This sources sought announcement is for informational purposes only. It is not to be construed as an obligation on the part of the Applied Biomechanics Division (NSR-110) at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is issuing this Sources Sought Notice to identify potential qualified Small Business (SB), Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), 8(a) Certified SDB, HUBZone SB, Service Disables Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), or Women Owned Small Business (WOSB) concerns that may be interested in and capable of performing the work described herein to proactively plan for future requirements, NSR-110 is conducting market research to locate qualified, experienced, and interested parties. These parties should be able to comprehensively support program of ATDs and corresponding parts, supplies, and services, with the suppliers of ATDs, finite element (FE) models of ATDs, associated instrumentation and equipment, and Data Acquisition Systems.

NHTSA welcomes all qualified Small Business concerns, with the appropriate NAICS Code and past experience to submit their Corporate Capability Statements that demonstrate their ability to successfully accomplish the goals of the project as listed below.  NHTSA does not intend to award a contract on the basis of responses to this notice or otherwise pay for the preparation of any information submitted.  Acknowledgement of receipt of responses will not be made; no formal evaluation of the information received will be conducted by NHTSA.  NHTSA may; however later on issue a Request for Proposals (RFP).  However, should such a requirement fail to materialize, no basis for claims against NHTSA shall arise as a result of a response to this notice.

This Sources Sought Notice is not a request for proposal (RFP), nor does it restrict the Government as to the final acquisition strategy. No contract will be awarded from this announcement. At this time no solicitation exists. Therefore, please do not request a copy of the solicitation. Responses in any form are not offers. The Government will not reimburse respondents for any costs incurred in the preparation of a response to this Notice. The results of this sources sought notice will assist the Contracting Officer in determining the best strategy for this procurement. Responses to this synopsis may also be used to aide in establishing realistic and achievable small business participation goals.

BACKGROUND

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).  NHTSA’s mission is to save lives, prevent injuries and reduce economic costs due to road traffic crashes.  The agency develops, promotes, and implements effective educational, engineering and enforcement programs with the goal of ending preventable tragedies associated with vehicle use and highway travel.

NHTSA’s Vehicle Research and Test Center (VRTC), Applied Biomechanics Division, manages and operates NHTSA’s Crash Test Dummy Management Laboratory (DML).  The purpose of the DML is to manage the entire NHTSA inventory of ATDs (also referred to as “ATDs,” “crash test dummies”, or “dummies), instrumentation and replacement parts.  In addition to managing the DML, VRTC also works closely with dummy manufacturers, and the biomechanics community, to advance the state-of-the-art in ATDs.  The re-design of components of existing dummies and the development of new types or sizes of dummies is an on-going mission of the agency.

Modern ATDs used in the vehicle research and test environment are sophisticated measuring systems whose design and manufacture involves trade-offs of: (1) the requirements to produce biofidelic kinetic and kinematic responses from which potential injury to vehicle occupants can be assessed, and (2) measurements that are repeatable in response to identical stimuli for each ATD and reproducible within every ATD of a model, and the need for the ATDs to be durable for repeated usage.  The ATD responses are measured by transducers installed within the ATD (such as load cells, linear and angular accelerometers, angular tilt sensors, angular rate sensors, rotary potentiometers, and displacement transducers) using a variety of technologies (such as light emitting diodes, infrared light, strain gages, etc.).

Modern ATDs have improved biofidelity and measurement capability over their predecessors.  The use of on-board data acquisition systems (DAS) to store measurements within the ATD, in lieu of using external cables to carry signal and power to and from the ATD, creates further improvement.  The ATDs are constructed of both rigid and compliant components with instrumentation capable of measuring, and in some cases storing on-board, the inertial and internal forces and kinematic motion that are experienced by the ATD in the vehicle test environment.

OBJECTIVE/SCOPE

The objective of the anticipated multiple award Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) for supplies and services, with the suppliers of ATDs, parametric models and finite element (FE) models of ATDs, associated instrumentation and equipment.

The equipment required to be maintained within the laboratory space for personnel performing the maintenance, test and deployment of the ATDs are: machines, test stands, test and calibration fixtures, probes, and DAS.  The test equipment must be designed to perform the qualification tests of the ATDs and ATD components; the calibration equipment must be able to perform frequent calibrations and minor repairs of transducers.  The Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are generally required to calibrate the DAS and to conduct major repairs to transducers.  ATD maintenance requires an inventory of parts on hand to replace damaged components that are not repairable.  The requirements of the DML in managing the agency’s inventory include but are not limited to:

