Human Factors Research and Development

1.0 Description The U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT), Office of Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology, John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center), Cambridge, MA, issues this Sources Sought notice to assist the Government in developing its acquisition strategy. This sources sought notice does not constitute a Request for Proposal. The Volpe Center is seeking to identify potential offerors that are capable of supporting human factors research and development, as well as program evaluation, focused on advanced transportation technologies across the different modes of transportation - including aviation, rail, car and truck/bus - both to improve the performance and safety of transportation operators and to upgrade and improve the transportation infrastructure, i.e., the facilities, equipment, and services needed for the safe and efficient movement of people and goods. 2.0 Background Automation and related advanced technologies can radically transform the future of transportation, increasing safety, decreasing congestion, improving efficiency, and increasing access to mobility, especially for underserved populations. The Volpe Center seeks to conduct human factors research, development and program evaluation across the different modes of transportation to understand the impact of advanced technologies on the behavior of transportation operators, the transportation workforce, and the broader transportation system. Knowing how the operators and users of the various components of transportation systems will respond to advanced technologies in each of the different modes will require at the very minimum extensions to and advancements in our: a) Understanding of Human Performance: Requires a deeper understanding of the effects of how trust in automation, adaptation to new technologies, situation awareness, transfer of control, distraction, workload, the design of the operator-vehicle interface, education and training, age, physical and mental capabilities, and drug and alcohol impairment affect operator safety and performance; b) Models for Predicting Human Performance: Requires the development of models of human performance in complex systems which contain these advanced technologies, models that this deeper understanding will afford. Such models are generally based on an in-depth analysis of the cognitive, motor and perceptual elements that are required to perform a given task. The models can be used both to identify the optimal design of a given intervention and to predict how the human operator will behave under a wide variety of circumstances so that situations in which errors might occur can be flagged and mitigated ahead of time; c) Methods for Gathering Human Performance Data: Requires enhancements in our ability to collect performance measures from human operators and vulnerable transportation users across the different modes: in the laboratory on simulators that may be connected to one another; in field operational experiments and naturalistic studies on the road; in work settings relevant to the different modes; and in the data warehouses where crash and injury statistics are stored. Augmented reality may be used in the laboratory or in the field to provide the additional power required safely and flexibly to gather human performance data; d) Ways of Analyzing Data and Evaluating Programs: Requires new ways of analyzing the vast quantities of data that are gathered in the above efforts, including vehicle behaviors, operator behaviors and physiological data (eye movements, EEG), as well as new ways of evaluating system wide programs for workers (e.g., the FRA Confidential Close Calls Reporting System) that are designed to identify and remediate the potential problems that can occur with the use of these advanced technologies; and e) Technologies, Countermeasures, and Processes: Requires the development of entirely new technologies, countermeasures and processes in the vehicle (surface or air), in the infrastructure, and in the safety culture where these new technologies appear in order for the technologies to achieve their full benefit where the human operator is in the loop. These broad advances in knowledge, modeling, data collection, data analysis, and countermeasures can be used to inform research, development and program evaluation across seven different areas within the different the modes of transportation. 3.0 Scope The Volpe Center has identified seven task areas (1-7) where support is needed. All tasks address topics where research is needed in more than one transportation mode. The task area descriptions listed below indicate examples of how the task areas have applications in each of the different modes: Aviation (A), Rail (R), Passenger Car (C), and Trucks/Buses (T). The Volpe Center is seeking a capability statement from all interested parties who have the necessary experience and can undertake research, development and program evaluation in one or more of the following task areas for any or all of the application areas (A, C, R, T). 1. Advanced In-Vehicle Technologies and the Operator-Machine Interface: Simulator Studies. This work area will cover the design, conduct and/or analysis of simulator experiments to evaluate innovative in-vehicle operator-machine interfaces. The advances in in-vehicle technologies will demand new driver-vehicle interfaces for automobiles, trucks, buses and motorcoaches. Automation is rapidly being introduced into trains, including automation designed to make trains both safer and more fuel efficient. This automation will require altogether new interfaces. Finally, the transition to NextGen introduces new flight deck displays and automation, such as those associated with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) and Controller-Pilot Datalink Communications (CPDLC). NextGen may also affect some of the functions of current-day technologies and displays, such as Electronic Flight Bags (EFB) and warning systems. [Application Areas: A,C,R,T]. 2. Advanced Technologies and The Environment Outside the Vehicle: Simulator Studies. The work in this area will include the design, conduct and/or analysis of experiments to determine the effect on operator safety and efficiency of changes both to the environment in which the operator navigates and to the information about objects in the world outside the interior of the vehicle which is transmitted to the operator by these objects, changes which depend on advanced technologies. In the arena of surface vehicles, these advances in technologies include both: (a) vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications that allow operators of cars, trucks, buses, motorcoaches and trains to be aware of each other's presence and the dynamic status of signals; and (b) the introduction of radically new roadway geometries (e.g., the diverging diamond interchange). In aviation, these include NextGen, a program that seeks to replace the country's radar-based air traffic system with GPS technology. [Application Areas: A,C,R,T] 3. Advanced Technologies and Crashes, Near Crashes, and Conflicts: Naturalistic Studies and Field Operational Experiments. The work in this area will include the design, conduct and/or analysis of naturalistic studies and field operational experiments that will help reveal the impact of the advanced vehicle technologies on operator behavior as measured by crashes, near crashes, conflicts, or other indices of driver performance. The advanced technologies include those already described above as well as ones that are used to warn the driver, detect driver state, automatically intervene, continuously assist, or help with navigation