Current Practices and Policies of Highway Agencies on the Use of Deployment-Ready NDE Technologies for Bridge Assessment

Federal Highway Administration Synopsis 693JJ319R000027 Title: Current Practices and Policies of State Bridge Highway Agencies on the Use of Deployment-Ready NDE Technologies This synopsis is issued in accordance with FAR Part 5.203 in response to the mandatory requirement for a 15 day pre-solicitation notification. The purpose of this synopsis is to announce the Federal Highway Administration's intent to issue a solicitation for a Full and Open Competition to procure the services of an Offeror for the Current Practices and Policies of State Bridge Highway Agencies on the Use of Deployment-Ready NDE Technologies requirement pursuant to FAR Part 19.2. As a result of this solicitation, the FHWA intends to award one Firm Fixed Price Contract. The anticipated period of performance shall not exceed 18 months. BACKGROUND Recently, as part of MAP-21 and FAST-ACT legislation, requirements for bridge owners to develop data driven asset management programs have been introduced. In an effort to develop these types of programs, in particular bridge management systems, many stakeholders require extensive bridge inspection condition information. These owners have turned to nondestructive evaluation (NDE) technologies as a means of acquiring bridge condition data that will allow them to be informed with regards to the performance and condition of their assets. In 2009, a joint American Society of Civil Engineers Structural Engineering Institute and American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials ad hoc group was created to study how current bridge practices could be improved for the future. Among their recommendations was the wider use of NDE technologies. The use of NDE technologies to complement bridge inspection, however, have been found to vary significantly from state to state. Some states have established guidelines and protocols for utilizing NDE tools and technologies on an as-needed basis to augment visual inspection, while others have been reluctant to fully embrace such technologies based on their reliabilities and/or added value. In recent years, a number of sponsored national studies (i.e., SHRP2 and NCHRP), federally funded Long-Term Bridge Performance (LTBP) and University Transportation Centers (UTC) Programs, and more focused studies by cluster of states have provided owners and decision makers insight into the capabilities, reliability, strengths and limitations, benefits, and added value of using NDE tools and technologies to reliably manage their bridge highway assets. As NDE technologies are being deployed (although on a limited basis) to serve assessment and management goals related to highway structures, there is a need to capture in what circumstances the use of NDE adds value, how various state highway agencies define return on investment, in particular how they define/quantify the various costs (direct, user, etc.) and benefits (reduced uncertainty, improved forecasting, more efficient use of time and resources, etc.) associated with technology applications. OBJECTIVE The main objective of this study is to: 1. Quantify the added value and return on investment (as owners define it) related to NDE applications. 2. Investigate and document NDE technologies currently in practice by State DOTs (optional) 3. Identify the NDE technologies that are mature enough and available for deployment and implementation 4. The investigation shall first focus on developing a plan to quantify performance-based return on investment (ROI). The lead states or - first adopters who use those NDE technologies shall be identified, detailing their decision-making process related to deployment and in particular with respect to their goals and expectations. In addition to the lead states, identify current policies and procedures of states in their use of NDE technologies. In addition, this study shall identify and document both deployed and deployment-ready NDE technologies, as well as their strength, limitation, accuracy, reliability, ease of use, speed, operation cost, shortfalls, and as well as available protocols or generic guidelines. The final report shall summarize the best practices for leveraging NDE technologies within an agency bridge management plan, and highlight how bridge owners use NDE tools and technologies to assist them in managing bridges more effectively. DETAILS The solicitation will be released electronically via this Government Point of Entry (GPE) otherwise known as Federal Business Opportunities or www.fbo.gov. As such, no written, telephonic or other type of request for an advance copy of the solicitation will be entertained at this time. Potential Offerors are encouraged to register on www.fbo.gov to receive any further information in reference to the subject action inclusive of any announcements, and/or amendments to the solicitation after its release. This requirement is full and open competition pursuant to NAICS code 541330. Any questions regarding this synopsis should be directed to Matthew Gilliard, Contracting Specialist, via email at matthew.gilliard@dot.gov.