Automated Driving Systems -- Fish and Wildlife Service

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation's John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, is seeking market research on Automated Driving Systems (ADS) and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) suitable for deployment on National Wildlife Refuges in remote, rural environments. This Request for Information (Solicitation Number 6913G626RFI1002) invites vendors, academic institutions, and private developers to submit Statements of Capabilities addressing ten specific information requirements, including system descriptions, infrastructure needs, deployment costs, past experience in similar environments, data collection methodologies, and legal and insurance compliance measures. The government is evaluating the suitability of driving automation technology for varied road surfaces, wildlife interactions, challenging topographies, and areas with limited GPS and cellular coverage—conditions where such technology has seen minimal deployment compared to urban settings. Respondents must address research interests, earliest availability in 2026, potential long-term use cases for visitor transportation and wildlife conservation, and any identified benefits or challenges. Statements of Capabilities are due by February 13, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time and must not exceed 10 pages in Adobe PDF format submitted to Andrew.Josephs@dot.gov.

This notice includes no set-aside designation and identifies no current contractors or potential incumbents. The RFI is a market research tool only and does not constitute a commitment by the government to make an award; no payment will be made for responses, and submissions will not be returned. The government plans to conduct short-term, non-public-facing pilot projects at up to three FWS refuges with differing ecosystems, wildlife species, and weather conditions to evaluate system performance and suitability for future policy development. While no specific budget or award value is disclosed in this pre-solicitation phase, respondents must provide cost estimates by vehicle type and pilot duration to enable the government's budget planning. Interested parties must certify their small business socio-economic status and provide applicable NAICS codes (541715) and PSC codes (AS13) with their submissions.