Source Sought Notice_693JJ3-26-SS-0010.pdf

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE 693JJ3-26-SS-0010

For

“Identify Roadway Design and Infrastructure Factors Influencing ADAS Systems in Mitigating Rural Roadway Departure Crashes”

1. SUBMITTAL INFORMATION

ISSUE DATE: February 26, 2026 DUE DATE FOR RESPONSES: March 13, 2026 SUBMIT RESPONSES TO: hcfa-31sri@dot.gov and jason.motala@dot.gov SUBMIT QUESTIONS TO: hcfa-31sri@dot.gov and jason.motala@dot.gov

See below Section 4 entitled “REQUESTED CONTENT OF RESPONSES TO THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE” for submittal content instructions.

2. INTRODUCTION

This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations.

The purpose of this notice is to obtain information, for planning purposes, regarding: the availability and capability of qualified sources to perform the work, as well as the size and status of potential sources. The NAICS Code for this planned acquisition for “Identify Roadway Design and Infrastructure Factors Influencing ADAS Systems in Mitigating Rural Roadway Departure Crashes” is 541990 – All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services – with a Small Business Size Standard of up to $19,500,000.

All potential sources, regardless of whether they are large or small in accordance with the NAICS size standard are encouraged to submit a capabilities statement in response to this Sources Sought notice.

It is anticipated that the potential resulting solicitation will result in a single award Firm-Fixed- Price (FFP) with cost-reimbursable travel research and development award.

3. BACKGROUND – DRAFT Performance Work Statement mailto:hcfa-31sri@dot.gov mailto:amy.morrissette@dot.gov mailto:hcfa-31sri@dot.gov mailto:jason.motala@dot.gov

Office of Safety and Operations Research & Development

Draft Performance Work Schedule

For

Identify Roadway Design and Infrastructure Factors Influencing ADAS Systems in Mitigating Rural Roadway Departure Crashes

1.0 Overview

This is a non-personal services contract or task order to provide contract service for Identify Roadway Design and Infrastructure Factors Influencing Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) in Mitigating Rural Roadway Departure Crashes. The Government will not exercise any supervision or control over the contract or task order service providers performing the services herein. Such service providers shall be accountable solely to the Contractor who, in turn is responsible to the Government as defined in this Performance Work Schedule (PWS). The Contractor must perform to the standards herein.

1.1 Background

The mission of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is to improve safety and mobility on our nation’s highways through national leadership, innovation, and program delivery. As part of this mission, FHWA allocates funding to develop and deliver technical assistance, research, data analysis, and training aimed for reducing roadway departure (RwD) crashes and fatalities through the implementation of safety action plans and proven safety countermeasures. With the rapid growth of vehicles with ADAS, it is critical to investigate the infrastructures required to support these systems and to assess their safety effectiveness in reducing RwD crashes.

As human error accounts for more than 90% of traffic crashes, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are expected to provide significant safety benefits by supporting drivers with timely warnings and/or active interventions, thereby reducing traffic crashes, and migrating the risk of fatal and serious injuries. In recent years, continuous technological advancements, and growing consumer awareness of safety have accelerated adoption of new vehicles equipped with Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Lane Keeping Assistance (LKA), and Lane Centering Assistance (LCA) features as standard. These systems, designed to address RwD crashes, are expected to play a significant role in reducing fatalities and serious injuries associated with such crashes.

However, these expected safety benefits are based on the assumption that roadway geometry and infrastructure factors are always sully support these technologies, which is not always available.

Existing roadway infrastructure, particularly rural roadways, remains insufficient to fully support the functionality and safety potential of evolving ADAS technologies. Many rural roadways lack consistent and well-maintained lane marking, adequate lighting, and uniform signage, which are essential for sensor-based systems to functional reliably. In addition, geometric variations such as sharp curves, narrow lane and shoulder widths, and unpaved edges introduce challenges for vehicle detection and control algorithms.

This task order aims to investigate and identify roadways characteristics, geometric design, and infrastructure factors necessary to optimize the safety benefits of relevant RwD prevention ADAS technologies for reducing RwD crashes in rural roads. It also quantifies the potential safety benefits of these systems and identifies corresponding and prioritized infrastructure improvements to maximize those benefits.

