Intersection Safety Systems (ISS) Prototyping
Contract Overview
Solicitation details, issuing organization, response deadlines, documents, and interested companies for this government contract opportunity.
AI Contract Overview
The contract seeks to advance the development of Intersection Safety Systems (ISS) by supporting prototype creation that demonstrates the physical capabilities of these systems, addresses critical research questions related to real-time conflict prediction and mitigation at intersections, and evaluates the cost-benefit aspects of broader deployment. This effort builds upon the prior USDOT Intersection Safety Challenge, which was a two-stage prize competition aimed at generating innovative, low-cost, infrastructure-based sensor solutions to improve safety at intersections, a known high-risk area for pedestrian fatalities and traffic crashes. Although the Challenge identified promising technologies, it highlighted the need for further research, particularly on conflict mitigation, which this contract aims to address through advanced prototyping. The solicitation is open to any eligible entity regardless of prior participation or awards in the original Challenge, emphasizing inclusivity and wide engagement. Managed by the Department of Transportation’s Acquisition and Grants Management office in Washington, D.C., the contract outlines a deadline for responses by July 20, 2026. It encourages innovative approaches that leverage advanced algorithms for rapid data fusion from sensor systems to enhance intersection safety outcomes, addressing a significant public safety issue reflected in recent NHTSA data on pedestrian injuries and fatalities. The goal is to move from concept to tangible systems capable of real-time performance, providing a pathway toward safer intersections nationwide.
General Info
Agency
NAICS
Place of Performance
Washington, DC, USASet-Aside
Timeline
Response Deadline
Organization & Contact Information
Full Description
BACKGROUND:
According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), traffic crashes remain a major challenge, with 36,640 estimated U.S. fatalities in 2025 (NHTSA 2026). Pedestrians are especially at risk—a pedestrian died every 74 minutes, and a pedestrian was injured every 7 minutes in traffic crashes in 2024, on average (Traffic Safety Marketing by NHTSA). Intersections account for a significant proportion of these pedestrian fatalities, with about 18% of pedestrian fatalities having occurred at intersections in 2024 (Traffic Safety Marketing by NHTSA).
In response to those concerns, and as part of the USDOT implementation of the National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS), the USDOT established the Intersection Safety Challenge or “the Challenge.” The Challenge was a two-stage prize competition aimed at developing new, cost-effective, real-time roadway Intersection Safety System (ISS) concepts, open to any capable and eligible entity. In the first stage of the Challenge, competitors were asked to develop concept papers describing their ISS, and the best concepts moved on to the next stage of the competition. In the second stage of the Challenge, which was open to first stage prize recipients, participating teams performed virtual testing of their ISS concepts utilizing Government-provided roadside sensor data and other supporting information. More information on the Challenge may be found at https://www.its.dot.gov/research-areas/intersection-safety/challenge, including the Challenge structure and awardees.
The Challenge results indicated there is a compelling case that low-cost, infrastructure-based sensor systems, together with advanced algorithms to fuse data rapidly, show significant promise in achieving the overall vision of the Challenge. However, critical research questions remain regarding the ability of any ISS to predict and mitigate conflicts in real-time. Conflict mitigation, in particular, which is a key element of the ISS vision, requires additional research and refinement.
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this BAA is to build on the success of the USDOT Intersection Safety Challenge by advancing end-to-end ISS prototyping by focusing on ISS prototype development to demonstrate the physical capabilities of ISS, address key research questions regarding conflict prediction and mitigation at intersections, and consider the cost-benefit of broader ISS deployment.
Note that while the Challenge was instrumental in assisting USDOT in understanding the maturity of the technologies and the risks and rewards associated with near-term ISS prototyping, this BAA is open to any eligible entity, regardless of prior Challenge participation or prizes won.