental effects, the FHWA must also take into account the transportation needs of the public in reaching a decision that is in the best overall public interest. The FHWA's NEPA project development process is an approach to balanced transportation decision making that takes into account the potential impacts on the human and natural environment and the public's need for safe and efficient transportation.

Developing major transportation projects is complex because of the varying legal, technical, and analytical requirements needed to meet all applicable national and state legal mandates for http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/h2o.htm http://webdmamrl.er.usgs.gov/g1/FHWA/SELDM.htm http://webdmamrl.er.usgs.gov/g1/FHWA/SELDM.htm http://webdmamrl.er.usgs.gov/g1/FHWA/SELDM.htm implementing such projects. The FHWA adopted the policy of managing the NEPA project development and decision making process as an "umbrella," under which all applicable environmental laws, executive orders, and regulations are considered and addressed prior to the final project decision and document approval.

• Providing comprehensive technical assistance and project management oversight in the implementation of NEPA and the environmental review process for transportation projects;

• Developing initiatives that enhance and improve the environmental review process;

• Documenting and disseminating case studies and best practices;

• Advancing analytical tools and processes to better link transportation planning and the environmental review processes; and

• Identifying emerging issues and assessing options for addressing issue in NEPA.

For more information on FHWA's environmental review process go to http://environment.fhwa.dot.gov/projdev/index.asp.

• Documenting and promoting transportation planning, design, and construction practices that protect and enhance the human and natural environment while addressing the public's need for safe and efficient transportation;

• Considering travel and land use forecasting in NEPA;

• Addressing fiscal stewardship responsibilities and cost estimation techniques;

• Improving consideration of indirect impacts and cumulative effects on a regional and project level;

• Pursuing improvement of the quality of NEPA documents;

• Documenting decision support tools that apply and balance social, environmental and economic factors in transportation decision making;

• Facilitating effective interagency coordination and consensus building among different stakeholder parties;

• Establishing environmental process pilot projects, in conjunction with States;

• Developing outreach to support, document, and evaluate new Council on Environmental

Quality (CEQ) guidance on emerging issues (e.g. climate change, mitigation, and categorical exclusions);

• Establishing documentation management plans including project schedules;

• Advancing performance measure tools for project and program level analysis;

• Supporting PlanWork’s (https://fhwaapps.fhwa.dot.gov/planworks/) – Making Framework and appropriate related research products

• Developing and promoting programmatic approaches to accelerate, enhance, and integrate environmental decision-making in transportation planning, programming, and the project development process; and

• Developing guidelines, decision-making strategies, analytical tools, and technical http://environment.fhwa.dot.gov/projdev/index.asp https://fhwaapps.fhwa.dot.gov/planworks/ assistance to link transportation planning and environmental planning and review processes with state and local transportation and resource agencies.

TASK AREA 4: HISTORIC AND ARCHEOLOGICAL PRESERVATION AND

AESTHETICS

Historic and archeological preservation research addresses the procedural, technical, and legal issues associated with resource identification, evaluation, rehabilitation, interpretation, and treatment in the highway and transportation context. In addition, related areas of interest include identification of research needs and best practices and development of tools to promote environmental stewardship and heritage preservation while improving efficiencies in the course of compliance with Federal and State law. Stewardship can be carried out by integrating historic preservation issues in the planning process conducted at the metropolitan planning organization and statewide levels, and further enhanced by early coordination with diverse interested parties, including Indian tribal Governments.

Stewardship of historic resources is often perceived as being at odds with delivering transportation projects efficiently; however, the early involvement of stakeholders and an interdisciplinary approach is the premier choice to delivering projects effectively and efficiently. Historic preservation research must address the needs of planners, design engineers and maintenance personnel, especially regarding treatment of historic bridges and roadways recognized as having historic value in their own right. Landscapes are increasingly being recognized as important from a historic or cultural perspective. The role the roadway plays in the landscape and the influence the landscape has on developing transportation systems are not clearly understood. More and more people are visiting historic and scenic areas and using scenic and historic byways to get there. New methods and techniques must be developed to maintain operations and preserve the historic and scenic values of the journey when the road itself is part of the experience. Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act requires Federal agencies to consult with Indian tribal governments concerning properties of religious and cultural significance regardless of their location to determine if Section 106 protections apply.

