Institute of Medicine Special Study

Action Code: Sources Sought Classification Code: A Solicitation: DTNH2216RQ-00512-002 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, $20.5 M. Point of Contract: Vincent Lynch, Contracting Officer, ph(202) 366-9568 Title: Institute of Medicine Special Study Description(s): The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is once again publishing its intent to negotiate with National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine to establish a committee of medical, public health, behavioral scientists, and other experts to complete a thorough review of the nation's alcohol-impaired driving problem, strategies used to address the problem and provide recommendations on future actions that need to be taken to eliminate alcohol-impaired driving. Upon further consideration of the unique nature of the requirements associated with this project NHTSA has redetermined that a sole source contract is required with the National Academy of Sciences, Institutes of Medicine due to their unique capability to identify and obtain the commitment of the nation's leading experts in the fields of medicine, public health and science that can serve as independent, unbiased examiners to address the question of why the progress in reducing alcohol-impaired driving crashes has stalled, and then provide the nation recommendations on what actions and policies are needed to make progress in eliminating alcohol-impaired crashes and the resulting injuries and fatalities they cause. The contractor shall assemble a committee of subject matter experts that will produce an authoritative, independent, unbiased, evidence-based report that will serve as a key resource for the community of state, local and federal organizations and agencies to use to strengthen their work to renew the nation's understanding, concern and demand for an end to alcohol-impaired driving. 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 (NHTSA) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). NHTSA's 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 nation has made significant progress in reducing alcohol-impaired driving fatalities. In the mid-1970s, alcohol was a factor in over 60 percent of motor vehicle fatalities. In 2014, close to 31 percent of motor vehicle traffic fatalities were related to alcohol-impaired driving. Although alcohol-impaired driving crash fatalities have decreased, in more recent years (2009-2013 period) the number has hovered around 10,000 fatalities signifying a deceleration in the progress made to reduce alcohol-impaired driving. Alcohol-impaired driving places a huge burden on our society. The estimated economic cost of alcohol-impaired-driving crashes is estimated to be $49.8 billion but when quality of life valuations are considered, the total value of societal harm from alcohol-impaired-driving crashes rises to about $206.9 billion. Over the years, a number of public health strategies have contributed to the progress made in reducing alcohol impaired driving. These strategies include setting and enforcing laws around blood alcohol concentrations (BAC), minimum legal drinking age laws, sobriety checkpoints, community-based approaches to alcohol control, DWI prevention, and increasing taxes on alcohol products, among others. The more recent lack of progress made in further reducing impaired driving fatalities with these traditional strategies signals a need to revisit the current approach and to assess whether current public health strategies are still effective, need to be modified, or new strategies are needed. An assessment of domestic and international public health approaches along with their implementation, enforcement, and impact could contribute important lessons learned to assist in shaping a blueprint for the nation to accelerate the progress in reducing alcohol-impaired driving fatalities. Objective: The objective of this contract is to establish a committee of medical, public health, behavioral scientists, and other subject matter experts to complete a thorough review of the nation's alcohol-impaired driving problem, and further produce an authoritative, independent, and unbiased report on accelerating progress to reduce alcohol-impaired driving fatalities, which will include strategies used to address the problem and provide recommendations on future actions that the nation needs to take to eliminate alcohol-impaired driving.