Experimental and Mathematical Biomechanics Injury Research

Introduction 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. The Office of Vehicle Safety Research conducts extensive research, development, testing, crash investigation, and data collection and analysis activities to provide the scientific basis needed to support the Agency's motor vehicle and traffic safety goals. This is a synopsis in accordance with FAR 5.203(a) to issue a 15 day public notification prior to the issuance of a solicitation DTNH22-14-R-00023. NHTSA intends to issue a solicitation for a Full and Open Competition to provide Experimental and Mathematical Biomechanics Injury Research. NTHSA intends to award an Indefinite-Delivery Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) contract whereby Cost Plus Fixed Fee Task Orders or Firm Fixed Price Task Orders may be issued, in accordance with FAR16.504 and16.505. The applicable NAICS code and size standard for this application are as follows: 541330 and not greater than $35.5M 541380 and not greater than $14.0M 541712 and not greater than 500 employees 611310 and not greater than $25.5M The anticipated period of performance is a 60 month base period. The solicitation will be issued on or about April 30, 2014. Scope of Work The research objectives described in this Statement of Work will expand NHTSA's and the public's understanding of human injury biomechanics and tolerance, performance of anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) and computational dummy and human models, and human response to crash loading using a combination of experimental, computational, and analytical methods. The data generated in these studies will provide the impact biomechanics and automobile safety community with response requirements and design parameters for the development of advanced dummies and models, injury criteria, and restraint performance requirements. Results of work conducted under this contract will facilitate the reduction of automobile crash injuries and fatalities. Objective - 1. Conduct experimental biomechanics evaluations to determine human response and injury tolerance to the types of loading experienced in motor vehicle crashes. The objective is to measure the response of the human body to representative loading and observe how, and at what level of loading, injuries occur. - 2. Provide technical support for development and evaluation of ATDs used to evaluate vehicle and restraint system performance. The objective is to tailor ATD design for maximum biofidelity and measurement capability while ensuring acceptable repeatability and reproducibility. - 3. Conduct computational studies using human and ATD models as a complement to and substitute for experimental investigations. Computational models facilitate more thorough investigations of complex biomechanical problems in an economical manner. The objective is to further improve available computational models and use them to inform the evaluation of human response and restraint performance. - 4. Conduct analyses of real-world crash and injury data to explore emerging trends and identify frequent injury causation scenarios. The objective is to inform the direction of ongoing and future research efforts. - 5. Review and analyze data to support development of injury risk curves, injury criteria, and performance specifications for use with ATDs and computational models in evaluating vehicle and restraint performance. The objective is to collectively assess available data and existing studies and produce performance criteria relevant to various test surrogates. Offerors may be required to have an approved accounting system to be eligible for award of Cost Type contract. 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/vendors 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.