The overall objectives for this task area include, but are not limited, to the following:

• Developing tools to assist States in meeting their Section 106 consultation requirements in a streamlined fashion;

• Identifying and disseminating best management practices in the treatment of historic and archeological resources; and

• Supporting the development of efficiencies to identify and evaluate the historic values of cultural resources.

For more information about FHWA's Historic and archeological preservation program, go to http://environment.fhwa.dot.gov/histpres/index.asp.

http://environment.fhwa.dot.gov/histpres/index.asp

• Providing the tools necessary to streamline technical and procedural requirements;

• Developing training and educational materials, including pamphlets, websites, webinars, workshops, peer exchanges and informational meetings;

• Identifying "best management practices," and ways to better and more efficiently coordinate the sharing of information;

• Developing methodologies to assist state and local transportation managers in identifying, evaluating, and maintaining the historic values of their bridges;

• Identifying the critical engineering problems facing prolonged use of historic bridges; and how to preserve, rehabilitate, and restore historic bridges;

• Identifying methods and techniques to identify and evaluate critical historic and engineering values of transportation-related structures and facilities along roads;

• Targeting the development of tools to support maintenance personnel (i.e. structures and cultural practices of roadside maintenance);

• Assisting States in minimizing the impact to our nation's historic and archeological resources while emphasizing avoidance;

• Identifying different visual impact evaluation methods and their associated assessment techniques; and

• Identifying evaluation, assessment, and mitigation of noise impacts to the contributing characteristics of historic buildings and structures.

TASK AREA 5: CONFLICT RESOLUTION, FACILITATION, AND MEDIATION OF

ENVIRONMENTAL DISPUTES

Federal agencies continually face the challenge of meeting their environmental management goals and protecting the environment, while also meeting their Federal agency responsibilities and the interests of the public. Conflicting priorities can escalate to disruptive conflict, with associated cost and schedule delays, lost opportunities, or even litigation.

As detailed in the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB)/CEQ on Environmental Conflict Resolution (ECR) Policy Memo dated 11/28/2005, Federal departments/agencies are directed to increase the effective use of environmental conflict resolution and to build institutional capacity for collaborative problem solving in order to prevent or reduce environmental conflicts and generate opportunities for constructive collaborative problem solving when appropriate. The ECR involves neutral third-party assisted conflict resolution and collaborative problem solving in the context of environmental, public lands or natural resources issues or conflicts. Approaches such as facilitation, mediation, or conflict assessment can allow stakeholders to reach a mutually satisfactory agreement, save time, and avoid many of the costs of traditional legal proceedings.

The FHWA continually looks for mechanisms and opportunities to support the use of environmental conflict resolution with our transportation partners. The FHWA continues to promote the use of qualified neutrals as a means of helping to meet project schedules and deadlines.

The overall objectives for this task area include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Providing the FHWA access to facilitators/mediators for project level needs; and

• Providing services to the FHWA in a very timely manner to facilitate issues and situations causing conflicts and project delays related to the transportation project development process.

For more information about FHWA's environmental conflict resolution activities, go to http://environment.fhwa.dot.gov/strmlng/es2conflict.asp.

• Assessing conflict situations;

• Identifying and using appropriate collaborative or conflict resolution processes;

• Facilitating conflict resolution on transportation projects and/or programs; and

• Conducting training on collaborative problem solving techniques.

TASK AREA 6: LIVABILITY, SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES, AND LADDERS OF

OPPORTUNITY

This task area supports the need for FHWA to expand the knowledge of quality of life, creating livable and sustainable communities. FHWA seeks to help State, local, and tribal agencies build their institutional capacity to respond to the needs of underserved populations and develop and deliver opportunities that help underserved populations obtain access to jobs and other essential services.

• Analyzing and developing strategies, best practices, case studies, toolkits, and training materials;

• Developing training and educational materials, including pamphlets, websites, webinars, workshops, peer exchanges and informational meetings; and

• Identifying "best management practices," and ways to better and more efficiently coordinate the sharing of information.

