Sources Sought Notice – Special Crash Investigations (SCI) Teams for: Eastern, Central, and Western Regions of the US
Notice Type: Sources Sought Notice
Posted Date:
Office Address:
Subject: Special Crash Investigations (SCI) Teams for: Eastern, Central, and Western Regions of the US
Classification Code: D - Information technology services, including telecommunications services
Solicitation Number: DTNH2217RQ00063-Revised
Contact:
Setaside: N/AN/A
Place of Performance (address): Wahington, DC
Place of Performance (zipcode): 20590
Place of Performance Country: US
Description:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration HQ
Revised Notice! Action Code: Sources Sought
Classification Code: D
Solicitation: DTNH2217RQ00063-Revised
Agency/Office:
Location: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration HQ
NAICS Code: 541910, Marketing Research and Public opinion Polling,
Point of Contract:
Title: Special Crash Investigations (SCI) Teams for: Eastern, Central, and Western Regions of the US
Description(s):
The
The geographic regions are defined to include NHTSA region and states that cover the following jurisdictions:
EAST:
NHTSA Region 4 Tennessee,
CENTRAL:
WEST:
NHTSA reserves the right to require the contractor to handle a crash investigation outside of the noted areas when the need arises.
*** Notice of Special Terms and Conditions for Award! ***
Any awardee of a resultant contract would be limited to receipt of just two (2) of the possible three (3) awards anticipated to be made for each of the geographic regions (i.e. East, Central, or West) as identified above.
It should be noted, although an offeror may submit a proposal on one (1), two(2) or all three(3) teams, the Government will consider awarding more than one(1) team to an offeror so long as it is determined to be a "Best Value" and meets the needs of the Government. No one offeror shall receive award of more than two (2) teams.
Additionally, any awardee for either of these 3 anticipated awards would be required to sign certain Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Agreements; and further would not be allowed to participate in any outside crash investigative work that would create a violation of the signed non-disclosure agreements between NHTSA and the awardees.
NHTSA is sensitive to potential conflicts of interest and the full and candid exchange of information from various sources is essential to perform the investigatory requirement of this contract. In order to ensure information is provided freely and to guard against conflicts of interest, certain restrictions must be placed on the contractor and on contractor personnel. Exclusive of work performed under this proposed contract, neither the contractor nor any of its staff will be allowed to perform crash investigation work for compensation, including but not limited to police work and work in support of litigation or insurance claims, and automobile manufacturers, for the entire duration of the proposed contract's period of performance (including any Option Years). The contractor shall be responsible for ensuring that its staff is bound by this restriction, through the use of appropriate written agreements, and shall provide copies of such agreements to the NHTSA COR upon request.
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.
Background:
The
In 1997, the SCI began utilizing the National Automotive Sampling System's (NASS) Electronic Data System (EDS) as the structure for field data collection, storage and dissemination of cases. The system was modernized in 2015 and is now the Crash Data Acquisition Network (CDAN). The systems were implemented to meet NHTSA's paperless data collection efforts. SCI investigators typically collect data using tablet computers.
The CDAN will operate over the World Wide Web and linked by an internet service provider and will be connected to network servers which are located at the NHTSA headquarters*. All communication via CDAN is secured for the purpose of handling confidential SCI data and reports, before they are released to the public.
NHTSA performs research and develops safety programs and standards in an effort to reduce the toll of deaths, injuries, and property damage from traffic crashes. Motor vehicle crash investigations play a vital role in that effort by providing support data concerning real world events to aid in the development and subsequent evaluation of these programs and standards.
Objective:
The objective is to procure professional services to provide NHTSA with timely services associated with investigating, documenting and evaluating a variety of crashes occurring in the SCI Regions listed above. These crash investigations typically involve school buses, motorcoaches, child restraint systems, new or emerging technologies in automatic restraint equipped vehicles, alternative fuel and hybrid vehicles, safety defects, adaptive control equipped vehicles, fires, crashes involving air bag deployment related fatalities and serious injuries, vehicles equipped with crash avoidance technologies, self-drivingautonomous vehicles and other special interest crashes as they arise. Under this contract, the contractor shall be responsible for collecting and assessing data pertaining to these crashes. The contractor shall also be responsible for the quality control of data it submits to NHTSA's Crash Data Acquisition Network (CDAN).
