SOLICITATION NOTICE
A -- Commercial Remote Sensing & Spatial Information Technologies
- Notice Date
- 5/27/2010
- Notice Type
- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- Department of Transportation, Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Research, Development & Technology, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, District of Columbia, 20590, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20590
- Solicitation Number
- RITA-RS-10-01
- Archive Date
- 7/15/2011
- Point of Contact
- Caesar Singh, Phone: 2023663252
- E-Mail Address
-
caesar.singh@dot.gov
(caesar.singh@dot.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- U.S. Department of Transportation Research Innovative and Technology Administration (RITA) Research, Development and Technology Office, RDT-50 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 Commercial Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Technologies Program BAA #: RITA-RS-10-01 White Papers Due: 4:15 PM, EDT, July 15, 2010 Program Manager: Caesar Singh, P.E., 202-366-3252, caesar.singh@dot.gov. CONTACT INFORMATION: Through this Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), being issued on behalf of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is soliciting information and descriptions (White Papers) for activities to validate initiatives in support of the U.S. DOT Commercial Remote Sensing and Spatial Information (CRS&SI) technologies program for transportation infrastructure development and construction. At the level of the PRIME offeror (Applicant), competition is restricted to universities. Proposed SUB-Recipients may, however, be any kind of organization or individual, commercial or otherwise. Interested and eligible offerors may submit separate White Papers on one or more of the focus areas described in this announcement. Each White Paper on each focus area must not exceed fifteen (15) pages, including any appendices and back-up materials and must include the offeror's contact information: point of contact, telephone number, fax number and e-mail address. Separate White Papers must be submitted for each proposed project/focus area and multiple projects/initiatives cannot be combined into a single White Paper. SCOPE: A four-year CRS&SI technology application program is authorized in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) (PL 109-59) § 5506. SAFETEA-LU authorized $7.75 million annually for funding during fiscal Years 2006 - 2009. In March of 2010 the President signed The Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act (HIRE) (PL 111-147) extending SAFETEA-LU surface transportation programs till December 31, 2010 at '09 funding levels. The U.S. DOT Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) manages the CRS&SI program. Because RITA will probably be making multiple Cooperative Agreement awards from this BAA, it is unlikely that any one awardee (i.e., Recipient of a resulting Cooperative Agreement) would receive, in Federal funds, more than a fraction of the allocated funding that is available under this Phase III of the program. This SAFETEA-LU program focuses on major national initiatives and validation of CRS&SI technology applications which deliver smarter and more efficient methods, processes and services for transportation infrastructure development and construction. The program execution was classified into three two-year phases. This is the third two-year phase (i.e., Phase Three) of the program. The program awards will be competitively selected from individual/consortia teams of university research entities working in partnership with industry and state agencies, and meeting the technical and cost sharing requirements of this announcement. These focus areas are chosen based on DOT priorities for CRS&SI technology applications for user services that have the potential to produce a high return on investment, in terms of saving cost and improving the efficiency of infrastructure development and construction. Commercial remote sensing products include remote sensing technologies and data from above-ground platforms - e.g. satellites, aerial vehicles etc. Spatial information technology products include technologies and data from Geospatial Information Systems, Global Positioning Systems and other related services. The proposals should focus on CRS&SI technology products applicable to transportation infrastructure development and construction. The process of infrastructure development, planning, construction and condition assessment is burdened with challenges of collection and interpretation of data, adoption of innovative methods and timely implementation of new technologies. Therefore, in order to ensure safe and efficient movement of people and freight within the national transportation infrastructure system, this program is soliciting projects dedicated to reduce inefficiencies, improve system performance, and assess infrastructure condition through implementation of applied research. Specific focus areas for infrastructure development, planning, construction and condition assessment include: • Roadways:- asphalt and concrete construction quality assessment, pavement surface property assessment, pavement health monitoring of existing systems; un-surfaced road evaluation and maintenance • Bridges:- project and network level inspection and evaluation tools/technologies that provide quantitative data for planning, maintenance, and program development • Tunnels:- quantitative inspection and evaluation tools • Pipelines:- detection of system deficiencies and damage prevention • Waterway systems:- infrastructure planning and operations • Highway Facilities:- infrastructure planning and operations • Freight:- infrastructure planning and operations • Public