For more information on Livability, Partnership for Sustainable Communities and LADDERS of Opportunity go to http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/livability and https://www.transportation.gov/ladders.

• Accessibility and implementation of accessibility transition plans;

• Barrier removal and reconnecting communities;

• Community impact assessment;

• Community revitalization;

• Environmental justice;

• Equity;

http://environment.fhwa.dot.gov/strmlng/es2conflict.asp http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/livability https://www.transportation.gov/ladders

• Interconnected, multimodal networks for livable communities;

• LADDERS of Opportunity and underserved communities;

• Context Sensitive Solutions, livability, livability tools, and sustainability practices;

• Multimodal trip planning;

• Nondiscrimination;

• Nonmotorized transportation;

• Partnership for Sustainable Communities and other place based initiatives;

• Public health and safety issues, policies, and goals;

• Youth Service and Conservation Corps; and

• Administrative tasks, research, technical assistance, and training related to Safe Routes to

School activities, the Surface Transportation Program set-aside program and eligible activities, and the Recreational Trails Program and recreational trail activities.

TASK AREA 7: PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE TRANSPORTATION

This task area supports the need for FHWA to lead research, technology development, training, and technical assistance to promote pedestrian and bicycle safety, planning, design, operation, maintenance, and community impact.

• Analyzing and developing strategies, best practices, case studies, toolkits, and training materials relating to pedestrians and bicyclists;

• Developing training and educational materials, including pamphlets, websites, webinars, workshops, peer exchanges and informational meetings; and

• Identifying "best management practices," and ways to better and more efficiently coordinate the sharing of information.

For more information on Pedestrian and Bicycle Transportation go to http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle_pedestrian/index.cfm.

• Safety, including behavioral impacts (in cooperation with the FHWA’s Office of Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration);

• Accessibility and implementation of accessibility transition plans;

• Barrier removal and reconnecting communities;

• Bicycle route networks and mapping;

• Case study identification;

• Cost estimates;

• Data collection, management, and analysis (including volume, crashes, existing and planned infrastructure, etc.) for multimodal transportation;

• Demand modeling;

• Economics, including benefits to communities that are gateways to recreational areas;

• Environmental benefits and impacts;

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle_pedestrian/index.cfm

• Geographic Information Systems (GIS);

• Health benefits and impacts;

• Innovative facilities and technology;

• Planning, designing, implementing, and completing connected pedestrian and bicycle networks, including access to/from destinations such as schools, jobs, and essential services;

• Pedestrian and bicycle facility design;

• Performance-based practical design;

• Project planning and prioritization;

• Recreational area access;

• Safe Routes to School related activities;

• Safety education;

• Transit access; and

• Accelerating delivery of bicycle and pedestrian projects.

TASK AREA 8: TRANSPORTATION AIR QUALITY AND NOISE

The Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) of 1990 significantly elevated the importance of understanding the relationship between the transportation improvements and their air quality impacts. Emphasis on modeling and analytic compliance was significantly increased especially in transportation conformity on transportation plans and projects in air quality nonattainment and maintenance areas, emissions benefits of projects funded by the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) program, and air quality impact analyses for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). These analyses require continuous improvements to travel, emission, and dispersion modeling that better meet our analytical needs. There is also a need to translate state-of-the-art research into effective policies that further integrate transportation and air quality and maximize the emission reduction potential of transportation projects and programs.

• Evaluating important relationships between transportation improvements and the air quality;

• Evaluating existing and developing new modeling and analytic techniques for emissions and air quality analysis;

• Supporting effective policy development that further integrate transportation and air quality decision making; and

• Providing information and technical guidance to Federal, State, and local officials as well as the public at large on the new requirements and methods for compliance.

For more information on transportation air quality, go to http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/air_quality/.

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/air_quality/

• Documenting and sharing best practices of meeting CAAA requirements, including transportation conformity and air quality planning with new nonattainment areas;

• Understanding new requirements that will have significant impact on the transportation program (e.g. impacts of near roadway monitoring and identifying precursors that contribute to multi-pollutants);

• Researching transportation sources and transportation control measures effectiveness, including co-benefits among different pollutants; and

• Researching new and innovative approaches and strategies that are beneficial to air quality improvement such as noise walls and roadside vegetation impacts on air quality in the near road environment

• Understanding potential air quality impacts of new fuel and vehicle technologies such as electric and other alternative fueled vehicles, autonomous vehicles, vehicle to vehicle and vehicle to infrastructure strategies.

