Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration HQ, 400 7th Street, SW, Room 5301, Washington, DC, 20590

B -- ROLLOVER STABILITY MEASUREMENTS FOR 2000 NEW CAR ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (NCAP) SOL DTNH22-00-R-02310 DUE 082800 POC Henrietta Mosley, Contract Specialist, Phone (202) 366-9570, Fax (202) 366-9555, Email hmosley@nhtsa.dot.gov WEB: Visit this URL for the latest information about this, http://www.eps.gov/cgi-bin/WebObjects/EPS?ACode=P&ProjID=DTNH22-00-R-02310&LocID=135. E-MAIL: Henrietta Mosley, hmosley@nhtsa.dot.gov. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration intends to negotiate with S.E.A. Inc., Columbus, Ohio for Static Stability Factor Measurements of Model Year 2001 light duty vehicles. NHTSA anticipates a need for accurate center-of-gravity (CG) height and track width measurements on a selection of approximately 70 light vehicles for the purpose of determining Static Stability Factor (SSF) of each vehicle. S.E.A, Inc., can provide testing and measurement services that meet the exacting accuracy and repeatability requirements that NHTSA has determined are necessary in our efforts to address the highway safety problem of light vehicle rollover. S.E.A., Inc., has in place the equipment and procedures to meet the technical requirements and schedule. Since NHTSA may choose to tie in the SSF measurements to its existing FY2001 New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), scheduling and through-put of tests must meet the rigid schedule that exists for NCAP crash testing. NHTSA conducted a pilot SSF measurement programin FY1998 and S.E.A., Inc., was the contractor for that program. It was a competitive procurement and S.E.A. was the only technically acceptable offeror. The services that NHTSA currently requires are of exactly the same type as those provided by S.E.A. in the FY1998 pilot program. The quantity for the currently required services is higher, but the scope is nearly the same. Static Stability Factor is a key determinant of a motor vehicle's resistance to rolling over in crashes. Whereas rollover crashes are a large proportion of serious crashes on the nation's highways, especially fatal ones, the Agency desires to quantify vehicle design characteristics that influence the likelihood of rolling over. Furthermore, since some types of vehicles roll over at a higher rate than others, NHTSA may decide to provide ratings based on Static Stability Factor to consumers as a basis for comparing the rollover resistance of new vehicles. The S.E.A. system, called the Vehicle Inertial Measurement Facility (VIMF), is a state-of-the-art testing mechanism with high structural rigidity, robust and simplified vehicle restraint mechanism with known inertial properties, and a software driven control and data acquisition system that hastens and simplifies CG height measurement. Most importantly, the design and construction of the VIMF was preceded by a thorough theoretical analysis of the sources of error present in pendulum-based CG height measurement systems. The results of that analysis were used in the design and construction of the VIMF and are accounted for in its operation. S.E.A, Inc., is uniquely equipped to determine SSF of a vehicle in a highly accurate and repeatable way. To the best of NHTSA's knowledge, the VIMF is the only commercially available system of its kind in existence. While other techniques and procedures exist for CG height measurement, they do not have sufficient accuracy and their repeatability is unproven. For this effort, the contractor shall obtain test vehicles by renting or leasing or by another business arrangement at the contractor's discretion. The contractor shall obtain one of each of the vehicle make/models selected by the Government. Each vehicle shall be new or in as-new condition (e.g., dealer demo). The contractor shall be responsible for all aspects of acquisition of test vehicles for the performance of this contract, including transportation, taxes, registration, warranties, paperwork, tolls, fuel, maintenance, and any and all associated costs. The contractor shall prepare each vehicle for testing and measurement. The contractor shall determine the Static Stability Factor (SSF) of each test vehicle in a driver-only loading configuration. Each test vehicle shall have an anthropomorphic test dummy or a similar device, furnished by the contractor placed in the driver seating position of the test vehicle for the measurements. The contractor may also be required to determine the Static Stability Factor of the test vehicle in a four-occupant loading configuration. Interested firms must show that they have the capability to meet the work requirements. Oral expressions of interest will not be considered. Written expressions of interest must include sufficiently detailed information to demonstrate that interested firms have, or have access to, the requisite equipment and facilities to conduct the required testing/measurements. This information shall also demonstrate that the interested firm has the necessary professional qualifications and relevant experience. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed effort based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purposes of determining whether to conduct a competitive acquisition. In the absence of responses from interested firms demonstrating their capability, NHTSA intends to request a proposal from S.E.A, Inc., on a noncompetitive basis for the work described. Responses must be received by the listed procuring office within 15 calendar days from thedate of publication of this notice. The anticipated period of performance is twelve (12) months. A Fixed Price per test type contract is anticipated Posted 07/13/00 (D-SN474341). (0195)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0015 20000717\B-0003.SOL)

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