SOLICITATION NOTICE
A -- Innovation in Technologies to Support the Storage, Retrieval, and Utilization of 3-D Utility Location Data in Highway Renewal
- Notice Date
- 3/10/2009
- Notice Type
- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- The National Academies, Transportation Research Board, Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2), 500 Fifth Street NW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20001
- ZIP Code
- 20001
- Solicitation Number
- SHRP2_R01-A
- Archive Date
- 5/6/2009
- Point of Contact
- Chuck Taylor,, Phone: 202-334-2065, Linda Mason,, Phone: 202-334-3241
- E-Mail Address
-
ctaylor@nas.edu, lmason@nas.edu
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- SHRP 2 Request for Proposals Focus Area: Renewal Project Number: R01-A Project Title: Innovation in Technologies to Support the Storage, Retrieval, and Utilization of 3-D Utility Location Data in Highway Renewal Date Posted: March 10, 2009 SHRP 2 Background To address the challenges of moving people and goods efficiently and safely on the nation's highways, Congress has created the second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2). SHRP 2 is a targeted, short-term research program carried out through competitively awarded contracts to qualified researchers in the academic, private, and public sectors. SHRP 2 addresses four strategic focus areas: the role of human behavior in highway safety (Safety); rapid highway renewal (Renewal); congestion reduction through improved travel time reliability (Reliability); and transportation planning that better integrates community, economic, and environmental considerations into new highway capacity (Capacity). Under current legislative provisions, SHRP 2 will receive approximately $150 million with total program duration of 7 years. Renewal Focus Area The U.S. highway system is aging and must be rebuilt while we are driving on it and living next to it. Research in the SHRP 2 Renewal focus area therefore addresses the need to develop a consistent, systematic approach to completing highway projects quickly, with minimal disruption to the community, and producing facilities that are long-lasting. Identifying new technologies for locating underground utilities; developing procedures to speed the evaluation of designs and the inspection of construction; and applying new methods and materials for preserving, rehabilitating, and reconstructing roadways and bridges are among the goals for this focus area. Alternative strategies for contracting, financing, and managing projects and mitigating institutional barriers also are part of the emphasis on rapid renewal. The renewal scope applies to all classes of roads. Project Background It is commonly held among transportation officials that the accurate location and characterization of utilities (both above and below ground) and other similar facilities, especially deeply-buried ones, and their timely protection or relocation is a major factor in preventing delays in highway renewal projects. Such delays can extend the period of project development and impede construction delivery as documented in the final report for SHRP 2 Project R01, "Encouraging Innovation in Locating and Characterizing Underground Utilities." Inaccurate location of utilities contributes to traffic and community disruption when service lines are encountered unexpectedly or access by utility repair crews is blocked by construction activities. Inadvertent damage to underground utilities can lead to environmental damage or even put the health and safety of construction workers and the public at risk. Because utilities often are co-located on highway rights of way, renewal projects are vulnerable to utility-related delay and disruption. It is important to develop accurate plans that fully consider utilities and, by knowing this information early in the project development process, develop effective and cost-efficient strategies to protect or relocate the utility or provide alternative service to utility customers if service must be interrupted temporarily. Currently, many underground utilities are difficult to locate and characterize and often impede progress of transportation projects. Utilities can become "lost" as construction alters the landscape and pre-existing benchmarks are removed. In the worst cases, no information exists until the utility is encountered during construction. These situations often result in significant delays to construction because work is suspended while utilities are relocated or the facility is redesigned. Unplanned service interruptions have even wider impact on communities served by the utility. The importance of this topic has led to an increased focus by project and utility owners in recent years as the current capabilities are taxed by renewal projects of increasing complexity. Project Objective This project is intended to identify best practices for modeling, structuring, storing, retrieving, visualizing, and integrating 3-D utility data and to develop an innovative approach that leverages recent advances in technologies including, but not limited to, global positioning systems (GPS), ground penetrating radar, and geographical information systems (GIS). These practices would improve the quality and efficiency of storing, retrieving, and utilizing utility records include active and passive detection equipment, with three-dimensional positional and structural information. The project is also intended to demonstrate the collection, management, and use of such information in a multi-utility environment. The overall objective is to reduce the time spent on repeatedly "refinding" known utilities so that resources can be focused on unknown or previously mis-recorded utilities and so that an increasingly comprehensive record of utility information beneath public rights-of-way can be created. Project Scope The project is intended to develop alternative strategies for acquiring 3-D utility location data and implement a pilot project within a defined geographic area including a number of participating utilities. The project will provide a demonstration of the access control, data security, data pedigree (based on the Standard Guidelines for the Collection and Depiction of Existing Subsurface Utility Data CI/ASCE 38-02), positioning uncertainty, available characterization