COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR TRAFFIC SAFETY/HISPANIC OUTREACH PROGRAMS

BACKGROUND The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation whose primary mission is to reduce deaths, injuries and economic losses resulting from motor vehicle crashes. This is accomplished by: - Setting and enforcing national safety performance standards for motor vehicles and equipment; - Researching and demonstrating promising strategies to influence positive traffic safety behaviors among diverse audiences; - Providing grants to state and local government to enable them to conduct effective local highway safety programs designed to reach diverse audiences; and - Planning and executing strategic communication campaigns to support program activity. Research has demonstrated that increasing safety belt use and preventing impaired driving has a significant impact on meeting NHTSA's core mission and so continue to be two of the agency's priority programs. Innovative public information campaigns and highly visible law enforcement efforts have increased occupant protection use and decreased impaired driving. Research has also demonstrated that despite the substantial progress we have made in reducing vehicle crashes and fatalities, motorcycle crashes are one of the main reasons NHTSA's progress in increasing highway safety has stalled. For a decade, motorcycle fatalities and injuries have steadily increased. In fact, they have more than doubled since 1997. These increases have essentially offset the decreases in NHTSA's overall fatality and injury numbers that are released annually. To meet its mission of decreasing fatalities and injuries on our Nations' roadways, NHTSA must continue to develop English and Spanish language messaging and materials on seat belts, impaired driving, motorcycles, pedestrians, bicycles, school buses, and older driver safety, distracted driving, and other NHTSA-based communication initiatives. In addition, the Agency needs to have the ability to develop new communication strategies and initiatives in response to traffic safety problems as they are identified in an annual review of the Agency's data. NHTSA utilizes an integrated approach when developing and implementing its communications programs, and all tools available to communications experts are explored for use in any given campaign. This includes reviewing data, including traffic research and market research, advertising, media relations, collateral materials, partnerships, and evaluation. Effective communication must be maintained not only with the strategic target audiences, but policy makers must also be made aware of the potential lifesaving actions they can take to alleviate these problems. PURPOSE The purpose of this multi-year project is to work with an integrated communications marketing/advertising firm that can use its 1) social marketing experience; 2) experience and knowledge of the Hispanic population; 3) ability to adapt existing materials into Spanish, and create new materials that will positively resonate with Spanish speaking populations; and 4) strategic and tactical development and execution experience to provide NHTSA with public relations and communications support in the development of English and Spanish language communications, marketing campaigns, and related tools that can be used by our partners, the States, and highway safety advocates throughout the United States to promote traffic safety messages; raise traffic safety awareness; and increase positive traffic safety behaviors among English and Spanish speaking populations through information dissemination and strategically designed program initiatives relating to seat belts, impaired driving, motorcycles, pedestrians, bicycles, school buses, older driver safety, and other NHTSA-based communication initiatives as they are identified in an annual review of the Agency's data. INTENT This procurement will be an 8(a) set-aside competitive procurement. This procurement is anticipated to result in a Time and Materials (T&M) contract. The NAICS Code/Size Standard is 541820. The period of performance is estimated at 5 years. NHTSA intends to release the Solicitation on or about the April or May 2009. No email messages or phone messages will be responded to BEFORE the solicitation is posted.