Education On Proper Use of Safety Belts On School Buses

Action Code: Sources Sought Classification Code: A Solicitation: DTNH2216RQ-00102 Agency/Office: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Location: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration HQ NAICS Code: 541720, Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities, $20.5M. Point of Contract: Vincent Lynch, Contracting Officer, ph(202) 366-9568 Title: Education On Proper Use of Safety Belts On School Buses Description(s): The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is issuing this Sources Sought Notice to identify potential qualified Small Business (SB), Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), 8(a) Certified SDB, HUBZone SB, SDVOSB, or WOSB concerns that may be interested in and capable of performing the work described herein to provide research about state/local communities decisions on implementation of seat belts for school buses. NHTSA welcomes all qualified Small Business concerns, with the appropriate NAICS Code and past experience to submit their Corporate Capability Statements that demonstrate their ability to successfully accomplish the goals of the project as listed below. NHTSA does not intend to award a contract on the basis of responses to this notice or otherwise pay for the preparation of any information submitted. Acknowledgement of receipt of responses will not be made; no formal evaluation of the information received will be conducted by NHTSA. NHTSA may; however later on issue a Request for Proposals (RFP). However, should such a requirement fail to materialize, no basis for claims against NHTSA shall arise as a result of a response to this notice. Background: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) mission is to save lives, prevent injuries, and reduce traffic-related health care and other economic costs. The agency develops, promotes, and implements effective educational, engineering, and enforcement programs with the goal of ending vehicle crash tragedies and reducing economic costs associated with vehicle use and highway travel. NHTSA conducts extensive research, development, testing, crash investigation, data collection, and analysis activities to provide the scientific basis needed to support the Agency's motor vehicle and traffic safety goals. In addition to supporting internal NHTSA efforts, NHTSA-sponsored research provides high-quality publicly-accessible data that serves as the basis for countless other research endeavors. On July 23, NHTSA hosted a school bus safety summit in Washington, DC. Many of the groups present at this meeting participated in the summit including the National Association of Pupil Transportation, National Association School Directors Pupil Transportation Services, and National School Transportation Association. A number of interesting ideas for needed technical resources and further research came out of the NHTSA School Bus safety meeting. These resources and research could help NHTSA, the States and school transportation agencies reduce the number of injuries and fatalities related to school transportation. On average, from 2004 - 2013, each year 8 school-age pedestrians killed were struck by school transportation vehicles (school buses and non-school-bus vehicles used as school buses), and 4 by other vehicles involved in school-bus-related crashes.. During this same time period, on average each year six school age children are killed in collisions while riding in a school bus. By focusing on safety both in and around the school bus, we could envision a future where there really are zero school transportation fatalities. Objective: The objective is to provide research to understand state/local communities decisions to implement seat belts on school buses, collect information about their decision-making and the policies that are currently in effect to make their programs successful in an effort to create a model policy and best practices guide. Additionally, NHTSA wishes to obtain information on the role of distraction in school bus crashes, with consideration of the use of seat belts in managing behavior on school buses. Capabilities: The corporate capability statement must address the capabilities necessary to accomplish the scope outlined above as well as the additional tasks and characteristics given below: C.3 SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS C.3. Requirement 1 -Conduct Kick-off Meeting. The Contractor shall meet with the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) in Washington, DC within four weeks following contract award to discuss the Contractor's proposed work plan, clarify areas of potential misunderstanding, and establish agreements on the conduct of the project. The NHTSA COR shall respond to questions, provide feedback and instructions, and deliver any necessary or useful materials to the Contractor. Within 5 days after the Kick-off Meeting, the COR will either approve the WP or provide the PM consolidated written comments for revision. Within 5 days of receiving written comments from the COR, the Contractor shall submit a revised WP for COR review, comment, and revision, or COR approval. C.3 Requirement 2 - Identify School Districts that Use Seat Belts The Contractor shall identify and access the experience of school districts that have implemented seat belts on school buses to determine the costs and benefits, and any positive or negative unintended consequences . This project will identify any cost recovery mechanisms for the costs related to seat belts. In order for this Condition to be successful, the Contractor shall work with NHTSA's school bus partners to assist in identifying the school districts. Once the school districts are identified, the Contractor shall provide this information to the COR who will notify the NHTSA Regional Administrators of the Contractors intent to contact the school districts within the regions. C.3. Requirement 3 - Identify State/Local Policies that have Funded Seat Belts The Contractor shall identify and provide information to NHTSA on any innovative State or local policies that have helped school districts to fund seat belts on school buses, e.g., state laws, tax exemptions, use of traffic fines, etc.). This information shall be submitted to NHTSA in a report format. C.3 Requirement 4 - Model Policy and Best Practices The Contractor, working through NHTSA's school bus partners shall obtain information from State and local school districts that have established seat belt policies and provide a DRAFT model policy that NHTSA can share with its partners and State and local school districts. Additionally, the Contractor shall create a "current practices" guide that be used by the State and local school districts. The Model Policy and Guide will be submitted to NHTSA in Draft form. Once NHTSA has reviewed the information, the Contractor will receive the comments and prepare Final copies. C.3 Requirement 5 - Seat Belts and Student Behavior The Contractor shall identify school districts that have seat belt policies in place and discuss the issue of distraction as it pertains to student behavior and the use of seat belts. The pertinent question is "Whether seat belts deter student misbehavior when used properly?" and "Are school bus drivers less distracted by student misbehavior when seat belts are used?" The Contractor will work with the COR to develop the appropriate questions to ask and will follow standard protocols to assimilate the information and provide the information to NHTSA in a Draft format. Once the COR has reviewed the Draft report, and responded to the Contractor, the Contractor will provide a "clean" draft report for NHTSA agency review. Once the comments have been received from the COR, the Contractor shall produce a Final report. Format of Corporate Capabilities Statement: Any interested qualified Small Business firms, Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), 8(a) Certified SDB, HUBZone SB, SDVOSB, or WOSB concerns should submit their Corporate Capability Statement, which demonstrates the firm's ability and past experience in no more than 10 pages to perform the key requirements described above to the identified NHTSA point of contact listed herein. Any proprietary information should be marked as such. All respondents are asked to certify the type and size of their business organization is in-line with the requirements of this Sources Sought Notice, and must be received no later than 7 calendar days from the date of publication of this notice.