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

B -- FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR UPGRADING FMVSS NO. 218, MOTORCYCLE HELMETS SOL DTNH22-97-Q-02001 POC Contact Rose Watson, Contract Specialist, (202) 366-9557, or Janice Flemming, Contracting Officer, (202) 366-9564 The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) intends to negotiate with the Head Protection Research Laboratory, the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA for the conduct of a feasibility study for upgrading Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 218 for motorcycle helmets. FMVSS No. 218 first went into effect in March 1974, with subsequent amendments in 1980 and 1988. FMVSS No. 218 needs to be upgraded to keep up with technological advancements in the helmet field. The feasibility study will require (1) the review of potential upgrades to FMVSS No. 218 in identified areas to compare the proposed upgrades with existing standard requirements in terms of necessity, practicality and implementation costs through an approach which considers adopting or harmonizing with requirements from other major helmet standards; (2) the conduct of comparison tests between the current FMVSS No. 218 and the proposed upgrade test procedures to establish feasibility and demonstrate improved requirements; (3) the preparation of a report of findings of the review and testing, and conclusions, including a discussion of the potential safety improvements for each identified upgrade area and an estimate of the percentage of motorcycle helmets on the current U.S. market that could fail the particular upgrade requirement. The work requirements involve efforts for which an ''organizational conflict of interest,'' as defined in FAR Subpart 9.5, is of concern in terms of contractor objectivity. Interested firms may identify their capability to respond to the work requirements. The written response must include detailed information as to professional qualifications and relevant expertise, specifically addressing organizational/personnel research experience in FMVSS No. 218 motorcycle helmet standards. Interested firms must also demonstrate that they have or have access to the requisite research facilities, including equipment, to conduct the required comparison tests, as described in FMVSS No. 218, ANZI Z90.1, Snell, ECE Reg. No. 22, and which have been determined to include the following: (1) for conducting impact attenuation tests, monorail drop test apparatus for FMVSS No. 218 tests, the 3-wire ''basket drop'' test apparatus for ECE Reg. No. 22 tests, and the twin-wire drop test apparatus ANSI and Snell tests; (2) ''DOT'' test headform set (large, medium, and small sizes) and ISO test headforms (A, E, J, and M sizes); (3) high temperature, low temperature, and water immersion conditioning chambers; (4) for conducting penetration tests, FMVSS No. 218 penetration drop test apparatus, ANSI and Snell edge anvil impact test apparatus, and ECE Reg. No. 22 curb impact test apparatus; (5) for conducting retention system tests, FMVSS No. 218 static retention test equipment, ANSI and Snell dynamic retention test equipment; (6) for conducting roll-off tests, Snell roll-off test apparatus; and (7) for conducting face shield impact tests, VESC-8 face shield impact test apparatus. In addition, interested firms must demonstrate that their objectivity has not been impaired as a result of previous experience, or because of any related past, present, or planned interest, financial or otherwise, in organizations regulated by DOT, or in organizations whose interests may be substantially affected by the results of this study. Finally, interested firms must provide an hourly rate or range of rates, which includes indirect burdens for the professional services described. Expressions of interest without sufficient detail to permit evaluation of capability or organizational conflict of interest will not be considered. Oral expressions of interest will not be considered. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations nor is a Request-for-Quotations solicitation document currently available. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed study effort 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 simplified acquisition. In the absence of responses from interested firms demonstrating their capability and lack of conflict of interest, NHTSA intends to request a quotation from the Head Protection Research Laboratory, the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 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. This requirement is subject to the availability of appropriations in Fiscal Year 1997. (0268)

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