This synopsis is issued pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 5.203 which prescribes a mandatory requirement for a 15 day pre-solicitation notification. The purpose of this synopsis is to announce the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) intent to issue a solicitation for full and open competition, single-award IDIQ contract.

This requirement is for non-personal services to provide support for the FHWA Office of Safety Research Development and Technology (HRDS) Human Factors (HF) Program. HRDS has identified a continued need for technical support services in human factors to assist the agency in carrying out its mission and program goals.

The primary objective of this requirement is to address complex technical program issues and support human factors and transportation engineering. These initiatives build on previous efforts to increase behavioral research programs requiring human factors, experimental design and data analysis, and traffic engineering expertise. Enhancing the operational efficiency of the HF program, including improving the research tools and methods, is a viable and effective strategy to improve human factors research and provide critical human factors support on various transportation related projects. By effectively addressing the above stated issues, the FHWA can collaborate holistically with traditional transportation organizations. 

The Contractor shall have the technical capability to provide technical support for HF program operations and maintenance. Those activities include the following:

• Planning and conducting human factors research in one or more of the following areas – intersection, roadways, vulnerable road users, visibility, traffic control devices, speed management, weather, work zones, Strategic Highway Research Program 2 (SHRP2) and other naturalistic data, and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) / Connected and Automated Vehicles.
• Providing technical support in the design and execution of contract and in-house research to fulfill program requirements.
• Providing technical and administrative support in ongoing and planned special projects.
• Analyzing and reviewing specific technical and/or program issues.
• Preparing documentation to support FHWA in planning, executing, and managing program activities.
• Ensuring that program documentation, research designs, and laboratory products are technically sound and cost effective.
• Developing, maintaining, and inspecting equipment in Human Factors Laboratory (HFL).

This acquisition requires that the Contractor perform activities to include conducting human factors research and provide critical human factors support on special projects at the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC) in McLean, Virginia. Throughout the conduct of these services, the Contractor shall implement a Systems Engineering approach to guide the technical and scheduling aspects of the work.

A single contractor is required to successfully carry out the activities of the work detailed in the Statement of Work (SOW). The solicitation will be issued for the identified activities which will result in a single award Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract.  A single-award IDIQ contract is needed due to the level of interconnectivity and coordination required on all contract activities.

The solicitation and all related documents will be released electronically via the Government Point of Entry (GPE) otherwise known as www.sam.gov. As such, no written, telephonic or other type of request for an advance copy of the solicitation will be entertained. Potential offerors are encouraged to register on www.sam.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 synopsis is not a request for competitive proposals. A Request for Proposals (RFP) is anticipated to be published in the near future. Once the RFP is posted, all interested, responsible sources may submit a proposal which will be considered by the FHWA.