and guidance. They include both those that rely and those that do not rely on V2X communications. [Application Areas: A,C,R,T] 4. Education and Training. This work area covers the development and evaluation of novel training programs that are designed to provide operators with the skills, knowledge and abilities that they need in order to operate vehicles with the advanced technologies in a way which maximizes the impact of these technologies on increases in safety and mobility on the one hand and decreases in congestion on the other hand. The advances in in-vehicle technologies such as V2V and V2I communications will require operators of automobiles, trucks, buses and motorcoaches to understand that they are being warned of threats they cannot see and may never materialize. The advances in automation will require operators of these same vehicles, especially at Levels 2 - 4, to learn how to remain situation aware and, when necessary, take over control after long periods when such control was not necessary. In aviation, as commercial pilots become less and less involved in the actual flying of the airplane, they will continue to need the knowledge and skills to take over the aircraft should automation fail. [Application Areas: A,C,R,T] 5. Vulnerable Transportation Users. This work area covers the design, conduct and/or analysis of innovative ways to protect vulnerable transportation users with the advanced technologies that have been described above. Vulnerable transportation users include not only pedestrians and bicyclists, but also at risk maintenance crews (e.g., maintenance crews in work zones), general aviation pilots, and motorcyclists, just to name a few. The advances in technologies such as warning systems inside the vehicle (either based on sensors or V2X communication where X could be a pedestrian, a bicyclist or a motorcyclist) are now also available to vulnerable road users as well (X2V), providing an extra level of protection. In rail, the automobile at highway-rail grade crossings is, in effect, a vulnerable road user. Vehicle-to-train communications could potentially reduce the number of train-vehicle strikes at highway-rail grade crossings. Finally, the safety of general aviation (GA) continues to be a concern. Compared to pilots who fly for airlines, GA pilots have more authority to equip their aircraft with new technologies that may improve aviation safety and they may be some of the first to adopt new technologies, but the extent to which these new technologies will be helpful versus harmful for GA is yet to be understood. [Application Areas: A,C,R,T] 6. Impairment Detection and Remediation. This work area covers the design, conduct and/or analysis of innovative studies to fight impairment in transportation across the modes. Impairments that affect the different modes include distraction, alcohol, drugs, drowsiness and a wide range of cognitive and physical disabilities that prevent a driver from operating a vehicle. Cognitive distraction is becoming more and more of an issue as nomadic devices become ubiquitous inside the vehicle. Cannabis, or marijuana, is increasingly the focus of concern as it is legalized in states for both medical and recreational uses. Mental and physical impairments may soon yield to advances in automation. Improvements in driver-state detection algorithms are making rapid advances which could impact all of these problems. [Application Areas: A,C,R,T] 7. Programs and Guidelines. The work in this area targeting programs covers both the design, conduct and evaluation of programs that are focused on improving the safety of operators and other workers in the transportation system where advanced technologies are involved and the prediction of the behaviors of the workers in these complex systems in ways which can be used to develop countermeasures. The work in this area targeting guidelines covers the design, conduct and evaluation of studies that provide information on how well industry is adhering to product and process guidelines. Examples of product guidelines include the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Visual-Manual Distraction Guidelines. [Application Areas: A,C,R,T] 4.0 Submission Instructions All information submitted by respondents shall include a summary that outlines technical capabilities, knowledge, and expertise to perform the task and application areas marked above. The summary shall reference the task(s) and areas of application to which a response is being submitted. So, for example, an organization interested in supporting Task Area 1 in Aviation and Rail would have two sections labeled 1-A and 1-R. Contract referenced in the summary shall be supported with the following information: Contract number; Customer (Government agency or private industry); Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) name, telephone and fax numbers; contract value and type of contract; period of performance; and description of product/services performed by the respondent. Sources should indicate whether they are a non-profit, large business, small business, or other business type. Information provided should be sufficiently detailed in the area(s) marked in the Table above so the Government can assess the ability of the company to provide the described services. All of the information sought should be conveyed in no more than ten (10) pages. Page size is set at 8½ x 11 inches; text font must be no smaller than 11 point; and text must be single spaced. Each response must reference the Sources Sought title and number. Interested parties must respond to this announcement in writing by email no later than August 1, 2017, 5:00 PM Eastern Time. Telephone requests will not be honored. All responses must be submitted via e-mail to the Contract Specialist, Linda Byrne [email protected] . Electronic attachments to the e-mail should be submitted in Microsoft Office 2007 (or later) productivity application formats, or any format that can be imported by Microsoft Office. 5.0 Information Availability THIS NOTICE IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. This notice is for information and planning purposes only, and is a market research tool to determine the availability and adequacy of potential business sources prior to determining the method of acquisition and possible issuance of a Request for Proposal, including the use of any non-profit organization or small business program. The notice does not constitute a solicitation for bids, quotations, and proposals, and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government. The information provided herein is subject to change and in no way binds the Government to solicit for or award a competitive contract. The Government is not obligated to and will not pay for any information received from potential sources as a result of responses to this Sources Sought notice. The Government will not pay for any materials provided in response to this synopsis and submittals will not be returned to the sender. Submissions must be disclosable to the public or the submitter should provide a summary statement that can be disclosed to the public with fuller supporting information that is clearly marked as restricted. The Government will use customary means to safeguard proprietary information, but only when such information is: (1) clearly marked as proprietary; (2) is, in fact, information that could not have been obtained from another party or source; and (3) is otherwise deserving of such treatment under standards and processes described in the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Executive Order 12600. Contracting Office Address: 55 Broadway Kendall Square Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142-1093