1.2 Objective

The objective of this task order is to conduct a comprehensive review and assessment of geometric design elements and infrastructure factors that contribute to optimize the performance of RwD prevention ADAS technologies such as LDW, LKA and LCA. By systematically reviewing and analyzing these contribution factors, this study seeks to provide evidence-based insights and actionable recommendation to improve roadway geometric design and infrastructure in support of vehicles equipped with these ADAS features, thereby maximizing their safety benefits in reducing RwD crashes and fatalities, particularly on rural roadways.

This task order seeks to support FHWA mission to improve safety on our nation’s roadways in accordance with 23 U.S.C. §503(b)(1)(A, B, C & D); 23 U.S.C. §503(b)(2)(B)(i, ii, iii, iv, v & vi); 23 U.S.C. §503(b)(2)(C)(i, ii, iii, vi, & viii); and 23 U.S.C. §503(b)(3)(B)(ii).

1.3 Detailed Requirement

The Contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and non-personal services necessary to perform this task order. Also, project management, administrative support and periodic or recurring progress meetings shall be considered integral to each task as described here in. To accomplish the objectives of this task order, the Contractor shall complete the following tasks:

TASK 1: Project Management

The Contractor shall coordinate and facilitate a kick-off meeting with the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) and others as appropriate within two weeks of award. The Kick-Off meeting will be held virtually via a web conference platform (e.g. Zoom or Microsoft Teams or Google Meets) and discuss the overall project to ensure that desired outcomes are understood and achieved. The Contractor shall prepare a draft work plan that is consistent with the proposal and provide a detailed schedule of milestones and deliverables. The Contractor shall send the draft agenda, presentation, and work plan to the COR one week in advance of the kickoff meeting, at the latest, for review. After the kickoff meeting, the Contractor shall prepare and submit a summary of the kickoff meeting, submit a revised final work plan and work breakdown structure (WBS) that incorporate comments and feedback provided from FHWA. In addition, the Contractor shall arrange bi-weekly check-in meeting with COR and FHWA’s stakeholders to discuss the progress, possible risks, and comments under this task order.

Deliverables:

- Kick-Off Meeting Agenda, Draft work Plan and Draft Kick-off Meeting presentation

- Kick-Off Meeting

- Kick-Off Meeting Summary Note

- Revised Work Plan

- Bi-weekly Check-in Meeting

- Bi-weekly Check-in Meeting Summary Note

- Quarterly Progress Report

TASK 2: Collect, Extract, Integrate and Evaluate Roadway Geometric Design Elements and Infrastructure Factors Affecting RwD Avoidance ADAS

The Contractor shall conduct a comprehensive data-driven process to collect, extract, integrate, and analyze various data from various resources including, but are not limited to, geometric design elements, infrastructure features, historical crash data and vehicle trajectory data to identify and evaluate factors affecting the safety performance of RwD avoidance ADAS features on rural roads.

The Contractor shall identify, extract and compile roadway geometric design elements and infrastructure features that are potentially associated with operational effectiveness of RwD prevention ADAS features, which may include, but are not limited to, horizontal and vertical alignment characteristics, advanced signs and delineation, pavement and longitudinal markings (e.g., color, function, widths and patterns), roadside features, lane configuration, shoulder and median features, etc. through the integrated use of Geographic Information System (GIS) and image-based feature extraction processes. The Contractor shall use roadway map resource incorporating the Highway Performance Monitoring Systems (HPMS), or All Road Network of Linear Reference Data (ARNOLD), or comparable GIS-based Linear Reference System (LRS) developed and maintained by Federal and State agencies to ensure consistent spatial alignment and accurate location referencing across roadway networks.

The Contractor’s proposed and performed image-based feature extraction process shall employ vision technologies (e.g., aerial or street-level imagery) to detect, classify, assess and extract roadway geometric design and infrastructure attributes. Furthermore, the extracted roadway and infrastructure attributes must be integrated with the GIS LRS framework, enabling a repeatable and scalable workflow that accurately assigns spatial attributes along roadways.

The contractor shall also collect historical crashes occurred on rural roads, including vehicle VIN information, at least FOUR States over the past FIVE years (since 2018), and use the NHTSA VIN Decoder API or a similar tool to decode the VIN to distinguish between vehicles equipped with and without RwD prevention ADAS. During this process, if necessary, the FHWA COR can provide decoded individual vehicle VIN information along with crash database (crash, vehicle and person data) collected from multiple States to support this project. However, this information must be used solely for this project. As with the previous process, the Contractor shall integrate the historical crash location into a GIS LRS framework using the crash XY-coordinates of the individual crash location. The Contractor shall conduct a safety analysis to identify and quantify the roadway geometric design and infrastructure factors that affect crash frequency and severities for vehicles equipped with RwD avoidance ADAS features. The analysis shall also include differences in safety performance between vehicles equipped with RwD avoidance ADAS features and those without, based on roadway geometric design, infrastructure characteristics and relevant situation factors.