• Repairing and refurbishing ATDs;
• Repairing and calibrating transducers;
• Repairing and calibrating data acquisition systems;
• Ordering, preparing, and receiving the agency’ dummies, instruments, and replacement parts provided as government furnished equipment (GFE) to NHTSA test sites; and
• Supporting the inspection, troubleshooting, investigation, testing and analysis of both existing and new dummies, transducers, and data acquisitions systems and associated documentation such as parametric models, 2-D drawings, user manuals and qualification procedures.
• Provide production ATDs, replacement parts, test fixtures, and instrumentation that are currently available, but are/are not specified in 49 CFR Part 572
• Provide prototype ATDs, test fixtures, and or parts, and or instrumentation that are under development, including replacements or modifications to 49 CFR Part 572, Specified Parts
• Provide Engineering and Technical Services for the Design and Development of New or Modified ATDs and Instrumentation
• Provide Calibration and Testing Equipment Manufactured Specifically for Use on ATDs and Instrumentation
• Provide Qualification and Repair Services for ATDs, Including Instrumentation

Calibration and Repair

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

The work associated with this requirement will be performed at an authorized contractor location.

ANTICIPATED PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The estimated period of performance is for five (5) years.

SECURITY REQUIREMENT

This acquisition does not deal with classified matters.  Where applicable, Agency information security requirements will be met through TAR clause 1252.239-70, “Security requirements for unclassified information technology resources.”

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Interested firms should submit their response to include a capabilities statement covering experience, staffing and technical capabilities. The capabilities statement should address the objective/scope outlined above and demonstrate how the firm’s recent past performance (last 3 years) is relevant to the potential task areas, to include listing the dollar value, period of performance, size and scope of the firm’s prior contracts. Capability statements should be no more than 10 pages maximum- in “Times New Roman” 12-inch font on 8.5 x 11 paper. Respondents must submit documents in Word or PDF format. Neither zipped files will be accepted nor telephone requests be honored.

Vendors must demonstrate their ability to comply with the requirements in this Sources Sought Notice in order to be considered capable of satisfying the Government’s requirement.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Do not include proprietary, trade secrets, classified, confidential, or sensitive information in your response to this Sources Sought Notice. The Government shall not be held liable for any damages incurred if proprietary information is submitted, as it is clearly stated this type of information shall NOT be submitted.

The Government reserves the right to use any information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate, including using technical information provided by respondents in any resultant solicitation. Responses to this Notice will not be returned.

SUBMISSION OF RESPONSES

Interested parties having the capability to provide human factors research for the division of the Office of Vehicle Crash Avoidance/Electronic Controls Research for Vehicle Safety Research at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), please submit capability statements to the following contact: [email protected] to include Subject Line: Response to Sources Sought- 693JJ925RQ000010, Applied Biomechanics.

CAPABILITY STATEMENTS

To facilitate a timely and comprehensive review of all submitted responses, firms should respond using the format requested in this Notice. Any interested qualified Small Business firms, Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), 8(a) Certified SDB, HUBZone SB, SDVOSB, or WOSB concerns should submit their Corporate Capability Statement, which demonstrates the firm’s ability and past experience.

Please provide the following information for your firm and for any teaming or joint venture partners in no more than 10 pages to perform the key requirements described in the attached Draft SOW:

General Information

1. Company name, address, point of contact name, telephone, and email address.
2. Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number and Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code.
3. Business size and classification (e.g., large, small, small-disadvantaged, SBA Certified 8(a), HUBZone, service-disabled veteran-owned, woman-owned) based on NAICS code: 334515 Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals
4. If applicable, potential proposed teaming arrangements to include business size and classification of prime and subcontractors.
5. GSA Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) Number (FSS must include NAICS code 334515 Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals.
6. Identify contracts your company has been awarded under NAICS code: 334515 Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals.

Technical Capability:

1. Provide a brief synopsis to support the firm’s ability to perform all of potential areas of the obejective/scope.  Identify each task element and provide information to support the firm’s experience, staffing and overall ability to perform the technical area.
2. Evidence of experience and past performance should include contracts/task orders from the past three (3) years similar in scope to this requirement.
3. Examples must include contract numbers, project titles, dollar amounts, periods of performance, and Government points of contact (telephone numbers or email addresses).
4. Documented information to support the firm’s ability to provide the range of research skillsets capability to quickly plan, conduct, and document studies; AND personnel required for this effort in a timely fashion.
5. Any data on previous contracts/task orders on personnel retention and succession planning.

Additional Information

1. Indicate if your firm will submit a proposal if a Request for Proposal (RFP) is issued, and if your firms interest is for Prime contracting, teaming agreement or Joint Venture.
2. Validation of, or recommended NAICS codes for this effort.
3. Validation of, or recommended contract type.
4. Validation of, or recommended GSA vehicle
5. In each potential areas of research, indicate any Small Business Subcontracting opportunities, as applicable.
6. Other Recommendations
   1. Any information missing from this requirement that would provide a better understanding of the effort desired.
   2. Please submit any other questions or comments along with your response.

CONTRACTING OFFICE ADDRESS

Department of Transportation (DOT) Headquarters, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20590.