SOLICITATION NOTICE
B -- Broad Agency Announcement to Encourage and Leverage Innovative Small Projects in Transportation Planning Research
- Notice Date
- 6/19/2003
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- Contracting Office
- Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Office of Acquisition Management, HAAM, Room 4410 400 7th Street, S.W., Washington, DC, 20590
- ZIP Code
- 20590
- Solicitation Number
- DTFH61-03-R-00120
- Response Due
- 8/1/2003
- Point of Contact
- Candy Fenn, Contract Specialist, Phone 202-366-9771, Fax 202-366-3705, - Rick Murray, Contracting Officer, Phone (202) 366-4250, Fax (202) 366-3705,
- E-Mail Address
-
candy.fenn@fhwa.dot.gov, rick.murray@fhwa.dot.gov
- Description
- DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION Title: Broad Agency Announcement to Encourage and Leverage Innovative Small Projects in Transportation Planning Research Action: This is a notice of availability of funds for transportation research under a program to encourage and leverage innovative small projects in three transportation planning research topic areas described below. FHWA anticipates funding proposals of up to 18 months in duration and $80,000 in FHWA funding. FHWA may fund up to six proposals and $450,000 within a given fiscal year depending, in part, on the availability of funds. Summary: FHWA is considering funding small research projects on transportation planning topics areas described below. This pilot program is intended to increase the value of small projects to FHWA by working with partners that can ?Identify novel, low cost tools and approaches for improving transportation decision-making; ?Develop new approaches to research methodology; ?Test innovative methods and new channels for technical transfer of research; and ?Leverage FHWA research funds. Dates: Proposals may be submitted in one or more of the topic areas described below before August 1, 2003. Addresses: Proposal(s) may be sent to Candy Fenn in the FHWA Office of Acquisition Management by electronic mail Candy.Fenn@fhwa.dot.gov with attachments in MS Word and/or Excel, by hand-delivery at the FHWA Office of Acquisition Management, 400 7th Street, S.W., Room 4410, Washington, DC 20590 (Mail Stop HAAM-30E), or by mail at the same address. Please note that current security procedures may result in delays of USPS mail delivery. For Further Information about the research program: Contact David Kuehn in the FHWA Office of Planning at 202 366 6072 or david.kuehn@fhwa.dot.gov. Background The end of the 20th Century was a time of increased technological and societal change for the transportation planning community. Innovations such as the use of GIS, GPS, remote sensing, mobile phones, internet mapping and surveying, have provided the transportation professional, industry and the general public a potential overwhelming wealth of information about personal travel, goods movement and system performance. While rapid change in the field of transportation is not unprecedented, the increase in information and ability to analyze and display information may be. At the same time, understanding and responding to the transportation needs has become greater and more complex. The transportation system in the United States continues to serve an increasing population and even faster increase in vehicle travel. More areas have become urbanized and some of the faster growing areas are in the smaller urban areas. Both personal trips and good movements are more diverse in origin and destination, time of day and purpose. The transportation system that will meet these increasing needs is aging. At the same time, there is increasing consideration of other societal goals in the development of transportation programs from promoting environmental stewardship to incorporating local community context. The role of transportation planning is changing to emphasize the movement of people and goods as well as environmental, social, economic, land development, and financial parameters of alternative futures. FHWA is being asked to assist the transportation community in addressing issues related to land development, economics, equity, congestion, and sustainability among others, within a transportation schema. This is reflected in the FHWA research agenda ? crosscutting and multi-disciplinary in response to the issues facing planners today. Within this context, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA), the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), the likely forthcoming re-authorization for surface transportation and closely related legislation such as the Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) charge FHWA and transportation planning at all levels of government with meeting the complex demands of identifying and responding to future transportation needs. In particular, ISTEA and TEA-21 promote the assessment of multi-modal transportation needs and the analysis of the transportation, environmental, economic and social impacts of proposed investment and operational alternatives in support of decision-making. Furthermore, the breadth of ISTEA and TEA-21 energized the role of the FHWA in providing support to the transportation planning community. Because of this, the research universe the FHWA operates in is fluid, dynamic, and flexible. To realize its research, development and technical assistance objectives, FHWA is seeking the support and cooperation of multi-disciplined research partners to meet the challenges of transportation planning as we continue into