Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Contracts and Procurement, NAD-30, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Room 5301, Washington, D.C. 20590

B -- EVALUATION STUDY OF ODOMETER TAMPERING IN PASSENGER CARS SOL DTNH22-96-R-06002 DUE 011796 POC Doris E. Medley, Contract Specialist, (202) 366-9560 The illegal practice of rolling back odometers to make it appear that vehicles have lower mileage than they actually do has historically been considered a significant problem for the American consumer. While any vehicle sold on the used car market could have been the object of odometer tampering, the problem has been considered to be most prevalent among late model vehicles which have accumulated high mileage in a relatively short period of time. Vehicles in fleets, such as lease fleets, rental fleets, or business company fleets typically fall into this category. When sold on the used car market, vehicles whose odometers have been rolled back, or ''spun,'' can obtain artificially high prices, since a vehicle's odometer reading is a key indicator of the condition, and, hence, the value of the vehicle. The study will consist of two components: Component 1. The objectives of this component are to design and implement sampling plans to produce representative estimates of the incidence rate of odometer fraud. Cost estimates of the fraud will also be developed. The basic methodology will involve the sampling and analysis of odometer and related motor vehicle records maintained by state government agencies, private marketing firms, motor vehicle dealers and distributors, and other firms dealing in motor vehicles. Task 1 includes the sample design, i.e., target population, sampling frames, sample size and allocation of samples, data to be collected, and methods of data collection. Task 2 is the OMB justification. Task 3 covers data collection and database preparation. Task 4 is the data analyses. Component 2. The objectives of this component are to plan and conduct a survey of the efforts of the states to combat odometer fraud. The survey will obtain data on the states' implementation of the Truth in Mileage Regulation concerning odometer disclosure requirements and related issues. Task 1 includes the questionnaire and supporting documentation. Task 2 is the survey implementation. Task 3 is the OMB justification. Task 4 is thedata reduction and analysis. The contractor will be responsible for providing the necessary data collection justifications for this project as required by OMB. The justifications for Components 1 and 2 will be included in one submission to OMB for review. The period of performance will be twelve months. The solicitation will be mailed to requestors responding in writing to this announcement. No telephone requests. The solicitation issue date will be on or about December 7, 1995. (0324)

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