NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is issuing this Sources Sought Notice to identify potential qualified Small Business (SB), Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), 8(a) Certified SDB, HUBZone SB, SDVOSB, or WOSB concerns that may be interested in and capable of performing the work described herein which is to establish, operate and manage a NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline.

NHTSA welcomes all qualified Small Business concerns, with the appropriate NAICS Code and past experience to submit their Corporate Capability Statements that demonstrate their ability to successfully accomplish the goals of the project as listed below.  NHTSA does not intend to award a contract on the basis of responses to this notice or otherwise pay for the preparation of any information submitted.  Acknowledgement of receipt of responses will not be made; no formal evaluation of the information received will be conducted by NHTSA.  NHTSA may; however later on issue a Request for Proposals (RFP).  However, should such a requirement fail to materialize, no basis for claims against NHTSA shall arise as a result of a response to this notice.

Background:

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Vehicle Safety Hotline (Hotline) is the agency’s primary point of contact for the public to request safety defect information on passenger vehicles, heavy trucks, and recreational vehicle, or to report problems with motor vehicle equipment (e.g., air bags, motorcycle helmets, brakes, or child safety seats) that could affect safety. NHTSA evaluates the information gathered from the Hotline and from other sources to determine if serious safety problems exist.

The Vehicle Safety Hotline has undergone a major transformation from an operation that merely recorded vehicle-related complaints to a one-stop customer-oriented operation that accepts many types of calls related to vehicle and traffic safety. The major actions undertaken to transform Hotline operations include:

• Establishing the Hotline as the NHTSA’s single point of public contact for safety information,
• Developing a training program that will assist the agents in obtaining vital information from consumers who would like file a vehicle safety complaint,
• Developing, publishing, and monitoring customer service standards (courtesy, timeliness, and accuracy) as performance measurements.
• Publicizing the Hotline number during all NHTSA events,
• Expanding the Hotline’s infrastructure to handle calls in English and Spanish; and
• Expanding Hotline services to include a web chat and automatic call back services.

Objective(s):

The primary objectives is to obtain agency mission-critical information from callers about vehicle or vehicle equipment problems that may warrant a formal safety defect investigation; record complaint data on possible safety-related vehicle problems; provide answers to consumer questions related to vehicle and traffic safety issues; perform call-backs from recorded messages; fulfill information requests; electronically mail information to NHTSA action program offices on issues related to highway safety; refer calls to other non-safety related offices outside NHTSA (e.g. Environmental Protection Agency); and to provide general information in order to increase consumer understanding and awareness of issues concerning highway safety.

The Contractor shall be responsible for a turnkey Hotline call center operation to include all the necessary equipment, personnel, location, and managing of workflow as identified in the attached Draft Statement of Work (SOW).

CAPABILITY STATEMENTS

Any interested qualified Small Business firms, Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), 8(a)  Certified SDB, HUBZone SB, SDVOSB, or WOSB concerns should submit their Corporate Capability Statement, which demonstrates the firm’s ability and past experience in no more than 10 pages to perform the key requirements described above to the identified NHTSA point of contact listed herein.  

Any proprietary information should be marked as such. All respondents are asked to certify the type and size of their business organization is in-line with the requirements of this Sources Sought Notice which must be received no later than 10 calendar days from the date of publication or by the closing date of this notice.

To facilitate a timely and comprehensive review of all submitted responses, firms should respond using the format requested in this Notice.

Please provide the following information for your firm and for any teaming or joint venture partners:

General Information

1. Company name, address, point of contact name, telephone, and email address.
2. Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number and Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code.
3. Business size and classification (e.g., large, small, small-disadvantaged, SBA Certified 8(a), HUBZone, service-disabled veteran-owned, woman-owned) based on NAICS code: 561422 – Telemarketing Bureaus and Other Contact Centers.
4. If applicable, potential proposed teaming arrangements to include business size and classification of prime and subcontractors.
5. GSA Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) Number (FSS must include NAICS code 561422 – Telemarketing Bureaus and Other Contact Centers
6. Identify contracts your company has been awarded under NAICS code: 561422 – Telemarketing Bureaus and Other Contact Centers

Technical Capability:

1. Provide a brief synopsis to support the firm’s ability to perform all of potential areas of the objective/scope.  Identify each task element and provide information to support the firm’s experience, staffing and overall ability to perform the technical area.
2. Evidence of experience and past performance should include contracts/task orders from the past three (3) years similar in scope to this requirement.
3. Examples must include contract numbers, project titles, dollar amounts, periods of performance, and Government points of contact (telephone numbers or email addresses).
4. Documented information to support the firm’s ability to provide the range of research skillsets capability to quickly plan, conduct, and document studies; AND personnel required for this effort in a timely fashion.
5. Any data on previous contracts/task orders on personnel retention and succession planning.

Additional Information:

1. Indicate if your firm will submit a proposal if a Request for Proposal (RFP) is issued, and if your firms interest is for Prime contracting, teaming agreement or Joint Venture.
2. Validation of, or recommended NAICS codes for this effort.
3. Validation of, or recommended contract type.
4. Validation of, or recommended GSA vehicle
5. In each potential areas of research, indicate any Small Business Subcontracting opportunities, as applicable.
6. Other Recommendations
   1. Any information missing from this requirement that would provide a better understanding of the effort desired.
   2. Please submit any other questions or comments along with your response.

CONTRACTING OFFICE ADDRESS

Department of Transportation (DOT) Headquarters, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20590.