To support successful execution of the project, the Contractor shall develop and present a detailed data-driven plan outlining the proposed data collection, extraction, integration, analysis and evaluation processes to COR and FHWA Technical Advisory Panel (TAP). The study plan shall describe data sources, methodologies, quality control procedures, analytical approaches, limitations, and anticipated deliverables, and shall be submitted for FHWA review and approval prior to conduct.

Deliverables:

- Detailed Data-Driven and Analysis Plan Draft and presentation

- Revised Data-Driven and Analysis Plan Draft and presentation

- Data-Driven and Analysis Plan Presentation

- Monthly Data-Driven and Analysis Progress Update

TASK 3: Develop Technical Report

The Contractor shall develop and submit a technical report, including an outline enumerating the needs of this effort. The Contractor shall prepare a comprehensive outline of the technical report first, and then revise it after FHWA review to reflect comments or inputs from the COR and the FHWA technical panel. With approval of the final outline, the Contractor shall develop and submit the first draft of final technical report for review by the COR and FHWA technical review panels. The contractor shall use plain language and advice novice for the report1. The COR will submit consolidated comments for the contractor to address in a second draft report. The contractor shall address any remaining technical comments and prepare a third draft for review by FHWA Office of Safety R&D leadership and the Office of the Chief Counsel (if needed). The Contractor shall also prepare a presentation material on the findings and contents of the final report and present it to COR and FHWA technical panels.

1 http://www.plainlanguage.gov http://www.plainlanguage.gov/

The Contractor shall clearly address all received comments and prepare a final draft report for Public Affairs review and approval. After public affairs approval, the Contractor shall submit the final report in both Microsoft Word and Google document/platform formats. All final deliverables must be 508-conformant. The Contractor shall also submit all project related documentation, collected raw and compiled data files, including source code, metadata, and data dictionaries, to COR.

Deliverables:

- Draft of Technical Report Outline

- Revised Technical Report Outline

- First Draft Technical Report

- Second Draft Technical Report

- Third Draft Technical Report

- Final Draft Technical Report (for Office of Chief Counsel (HCC) and Office of Public

Affairs (HPA) review)

- Draft Presentation material

- Revised Presentation material

- Final Deliverables

TASK 4: Develop Outreach Materials

The Contractor shall develop marketing and outreach material to promote findings of this research which may include a peer-reviewed journal/conference paper or a webinar. For this, the Contractor shall develop a draft journal/conference paper and submit it to the COR for review.

The Contractor shall submit a final paper that incorporates the COR’s comments and edits, which will then be reviewed and approved by HCC and HPA for publication.

Deliverables:

- Draft Journal/Conference Paper or Webinar Presentation PPT

- Final Journal/Conference Paper or Webinar Presentation PPT

- Final Technical Report

2.0 Period of Performance

The period of performance for this task order shall be for 30 months that consist of 24 months for project completion and 6 months for HCC and HPA review from the date of task order award.

The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer (CO), and COR in writing whenever there is reason to believe that the total time necessary to complete this task order will be greater than the period of performance. As part of the notification, the Contractor shall provide a revised schedule for performing the task order requirements. The Contractor should provide a notification at least 6 weeks before the end of the period of performance.

NOTE: The Offeror is responsible for confirming the period of performance and deliverables schedule deemed necessary for the successful completion of the task order requirements.

3.0 General

N/A

3.1 Hours of Operation

N/A

3.2 Place of Performance

The work to be performed under this task order will be performed at the Contractor facility as appropriate.

3.3 Physical Security

The Contractor shall be responsible for safeguarding all government equipment, information, and property provided for Contractor use.

3.4 Special Qualifications

The Contractor and/or sub-contractor shall have high level of knowledges and technical skills in Extensive Experience, Knowledge, and Technical Specialist in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Large Language Model (LLM) Extensive Experience and Knowledge of GIS Data with computer vision techniques.