Capabilities:
The corporate capability statement must address the capabilities necessary to perform the following tasks and listed below:
* q The contractor shall document pre-crash, at-crash and post-crash circumstances and determine and describe the combination of vehicular, occupant, and environmental conditions associated with the identified crashes;
* q The contractor shall identify and report on all injuries resulting from the crash and associate each injury to the corresponding vehicle component or other object struck during the collision sequence;
* q The contractor shall examine and report on vehicles equipped with new or emerging technology including but not limited, vehicles equipped with crash avoidance technologies, self-drivingautonomous vehicles and other special interest crashes as they arise to provide NHTSA with information on the effectiveness of this rapidly changing technology, and;
* q The contractor shall determine and report on school bus or motorcoach crash configurations which produce injuries, the impact speeds involved, the positions of the occupants in the school buses/motorcoach (seated, standing, etc.), and the crashworthiness of the school buses/motorcoach involved;
* q As needed, the contractor shall provide input on the effectiveness of the case vehicle's performance to existing Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) and Highway Safety Program Standards (HSPS) and /or any safety related defect.
The Contractor shall establish and maintain a crash investigation team capable of performing in-depth investigations of NHTSA designated crashes within the contractor's region of responsibility.
C.5 SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS
C.5.1 " Kick-off" Meeting
Within two (2) weeks of contract award, NHTSA and the contractor shall participate in a "Kick-off" meeting to be held at the contractor's office. During this meeting, the contractor shall present an oral briefing which shall include an overview of the contract's requirements, a discussion of how the contractor will fulfill those requirements, and any other information relevant to this contract's performance. The kick-off meeting will also be used by NHTSA personnel to discuss contract administration issues (e.g., invoice submission process, contract funding, contract modifications, etc.).
One week prior to the kick-off meeting, the contractor shall provide the COR with a copy of any briefing material it intends to use. It is anticipated that this kick-off meeting will last no more than one day.
C.5.2 Phase-In Transition
The Contractor shall implement all operational systems and subsystems at their facilities, and will make staff available to assist the Crash Data Acquisition Network (CDAN) staff with a remote setup of the computer equipment that will be shipped to them.
Each investigator involved in this Special Crash Investigation Team effort must be trained on the CDAN environment.
C.5.3 Required Capabilities
The Contractor shall have the following capabilities and areas of expertise listed below when conducting crash investigations:
C.5.3.1 Ability to fully utilize the Microsoft Windows version of Simulating Motor Vehicle Accident Speeds on the Highway (WINSMASH) software, and prepare crash and speed reconstructions. Ability to download, analyze and assimilate the crash data output from an event data recorder into a structured report. Ability to analyze the performance of a motor vehicle component to screen for potential component defects.
C.5.3.2 Comprehensive understanding of occupant protection systems and advanced crashworthiness and crash avoidance systems and their components. Some examples are child safety seats, frontal, side and rollover protection features, active head restraints, electronic stability control, roll stability control, crash avoidance technologies, and many other advanced technologies. Air bag investigations will include researching advanced occupant protection features, occurrences of alleged inadvertent deployments, improper deployments, failures to deploy, and allegations of injury.
C.5.3.3 Medical injury identification and severity scaling.
C.5.3.4 Ability to initiate, document, and ascertain the occupant kinematics, restraint usage; Locate and substantiate the injury mechanisms
C.5.3.5 Determination of human factors precipitating the collision; Collecting witness accounts of collision.
C.5.3.6 Mechanical/Technical knowledge to determine vehicle condition, maintenance, and damage;
C.5.3.7 Technical expertise necessary to determine environmental and highway conditions, traffic control performance, and general highway safety; trained in documenting the sceneenvironment with an electronic distance measuring instrument;
C.5.3.8 Ability to fully utilize the Crash Data Acquisition Network (CDAN) associated with the Crash Investigation Sampling System (CISS) including documentation of scene and vehicle damage using an electronic distance measuring instrument, occupant data coding, injury coding and case quality control.
