The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) intends to award a follow-on, non-competitive, sole source contract to the Transportation Research Center, Inc. (TRC), located in East Liberty, Ohio, for various professional, technical and administrative services and support, including personnel, test facilities and equipment use, and materials processing necessary for the efficient operation, research and testing activities of the Vehicle Research and Test Center (VRTC). The statutory authority for the proposed sole source award is 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1) "Only One Responsible Source". The Vehicle Research and Test Center is the only in-house research, development, test, evaluation and investigation facility of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. VRTC provides for the formulation and conduct of in-house activities to support NHTSA requirements for scientific and technical research for Federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS) and the existence and potential consequences of safety-related defects. VRTC's mission requires the use of the unique facilities located at the Transportation Research Center. The Vehicle Research and Test Center has been located on the property of the Transportation Research Center in East Liberty, Ohio for over 30 years. TRC Inc. is currently the only independent automotive testing facility sufficiently equipped to fulfill the research requirements of the VRTC. The TRC facilities such as the Crash Test Facility, HYGE Sled, Vehicle Dynamics Area, Brake Soak, Brake Slope, Skid Pad, and High Speed Test Track, which are located at the same site as the VRTC, provides capabilities not available anywhere else. Testing and research that has to be done by government researchers within NHTSA, including support of rulemaking initiatives, defects analysis, long-term research, anthropomorphic test device development, etc. dictates daily use of the type of facilities and test surfaces provided by TRC. TRC Inc. provides the supervision and management effort necessary to ensure efficient and effective administration and control of the work to be performed under the contract. VRTC requires both long-term and quick response research investigation and testing capabilities to perform task order requirements necessary to support administrative functions and programmatic areas. These requirements include professional and technical services involving research and testing activities that are identified by the VRTC on a Task Order completion basis. Participation of multiple divisions may be required in the conduct of a single task. Task Orders may include, but are not limited to, the following activities: Calibrate test equipment. Equipment may include anthropomorphic dummies, component test devices, instrumentation systems and mechanical hardware. Instrument test articles. Test articles may include anthropomorphic dummies, component test devices, sled (crash simulation) bucks, vehicles and vehicle components, etc. This instrumentation shall enable measurements to be made related to injury severity, structural response, vehicle response and/or component response to the testing conducted. This may also include on-board and off-board video cameras and lighting. Assemble/Install test components as required by individual task orders. Maintain and operate Government furnished equipment (GFE). GFE may include transducers, data acquisition equipment, photographic and video equipment, dynamometers, vehicle lifts, anthropomorphic test dummies and dummy parts, etc. Assist in the design, fabrication, debugging and operation of new instrumentation/data acquisition systems, components and test fixtures. Enter process, analyze and evaluate experimental data results from research and testing efforts conducted by VRTC. Statistical and photographic analysis of test results and test simulations may also be required. Analyze accident data (from computer files and examination of hard-copy case files) to identify major aspects of the accident problem. Conduct surveys. Surveys shall be conducted in accordance with government policy in this area. Prepare and/or present data presentations or other reports that may require graphs, charts, tables, photographs, video or motion pictures filming and other illustrations. Prepare progress, event and final reports of projects or phases of projects as further described and defined in each individual task order. Develop and construct special test fixtures and equipment as required by VRTC Programs. Participate in program development of new research and defects investigation activities. Apply knowledge of research/investigative approaches and testing methodologies from previous, similar activities in developing these programs. Conduct human factors testing and evaluation. Participate in program briefings with NHTSA Headquarters personnel, the automotive industry and related automotive research organizations and component manufacturers. Conduct testing on TRC facilities. Testing may include driving passenger cars, light trucks, heavy trucks, buses and heavy combination vehicles. Driving maneuvers may include limit or near limit of vehicle capability, requiring expertise and experience in performing such maneuvers. Driving may be required on public highways as well as TRC test surfaces. Conduct simulation tests on the HYGE sled and full scale crash tests in many different configurations. These tests may involve collection of electronic data from instrumentation, video data from high speed cameras and still photography. Assist in management of day-to-day program requirements. Provide support in the areas of building maintenance, parts pick-up, switchboard operation and receptionist duties, typing, filing, report preparation and reproduction and other functions as described in individual task orders. Assist in locating and obtaining pricing for test vehicles/equipment. Conduct testing using unique test devices. Inherent in this testing are increased safety and security requirements and certifications of personnel involved. Perform mechanical analysis and inspections that will assist in confirming the existence or non-existence of defects in motor vehicles or motor vehicle equipment. Prepare samples for metallurgical and other material sciences related analysis. Conduct testing on these samples using Government Furnished Equipment (GFE). Perform static and dynamic tests of vehicular components. Transport test vehicles to/from VRTC to other test facilities or Organizations. CDL certification may be required of some drivers. Provide technical drawing format and techniques expertise. Generate parts, fixtures and assembly drawings as required. Drawings will usually be required in electronic format. A drawings database will be maintained. Conduct component and assembly dimensional evaluation/assessments of materials and parts. Develop, modify and/or utilize finite element models, kinematics and whole body simulator models, CAD software and databases to assist in VRTC conducted research activities. Conduct literature surveys to research the state-of-the-art and previous work in areas of technical interest to VRTC. Provide work space for lease to specific program requirements as needed. Perform surveys and ergonomics testing with human subjects. Perform static and dynamic tests of crash test dummies and/or dummy components. Conduct Dummy calibration/repair services for various anthropomorphic test devices The work required under the proposed contract shall be awarded through the issuance of Task Orders. The estimated contract period of performance is five (5) years. The anticipated date for contract award is no later than May 15, 2013. This Notice of Intent is NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS and no solicitation will be issued. However, interested parties that believe it is capable of performing this requirement may submit their capability statements and qualifications in writing, to the designated Government Point of Contact on or before February 18, 2013 at 12PM EST. Interested parties must demonstrate proven capability to conduct tasks described above. In addition, interested parties must ensure unrestricted access to, use of and support services required for use of the following facilities: Crash Simulator, Skid Pad, Brake Slope, Cobblestone Road, Gravel Road, Corrosion Chamber, Grit Trough, Vehicle Dynamics Area, Brake Soak, Anti-lock Brake Facility, High Speed Test Track, Portable Salt Spray, Skid Trailer Calibration Pad, and Facility Friction Measurement. Capability: All capability statements and qualifications received by the Government will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. The Government will not be responsible for any costs incurred in preparation of the proposals. A determination by the Government not to conduct the proposed contract award as a full and open competition, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government. In the absence of responses within the specified time period herein, negotiations with TRC Inc. will commence on a soles source basis. Availability of the Request for Proposal (RFP): Interested parties may request a copy of the RFP from the Contracting Officer, Ms. Robin Gates at [email protected] or Contract Specialist, Ms. Sherese Gray at [email protected] after March 1, 2013. All requests will result in an electronic copy of the RFP via email to the designated party.