SOURCES SOUGHT
B -- New Entrant Safety Audit Program
- Notice Date
- 5/21/2003
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- Contracting Office
- Department of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Headquarters FMCSA, 400 7th Street SW MC-MBA, Washington, DC, 20590
- ZIP Code
- 20590
- Solicitation Number
- DTMC75-03-RFI-0001
- Response Due
- 6/10/2003
- Archive Date
- 6/25/2003
- Point of Contact
- Renee Ballard, Sr. Contract Specialist, Phone 202 385-2312, Fax null, - Reginald Wooten, Contract Specialist, Phone 202 493-0979, Fax 202 366-0463,
- E-Mail Address
-
renee.ballard@fmcsa.dot.gov, Reginald.Wooten@fhwa.dot.gov
- Description
- The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), U.S. Department of Transportation has a requirement for the following services. The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to seek information regarding the feasibility of employing private contractors (entities) to perform safety audits on carriers seeking new interstate operating authority (?new entrants?). A series of analyses and reports have indicated that new entrants are less likely to comply with safety regulations, and are more likely to be involved in crashes, than well established motor carriers. To help new entrants improve their level of compliance, FMCSA published an interim final rule on May 13, 2002 establishing a New Entrant Safety Assurance Process effective January 1, 2003, with the actual safety audits beginning mid-April 2003. This requirement applies to all motor carriers seeking authority after January 1, 2003 to operate in interstate or foreign commerce. The FMCSA has established an audit program, combining education and technical assistance, to provide new entrants with the opportunity to better understand their safety obligations and demonstrate their ability to comply with our regulations before they travel on the nation?s highways. The safety audit will be used as the basis for granting permanent operating authority. More details regarding the New Entrant Safety Assurance Process may be found in the May 13, 2002 interim final rule (Federal Register Doc. 02-11730). The safety audits associated with this RFI will be conducted on U.S. and Canadian motor carriers during the carriers? first 18 months of operation to assess the safety posture of the carrier and its knowledge of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) and applicable Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMRs). The safety audit will consist of a review of the new entrant?s safety data, a review of motor carrier documents, and an interview session with a designated carrier representative. Areas covered include, but are not limited to, qualification of drivers, hours of service, vehicle inspection, repair and maintenance, transporting and marking hazardous materials, controlled substance testing standards, medical standards, and commercial driver?s license standards. Auditors will not have enforcement responsibilities, but will be required to perform inspections. The FMCSA estimates there are approximately 40,000 new entrant carriers seeking operating authority annually. The FMCSA also estimates that a safety audit will take approximately 4-6 hours. The audits will occur at the carrier?s place of business or in a group session held in central locations in each state. Only certified FMCSA personnel will conduct audits on Canadian carriers. The FMCSA estimates that contract personnel will conduct approximately 10,000 safety audits each year in the United States. The FMCSA and State personnel will conduct the remaining audits. The FMCSA safety audit software will be used to conduct the audit. All audit results will be submitted to the FMCSA where a determination will be made if the carrier passed/failed the audit. To be eligible, contractors must be completely independent of motor carrier entities. Only certified safety auditors, trained in an FMCSA approved auditor certification-training program, may conduct the safety audits. Safety auditors also must satisfactorily complete annual recertification requirements. The certification and recertification process can be found at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rulesregs/mexican/criteria.htm. Cost of the training will be borne by the contractor. The FMCSA may award multiple contracts with consideration given to geography, carrier population, and participation of States conducting audits. Under this RFI, FMCSA solicits statements from private entities capable of managing a large volume of work on a regional basis. Working within defined parameters, the FMCSA seeks the following information regarding how best to set up the contract and how the private entity would handle this effort. Describe specifically (1) Experience the company has in the area of transportation safety audits or similar governmental/non-governmental activities; (2) Based on experience, determine the type of contract and structure (include travel if required) best suited for the requirement; (3) Identify issues that should or could be anticipated by a contractor in attracting staff that meets the certification requirements or ability to find staff that already meets the certification requirements; (4) Identify potential lead time required after a contract is signed before beginning work; (5) Describe how the work assignments would be structured; (6) Describe how the entire program would be managed; (7) Discuss capability of providing key personnel; (8) Describe the mechanisms used for quality control; and (9) Describe the flexibility to move resources geographically based on program needs. Interested companies should submit a comprehensive package by Tuesday, June 10, 2003, 2:00 PM EDT. Include the company name and address as well as the name of the responsible person to whom future communications should be addressed and their telephone number, facsimile telephone number, and E-mail address. Any information received in response to this RFI that is marked proprietary will be handled accordingly. All information received will be kept in the strictest confidence and only used internally by the contracting officer. It will not be released or shared with any other government agency or any government contractors. This RFI is subject to FAR 52.215-3. Information will be used to assist in planning and development of acquisition strategy by FMCSA for eventual procurement of these services. Information submitted under this RFI will not be returned. Original Point of Contact Rene?e Ballard, Senior Contract Specialist renee.ballard@fmcsa.dot.gov Reggie Wooten, Contract Specialist reggie.wooten@fmcsa.dot.gov
- Place of Performance
- Address: USA
- Record
- SN00329750-W 20030523/030521213632 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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