C.5.3.9 Ability to perform investigations of alleged FMVSS noncompliance and safety related defects. These may or may not be crash related.
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C.5.4 Investigation Performance - In-depth On-Site and Remote Investigations.
The Contractor is required to collect crash data utilizing the CDAN environment. The CDAN was implemented in CISS in 2015 and anticipated to be in use by SCI in the 2017 data collection year. Since 1997 all data collection and storage is performed in a paperless environment. The government will provide field equipment (tablet computers, office computer equipment) at each of the
C.5.4.1 Performance of On-Site, In-Depth Investigations
C.5.4.1.1 General Information:
The Contractor shall conduct On-Site, In-Depth investigations of crashes of special interest to the Agency. The COR will designate and assign the specific cases. On-Site investigations require that the appropriate contractor personnel travel to the scene of the crash and commence their investigation at that location. An on-site, in-depth crash investigation includes gathering the appropriate field data into the Electronic Data System known as the CDAN environment. The investigation may also require that additional information be gathered to determine factors that contributed to the crash. Damage severity measurement, descriptions of restraint usage by occupants and further occupant kinematics are important to these investigations. The Contractor shall be required to collect detailed documentation of the vehicles, the occupants, the roadways, traffic control devices among other information during an investigation as a result, the investigator will be required to document the sceneenvironment and vehicle(s) damage utilizing an electronic distance measuring instrument.
The field data shall be synthesized into a detailed electronic report. The variables and attributes of the CDAN environment are supplemented by a written report which incorporate the detailed information relevant to the crash events, speed reconstruction, restraint usage, occupant kinematics and clearly establish a link between the injury and injury mechanism.
In the investigation of these crashes, certain areas of expertise are required in each case. The level of investigation need not be the same in each case, but the expertise must be utilized to ensure thorough coverage of each area. For example, the contractor may examine the vehicle and analyze a minimal amount of data in each case to ensure that no design, engineering, or manufacturing safety defects exist. If safety defects do exist, the contractor shall delve further into the specific problems. The same holds true for the medical, human factors, vehicle, and transportation engineering areas.
Up-to-date crash investigation technology shall be utilized on a per-case-basis as determined by the COR. This includes the use of CDAN environment and other computer-aided crash modeling and similar techniques. On-site examinations and interviews shall be followed up with autopsy reports on fatalities, and special vehicle diagnoses at engineering laboratories, as authorized by the COR. In the investigation of each crash, particular emphasis shall be placed on the functioning of equipment components related to current and proposed Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). The COR will be notified immediately of any evidence relating to the failure or success of such standards in the investigation of crashes and/or injuries. Potential non-compliance with the FMVSS as well as potential safety related defects shall also be immediately brought to the attention of the COR. Highway safety standards directly related to the particular collision shall also be evaluated as to their effectiveness, non-effectiveness, or potential effectiveness (if the State has not adopted the Standard).
C.5.4.1.2 Contractor Response Time
The Contractor shall initiate its investigation within 24 hours of case assignment. Within this time period, the contractor shall arrange to examine the crash scene, vehicles, and interview persons involved (e.g., driver(s), occupants, pedestrians, police, fire, rescue, and hospital personnel). An Initial contact Summary (ICS) is to be completed and uploaded to a secure network drive and notification provided to NHTSA headquarters within 24 hours of case assignment via the secure email network. The ICS shall provide a timeline of when the contractor plans to examine the crash scene and vehicles and interview persons involved. The report must be formatted as a secure Adobe .pdf document. Any delay shall be reported to the COR.
C.5.4.1.3 Documentation of Scene and Environmental Data
The Contractor shall document environmental data and evidence associated with the crash scene, utilizing an electronic distance measuring instrument, into the CDAN environment. In addition, each crash scene shall be photographed and a scene diagram shall be prepared. The CDAN system administrator will provide image and other system specifications. The scene diagram shall be completed in an electronic format using the FARO software provided in the tablet computer. The Preliminary Case Summary (PCS) and Final Case Report narratives (see Section F of this contract) shall include scene and environmental information that is pertinent to the events of the crash. The PCS is due within seven (7) days after the completion of the on-site investigation, or due within two weeks of receiving relevant information (i.e., pictures, medical information) on remote-investigations. Any delay shall be reported to the COR.