the twenty-first century. The ability to bring in specialists in various fields, including those outside traditional transportation disciplines, is of greater significance today than at any other time. The ability to retain flexible and responsive support, available at any time to research, assist, and answer the questions related to planning for a world class transportation system is of utmost importance. Purpose The purpose of this solicitation for FHWA is three fold: ?To develop innovative approaches for providing improving transportation planning and decision-making; ?To identify and test new channels of disseminating information and expertise; and ?To develop and build on successful research partnerships Transportation Planning Research Topic Areas The research will be targeted at specific needs and areas of interest that will support FHWA work in Planning Capacity Building as well as innovation in transportation planning process and decision-making, transportation and land use and transportation and community impacts. Topic Area #1: Transportation Planning in Large Cities Summary of Topic Area ? Very large central cities (cities with around or over one million population) have unique transportation issues. Very large cities and their infrastructure, both public and private, have high recognition in the United States and throughout the world as international gateways and destinations to people and goods that travel to the United States. As such they play an important role in the economic and cultural health and prestige of the country. Very large cities have high levels of congestion and delay in their transportation system as well as high levels of transportation system redundancy. In many cases they operate and manage legacy systems that no longer reliably serve contemporary transportation needs. The ability to plan and shape growth in very large cities is constrained by their very size, intensity of development and dramatic histories. The cost to plan and program transportation needs in very large cities and respond to the transportation and potentially competing public policy needs are immense. Many large cities have strong capacity, depth and resilience in both the government agencies and community-based and special interest organizations to assess and debate transportation needs. Accordingly, their planning needs are both complex and different in scale and substance from other jurisdictions in some metropolitan areas or from State, regional and local entities in other areas. Past studies focusing on transportation planning in very large cities have touched on themes including inter-jurisdictional coordination for traffic management, planning for pedestrians in large cities, and intermodal transportation links. Examples of Research Projects in Topic Area #1, Transportation Planning in Large Cities: ?The research partner may conduct research looking at inter-jurisdictional coordination within the metropolitan area and between large cities and State Departments of Transportation; and ?The research partner may conduct research on integration of and consideration for diverse and emerging public policies (such as infrastructure lifecycle management, system operation, community cohesion or policies supporting context sensitive solutions/ context sensitive design) within the transportation planning process. Examples of Product Proof of Concept/Testing and Innovative Processes: ?The FHWA research partner may test methods for promoting and supporting key policy networks for large cities in the field of transportation policy and management; ?The research partner may have facilities that can provide multimedia support for conferences, peer roundtables, workshops, education and training; and ?The research partner may test new methods for dissemination of original and other research using relevant publications and professional networks. Specific Examples of Expertise for Success in this Area: ?The FHWA research partner should demonstrate the ability to facilitate a dialogue among the cities over one million in population and peer cities; ?The research partner should demonstrate an understanding of complexity and variety of inter-jurisdictional relationships for large cities throughout the United States; and ?The research partner should demonstrate the ability to comprehend and summarize complex transportation issues in plain English for non-academic audiences. Topic Area #2: Transportation Planning for Rural Areas and Small Communities Summary of Topic Area: With constant changes in the field of transportation planning, it is increasingly important to ensure that transportation professionals and decision-makers located in the rural areas and small communities have access to tools and techniques developed for their unique needs and capacities. There are over 2,000 non-metropolitan Counties and hundreds of regional development districts outside of metropolitan areas in the United States. The transportation professionals and decision-makers frequently work in small and remote agencies so have less day-to-day contact with their peers to master the latest planning tools and techniques. They may not have the time, budget or staff to attend training or workshops on innovative planning tools. At the same time, a single transportation project in these areas may have considerable and long-lasting implications on the economic and social well being of the area. Accordingly, it is important that the professionals and decision-makers have the best available information about