This is a sources sought for written information only and an intent to award a sole source contract. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Acquisition Management (OAM) intends to negotiate on a sole source basis a contract with The Ohio State University ? Engineering Research Services, 224 Bolz Hall, 2036 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210-1226. The Government does intend to award a sole source contract on the basis of this notice if no other responses are received. In preparation for an upcoming procurement, the Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is conducting market research to determine potential sources for services to consolidate, various professional and technical services including faculty, students and University Foundation personnel for research activities in the areas of crashworthiness, crash avoidance, intelligent vehicles, biomechanics, and investigations into possible defects of motor vehicles or motor vehicle components in order to advance the state-of-the-art of motor vehicle and traffic safety. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 541720. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL OR COST PROPOSALS. This is a request for interested potential offerors to submit a brief capability statement demonstrating how they plan to meet the requirements in the draft Statement of Work (SOW). Submissions shall be limited to no more than ten pages 10 pages, one-sided, minimum font size 10 by February 15, 2008 no later than 3:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. Standard brochures and paraphrasing of the SOW will not be considered a sufficient response to this notice. Submitted capability statements should include the following: (1) Name of vendor; (2) Contact information (address, telephone, facsimile, e-mail); and (3) Technical description of capabilities in meeting the requirement. Organizations should submit an electronic copy of the requested information to Contract Specialist Terry L. McBee, at [email protected]. No feedback will be provided regarding individual capabilities statements. No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this announcement and/or any follow-up information requests. No telephone calls and/or requests for a solicitation will be accepted or acknowledged. The point of contact for this action is Contract Specialist Terry L. McBee, at [email protected]. Statement of Work Introduction: The Vehicle Research and Test Center (VRTC) is the research, development, test and evaluation facility for the U. S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). VRTC is located in East Liberty, Ohio in Building 60, on the property of the Transportation Research Center. VRTC provides in-house expertise and conducts hands-on research and test activities to support NHTSA requirements. VRTC is involved in development of scientific and technical support for the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), research activities in the areas of crashworthiness, crash avoidance, intelligent vehicles, biomechanics, and investigations into possible defects of motor vehicles or motor vehicle components. VRTC personnel plan and monitor interactive long-term and quick reaction projects in order to advance the state-of-the-art of motor vehicle and traffic safety. Background: The Vehicle Research and Test Center has maintained a contractual relationship with a major research university for many years to provide engineering, medical, and biomechanical expertise, facilities and services covering a wide range of subject areas. Areas of expertise and services required has included mechanical engineering, mechanical design, electrical engineering, vehicle dynamics, metallurgy, biomechanical engineering, a willed-body program and post-mortem human subject testing, pathology, orthopedic surgery, pediatric medicine, trauma surgery, anatomy, radiology, material science, material testing. Any or all of these services could be requested to be provided in a timely and cost effective manner on a task order basis under the basic indefinite quantity contract. Period of Performance: This procurement request initiates negotiation of a contract for 5 years. Contract Type: The current contract was issued as an indefinite quantity, cost reimbursement/level of effort contract. This appears to be the type required by educational institutions where OMB regularly audits and sets indirect cost rates. Cost: This contract does not obligate funds other than those required as the minimum obligation of the government. The minimum obligation will be met by the issuance of the first task order against the new contract award. Subsequent obligations will be provided by Task Order Issuance for program requirements. Costs should be provided for personnel (professors, graduate students, professional staff, laboratory staff and other support personnel) and for facilities and services as identified below under Description. Source Justification: Sources