SOLICITATION NOTICE
A -- Commercial Remote Sensing & Spatial Information Technologies Program
- Notice Date
- 8/26/2011
- Notice Type
- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- Department of Transportation, Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Research, Development & Technology, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, District of Columbia, 20590, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20590
- Solicitation Number
- RITA-RS-11-01
- Archive Date
- 10/18/2011
- Point of Contact
- Caesar Singh, Phone: 202 366 3252
- E-Mail Address
-
caesar.singh@dot.gov
(caesar.singh@dot.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- U.S. Department of Transportation Research Innovative and Technology Administration (RITA) Research, Development and Technology Office, RDT-50 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 CONTACT INFORMATION: Through this Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), being issued on behalf of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is soliciting information and descriptions (White Papers) for activities to validate initiatives in support of the U.S. DOT Commercial Remote Sensing and Spatial Information (CRS&SI) technologies program for transportation infrastructure development and construction. At the level of the PRIME offeror (Applicant), competition is restricted to universities. Proposed SUB-Recipients may, however, be any kind of organization or individual, commercial or otherwise. Interested and eligible offerors may submit separate White Papers on one or more of the focus areas described in this announcement. Each White Paper on each focus area must not exceed fifteen (15) pages, including any appendices and back-up materials and must include the offeror's contact information: point of contact, telephone number, fax number and e-mail address. The paper shall be typed, double-spaced, using 12-point font, ARIAL, and printed on 8 1/2" x 11" paper. Separate White Papers must be submitted for each proposed project/focus area and multiple projects/initiatives cannot be combined into a single White Paper. SCOPE: The CRS&SI technology application program is authorized in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) (PL 109-59) § 5506. SAFETEA-LU authorized funding for this program. The U.S. DOT Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) manages the CRS&SI program. Because RITA intends to award multiple Cooperative Agreements from this BAA, it is unlikely that any one awardee (i.e., Recipient of a resulting Cooperative Agreement) would receive the entire amount of funding available under this Phase IV of the program. This SAFETEA-LU program focuses on major national initiatives and validation of CRS&SI technology applications which deliver smarter and more efficient methods, processes and services for transportation infrastructure development and construction. The program awards will be competitively selected from individual/consortia teams of university research entities working in partnership with industry and state agencies, and meeting the technical and cost sharing requirements of this announcement. These focus areas are chosen based on DOT priorities for CRS&SI technology applications for user services that have the potential to produce a high return on investment, in terms of saving costs and improving the efficiency and practices of infrastructure development, planning, construction and condition assessment procedures. Commercial remote sensing products include remote sensing technologies and data from above-ground platforms - e.g. satellites, aerial vehicles etc. Spatial information technology products include technologies and data from Geospatial Information Systems, Global Positioning Systems and other related services. The proposals should focus on CRS&SI technology products applicable to transportation infrastructure development and construction. The process of infrastructure development, planning, construction and condition assessment is burdened with challenges of collection and interpretation of data, adoption of innovative methods and timely implementation of new technologies. Therefore, in order to ensure safe and efficient movement of people and freight within the national transportation infrastructure system, this program is soliciting projects dedicated to reduce inefficiencies, improve system performance, and assess infrastructure condition through implementation of applied research. Specific focus areas for infrastructure development, planning, construction and condition assessment include: • Roadways:- asphalt and concrete construction quality assessment, pavement surface property assessment, pavement health monitoring of existing systems; un-surfaced road evaluation and maintenance • Structures:- network level inspection and evaluation tools/technologies for bridges, large culverts, tunnels, sign structures, etc. that provide quantitative data for planning, maintenance, post-hazard response, and management • Pipelines:- detection of system deficiencies and damage prevention • Waterway systems:- infrastructure planning and operations • Highway Facilities:- infrastructure planning and operations • Freight:- infrastructure planning and operations • Public Transportation:- system operations, maintenance and program development • Intelligent Transportation Systems:- infrastructure planning and operations • Planning:- urban/rural transportation infrastructure planning, design and operations. The proposed approach addressing any of the focus areas shall pursue the following objectives: 1. Apply and validate CRS&SI technologies to collect