Improving the Core Elements of Highway Quality Assurance Programs

PRE-SOLICITATION NOTICE FOR anticipated FULL and OPEN Requirement:

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) developed an Infrastructure Research and Technology Strategic Plan and Roadmap to provide direction to its Infrastructure research, development, and technology program and guide the RD&T activities to be undertaken. One of the objectives of the Roadmap is to "Improve the ability of transportation agencies to deliver projects that meet expectations for scope, timeliness, quality and cost."

Several initiatives were developed to help achieve this objective. One of these initiatives is to "Develop guidance and tools, conduct program reviews, and deploy effective Quality Assurance plans and best practices."

This strategy can be regarded as consisting of several RD&T activities. Some examples of the type of potential early quality assurance-related activities that may be undertaken include:

•Evaluation of improved application of F & t-testing for comparing QC and Verification test data (e.g. Excel or simple standalone software program).
• Verification and validation procedures for contractor QC tests used in the acceptance decision for Pavement Smoothness.
• Guidelines for selecting optimum sample size, alpha error, and decision rules for validation of contractor test data.
• Recommended procedures for visual inspection of completed precast concrete elements and potentially Pre-stress inspection guide as part 2.
• Dispute Resolution Best Practices for Materials Testing
• Guidelines for Verification procedures for small quantity items of work. Effective HMA acceptance testing for smaller quantities (e.g. 10,000 tons, 5000 tons, 1000 tons, 500 tons) by optimizing the risk of future performance with the cost of the acceptance.
• Guidelines for recommended procedures for nondestructive testing of completed precast concrete elements.
• Guidelines for conducting data validation on results from test procedures (e.g. Gmm from AASHTO T 209 and Gmb from AASHTO T 166) versus material properties computed from two or more test procedures (e.g., hot mix asphalt air voids, VTM from lab compacted samples and the field density % Gmm.)
• Webinars/Workshops for improved QA practices.

OBJECTIVE

The FHWA, in furthering the objective, is seeking to obtain the services of a responsible party to conduct research and provide technology transfer as needed to advance the state-of-the-practice in construction and materials quality assurance.

SCOPE OF WORK

It is envisioned that the Contractor shall perform research and services as necessary to support the activities of the FHWA related to construction and material quality assurance. The work shall include the conduct of research; the development and conduct of webinars; the development of educational and training materials; and the delivery of presentations.

The Contractor shall perform the following tasks:

Task A: Quality Assurance Research

Provide research services to address specific needs identified by FHWA in construction and material quality assurance. The overall goals of the research are to: (1) create science-based quality assurance systems, (2) provide guidance for more effective contractor and agency quality control/verification practices, (3) instill greater uniformity among construction specifications and acceptance plans, (4) attain a better understanding of construction quality.

Task B: Quality Assurance Webinars/Workshops

Plan, develop, organize, schedule, and deliver webinars/workshops to: (1) identify research and development needs related to construction and material quality assurance, (2) examine and discuss agency and contractor quality control/quality assurance practices, and (3) obtain feedback on research products and concepts established under this contract.
Workshops may range in length from 4 to 12 hours of contact time and be presented at one or more times and/or places.

Task C: Quality Assurance Training and Assistance

Provide training and assistance as needed to help State highway agency and construction contractor personnel with the development and effective use of specifications and/or with other products resulting from the contract. The training and assistance shall be on site, either at the construction project or the agency headquarters or field offices.

Task D: Quality Assurance Software

Evaluate, make recommendations for, and improve or expand existing software programs related to construction quality assurance. Examples of existing programs that may be addressed are programs used for buyer/seller risk analysis, selection of optimum construction target values, and development of performance-related specifications (PRS).

Develop new software programs related to construction and material quality assurance. Examples of new programs that may be addressed is the development of a standalone program that uses industry standard software.

Task E: Quality Assurance Presentations

Prepare and deliver PowerPoint presentations as requested at any point during work on a project. Presentations shall cover project objectives, progress, results, findings, conclusions, and recommendations up to the date of the presentation.

This is a Pre-Solocitation Notice ONLY.  The Government expects no proposal responses based on this notice.   It is anticipated that this will be a Full and Open solicitation and not restricted to any sources or groups.  All interested offerors should wait until the Solicitation is posted before providing any responses.  Any questions related to the work to be conducted will be accepted and answered once the solicitation is posted.