will be sought that can meet the contract requirements including: The responding organization: 1. must have a willed body program that can provide twelve to twenty post-mortem human subjects (PMHS) for impact injury biomechanics research. The subjects must be available within twenty-four hours of death and be in the median range of height, weight and physical condition and be less than eighty years of age. 2. must have a travel time from VRTC to the responding institution, and all facilities, of approximately one hour, or less, by car such that VRTC staff, graduate students and professors can collaborate and interact for testing, autopsy, data analysis, presentation and discussion. A one hour travel time limit will facilitate the efficient movement of PMHS to and from VRTC, when necessary, without deterioration of the subject or detrimental effects on the health of the staff involved in testing. 3. must have graduate programs in engineering and both Ph.D. and Masters students who are interested in impact injury biomechanics, vehicle dynamics and crash safety research projects. 4. must have engineering professors, medical doctors and technical support staff with proven expertise and interest in PMHS testing, the biomechanics of impact injury, vehicle dynamics and crash safety. 5. must have the necessary facilities for handling, testing, dissecting, storing and disposing of PMHS. 6. must have available the diagnostic laboratory and equipment facilities to support the Statement of Work and the professional expertise to use and interpret the diagnostic methodologies. 7. must have an Internal Review Board (IRB) to review research proposals in a timely and efficient manner and provide feedback and decisions on experimental methodology and ethical appropriateness. Requirements: The Vehicle Research and Test Center requires support personnel, facilities and services in the following areas: Organization and management: A management structure and designated responsible individual(s) demonstrating an organizational commitment by the university to provide coordinated inter-disciplinary research support to VRTC in the areas of Vehicular Injury Biomechanics, Crashworthiness, Crash Avoidance and Defects Analysis. Biomechanics: Personnel, Expertise and Experience 1. Anatomy-demonstrated knowledge of the adult and pediatric human body; skill at dissection; experience working with fresh, un-embalmed and embalmed human cadaver subjects; invasive and non-invasive techniques for instrumenting human cadaver subjects with accelerometers, displacement potentiometers, pressure transducers and other similar instrumentation; invasive and non-invasive techniques for re-pressurizing arterial, venous and air vessels of human cadaver subjects to physiologic levels. 2. Radiology-demonstrated knowledge of CT, MRI, PET/EBT, DEXA-scan, fluoroscopy and ultrasound techniques for living and cadaveric subjects; experience in identifying and categorizing injury and other pathology in living and cadaveric subjects using radiologic methods; experience with high-speed radiologic techniques for real-time analysis of impact experiments on human cadaver subjects. 3. Surgery- demonstrated knowledge and experience working with adult and pediatric fresh, un-embalmed and embalmed human cadaver subjects; invasive and non-invasive techniques for instrumenting human cadaver subjects with accelerometers, displacement potentiometers, pressure transducers and other similar instrumentation; invasive and non-invasive techniques for re-pressurizing arterial, venous and air vessels of human cadaver subjects to physiologic levels. 4. Pathology- demonstrated knowledge and skill at dissection; experience working with fresh, un-embalmed and embalmed human cadaver subjects; experience at identifying and categorizing injury and other pathology in fresh, un-embalmed and embalmed human cadaveric subjects. 5. Orthopedics-demonstrated knowledge and experience working with adult and pediatric fresh, un-embalmed and embalmed human cadaver subjects; invasive and non-invasive techniques for instrumenting human cadaver subjects with accelerometers, displacement potentiometers, pressure transducers and other similar instrumentation; experience at identifying and categorizing skeletal injury and other skeletal pathology in fresh, un-embalmed and embalmed human cadaveric subjects. Biology ? Demonstrated knowledge and experience in human cellular structure and response to external mechanical stimuli for living and cadaveric tissue. 6. Ophthalmology- demonstrated knowledge and experience with the structures of the adult and pediatric eye; demonstrated knowledge and experience with trauma from impact to the adult and pediatric eye; experience working with fresh, un-embalmed and embalmed human cadaveric eyes, animal surrogate eyes; invasive and non-invasive techniques for instrumenting human cadaveric eyes with accelerometers, displacement potentiometers, pressure transducers and other similar instrumentation; experience at identifying and categorizing eye injury and other pathology in fresh, un-embalmed and embalmed human and animal cadaveric eyes. 7. Geriatrics-demonstrated knowledge and experience with structural changes and response to external mechanical stimuli (impact) to the aging human. 