C.5.4.1.4 Documentation of Vehicle Data
Utilizing the CDAN environment, FARO software and electronic distance measuring instrument hardware, the Contractor shall enter vehicle data into the appropriate electronic data collection forms. The Contractor shall document the general vehicle information along with the specific exterior and interior vehicle data that is collected upon the vehicle inspection and evidence associated with the crash event. Utilizing the WINSMASH computer reconstruction model, perform a speed reconstruction to determine the crash severity. When applicable, download, analyze and assimilate the crash data output from an event data recorder into the report. When applicable, analyze the performance of a specific motor vehicle component to screen for potential component defects. Vehicle, WINSMASH, and speed reconstruction information shall be included into the PCS and Final Case Report narratives. The PCS is due within seven (7) days after the completion of the on-site investigation, or due within two weeks of receiving relevant information (i.e., pictures, medical information) on remote-investigations.
C.5.4.1.5 Documentation of Occupant Data
Utilizing the CDAN environment, the Contractor shall enter occupant data into the appropriate electronic data collection forms for the subject occupant(s). The PCS and Final Case Report narratives must clearly describe the link between the injury and the injury mechanism, describe the restraint usage and contain a detailed description of the occupant kinematics. The PCS is due within seven (7) days after the completion of the on-site investigation, or due within two (2) weeks of receiving relevant information (i.e., pictures, medical information) on remote-investigations.
C.5.4.1.6 Preliminary Case Summary
Upon completion of scene, vehicle, and occupant data documentation, a Preliminary Case Summary (PCS) must be completed and uploaded to a secure network drive and notification provided to NHTSA headquarters via the secure email network. The PCS is due seven days after the completion of the on-site investigation, or due within two weeks of receiving relevant information (i.e., pictures, medical information) on remote-investigation and must be formatted as a secure Adobe .pdf document. Any delay in transmitting the PCS after seven (7) days after completion of the on-site investigation or receiving relevant information for remote-investigations shall be reported to the COR. For specific report requirements, see Section F.4.
C.5.4.1.7 Documentation of Injury Data
Utilizing the Injury Coding Program used for the CDAN environment, the Contractor shall extract injury data from appropriate medical data and/or interview data, code the data using AIS 2015 or any other NHTSA designated injury coding program/scale, and then enter the data into the appropriate electronic data collection forms for the subject occupant(s). Injury descriptions will be annotated on program mannequins as necessary to enhance the quality of the AIS 2015 injury description. The written PCS and Final Case Report narratives must clearly describe the link between the injury and injury mechanism, describe the available passive restraints and active restraint usage, and contain a detailed description of the occupant kinematics. As injury data are to be included into the PCS and Final Report narratives, due dates for PCS and Final Case narratives apply.
C.5.4.1.8 Performance of Safety Features
The Contractor shall document data and evidence concerning the performance of any and all safety features (advanced occupant protection features, advanced crash avoidance features including self-drivingautonomous vehicles, school bus and motorcoach safety devices, child seats, etc.) associated with the crash event.
C.5.4.1.9 Final Case Report
The Final Case Report is required for all cases that are not closed by NHTSA. *This report is due within 30 days after receipt of all documentation; this is approximately three-to-six months from the time of the case assignment. The report should include the factual findings of the PCS and any additional information obtained from official documents, medical records, and interviews. To avoid delays, medical records should be requested when the case is initially assigned. The contractor shall not request medical records for occupants of non-case vehicles.
It should be noted that at the time this document was written, the CDAN was being modified for SCI usage. Once the CDAN is being used by SCI, deadlines for the SCI Final Case Report will be modified. This new deadlines will be addressed when the contract is awarded.
*The NHTSA COR will provide notice to the contractor for cases that are required to be closed.
C.5.4.1.10 Digital Photographic Documentation Requirements
Note: NHTSA will provide the necessary photographic equipment.