• Conducting research on the model sensitivities of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ‘s Motor Vehicle Emissions Simulator (MOVES) model;

• Assessing data collection issues and techniques;

• Developing tools to enhance emissions and air quality analysis such as data processors, fact sheets, data conversion methodologies; emissions benefits calculations;

• Conducting research related to the application of air quality dispersion models;

• Conducting research on state of the practice methodologies in assessment of MSAT emissions at the project level and conducting risk assessment and uncertainty analysis;

• Conducting research to enhance effective air quality outreach strategies and materials; and

• Developing training, educational, marketing, and outreach materials, including pamphlets, websites, webinars, workshops, peer exchanges and informational meetings;

Highway Traffic Noise

The NEPA of 1969 provides broad authority and responsibility for evaluating and mitigating adverse environmental effects including highway traffic noise. The NEPA directs the Federal government to use all practical means and measures to promote the general welfare and foster a healthy environment. A more important Federal legislation which specifically involves abatement of highway traffic noise is the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1970. This law mandates FHWA to develop noise standards for mitigating highway traffic noise. The law requires promulgation of traffic noise-level criteria for various land use activities. The law further provides that FHWA not approve the plans and specifications for a federally aided highway project unless the project includes adequate noise abatement measures to comply with the standards. The FHWA has developed and implemented regulations for the mitigation of highway traffic noise in federally-aided highway projects.

The FHWA regulations for mitigation of highway traffic noise in the planning and design of federally aided highways are contained in Title 23, U.S.C., Part 772. The regulations require the following during the planning and design of a highway project:

• Identifying traffic noise impacts;

• Examining potential abatement measures;

• Incorporating reasonable and feasible noise mitigation measures into the highway project;

and

• Coordinating with local officials to provide helpful information on noise compatible planning.

The regulations contain noise abatement criteria which represent the upper limit of acceptable highway traffic noise for different types of land uses and human activities. The regulations do not require that the abatement criteria be met in every instance. Rather, they require that every reasonable and feasible effort be made to provide noise mitigation when the criteria are approached or exceeded. Compliance with the noise regulations is a prerequisite for the granting of Federal-aid highway funds for construction or reconstruction of a highway. For more information on the FHWA noise program go to http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/noise/.

• Conducting research to support the development of guidance documents, white papers, brochures and educational materials necessary to streamline technical and procedural requirements;

• Developing training and educational materials, including pamphlets, websites, webinars, workshops, peer exchanges and informational meetings;

• Identifying best management practices and ways to better and more efficiently coordinate the sharing of information;

• Developing methodologies to assist state and local transportation managers in identifying, measuring and evaluating the highway traffic noise, construction noise, noise compatible planning concepts, livability initiatives, and quieter pavement technologies; and

• Developing enhancements to traffic noise prediction.

TASK AREA 9: CLIMATE CHANGE AND SUSTAINABILITY

As concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere increase, the greenhouse effect intensifies resulting in an array of climate change effects and impacts on transportation and other sectors. The current changes in climate are heavily influenced by emissions of greenhouse gases due to human activity since the beginning of the industrial age. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the National Climate Assessment, the world has already begun to see increases in sea levels, average air and ocean temperatures, melting snow and ice, as well as increases in precipitation in some regions of the United States. The global annual average temperature has increased by 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit since 1880 and the rate of warming is accelerating.

The effects of climate change are difficult to predict with certainty, but are potentially very serious.

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/noise/

Although many of the effects may take decades or longer to occur, they could dramatically change the way future generations live. The IPCC notes that without additional mitigation efforts beyond those in place today, and even with adaptation, warming by the end of the 21st century will lead to high to very high risk of severe, widespread, and irreversible impacts globally:

http://www.ipcc.ch/.

Projected negative impacts over the century vary by region and include:

• Sea Level Rise;

• More Extreme Weather;

• Increased Health Issues;

• Reduced Biological Diversity;

• Reduced Agricultural Production;

• Decreased Water Supplies; and

• Northwest Passage (Negative/Positive Impact).