data, and liability issues that would be faced in a full-scale implementation of the system. On-going database management issues, data ownership, and data sharing shall be discussed. Providing documented examples of solutions to these administrative and legal issues is an important part of the project. The project should include implementation of positional and structural data capture involving the participating agency and the participating utilities for new utility installations and exposure of existing utilities, and the removal or updating of the status of those utilities that may have undergone relocation. The project shall include the pilot implementation of computerized utilities' data, maps, and models. This implementation will be used in utility locating and characterization for design purposes, and for damage prevention in excavation or construction projects. Existing laws and best practices regarding utility damage prevention should be followed. The advantages and disadvantages of the proposed approaches should be recorded. The proposer may include one or more technology providers; a transportation, municipal, or other public works agency with the responsibility for permitting and construction within utility corridors or public rights-of-way; and at least two independent utilities that have agreed to participate in the demonstration project. It is anticipated that the proposer may have existing software and/or hardware either in commercial use, prototype development, or in the research stage. The proposal should disclose how the proposed approach will improve on the current status of the technology development and implementation. Proposers are encouraged to provide data to show the current capabilities of the proposer's technology, including horizontal and vertical positional accuracy and any improvements in data modeling and management. Information about the prior use of such technologies in connection with projects should be verified by a client or consultant who is not financially connected to the technology development. It is important that sufficient technical information be provided in the proposal to allow the technical reviewers to assess the likelihood of significant advances over current technology. The proposers should also demonstrate familiarity with existing national and international approaches to this problem (e.g., the U.K. VISTA/Mapping the Underworld (MTU) initiative, the Virginia pilot study of GPS-based One-Call ticketing and other commercial developments in the public domain). The proposal must include plans for coordination with SHRP 2 projects R01-B and R01-C. Project Tasks Task descriptions are intended to provide a framework for conducting the research. SHRP 2 is seeking the insights of proposers on how best to achieve the research objectives. Proposers are expected to describe research plans that can realistically be accomplished within the constraints of available funds and contract time. Proposals must present the proposers' current thinking in sufficient detail to demonstrate their understanding of the issues and the soundness of their approach for meeting the research objectives. Phase I: Development of Strategic Approaches Task 1: Prepare an expanded project plan across all proposed phases with detailed technology development and evaluation milestones (these should amplify those presented in the proposal but be consistent with the proposal plans and schedule). The project plan should identify cycles of prototype refinement, testing, and evaluation. This plan should be completed within three (3) months of the contract award. It will be presented for review and approval to the SHRP 2 staff. Task 2: Perform an international literature review to research, assess and identify a best practices model from examples of existing coordinated 3-D mapping/modeling protocols and projects involving multiple utilities. Task 3: Develop three alternative implementation strategies to support the modeling, storage, retrieval, and utilization of 3-D utility locational and attribution data. Recommend the preferred approach for pilot implementation. Task 4: Prepare a Phase I report that documents the results of tasks 1-3. The report shall include a pilot implementation plan and discuss mechanisms for sustaining, expanding, and evolving the approach. Phase II: Pilot Study Operation and Reporting After approval of the Phase I Report, and on receipt of direction to proceed, conduct the following tasks: Task 5: Proof-of-concept implementation: Develop a prototype data model and system architecture for the preferred approach for the Phase II pilot implementation. Develop detailed procedures that will guide the participating utilities or agencies in implementing the data model and system architecture for the pilot. This information should include who is authorized to collect data for input into the system, the format/specification for the data, the QA/QC procedures for data validation (as in CI/ASCE 38-02), the hierarchy of access controls versus accuracy and extent of data provided, response times for incorporating the data into the system, etc. Task 6: Pilot implementation, evaluation, and operation of selected approach: The pilot project should operate for a minimum period of one (1) year in a specified geographic area and in accordance with an agreement developed with the technology providers, the host agency, and the participating utilities. Task 7: Prepare a final report and presentation kit that documents the project and the results of the pilot study. The principal audiences of the report are agencies, utilities, and municipalities that might consider adopting the demonstrated approach. Propose a preferred standard or specification for: • data capture • data display • model visualization • maintenance management. Recommend the best standards development organization or other agency to develop these standards. The report shall discuss mechanisms for sustaining, expanding, and evolving the approach in a vendor-neutral configuration. Note 1: The technical proposal shall not exceed 30 pages and the management proposal shall not exceed 10 pages (use 12 point type with at least 1-inch borders). Additional appendices may be included, but these will not be considered in the proposal evaluation. Note 2: This project is based, in part, on