data and provide a framework for analysis in studies and projects related to infrastructure development design, planning and construction, 2. Apply advances in space-based technology applications to increase efficiency and safety, reduce congestion and shorten the time required to develop multimodal transportation options, 3. Apply concepts of CRS&SI technology integration and products to monitor the condition of constructed infrastructure systems and provide quantitative data to reduce/supplement components of current visual inspection procedures, 4. Develop and apply decision support systems using CRS&SI data and visualization techniques to effectively monitor/assess the condition of new/existing infrastructure systems, 5. Develop tools/products and effectively disseminate the results to relevant transportation user-communities such as academia, private sector and public sector agencies, and 6. Develop and execute a comprehensive project outreach program to effectively inform and disseminate project results and products to relevant transportation user-communities such as academia, private sector and public sector agencies. WHITE PAPERS: RITA is soliciting White Papers that address one or more of the focus areas outlined in this announcement (see above). A proposal must include a cost sharing contribution of at least half (50%), in accordance with SAFETEA-LU Section 5101 (a)(1) and (b), of the proposed project's cost to be considered. In other words, the grand total dollar amount of an Applicant's proposed cost-sharing contribution to the project must be equal to the total dollar amount of the Federal funding sought by the Applicant. Each White Paper must not exceed a total of 15 pages, including any appendices and backup materials and must include sufficient information to determine the probability of achieving the objectives of the focus area and to evaluate the following areas (All evaluation factors are of equal importance): 1) Technical approach and plans for validating the concept for transportation application; 2) Objectives addressing the focus area; 3) Background of the performing consortia team in related areas of technologies and space based technology application; 4) Proposed partnerships between cooperating consortia of university centers, industry and state agencies; and 5) Proposed cost and cost sharing contributions to perform the proposed project. EVALUATION AND SELECTION FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION: Based on evaluation of the responses received, the U.S. DOT may select one or more focus areas for awards and may choose to fund selected areas through Cooperative Agreements. As stated above, half (50%) cost sharing is required from proposing consortia teams to perform the tasks. Cost sharing may include direct, indirect and in-kind cost contributions and can be made collectively from the consortia of university research centers, industry and state agencies. Proposed partnerships and cost sharing arrangements need not be finalized in the White Papers submitted in response to this announcement; but proposed partnerships and cost-sharing arrangements will need to be finalized and presented in detail in any full proposals that RITA may hereafter request from the authors of the best White Papers submitted. The period of performance for completing each project and delivering results must not exceed 24 months. A panel of federal agency experts will review all White Papers received for responsiveness to the areas specified above. Each offeror submitting a White Paper meeting the criteria of this BAA and deemed worthy of further consideration will be notified of an opportunity for a detailed oral presentation. GENERAL INFORMATION: In all correspondence, please reference the BAA number. Six hard copies and one electronic copy of each White Paper shall be submitted. Hard copies shall be submitted via overnight delivery system to: Caesar Singh, P.E. Program Manager Office of Research Development & Technology Research and Innovative Technology Administration U. S. Department of Transportation Room: E33-123 1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E. Washington, D. C. 20590 Tel: (202) 366-3252 White Papers must be received in the above office not later than 4:00 PM, EDT, October 14, 2011. Because of continued security procedures, offerors should not send White Papers via regular mail, but should instead use a well-established commercial overnight delivery service. Electronic copies of the White Paper submission are to be sent to Caesar.singh@dot.gov. All inquiries concerning this announcement shall be directed to Mr. Singh. It is not required that you submit an electronic copy to FEDBIZOPPS.GOV. BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT: This FedBizOps notice constitutes the BAA as contemplated by FAR 6.102(d)(2). A formal Request for Proposals (RFP) or other type of solicitation regarding this announcement will not be issued. At the level of the PRIME Offeror (i.e., prime Applicant) RITA encourages the widest participation by UNIVERSITIES only, as consortium leaders. But at the level of the proposed SUB-Recipient, RITA encourages an even broader participation and involvement, not only by universities and other academic institutions, but also by corporations, non-profit organizations, small and small disadvantaged businesses, State or local governments, and individuals participating in teaming arrangements with the university research centers. White Papers submitted under this BAA will remain property of the Government and will not be returned to the offeror.
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