IMAGES: Digital images (photographs) are required for all cases and must include: objects impacted during the crash sequence; photographs of exterior vehicle damage pattern(s); documentation of any component failure; interior occupant contacts and restraint systems; and intrusions and integrity losses. Images must include, but not be limited to pre-crash trajectories, points of impact, and final rest locations; front, right, left, and rear photos of the involved vehicles; and interior points of contact. The NHTSA Field Crash Investigation Digital Photography manual shall be followed (A link to a copy of the document shall be provided upon award.)
OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHS: When required, the contractor shall obtain photographs or videotapes, produced by law enforcement, insurance companies, medical examiners, or media personnel that are pertinent to the investigation. Sanitized videos and hard copy photographs from these sources shall be uploaded to the CDAN environment to become part of the official record.
C.5.4.1.11 Briefings Requirements
The Contractor shall be prepared to present crash investigation briefings as needed to NHTSA, industry, or other interested parties, as requested by the COR. The briefings may be in the form of
C.5.4.2 Performance of In-Depth Remote Investigations
The In Depth Remote Investigation case report content will be a subset (based on the information available) of that required for the in-depth on-site case reports. As the name implies, the Remote In-Depth investigations shall be conducted from the contractor's Regional SCI offices and will not require travel to the site of the crash.
The Contractor shall gather the appropriate source documents required to provide a measure of damage severity and describe restraint usage. The Contractor shall provide a detailed description of the occupant kinematics.
The source document data shall be synthesized into a detailed electronic report. The variables and attributes of the CDAN environment are to be supplemented by a written report which incorporate the detailed information relevant to the crash events, speed reconstruction, restraint usage, occupant kinematics and clearly describes the link between the injury and injury mechanism.
Utilizing the source documents, the contractor shall determine the factors related to the crash. The level of investigation need not be the same in each case; however, certain areas of expertise are required in each case. For example, the contractor may examine the photographs of the vehicle to determine the crash events and speed change. If an estimate of the crash severity cannot be determined, the contractor shall delve further into the data to make an estimate of the damage severity.
An ICS and Final Case Report are required for In-Depth Remote Investigation following the same guidelines outlined above for In-Depth, On-Site investigations. Unless requested by the NHTSA COR, a PCS is not required for In-Depth Remote Investigations.
C.5.4.3 Performance of Special Studies
Special Studies investigations include data collection on a specific subset of data for a limited time period. Previous special studies have focused on rollovers, pedestrian, motor coach fires, and guardrail investigations. Special Studies may be conducted for other agency modes. The contractor shall anticipate that special studies will be conducted throughout this contract period. The number and duration will be based on the complexity of each special study, the number of cases needed, and the availability of contract staff at the time.
C.5.4.3 Purchase of Equipment
From the time to time, the contractor may be called upon to purchase specific equipmenthardwaresoftware to perform investigations. In the past this has included Event Data Recording (EDR) hardware and software, specialized carrying cases, and cameras. The contractor shall anticipate that specialized equipment will be purchased throughout this contract period.
C.5.4.3 Contracting of Training
From the time to time, the contractor may be called upon to contract with trainer(s) for specific training to aid in conducting and documenting crash investigations. In the past this has included EDR training. The Contractor shall anticipate that they will contract for specialized training throughout this contract period.
C.5.5 Phase-Out Transition
At the expiration of the contract, NHTSA has the option of establishing a phase-out transition period for up to six (6) months. During this phase, no new cases shall be assigned. Efforts shall be directed to completing and submitting all remaining outstanding cases. The labor rates and other direct costs in effect at the time of the contract's expiration will remain in effect during the phase-out transition period.
Format of Corporate Capabilities Statement:
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 in no more than 10 pages to perform the key requirements described above to the identified NHTSA point of contact listed herein.
Any proprietary information should be marked as such. All respondents are asked to certify the type and size of their business organization is in-line with the requirements of this Sources Sought Notice, and must be received no later than 10 calendar days from the date of publication of this notice.
Link/URL: https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOT/NHTSA/NHTSAHQ/DTNH2217RQ00063-Revised/listing.html
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