transportation needs and options so they can participate in the Statewide transportation planning process. Past research in this planning research focus area has included applying readily available data and analysis tools for understanding transportation needs, review of inter-governmental processes and identification of centers of support for rural and small community planning. Examples of Research Projects in the Topic Area: ?The FHWA research partner may conduct research on innovative techniques for providing remote training to professionals and decision-makers on the transportation planning process; ?The research partner may conduct research identifying illustrative examples of innovative transportation planning practice in rural areas and small communities; ?The research partner may synthesize information on emerging and current transportation issues facing rural communities in the 21st Century; ?The research partner may conduct research on evaluating and promoting innovative and measurable methods of dissemination to rural and small community audiences on transportation planning; and ?The research partner may assess methods for strengthening the capacity of non-metropolitan local officials on issues such as growth management that balances environmental, economic, and community concerns through community-driven solutions, preservation of local identity, and safeguarding natural and cultural resources. Examples of Product Proof of Concept/Testing and Innovative Processes: ?The FHWA research partner may pilot education and training opportunities for community, economic and rural development practitioners and policymakers; ?The research partner may test programs and publications for helping bridge the communication gap among citizens, practitioners, researchers and policymakers; ?The research partner may provide then evaluate innovative products that support and enhance the administration of county government in the United States on transportation planning; ?The research partner may conduct formal feedback and evaluation of county governments and non-metropolitan development agencies on transportation program research needs; and ?The research partner may test new concepts for operating a clearinghouse of technical assistance and information for county officials and other interested groups. Specific Examples of Expertise for Success in this Area: ?The FHWA research partner should demonstrate knowledge of multi-modal transportation planning; ?The research partner should demonstrate ability to assess transportation needs in rural areas and in small communities; ?The research partner should demonstrate the ability to facilitate the input and involvement of rural local officials in the planning and programming process both in meetings and through electronic networks; ?The research partner should demonstrate experience promoting peer networking and learning opportunities; ?The research partner should demonstrate experience with public-private partnerships and innovative ways of working together on issues such as the environment, sustainable communities and balancing local context with regional or Statewide needs. Topic Area #3: Inter-relationships between Transportation, Land Use and Markets Summary of Topic Area: The purpose of this focus area is to investigate and evaluate the theory and practice of integrating transportation and land use policy. The research is intended to improve the quality of debate and disseminate knowledge of critical issues in transportation and land policy by bringing together scholars, policy makers, practitioners and citizens with diverse backgrounds and experience. It is important in the exchange of insights and working toward a broader understanding of complex transportation, land use and infrastructure policies, that the research partner does not take a particular point of view, but rather serves as a catalyst to facilitate analysis and discussion of these issues to make a difference today and to help policy makers plan for tomorrow. Example of Research Projects in the Topic Area: ?The FHWA research partner may explore, identify or document innovative examples of how decision-makers weigh transportation, land use and economics together. Examples of Product Proof of Concept/Testing and Innovative Processes: ?The FHWA research partner may pilot executive courses where participants have the opportunity to exchange ideas with scholars and practitioners who have used or developed the latest land policy tools and techniques; ?The research partner may pilot professional development courses designed to assist the participants in developing useful skills and tools for their professional work; ?The research partner may test workshops, peer roundtables or other activity formats that provide participants with original insights and up-to-date information and unique opportunities for sharing and learning with peers and colleagues, and invaluable lessons that will assist the participants in their work; and ?The research partner may develop publications that evaluate the above training so that the results may be shared with non-participants. Specific Examples of Expertise for Success in the Topic Area: ?The FHWA research partner should demonstrate both an academic and practitioner understanding of the policy issues surrounding transportation and land use; ?The research partner should demonstrate high ability to provide a valuable learning environment to both advanced practitioners, transportation agency executives and elected and appointed decision-makers; and ?The research partner should demonstrate peer-recognized expertise on issues such as urban and regional planning and design, land conservation, the reuse of urban land, and the behavior of land and real estate markets in relationship to transportation investments, the relationship between urban and environmental systems; the planning process and its outcomes, the interplay of public and private roles in decisions in planning and investment while being conversant in the variations and differences in authority and context for decisions in different parts of the United States. General Requirements Deliverables ? The ability to communicate, both written and oral, for a wide variety of purposes is critical in the successful completion and implementation of projects. Communication may include translation and presentation of innovative transportation practices and tools. Communication also may include investigative interviews and other qualitative research techniques. All products submitted under this cooperative program will need to meet the FHWA requirements for published and electronic formats. All products will need to be Section 508 compliant. Typical formats for electronic deliverables include MS Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat PDF and HTML files. All products submitted under this program become the property of FHWA and may be disseminated or used for government purposes subsequent to the completion of the work. The developer of the material also will have continued incidental use of the products for the purpose of additional research or marketing but may not sell or offer the products without prior approval of FHWA. Proposals should demonstrate professional-level competencies at layout, design, editing and proofreading for both print publication and for posting on an Internet web site. Prior experience working with Federal Government Printing Office (GPO) standards and Federal Internet web sites are a bonus. Reporting ? Should a proposal be selected, the selected organization shall submit a brief monthly report until the work is completed. The report should describe in brief (e.g. in outline format) work completed the prior month, work anticipated in the upcoming month, approximate percent of work completed and approximate amount of resources expended. Submission Requirements Organizations that are interested in partnering with FHWA on planning research are invited to submit one or more proposals. Proposals should include: 1.The full name, address, point of contact, a telephone number, fax number and an electronic mail address for the organization; 2.The number and name of the research focus area for each proposal; 3.A detailed description of proposed work detailing the technical approach and research deliverables and period of performance (time line) for the work (up to five pages); 4.A cost proposal indicating staffing levels, hours, hard costs for the total project and amount of funding expected from FHWA; 5.Biographies of key staff including relevant expertise (up to three pages); 6.Description of facilities and equipment needed to support the proposal (up to three pages); and 7.Demonstration of successful and timely completion of past work in the area of the proposal (up to three pages but may include references to readily accessible documents) Timeline Submissions of proposals may be made by August 1, 2003. FHWA will review proposals within 30 days of receipt and inform submitters of approval, request for modification or denial based on evaluating the proposal against the criteria below and the availability of funds. Evaluation Criteria The principal basis for selecting proposals will be the technical importance to Agency programs and fund availability. The evaluation criteria are listed in order of relative importance. 1.Technical Importance and Innovation a)Completeness, thoroughness, and adequacy of the applicant?s work plan and technical approach in responding to the Statement of Objectives. b)Demonstrated likelihood of successful completion c)Innovative and streamlined approaches to completing deliverables and meeting project objectives d)Demonstration of necessary facilities and equipment to successfully perform the work as suggested under ?Examples of Research Products and Services? for each focus area 2.Cost of proposal/ funds leverage a) Ability to leverage FHWA funding b)Relationship of cost to staffing and technical approach c)Overall value of deliverables in support of FHWA planning research 3.Past performance related to proposed project a)Demonstrated knowledge and experience with Statewide and/or metropolitan transportation planning processes; b)Demonstrated knowledge and experience with methods of disseminating technical information to specific audiences (e.g. transportation professionals, transportation agency board members); c)Demonstration of specific factors listed under ?Examples of Research Projects? for each focus area d)Demonstration of factors listed under General Requirements. 4.Personnel resources and expertise a)Demonstrated education and experience qualifications for each proposed member of the project team b)Relationship of these qualifications to the project c)Realism of time commitment of proposed personnel d)Specific factors listed under ?Examples of Expertise for Success in this Area? for each focus area
- Place of Performance
- Address: Various
- Record
- SN00351787-W 20030621/030620004213 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
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