SOLICITATION NOTICE
B -- Making Advanced Travel Forecasting Models Affordable through Model Transferability
- Notice Date
- 10/29/2013
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Office of Acquisition Management, HAAM, Mail Stop E65-101, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, District of Columbia, 20590
- ZIP Code
- 20590
- Solicitation Number
- DTFH61-11-C-00023
- Archive Date
- 11/28/2013
- Point of Contact
- Trevor A. Worthy, Phone: 2024930567, Jennifer Johnson, Phone: 2023660904
- E-Mail Address
-
trevor.worthy@dot.gov, jennifer.johnson@dot.gov
(trevor.worthy@dot.gov, jennifer.johnson@dot.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Pursuant to 6.302-1, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) intends to negotiate a sole source contract modification with Bowman Research and Consulting (Bowman) under FHWA Contract No. DTFH61-11-C-00023, entitled "Making Advanced Travel Forecasting Models Affordable through Model Transferability" - a cost share-type contract, for a total potential amount of $285,000 including the existing contract amount of $160,000. The contract was initially competed and awarded under FHWA Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) No. DTFH61 10-R-00013 where Bowman's research idea to empirically test and demonstrate the transferability of activity-based models addressed several of the BAA's focus areas including advancing emerging tools and techniques that support state and local planning capacity building. FHWA selected the proposed Bowman research project for contract award as it believed this research project would help to put the implementation of the advanced activity-based models within the reach of a much larger group of regional planning agencies, especially small and mid-sized agencies. Under this contract, the principal investigators estimated advanced activity-based models simultaneously for six regions selected from California and Florida using the 2008-2009 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) "add-on" surveys. 15 of the 21 DAYSIM activity based models, 11 categories of variables and 36 different model specifications for each of the 15 models were estimated and evaluated. Statistical tests were applied to identify any regional differences in the model coefficients. Transferable statistics were compiled to address four transferability hypotheses and 12 key research questions. In May 2013, FHWA conducted the project peer review. The peer review panel reviewed Bowman's research methodologies, study hypotheses, transferability statistics and study conclusions under the contract. The panel members recommended a number of constructive ideas that would further enhance the value of the research project. These recommendations include in-depth analysis of the 11 categories of variables to understand which types of variables transfer better; to devise a weighted estimation method to overcome the estimability limitations associated with small sample size; to estimate subsamples of the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) NHTS data to address transferability of various sample sizes; to develop an overall transferability index instead of using the current restrictive Chi Square test to evaluate model-level transferability; to further refine base model specifications incorporating cost of living index across regions; to investigate potential differences in model scale relates to the absolute size of the coefficients; and to investigate location choice modes, which found to be the least transferable. Under this proposed modification, Bowman will re-run the transferability tests with the weighted estimation method, enhanced specification and alternative location choice model specifications. The project team will produce Volume Two of the final project report and spreadsheet files containing estimation results. In summary, the primary objective for the additional scope of work is to implement these peer review recommendations and to better understand the nature and magnitude of model behavior differences that can be encountered in the use of transferred models. Bowman is the only source that can complete the work required under the proposed modification, as they have developed custom software for the analysis of transferable parameters and model specifications under the existing contract; and, because Bowman possesses the unique capabilities required to implement the peer review panel's recommendations based on the work conducted under the contract. A sole source modification, issued under FAR Part 6, is anticipated. The intent of this notice is not to request competitive proposals, and any information received from interested parties will only be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether a competitive procurement should be conducted. However, interested parties may submit a description of their firm's capabilities for satisfying this requirement, which demonstrates they possess the ability to successfully perform this effort. The responses must be received by COB November 14, 2013. All questions concerning this matter should be addressed directly to Mr. Trevor Worthy at trevor.worthy@dot.gov.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOT/FHWA/OAM/DTFH61-11-C-00023/listing.html)
- Record
- SN03223911-W 20131031/131029234111-aa636957d83f146520fc8b1cfeed0700 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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