B -- Radial Medium Duty and Passenger/Light-Truck Tire Testing

Introduction:NHTSA has initiated multiple test programs in accordance to the Transportation, Recall, Enhancement, Accountability, and Documentation Act (TREAD ACT) mandates. In response, NHTSA will acquire in-depth understanding of the tire testing and obtain a comparative study of controlled tests. This testing is in support of the current Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). Specific Requirements: NHTSA plans to study the Radial Medium and Passenger/Light-Truck Tires through testing. The testing involves the collection of new and/or highway-used radial tires from the market and conduct testing to measure and compare the level of performance between the groups of tires. In addition, the study may include research in the performance of foreign tire casings. The study will include Destructive Testing (DT) and Non-Destructive testing (NDT) of tires. The testing involves: shearography (NDT), endurance (NDT), endurance to failure (DT), adhesive strength (DT), deflection measurements (NDT), retread applications (NDT), and other testing related to research involving current tire regulations. The agency is seeking Medium Duty, Passenger, and Light Truck tire information on the following areas: Performance and Retread Plants Markings and Labeling. The Contractor shall furnish technical personnel, facilities, equipment, and tires to perform the following: 1) Measure the level of performance between multiple tire groups of different sizes and highway applications; 2) Explore the effects of different tire performance under different levels of stringency in indoor laboratory endurance tests; 3) Develop End of Test (EOT) to failure conditions targeting different tire components utilizing laboratory endurance tests; 4) Research alternate NDT testing methods; 5) Evaluate possible correlations between new and retreaded tires with time-to-failure endurance tests or alternate approach. Sample Selection Requirements: The tire samples selected for this program shall represent popular highway tires used on public roads. Any optional testing such as retreaded tires shall be performed by an ISO 9000-2000 approved retread plant. Both new and used tires shall be U.S. DOT casings. The number of groups of tires and their number of samples for testing should be adequate in order to perform an appropriate statistical analysis when reducing data. The Contractor shall perform and complete testing and associated within the time specified and shall submit deliverables as required by the schedule. Contract Award: NHTSA intends to award a single, Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Firm-Fixed Price Contract with a base year of 12 months to include four (4) one-year option periods which can be exercised (in one-year increments) resulting in a total possible performance period of five (5) years. This solicitation is open to Small Businesses ONLY. Solicitation: The solicitation DTNH22-08-R-00105 will be available for downloading from http://www.fedbizopps.gov/ on or about March 27, 2008. All questions regarding this solicitation must be submitted in writing via e-mail to chelly.johnson-jones@nhtsa.dot.gov no later than April 10, 2008. The anticipated award date for this resultant contract is expected on or about August 1, 2008.