recommendations developed in a previous SHRP 2 Renewal project, R01 "Encouraging Innovation in Locating and Characterizing Underground Utilities." A PDF file containing the R01 contractor's draft final report is available on request. This project is one of three that build on Project R01 that address underground utility location and characterization. The others are R01-B, Multisensor Platforms for Locating Underground Utilities and R01-C Innovations to Expand The Locatable Zone For Underground Utilities. The research team for this project will be expected to coordinate regularly with the teams working on these other projects. Deliverables • Task 1 results and documentation • Phase I Report documenting Tasks 1 through 4 • Final Report • Quarterly progress reports • Two (2) interim meetings with SHRP 2 staff: one (1) in Washington, DC and one (1) at the contractor's facility • Telephone conference calls, as needed • One (1) interim meeting with the Technical Coordinating Committee in Washington, DC; Irvine, CA; or Woods Hole, MA. Funds Available: Not to exceed $1.0 million for the entire project. Contract Period: Thirty (30) months for the entire project Responsible Staff: Chuck Taylor, ctaylor@nas.edu, 202-334-2065 Authorization to Begin Work: September 2009, anticipated Proposals (20 single-bound copies) are due not later than 4:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on April 21, 2009 This is a firm deadline, and extensions simply are not granted. In order to be considered, all 20 copies of the agency's proposal accompanied by the executed, unmodified Liability Statement must be in our offices not later than the deadline shown, or they will be rejected. Delivery Address PROPOSAL-SHRP 2 ATTN: Neil F. Hawks Director, Strategic Highway Research Program 2 Transportation Research Board 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 Phone: 202-334-1430 Liability Statement The signature of an authorized representative of the proposing agency is required on the unaltered statement in order for SHRP 2 to accept the agency's proposal for consideration. Proposals submitted without this executed and unaltered statement by the proposal deadline will be summarily rejected. An executed, unaltered statement indicates the agency's intent and ability to execute a contract that includes the provisions in the statement. Here is a printable version of the Liability Statement ( http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/shrp2/LiabilityStatement.pdf ). A free copy of the Adobe Acrobat PDF reader is available t http://www.adobe.com. The Liability Statement is included as Figure 1 in the Manual for Conducting Research and Preparing Proposals for SHRP 2 referred to in General Note 4. General Notes 1. Proposals will be evaluated by SHRP 2 staff and Expert Task Groups (ETGs) consisting of individuals collectively very knowledgeable in the problem area. Selection of an agency is made by the SHRP 2 Oversight Committee, based on the recommendation from SHRP 2 staff and the ETG. The following factors are considered: (1) the proposer's demonstrated understanding of the problem; (2) the merit of the proposed research approach and experimental design; (3) the experience, qualifications, and objectivity of the research team in the same or closely related problem area; (4) the proposer's plan for participation by disadvantaged business enterprises (DBEs)-small firms owned and controlled by minorities or women; and (5) the adequacy of facilities. TRB and the SHRP 2 Oversight Committee strongly encourage the significant participation of DBEs in SHRP 2 research contracts. Although no quota is specified nor is DBE participation mandated, the proposer's plan for involvement of DBEs is a factor in contractor selection, and the contractor's adherence to its DBE plan will be monitored during the contract period. Contractors are required to submit periodic reports comparing actual with proposed payments to DBEs. The Contractor Expression of Interest section of the SHRP 2 website is a resource for proposers interested in participating on research teams. This database is being enhanced and will be renamed the Research Team Builder. 2. Any clarifications regarding this RFP will be posted on the SHRP 2 web site ( http://www.trb.org/shrp2/ ). Announcements of such clarifications will be posted on the front page and, when possible, will be noted in the TRB e-newsletter. Proposers are advised to check the web site frequently until March 26, 2009, when no further comments will be posted. 3. According to the provisions of Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 21, which relates to nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs, all parties are hereby notified that the contract entered into pursuant to this announcement will be awarded without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or disability. 4. The essential features required in a proposal for research are detailed in the Manual for Conducting Research and Preparing Proposals for SHRP 2 ( http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/shrp2/PreparingSHRP2Reports.pdf ). Proposals must be prepared according to this document, and attention is directed specifically to Section IV for mandatory requirements. Proposals that do not conform to these requirements will be rejected. 5. The total funds available are made known in the project statement, and line items of the budget are examined to determine the reasonableness of the allocation of funds to the various tasks. If the proposed total cost exceeds the funds available, the proposal is rejected. 6. All proposals become the property of the Transportation Research Board. Final disposition will be made according to the policies thereof, including the right to reject all proposals. IMPORTANT NOTICE Potential proposers should understand that the research project described herein is tentative. The final content of the program depends on the level of funding made available. Nevertheless, to be prepared to execute research contracts as soon as possible after sponsors' approvals, the Strategic Highway Research Program is assuming that the tentative program will become official in its entirety and is proceeding with requests for proposals and selections of research agencies.
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