New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) Pedestrian Impact Testing

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration seeks multiple contractors to perform pedestrian impact testing on production motor vehicles under its New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), with proposals due September 29 and questions due by September 8. The procurement is designated for Women-Owned Small Businesses (WOSB) and will result in multiple IDIQ awards with firm-fixed-price and cost-reimbursement delivery orders.

Place of performance is Washington, DC. The contract covers a five-year base period plus one-year option. Testing must be completed within 60 months from the contract effective date, with testing services anticipated to begin September 2025. The estimated total contract value is approximately $3.5 million, with ceiling amounts to be determined at award. The minimum guaranteed obligation is one kickoff meeting delivery order.

Contractors must perform test-procedure evaluation; impactor qualification (headform, Flexible Pedestrian Legform Impactor, and upper legform); and pedestrian headform, FlexPLI, and upper-legform tests on assigned vehicle models in accordance with the NCAP Crashworthiness Pedestrian Protection Test Procedure (July 2025 version and subsequent updates). Testing services include impact tests using standard and active hood configurations, legform impact tests, qualification tests for various impactors, vehicle markup services, 3D vehicle scanning, and miscellaneous services including replacement parts procurement. Optional services include cyclist headform impact testing per European NCAP Vulnerable Road User Testing Protocol version 9.1. All data must be submitted electronically via NHTSA's Crash Test Database portal, and deliverables must comply with Section 508 accessibility standards.

Contractors must provide all qualified personnel, facilities, services, materials, supplies, and equipment except government-furnished property. Instrumentation calibration must maintain traceability to NIST standards at intervals not exceeding 12 months. The NAICS code is 541380, Testing Laboratories and Services; PSC is H223.

Evaluation weighs technical factors—Technical Plan, Quality Assurance Management Plan, and Test Procedures; Facilities and Equipment; Organization and Personnel Qualifications; and Past Performance and Prior Experience—combined as more important than price, using a best-value tradeoff approach.