Climate change effects are/will impact transportation systems, vary by region, and include:

• Sea level rise;

• Increases in precipitation Intensity;

• Increased high temperatures with an increase in the number of days per year above temperature thresholds addressed by current designs;

• Droughts; and

• Increases in storm surge levels.

Potential negative implications include physical impacts to infrastructure, impacts on operations, and the need for design changes to adapt to different climatic variables. Adaptation to climate change will be necessary even if drastic mitigation measures are taken immediately to stabilize or even eliminate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, given the long residence time of GHGs in the atmosphere and other factors. The effects of global climate change as warming temperatures and sea level rise occurring today result from GHG emissions over the past century. Actions taken by transportation professionals today have implications for how the transportation system will respond to climate change in the near and long terms.

Furthermore, the need for more efficient and more flexible transportation systems to support the economy and quality of life continues to outpace our ability to provide them. At the same time, climate change, energy security, diminishing natural resources, and questions about long term transportation financing raise concerns about the long-term viability of our current approaches to building and maintaining transportation infrastructure. FHWA aims to improve the sustainability triple bottom line -- the social, economic, and environmental outcomes -- of highway programs and projects.

FHWA’s work over the last several years has provided tools and resources to assist state and regional transportation agencies with addressing the challenges of climate change and sustainability. FHWA has also sought to integrate consideration of these issues into agency policies and programs. Further information on can be found at:

http://www.ipcc.ch/

• FHWA Climate Change Site http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/climate_change/;

• FHWA Sustainability Site https://www.sustainablehighways.dot.gov/.

Under this task area, the contractor will further FHWA work on climate change and sustainability.

Greenhouse Gas Mitigation

• Improving the understanding of the transportation community about opportunities and strategies to reduce GHG emissions;

• Developing and implementing analytical methods to evaluate transportation GHG reductions, including tailpipe, fuel cycle, infrastructure cycle, vehicle cycle and transportation agency emissions;

• Producing analysis and reports related to decarbonizing the transportation sector and subsectors (such as freight);

• Producing analysis addressing the transition to alternative vehicles and fuels (including electric, hydrogen fuel cell and natural gas vehicles);

• Producing analysis, reports and tools to support transportation agencies’ planning and siting of alternative fueling and charging infrastructure;

• Producing analysis and tools addressing consumers’ choice of vehicle type, powertrain, and other attributes, including impacts of the Corporate Average Fuel Economy program on these choices;

• Producing analysis addressing the effect of other major federal programs, including the Clean Power Plan and the Renewable Fuels Standard;

• Producing memos and reports on options and opportunities to use transportation Rights-of-Way for carbon sequestration, energy generation and transmission;

• Integrating planning level GHG analysis into the project development process through a Planning and Environmental Linkages approach;

• Developing resources to integrate the consideration of GHG emissions within the planning process; and

• Evaluating climate change legislative proposals.

Climate Change Adaptation

• Incorporating consideration of climate change effects and impacts into transportation decision making, policies, procedures and practices;

• Developing techniques to screen for climate change vulnerability as part of asset management and other transportation agency processes and procedures;

• Developing risk assessment and risk management tools and processes;

• Analyzing transportation decision-making processes (regional planning, state level planning, project level planning, and including adaptation options) to identify where and how questions tied to climate change adaptation/resilience should be addressed;

• Assisting FHWA in implementing activities tied to adaptation across multiple offices http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/climate_change/ https://www.sustainablehighways.dot.gov/ within the FHWA, including planning, asset management, NEPA, operations, and engineering design; and

• Producing memos and reports on transportation resilience techniques including green infrastructure approaches to improve climate change resilience.

Sustainable Transportation

• Improving the understanding of sustainable transportation principles, criteria and practices;

• Developing and improving technical abilities to implement sustainable principles and practices;

• Promoting understanding and education between the FHWA and its partners on sustainable transportation; and

• Identifying, applying, and disseminating sustainable practices that are relevant to multiple decision-making processes and various aspects of the transportation lifecycle.