Extensive Experience and Knowledge in Safety Data, Manipulation and Statistical

Modeling Writer/Editor/508 Specialists

3.5 Periodic Progress Meetings

The contractor agrees to attend progress meetings. The Contracting Officer or Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), and other Government personnel, as appropriate, may meet periodically with the Contractor to review the Contractor's performance. At these meetings, the CO will apprise the Contractor of how the government views the Contractor's performance and the Contractor will apprise the Government of problems, if any, being experienced. Appropriate action shall be taken to resolve outstanding issues. These meetings shall be at no additional cost to the government.

3.6 Identification of Contractor Employees

All contractor personnel attending meetings, answering Government telephones, and working in other situations where their contractor status is not obvious to third parties are required to identify themselves as such to avoid creating an impression in the minds of members of the public that they are Government officials. They must also ensure that all documents or reports produced by Contractors are suitably marked as Contractor products or that Contractor participation is appropriately disclosed.

3.7 Contractor Travel

3.8 Materials

N/A

3.9 Organizational Conflict of Interest

Contractor and subcontract personnel performing work under this award may receive, have access to, or participate in the development of proprietary or source selection information (e.g., cost or pricing information, budget information or analyses, specifications or work statements, etc.), or perform evaluation services which may create a current or subsequent Organizational Conflict of Interests (OCI) as defined in FAR Subpart 9.5. The Contractor shall notify the CO immediately whenever he/she becomes aware that such access or participation may result in any actual or potential OCI, and may merit the submittal of a plan to the CO to avoid or mitigate any such OCI. This mitigation plan would be determined to be acceptable solely at the discretion of the CO, and in the event the CO unilaterally determines that any such OCI cannot be satisfactorily avoided or mitigated, the Contracting Officer may effect other remedies as he or she deems necessary, including prohibiting the Contractor from participation in subsequent contracted requirements which may be affected by the OCI.

3.10 Phase In /Phase out Period

N/A

3.11 Data Rights

Data Rights shall be executed in accordance with the relevant clauses and provisions in the base on a Simplify Acquisition Contract.

4.0 Government Furnished Equipment and Services

4.1 Services

N/A

4.2 Facilities

N/A

4.3 Materials

5.0 Applicable Publications (Current Editions)

The Contractor must abide by the following regulations, publications, manuals, and local policies and procedures. TFHRC Communication Reference Guide (CRG) – https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/general/15058/15058.pdf

4. REQUESTED CONTENT OF RESPONSES TO THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE

Interested parties who consider themselves qualified to perform or subcontract the above-listed services are invited to submit a response to this sources sought notice as indicated in section 1 entitled “SUBMITTAL INFORMATION”.

Interested businesses should submit a brief capabilities statement package (no more than ten (10) one-sided, 8.5x11inch pages in length with font no smaller than 10 point) demonstrating the ability to perform the services listed in this notice.

No phone or email solicitations with regard to the status of this notice or future RFP will be accepted.

All data received in response to this sources sought notice, marked or designated as corporate or proprietary, will be fully protected from release outside the Government. Information and materials submitted in response to this request WILL NOT be returned. Classified material MUST NOT be submitted as well as marketing materials, slide presentations, or technical papers.

Vendor responses must include the following administrative information:

1. Company name, Company address, Company Unique Entity ID, and point(s) of contact including name, telephone number(s), and email address(es).

2. Can this work be performed on the vendors General Services Administration (GSA) schedule contract, to include GSA OASIS+? Please provide GSA schedule number if yes.

3. Respondents to this notice also must indicate whether they are a large business or qualify as a Small Business (SB), Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) certified under the SBA 8 (a) Program, Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB), HUBZone Small Business (HUBZone), or Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Concern.

Note: Under a Small-Business Set-Aside, in accordance with FAR 52.219-14, the small business prime must perform at least 50% of the work themselves in terms of the cost performance.

4. Company profile to include number of employees, and a statement regarding current small/large business status under the NAICS code listed in section 2.

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/general/15058/15058.pdf

5. Prior/current corporate experience performing efforts of similar work as described within sources sought announcement and a brief description of how the referenced requirement relates to the services herein, and overall client ratings for the performance.

6. Resources available such as corporate management and key personnel to be assigned to tasks under this effort to include professional qualifications, and specific experience of such personnel.

7. Statement regarding capability to obtain the Department of Transportation (DOT) security clearances for personnel.

8. Company’s ability to begin performance upon contract award.

9. What additional information would you like to have in order to submit a proposal for this project?

Note: This sources sought notice is not construed as a commitment on the part of the Government to award a contract nor does the Government intend to pay for any information or responses as the result of this sources sought notice.