Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Vehicle Research and Test Center, P.O. Box 37, East Liberty, OH 43319

B -- ENGINEERING SUPPORT FOR NATIONAL ADVANCED DRIVING SIMULATOR SOFTWARE PROGRAMS SOL DTNH22-96-R-08071 POC Robin Esser, Contracting Officer at (513) 666-4511 The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) intends to negotiate with SEA, Inc. of Columbus, Ohio for support services associated with the development and evaluation of the National Advanced Driving Simulator (NADS) vehicle dynamics simulation programs. Support shall be provided at the NHTSA's Vehicle Research and Test Center (VRTC) in East Liberty, Ohio. It is anticipated that a support effort of approximately 450 professional engineering hours will be required during the initial term; options will be provided for continued performance through completion of the simulation software development program. The work requirements include support services in the areas of creating input data sets to model experimental automobile and heavy truck combination tests, run simulations and compare the results to the experimental tests, evaluate discrepancies in the comparisons, identify discrepancies and defects in the software to the manufacturer, assist with implementation of a suitable steering system model for a fixed base driving simulator, assist with performance evaluation of the fixed base driving simulator, assist in coordinating activities of student engineers assigned to the simulation evaluations. Interested firms may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirements. The written response must include detailed information as to professional qualifications and relevant expertise. An hourly rate or range of rates, which includes indirect burdens for the professional services described shall be provided. Interested firms must affirmatively acknowledge their responsibility for protecting procurement sensitive and proprietary information to which access may be gained during performance. Expressions of interest without sufficient detail to permit evaluation of capability will not be considered. Oral expressions of interest will not be considered. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals, nor is a solicitation document available. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract action, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. In the absence of responses from interested firms demonstrating their capability, NHTSA intends to negotiate with SEA, Inc. on a noncompetitive basis for the work described. Responses must be received by the listed procuring office within 15 calendar days from the date of publication of this notice. (0061)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0015 19960304\B-0001.SOL)