SOURCES SOUGHT
B -- Variable Message Signs (VMS)
- Notice Date
- 5/14/2008
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Public Debt (BPD), Division of Procurement, Avery 5F, 200 Third Street, Parkersburg, West Virginia, 26106-5312
- ZIP Code
- 26106-5312
- Solicitation Number
- RFI-ABA-08-0026
- Point of Contact
- Mary Crouser,, Phone: (304) 480-8762, Gina Hanna,, Phone: (304) 480-7181
- E-Mail Address
-
mary.crouser@bpd.treas.gov, Gina.Hanna@bpd.treas.gov
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The Bureau of Public Debt, on behalf the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) seeks a contractor who can provide consulting services to recommend readability criteria for dynamic text in variable message signs (VMS). This is a Sources Sought Notice and not a request for quotations. The purpose of this announcement is to determine the number of potential qualified Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses, Hubzone, Small, or Large Businesses who can furnish the services below. Please provide your size standard and your Duns # for your business. Please provide a synopsis of your capabilities to provide the services as stated below. Please discuss any similar services currently or previously performed. PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT PROJECT CONSULTING SERVICES TO RECOMMEND READABILITY CRITERIA FOR DYNAMIC TEXT IN VARIABLE MESSAGE SIGNS (VMS) BACKGROUND Variable message signs (VMS) must often present more information than will fit in a single view. Longer messages will therefore be displayed in a dynamic format, either by paging or by some form of scrolling or streaming. [Paging information is static, but a number of pages of information are shown sequentially to convey the full message; scrolling moves the text down the sign from the top to the bottom; streaming moves the text across the sign from right to left]. A working group of the ANSI A117.1 committee is developing standards for dynamic sign displays. The committee has asked the Access Board to support research that will determine the effect of moving signage on the comprehension of readers who have vision impairments. The research shall identify a speed of presentation that is appropriate and effective for low-vision users for each dynamic format -- paged, scrolled, and streamed text. OBJECTIVE The objective of this project is to assess the readability of dynamically displayed text by readers who have vision loss. The project will identify the optimum display speed for each of the three types of dynamic display format and will assess the relative usability to low-vision readers of the three types being investigated. Existing findings suggest that streaming has the highest utility, but the research is far from definitive. PROJECT DESCRIPTION This is anticipated to be a three-phase, multi-year project. Phase 1 will assess the current state of practice and provide an annotated synthesis of the research literature on dynamic VMS with emphasis on issues related to visually impaired sign readers. Phase 2 will plan and develop human factors research that can test the usability of a range of VMS features and Phase 3 will conduct that research and provide a report of findings to the Board. TASKS AND DELIVERABLES Phase 1: Literature and State of the Art/Practice Review A synthesis of the state-of-the art and state-of-the-practice in VMS design and operation will be conducted with special emphasis on the technology and limits of dynamic text displays. This task may be accomplished through a research and literature review and interviews with manufacturers of VMS devices, both domestic and international. A concurrent study of relevant issues in the literature/practice of low-vision research shall also be undertaken. Phase 1 results shall be used in Phase 2 to isolate a candidate set of dynamic VMS treatments that shall be tested for effectiveness in Phase 3. Phase 2: Develop Detailed Testing Plan This phase shall consist of the development of a detailed test plan to evaluate the candidate set of dynamic VMS treatments identified in Phase 1. The research plan shall use the standard scientific method including identifying the problem, developing testable hypotheses, testing those hypotheses, analyzing the results of those tests, and formulating conclusions and recommendations based on the results. The plan shall include details of the methodology and procedures used, including the type of VMS used in the research, the types of dynamic displays tested, the speeds of presentation that shall be evaluated, the number of subjects and the types and severity of their visual impairments, and the kinds of statistical analyses that shall be used. The test plan shall be delivered to the Access Board at the conclusion of this phase for review and approval. Phase 3: Conduct Human Factors Research This phase shall involve implementing the test plan developed in Phase 2. This shall entail acquiring and setting up the experimental apparatus, recruiting, scheduling, and testing the subjects, and collecting, organizing, and analyzing the data. This shall lead to the development of recommendations for the use of dynamic text on VMS for readers who have vision impairments. At the conclusion of Phase 3 the contractor shall provide the Access Board with a report detailing all aspects of the data collection effort. PRINT AND ELECTRONIC ACCESSIBILITY Print documents shall be provided in standard black and white reproducible print, in large print, and on disk in a Word/Windows 2000 file with a text description of all figures and charts. Graphic elements, such as photographs, drawings, icons, charts, graphs, etc., shall be provided as separate non-embedded files in GIF or JPEG format. Information or data in tabular or columnar form shall be presented within a table, not by using tab spacing or text boxes. For tables other than those having simple rows and columns (i.e., those with split columns or rows), a straight text alternative shall be provided. In addition, electronic files of all documents shall be provided, coded in PDF format and in HTML format following the Board’s standards for electronic and information technology (36 CFR 1194.23 (c)). Internet-ready and presentation software shall include text descriptions in "alt" tags for all graphic images. Audio files shall be accompanied by text transcripts. Video files shall be captioned (e.g., using SAMI or other appropriate technologies). Interested offerors may register at http://www.fedbizopps.gov to receive notification when the solicitation and any amendments are issued and available for downloading. Please note that the General Services Administration provides the notification service as a convenience and does not guarantee that notifications will be received by all persons on the mailing list. Therefore, we recommend that you monitor the FedBizOpps site for all information relevant to desired acquisitions. If the Internet option is not available to you, you may receive a copy of the solicitation and any amendments by faxing your request to (304) 480-7204 or e-mailing your request to psb3@bpd.treas.gov.
- Web Link
-
FedBizOpps Complete View
(https://www.fbo.gov/?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=84334fd95f569a6a4d00fc3a9350b327&tab=core&_cview=1)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Washington, District of Columbia, 20005, United States
- Zip Code: 20005
- Zip Code: 20005
- Record
- SN01572935-W 20080516/080514220207-84334fd95f569a6a4d00fc3a9350b327 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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