Collect Drug Use Data from Drivers Arrested for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) or Driving Under the Influence of Drugs (DUID)

Description: 1.0 Summary The U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT), Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Development, John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center), Cambridge, MA, is conducting market research to identify businesses for services to examine the characteristics of drug use among drivers arrested for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) or Driving Under the Influence of Drugs (DUID). The Contractor will collect information-for example, self-report data about over-the-counter, prescription, and illegal drug use and biological samples to detect the presence of these drugs-on the day of arrest. The study will take place in two jurisdictions; most likely in separate states. This Sources Sought Notice does not constitute a solicitation and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government. The Government will not pay for any effort expended in responding to this notice. ? 2.0 Background The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is an administration of the U.S. DOT. NHTSA's mission is to save lives, prevent injuries and reduce economic costs due to road traffic crashes, through education, research, safety standards and enforcement activity. Under the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), Subsection 402(c), the Secretary, acting through the NHTSA Administrator, shall establish a cooperative program to research and evaluate State highway safety countermeasures. NHTSA, in conjunction with the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), has identified several areas for research and evaluation to be conducted under this program. In support of NHTSA, the Volpe Center will assist in establishing and managing this new cooperative program. Drug-impaired driving is receiving additional focus within federal and state agencies. Impairment not only arises from illegal drugs, but from over-the-counter and prescription medications. The public and industry stakeholders are increasingly asking questions about drugged driving; however, due to the lack of data there is often difficulty in providing answers. NHTSA seeks to learn more about the prevalence of drug use among drivers, which drugs (and how many of them) cause impairment, what type of impairment results, and whether certain drugs increase the risk of drivers being involved in a crash (or a fatal crash), etc. These questions are especially relevant now, as the states of Washington and Colorado have legalized the recreational use of marijuana, and other states are considering doing the same. It is important for NHTSA to know about the drug use of DWI and DUID offenders because: - Impaired-driving offenders who are arrested for alcohol-impaired driving are rarely tested and prosecuted also for drugged driving. Knowing more about the extent to which arrested impaired-driving offenders test positive for alcohol, drugs or both can help better define the extent of the drugged driving problem. - Knowing more about the extent of the drugged driving problem can better inform State and local community decisions about the development, implementation, and evaluation of countermeasures to prevent drugged driving crashes, injuries, and fatalities. - Knowing whether arrested impaired-driving offenders are using drugs, alcohol or alcohol in combination with other drugs, can help pinpoint a jurisdiction's needs for enforcement and treatment. This information may also translate to prevention messages and outreach efforts. 3.0 Description This research study will collect self-report data about over-the-counter, prescription, and illegal drug use, and biological samples to detect the presence of these drugs, on the day of arrest among drivers arrested for DWI and/or DUID. ? The study will examine the characteristics of drivers arrested for DWI and/or DUID, which can lead to information that will better define the problem of drugged driving. It can also inform decisions about the development, implementation, and evaluation of countermeasures to prevent drugged driving crashes, injuries, and fatalities. The Contractor will be responsible for supporting the Government in the following work areas: 1. Gather information about and recommend two potential sites for data collection. This Investigation will be in coordination with Volpe, GHSA, NHTSA Regional Offices, and any affected State Highway Safety Offices. 2. Develop a plan to obtain data on impaired driving suspects' drug use on the day they were arrested and their drug use characteristics in general. Drug use includes over-the-counter, prescription (including medications that are used inappropriately or illegally), and illegal drugs. It is possible that even though a person is arrested based on alcohol use, the suspect also used other drugs. 3. Maintain and protect the confidentiality of all subject data. 4. Research "archival" data already being collected by the law enforcement agency and/or the lab the agency uses 5. Identify and describe alternate approaches for collecting the data, including a detailed description of the methodology for each approach. 6. Collect self-reporting data on offenders' drug and alcohol use. It may be most practical to do this at the time of arrest (for example, at a sobriety checkpoint) or during the booking procedure. (It is possible that this self-reporting and "archival" data may be collected by the arresting officer and/or Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) officer. 7. Submit a final report. In order to perform the above tasks, the Contractor must demonstrate expertise in collecting biological samples on a number of drugs (including prescription and over the counter medications), and alcohol. In addition, the Contractor must take into account Internal Review Board (IRB) procedures and receive IRB approval, as well as follow the requirements set forth in the Paperwork Reduction Act. 4.0 Submission Instructions Interested Contractors must submit a written Statement of Capabilities of sufficient detail demonstrating their understanding of the Section 3.0 description of requirements (above). Additionally, the Contractor must provide information on relevant experience on projects similar to the one described above (a minimum of three (3) previous or current projects in the past five (5) years). Capability information for the previous or current projects shall include: Contract number; Customer (Government agency, private industry); Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) name, telephone and fax numbers; contract value and type of contract; period of performance; and description of product/services. Information provided shall be detailed and shall show technical capabilities, knowledge, and expertise so the Government can assess the ability to provide the described services in each of the above stated work areas. All of the information sought should be conveyed in no more than six (6) pages. Page size is set at 8.5" X 11" and text should be no smaller than 11 point and double-spaced. Each response must reference the Sources Sought number and title. Ensure to provide the Contractor's name and address and the following Contractor information: 1) Point of Contact (along with telephone number and e-mail address); 2) DUNS Number and CAGE Code; 3) Contractor Address; and 4) NAICS code(s) as registered in the System for Award Management. Interested small businesses shall indicate their socio-economic small business size status (Total Small Business, 8(a) business development, historically underutilized business zone, service disabled veteran owned, small disadvantaged, or woman-owned) in the appropriate North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code. As a result of recent changes to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 19, small business concerns must ensure that their status certifications are up to date. Interested parties must respond to this announcement in writing by January 7, 2015 at 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time. Telephone requests will not be honored. All responses must be submitted via e-mail to Elizabeth A. Segal at Elizabeth.Segal@dot.gov. Electronic attachments to the e-mail should be submitted in Microsoft Office 2010 productivity application formats, or any format that can be imported by Microsoft Office. 5.0 Information Availability THIS NOTICE IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. This notice is for information and planning purposes only, and is a market research tool to determine the availability and technical capability of Contractors prior to determining the method of acquisition and possible issuance of a Request for Proposal. The notice does not constitute a solicitation for bids, quotations, and proposals, and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government. The information provided herein is subject to change and in no way binds the Government to solicit for or award a competitive contract. The Government is not obligated to and will not pay for any information received from potential sources as a result of response to this Sources Sought notice. The Government will not pay for any materials provided in response to this synopsis and submittals will not be returned to the sender. Submissions must be disclosable to the public or the submitter should provide a summary statement that can be disclosed to the public with fuller supporting information that is clearly marked as restricted. The Government will use customary means to safeguard proprietary information, but only when such information is (1) clearly marked as proprietary; (2) is, in fact, information that could not have been obtained from another party or source; and (3) is otherwise deserving of such treatment under standards and processes described in the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Executive Order 12600. For information about the Volpe Center, refer to the Volpe Center website at http://www.volpe.dot.gov/.