Synopsis CISS PSU.pdf

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (USDOT)

NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA)

Synopsis for Solicitation 693JJ920R000030

Crash Investigation Sampling System (CISS) Primary Sampling Units (PSU) Operations

Synopsis

This synopsis, in accordance with FAR 5.203(a), issues a 15-day public notification prior to the issuance of a solicitation 693JJ920R000030. NHTSA intends to issue a solicitation for a Full and Open Competition in support of the Crash Investigation Sampling System (CISS) Primary Sampling Units (PSU).

Introduction

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is responsible for reducing the personal injury and property losses resulting from motor vehicle crashes. NHTSA relies on many sources of internal information to adequately measure the characteristics and needs of the highway safety environment. Data derived NHTSA’s data collection systems are essential to reducing the human and economic cost of motor vehicle crashes. NHTSA’s various data systems are the only source of real-world crash data for conducting basic research, identifying problem areas, developing effective countermeasures, identifying program and rulemaking needs, developing and evaluating programs, creating rules and standards, evaluating new technologies and providing information to accurately assess and allocate grants for reducing crashes.

Background

In the late 1970s, NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA) devised a multidisciplinary approach to meet the data needs of its end users that utilized an efficient combination of census, sample-based and State-data files to provide nationally representative traffic crash data on a timely basis. NCSA operated data programs consisting of records-based systems (crash records recoded for uniformity) which included the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and the National Automotive Sampling System General Estimates System (NASS-GES); and detailed crash investigation-based systems which include the National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System (NASS-CDS) and the Special Crash Investigations (SCI) program.

The Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) was established in 1975 and is a data collection system that provides a census of all fatal traffic crashes in the United States. FARS data provides support for most of the traffic and highway safety programs aimed at reducing the number of fatalities on the Nation’s highways and are extensively cited in legislative, enforcement and educational programs. These data are collected on a purely voluntary basis through cooperative agreements between NHTSA and each of the fifty (50) States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

The National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) commenced in 1977 with ten (10) initial contract awards to Primary Sampling Unit (PSU) research teams and two (2) quality control Zone Centers. The system grew to fifty (50) PSUs and four (4) Zone Centers in 1981. The program underwent a review by NHTSA and other organizations in 1986 to assess its usefulness, efficiency and statistical precision. It was determined from that review that modifications were needed in case selection, data set definition and PSU strata distribution. As a result, NASS was divided into two (2) systems in 1988: Crashworthiness Data System (NASS-CDS) and General Estimates System (NASS-GES). NASS-CDS focused on the crashworthiness of passenger cars, light trucks and vans involved in crashes and damaged enough to be towed. NASS-GES collected limited data on other highway crashes to produce general estimates.

NASS-CDS was originally conceived to operate seventy-five (75) data collection sites; however, it was never fully funded to collect data from the originally planned seventy-five (75) sites, capping out at twenty-four (24) sites beginning in 1991. These twenty-four (24) data collection sites, known as PSUs, resided in seventeen (17) states and were supported by two (2) quality control Zone Centers.

The NASS-CDS obtained PARs that included passenger vehicles that were towed due to the severity of the damage and had a high potential for major injury. These crashes were systematically selected for a full investigation if certain conditions were met. Once selected for further investigation, the process included interviewing drivers and occupants, inspecting scenes and vehicles, reviewing official medical reports, and reconstructing crash dynamics.

NASS-GES consisted of thirty-six (36) PSUs located in nine (9) states. Each GES PSU collected certain information from traffic-police accident reports (PARs), which were used to generate estimates of the nation's highway crash experience. The PARs were the only source of information and certain variables were completed using data obtained from the PAR. The NASS-GES became the sole source of national estimates statistics on police-reported injuries other than fatalities.

In an effort to combine the strengths of the NASS system while addressing its limitations and the desires of the transportation community, NHTSA undertook a modernization effort to upgrade its data systems by improving the information technology infrastructure, updating the data collected and reexamining the geographical sampling sites (PSUs). The goal of this overall modernization effort was to develop a new crash data system that met the current and future data needs of all parties, while being nimble enough to adapt to the changing priorities of the agency and its partners going forward. NASS-CDS and GES were therefore phased out in 2015 and replaced by the Crash Investigation Sampling System (CISS) and Crash Report Sampling System (CRSS), respectively.

The data collection sites (PSUs) for both were selected independently, meaning that the CISS PSU sites were not a subsample of the CRSS PSU sites or vice versa. By chance, it was possible that some of the new CISS sites and new CRSS sites were located at or near the same location. CISS and CRSS are collectively referred to as the Crash Data System (CDS).

Purpose

The purpose of this contract is to acquire services to operate the PSUs for the CISS to enhance and execute a cohesive program and quality evaluation support:

1. To ensure timeliness, accuracy, consistency, and completeness in coding and data entry among all coding staff,

2. To ensure proficiency in the use of information retrieval tools, and

3. To maintain and continue the work of harmonization of NCSA Data Collection Systems and their adherence to national standards.

Contract Type, Period of Performance and NAICS Code

NHTSA intends to award one Stand-Alone, Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) contract in accordance with FAR16.306.

The applicable NAICS code and size standard for this acquisition are as follows

541990 (All Other Professional, Scientific and Technical Services)

The anticipated period of performance is one (1) one-year base period and four (4) one (1) year option periods to be exercised at the discretion of the government. The maximum total period of performance will be for five (5) consecutive years if all options are exercised.

Place of Performance/Physical Location

The work performed under the proposed contract shall be accomplished at the Contractor’s facilities and those facilities shall be located within the continental United States. There shall be no deviation from or waiver of this requirement.

System for Award Management Registration

NOTE: Contractors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database located at www.sam.gov in order to receive an award in response to the solicitation.

THIS SYNOPSIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. This notice is published for informational purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government. The solicitation will be released electronically via this Government Point of Entry (GPE) otherwise known as Beta Sam or https://beta.sam.gov. As such, no written, telephonic or other type of request for an advance copy of the solicitation will be entertained at this time. Potential offerors/vendors are encouraged to register on https://beta.sam.gov to receive any further information in reference to the subject action inclusive of any announcements, and/or amendments to the solicitation after its release.

The anticipated award date July 2021. The solicitation will be issued on or about April 2021.

http://www.sam.gov/ https://beta.sam.gov/