8. Pediatrics- demonstrated knowledge of the pediatric human body and the structural development and response to external mechanical stimuli (impact), pediatric anthropometry and pediatric joint range-of-motion; skill at dissection; experience working with fresh, un-embalmed and embalmed human cadaver subjects; invasive and non-invasive techniques for instrumenting human cadaver subjects with accelerometers, displacement potentiometers, pressure transducers and other similar instrumentation; invasive and non-invasive techniques for re-pressurizing arterial, venous and air vessels of human cadaver subjects to physiologic levels. 9. Engineering-demonstrated knowledge and experience, as applied to the human body being subjected to external mechanical stimuli, in the areas of structures, solid mechanics, stress and strain analysis, kinematics and kinetics, material properties, constitutive relationships for elastic and inelastic materials and mathematical modeling. 10. Mathematical modeling - demonstrated knowledge and experience in FE methods applied to human biomechanics, specifically demonstrated knowledge and experience in DYNA-3D and its derivative programs as well as other explicit and implicit FE codes; ADAMS, MADYMO and other lumped parameter dynamics codes; the ability to use these codes, to modify them and to develop new codes for special purposes. 11. Data acquisition-demonstrated knowledge and experience in high-speed data acquisition for impact testing including set-up, calibration, programming, trouble-shooting, instrumentation interface, data storage and archiving, data downloading and processing and plotting and delivery of data using various media. Statistical Analysis and Experimental Design-demonstrated knowledge and experience in designing experiments, analyzing experimental data and numerical modeling. 12. Injury Data Collection and Analysis - demonstrated knowledge and experience in setting up and maintaining a database of injury cases; using the NASS, CDS, GES and CIREN databases; analyzing data from these and other sources to elucidate injury mechanisms, trends in injuries caused, injury outcomes and injury causation. Services and Facilities: 1. A willed body donor program that can provide post-mortem human subjects (PMHS) for research on human response and tolerance to impact loading through experimental impact and other trauma producing studies. These studies must be approved by an in-house Institutional Review Board. Proximity to VRTC is critical to allow reasonable travel time for personnel from VRTC to be involved in all aspects of the project. 2. Morgue services for storage, both frozen and fresh, of PMHS for experimental testing research; facilities and tools for instrumentation and dissection of test subjects; proper waste and disposal services for human tissue, proper training (blood-borne pathogen) and personal protective equipment for contractor staff, laundry and clean-up services. 3. Quick response blood testing for HIV, hepatitis, and other communicable pathogens. 4. Imaging services for X-ray, CT scan, MRI, PET/EBT, DEXA-scan, fluoroscopy, ultrasound, etc. Impact testing lab with appropriate space for impact testing of PMHS including surgical tools and equipment for instrumenting PMHS, protecting all personnel, cleaning up and disposing of waste. 5. Material testing laboratory with facilities and services for material testing including specimen testing of human tissue and low and high strain rates including instrumentation and data acquisition. 6. Digital still cameras and digital video cameras for documentation of experimental protocols, set-up and results. Data archival and delivery services in the NHTSA ENTREE format. 7. Work will be performed by faculty, professional staff, and graduate or undergraduate students. Crash Avoidance Expertise and Experience - Demonstrated ability to operate and analyze results from vehicle dynamics simulations. - Demonstrated ability to assist in the performance of complex, theoretically demanding analyses. - Demonstrated ability to provide statistical analysis services in the vehicle dynamics area. - Demonstrated ability to participate in the development of improved driver detection/reaction performance, driver/vehicle compatibility and vehicle response metrics. - Demonstrated ability to assist in development and assessment of intelligent vehicle systems. - Demonstrated ability to analyze current and future safety performance of medium and heavy vehicles. - Demonstrated ability to improve medium and heavy vehicle design and performance characteristics related to braking, electronic stability control, and driver/vehicle interaction. - Demonstrated ability to perform