TASK AREA 10: REAL PROPERTY ACQUISITION UNDER THE UNIFORM ACT

The FHWA conducts a variety of research to improve government wide implementation of the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, as amended (Uniform Act), the Highway Beautification Act, and applicable regulations including 23 C.F.R., Parts 710,750,751 and 49 CFR, Part 24. The FHWA has a unique responsibility to provide stewardship and leadership for the implementation of the Uniform Act to both Federal agencies and State Departments of Transportation (DOTs).

As Lead Agency for the implementation of the Uniform Act, the FHWA develops policies and procedures, regulations and informational materials to ensure that the public receives constitutionally guaranteed just compensation and relocation assistance in a timely, efficient and uniform manner. In connection with real estate acquired for federal-aid projects and programs by state departments or local public agencies, the FHWA has responsibility for developing policies and procedures, regulations and informational material to ensure that the process for acquisition, as well as the subsequent management and disposition, meets applicable Federal requirements.

The FHWA also develops policies and procedures, regulations and informational materials to ensure and promote effective control of outdoor advertising on controlled routes in compliance with the Highway Beautification Act.

• Identifying opportunities to streamline the process necessary to acquire right-of-way and providing effective control of outdoor advertising; and

• Identifying, developing, and promoting those new and/or innovative uses of right-of-way that support Federal leadership in environmental, energy, and economic performance and the FHWA's initiatives.

For more information on FHWA's real estate acquisition and outdoor advertising control programs go to http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/real_estate/.

• Conducting research into improvement of Federal Land transfer process;

• Marketing and promoting implementation of the National Cooperative Highway Research

Program (NCHRP) and other FHWA’s Office of Real Estate Services research report findings;

• Developing methods to identify and act on opportunities for pilot implementation of research final reports recommendations;

• Conducting research into standardizing and improving implementation of state and federally funded early acquisition provisions;

• Developing Uniform Act (UA) Real Estate/Right-of-Way course(s) in the live synchronous delivery system;

• Conducting research into benefits and costs of alternative uses of right-of-way aimed at identifying opportunities to support FHWA and Presidential initiatives;

• Developing guidance materials which support effective and efficient management and or disposal of properties and property rights;

• Developing and implementing plans for enhancement and improvement of annual statistical collection from other Federal agencies and compiling annual UA Report;

• Researching actual costs business incurs as a result of moving for a Federal Aid project in comparison to the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for determination of whether and how much to raise limits by regulation per MAP-21;

• Assisting in developing local public agency stewardship tools and outreach/marketing efforts;

• Conducting programmatic research;

• Developing, updating, and delivering instructor-led training (ILT), web-based training

(WBT) or other innovative delivery methods in the subject areas of transportation planning and environment.

• Supporting potential rulemaking activities including, but not limited to, developing a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), assist in responding to public comments, developing a final rule, developing final rule implementation materials (e.g., implementation guides, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), webinars, presentations, marketing materials, develop needed updates to existing materials); and

• Analyzing and developing of programmatic support tools activities including, but not limited to, webinars, FAQs, workshops in support of FHWA’s Office of Real Estate Services programs.

TASK AREA 11: OUTDOOR ADVERTISING CONTROL AND LEGISLATIVE AND

POLICY ANALYSIS

The FHWA develops policies and procedures, regulations and informational materials to ensure and promote effective control of outdoor advertising on controlled routes by State DOTs and local governments in compliance with the Highway Beautification Act, Title 23, U.S.C., Section 131, and applicable regulations including Title 23 CFR, Parts 710,750,751, and 752. A primary focus of the FHWA's current research efforts will be to identify opportunities to provide more effective http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/real_estate/ control of outdoor advertising. For more information on FHWA's responsibilities in implementing the Highway Beautification Act go to http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/real_estate/oac/.

Topic areas for task orders include, but are not limited to the following:

Outdoor Advertising and Junkyard Control Programmatic Support

• Identifying research, recommending, promoting and implementing rulings from the pending Scenic America lawsuit;

• Recommending and developing implementation plans for the development of on premise guidance; and

• Identifying researching and recommending efforts to improve program efficiency and effectiveness.