Transportation:- system operations, maintenance and program development • Intelligent Transportation Systems:- infrastructure planning and operations. The proposed approach addressing any of the focus areas shall pursue one or more of the following objectives: 1. Validate the application of CRS&SI technologies to collect data and provide a framework for analysis in studies and projects related to infrastructure development design, planning and construction; 2. Apply advances in space-based technology applications to increase efficiency and safety, reduce congestion and shorten the time required to develop multimodal transportation options; 3. Develop and validate new applications of CRS&SI technologies for reducing construction time and monitoring the quality of infrastructure construction; and 4. Apply CRS&SI technology integration and products to monitor the condition of constructed infrastructure systems and provide quantitative data to eliminate or supplement components of current visual inspection procedures. WHITE PAPERS: RITA is soliciting White Papers that address one or more of the focus areas outlined in this announcement (see above). A proposal must include a cost sharing contribution of at least half (50%), in accordance with SAFETEA-LU Section 5101 (a)(1) and (b), of the proposed project's cost to be considered. In other words, the grand total dollar amount of an Applicant's proposed cost-sharing contribution to the project must be equal to the total dollar amount of the Federal funding sought by the Applicant. Each White Paper must not exceed a total of 15 pages, including any appendices and backup materials and must include sufficient information to determine the probability of achieving the objectives of the focus area and to evaluate the following areas (All evaluation factors are of equal importance): 1) Technical concept addressing the focus area; 2) Technical approach and plans for validating the concept for transportation application; 3) Background of the performing consortia team in related areas of technologies and space based technology application; 4) Proposed partnerships between cooperating consortia of university centers, industry and state agencies; and 5) Proposed cost and cost sharing contributions to perform the proposed concept. EVALUATION AND SELECTION FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION: Based on evaluation of the responses received, the U.S. DOT may select one or more focus areas for awards and may choose to fund selected areas through Cooperative Agreements. As stated above, half (50%) cost sharing is required from proposing consortia teams to perform the tasks. Cost sharing may include direct, indirect and in-kind cost contributions and can be made collectively from the consortia of university research centers, industry and state agencies. Proposed partnerships and cost sharing arrangements need not be finalized in the White Papers submitted in response to this announcement; but proposed partnerships and cost-sharing arrangements will need to be finalized and presented in detail in any full proposals that RITA may hereafter request from the authors of the best White Papers submitted. The period of performance for completing each project and delivering results must not exceed 24 months. A panel of federal agency experts will review all White Papers received for responsiveness to the areas specified above. Each offeror submitting a White Paper deemed worthy of further consideration and meeting the criteria of this BAA will be notified with possible suggestions for change in scope and detailed guidelines for submitting a full proposal. The Program Manager must give his approval regarding any discussion held between an offeror and the Government's technical staff after submission of a White Paper. GENERAL INFORMATION: In all correspondence, please reference the BAA number. Six hard copies and one electronic copy of each White Paper shall be submitted. Hard copies shall be submitted via overnight delivery system to: Caesar Singh, P.E. Program Manager Office of Research Development & Technology Research and Innovative Technology Administration U. S. Department of Transportation Room E33-123 1200 New Jersey Avenue, S. E. Washington, D. C. 20590 Tel: (202) 366-3252 White Papers must be received in the above office not later than 4:15 PM, EDT, July 15, 2010. Because of continued security concerns, offerors should not send White Papers via regular mail, but should instead use a well-established commercial overnight delivery service, such as, but not necessarily limited to, one of the following (listed in alphabetical order): Federal Express, or United Parcel Service. Electronic copies of the White Paper submission are to be sent to Caesar.singh@dot.gov. All inquiries concerning this announcement shall be directed to Mr. Singh. BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT: This FedBizOps notice constitutes the BAA as contemplated by FAR 6.102(d)(2). A formal Request for Proposals (RFP) or other type of solicitation regarding this announcement will not be issued. At the level of the PRIME Offeror (i.e., prime Applicant) RITA encourages the widest participation by UNIVERSITIES only, as consortium leaders. But at the level of the proposed SUB-Recipient, RITA encourages an even broader participation and involvement, not only by universities and other academic institutions, but also by corporations, non-profit organizations, small and small disadvantaged businesses, State or local governments, and individuals participating in teaming arrangements with the university research centers. White Papers submitted under this BAA will remain property of the Government and will not be returned to the offeror.
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