controlled performance tests and in-service field evaluations of existing and advanced technology truck braking systems. - Demonstrated ability to provide human factor?s expertise for test plan development and execution and analysis of test results. - Demonstrated ability to provide optics expertise for equipment development and component testing. Services and Facilities: Work will be performed by faculty, professional staff, and graduate students. Crash Avoidance research will generally be performed at VRTC or on the facilities of the Transportation Research Center (TRC). Limited use may be made of off-VRTC/TRC premises office and garage space. Crashworthiness Expertise and Experience - Demonstrated ability to participate in the design and evaluation of test matrices to study the effects and interactions of active and passive restraint systems. - Demonstrated ability to develop, design, and test advanced restraint systems. - Demonstrated ability to participate in crash and HYGE sled testing being conducted by VRTC. - Demonstrated ability to design and oversee fabrication of component test devices that simulate the dynamic forces imposed on specific parts of the motor vehicle structure during defined collision events. - Demonstrated ability to evaluate and test collision avoidance systems, early crash detection systems, and other advanced technologies, and to evaluate their interaction with restraint systems and other occupant protection systems, to provide the latest safety technology available. - Demonstrated ability to determine and analyze the energy generated when humans contact interior vehicle components during a crash event. - Demonstrated ability to develop and test vehicle interior components that absorb energy and further protect occupants. - Demonstrated ability to develop, modify, and/or exercise computer models for simulating vehicle crashes and occupant responses to crashes to evaluate current vehicle designs and predict injury reduction improvements resulting from modified designs. - Demonstrated ability to scientifically study the mechanisms of injuries produced by forces that impact the human body during a vehicle crash event. - Demonstrated ability to conduct cost and effectiveness studies for various countermeasure performance levels, including advanced technologies, vehicle structures, restraints systems, and other occupant protection systems. - Demonstrated ability to participate in accident data analyses of real-world crashes; develop crash test devices and procedures; demonstrate potential countermeasures; evaluate their feasibility and effectiveness. Services and Facilities: Work will be performed by faculty, professional staff, and graduate or undergraduate students. Some crashworthiness research will be performed at VRTC or on the facilities of the Transportation Research Center (TRC). Use of off-VRTC/TRC premises offices and/or laboratories may also be required. Defects Investigations: Expertise and Experience - Demonstrated ability to provide support from OSU departments as required for evaluating potential safety-related defects in motor vehicles. Support may be required, but not limited to: mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, material sciences, and mathematical statistics. - Demonstrated ability to participate, if necessary, in court in defense of defect determinations that the university has been involved in with VRTC/NHTSA. Services and Facilities: Work will generally be performed by faculty and/or professional staff, although it is expected that there will also be some student involvement. Some defects analysis support may be performed at VRTC or on the facilities of the Transportation Research Center (TRC). Use of off-VRTC/TRC premises laboratory space and equipment to conduct metallurgical and other materials sciences testing and analysis will be required. Use of other off-VRTC/TRC premises offices and/or laboratories may also be required. Travel: Travel to and from VRTC is expected as well as travel to participate in conferences and/or to present papers and to participate in technical meetings. Travel will be detailed in individual task orders. Proposal Evaluation: The proposal shall include current OMB indirect rate certifications, indicate the current administrative operating procedures being proposed and provide representative salary range pricing information for labor categories typically used in VRTC projects as well as prices for services and facilities. VRTCs COTR, Dr. Bruce Donnelly, can assist in defining the type of information to be presented. Evaluation Panel: The evaluation of the proposals received from OSU will be done by VRTCs Director and Division Chiefs as listed below: Mike Monk, Director, VRTC W. Riley Garrott, Ph.D., Chief, Crash Avoidance Division, VRTC Donald T. Willke, Chief, Defects Analysis and Crashworthiness Division, VRTC Bruce Donnelly, Ph.D., Chief, Applied Biomechanics Division, VRTC

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