Legislative and Policy Analysis

• Analyzing the process and performance of all transportation acquisition and land use activities in complex context;

• Formulating process improvement alternatives and evaluate alternative actions through pilot programs;

• Developing short term and long range performance improvement programs for State and local public transportation agencies;

• Defining and evaluating common and distinguishing elements between FHWA regulations and State legislation relating to the Uniform Act and the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice;

• Identifying and evaluating positive and negative aspects of various legislative and policy related groups and constituencies; and

• Surveying Federal agency offices that implement the Uniform Act for acquisition or management of real property.

TASK AREA 12: MARKETING AND OUTREACH

The FHWA needs to market, communicate, and disseminate program and research information to a wide variety of national transportation stakeholders and partners. A broad range of strategies, techniques, and training mechanisms will need to be employed to ensure information effectively reaches the FHWA customers in all of the work areas defined. Each task order will require some form of marketing and outreach for each work area. The contractor shall assist in the planning and implementation of an array of communication activities designed to broaden awareness of research technologies, programs and practices. The contractor shall assist with research required marketing and outreach in each work groups (A-K).

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/real_estate/oac/

• Creating/ Maintaining website(s) including;

o Social networking outlets;

o List servers; and o Blogs.

• Producing marketing materials including;

o Brochures;

o Pamphlets;

o Banners;

o Fact sheets;

o Marketing plans;

o Technical summaries/briefs;

o Articles for magazines, newsletters;

o Educational materials;

o Publications;

o Video; and o Photography.

• Creating/Updating workshops, peer reviews, webinars, conferences, teleconferences, informational meetings, and/or symposiums;

• Promoting communications/materials between the FHWA and its partners;

• Working with various FHWA program offices, including the Office of Public Affairs, to coordinate marketing and communication strategies;

• Providing direction and oversight in writing, editing , scriptwriting, publication design, marketing and tradeshow (booth) materials;

• Distributing documents/marketing materials between the FHWA and its partners;

• Leading the development of marketing implementation of new research products, projects, services and materials;

• Leading the development of practices and innovative efforts to disseminate findings and results of research products and projects;

• Assisting in the development and facilitation of meetings with partners, help prepare materials for meetings and perform duties associated with these tasks;

• Assisting in development of resource material to support implementation of program initiatives;

• Providing technical marketing assistance to FHWA, State DOTs, Metropolitan Planning

Organizations, and Federal Agencies with development of program informational resources;

• Monitoring and reporting on the status of all marketing, communication and outreach activities; and

• Leading the development of marketing plans and strategies, including but not limited to marketing research; identification of target audiences; strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis; development of marketing goals and objectives, and evaluation.

C.5 CONTRACT LEVEL DELIVERABLES

C.5.1 IDIQ PROGRESS REPORTS

The contractor shall submit a monthly progress report by the 10th of the month following the reporting period. The report shall provide at a minimum:

(a) Clear and complete account of the work performed under each task order during the reporting period.

(b) An outline of the work to be accomplished during the next reporting period.

(c) A description of any problem encountered or anticipated that will affect the completion of any individual Task Order within the time and fiscal constraints as set forth in the Task Orders, together with recommended solutions to such problems; or, a statement that no problems were encountered.

(d) A tabulation of the planned, actual and cumulative person-hours expended by the personnel identified in each task order (applies to Time & Material task orders only).

(e) A chart showing current and cumulative expenditures versus planned expenditures for each task order (applies to Time & Material task orders only).

C.5.2 ANNUAL REPORT

The contractor shall furnish 1 electronic copy (in Microsoft Office 2010 or equivalent) of a letter-type annual report to the Contracting Officer and to the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) on or before 30 calendar days before the end of each contract year. The annual report shall contain the following:

(a) A brief narrative commenting on performance during the reporting period for each of the following areas:

(1) Quality of Product/Service

(2) Schedule

(3) Cost Control

(4) Business Relations

(5) Management of Key Personnel

(6) Utilization of Small Businesses

(7) Other

The annual report will be used by the COR as part of the annual performance review.

C.5.3 TECHNICAL REPORT SPECIFICATIONS

As required by Task Orders, Technical Reports shall be prepared in accordance with the “Guidelines for Preparing Federal Highway Administration Publications.” Specifically, the contractor shall provide the Government with the…