ATTENTION PROPOSERS: A Research Project Statement for NCHRP Project 20-83(03) was originally released on April 3, 2009; proposals were received, but no award was made. The purpose of this Research Project Statement is to re-announce this project.  This Research Project Statement is essentially similar to the original statement. This solicitation is open to all proposers, including agencies that responded to the earlier Research Project Statement. 

BACKGROUND

The transportation industry will continually face new challenges that may influence transportation priorities and needs, particularly with regard to the preservation, maintenance, and renewal of the highway infrastructure. These challenges will result from long-range changes in many areas, including the following:

• Technology and innovations (e.g., high-performance materials, construction equipment and methods, and information and monitoring systems);
• Environment (e.g., climate change and sustainability);
• System performance (e.g., accelerated deterioration and accountability);
• Safety and security;
• Natural resources availability;
• Finance and budget (e.g., global economics, contracting methods, and costs);
• Human resources (e.g., skills, education, and training);
• Coordination (e.g., among transportation modes and related industries);
• Regulations and policies (e.g., environmental regulation and changing role of governmental identities);
• Demographics (e.g., population characteristics, including urban/rural differences);
• Customer needs and expectations; and
• Traffic (e.g., loading and volume).

There is a need for a research effort to anticipate future issues; explore the potential role of new materials, tools, approaches, and technologies in developing and preserving highway infrastructure; and develop guidance on how such materials, tools, approaches, and technologies can be used to provide a means for enhancing system preservation, maintenance, and renewal in response to anticipated challenges. This guidance will help highway agencies be better anticipate and deal with the implications of the future.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this research is to develop guidance for transportation stakeholders on emerging materials, tools, approaches, and technologies that could be used to deal with long-range (30 to 50 years) highway infrastructure maintenance, preservation, and renewal needs and ensure satisfactory system condition and performance.

PHASES

Proposers are asked to develop a detailed research plan for accomplishing the project objective. Proposers are expected to describe innovative and imaginative research plans that can realistically be accomplished within the constraints of available funds and contract time. Proposals must present the proposers' current thinking in sufficient detail to demonstrate their understanding of the issues and the soundness of their approach to meeting the research objective. The work proposed for each phase must be divided into tasks and proposers must describe the work proposed in each task in detail.  

PHASE I – Scenarios and Impacts

This phase will identify future factors and trends that could significantly influence infrastructure maintenance, preservation, and renewal and assess the likelihood and impact of various scenarios on future needs.

Note: An interim report that documents the research performed in Phase I and includes an updated work plan for the remainder of the project must be submitted no later than 5 months after contract award. The plan must describe the process and rationale for the work proposed for Phase II. Following a 1-month review of the interim report by the NCHRP, the research team will be required to meet with the project panel to discuss the interim report. Work on Phase II of the project will not begin until the interim report is approved and the Phase II work plan is authorized by the NCHRP.

PHASE II – Vision Development

This phase will (1) identify and examine potential of new materials, tools, approaches, and technologies to meet future needs for maintaining, preserving, and renewing the highway infrastructure and (2) develop a comprehensive vision for a future, sustainable highway infrastructure. Potential barriers to the identified materials, tools, approaches, and technologies will be envisioned and discussed.

Note: An interim report that documents the research performed in Phase II and includes an updated work plan for the remainder of the project must be submitted no later than 17 months after contract award. The plan must describe the process and rationale for the work proposed for Phase III. Following a 1-month review of the interim report by the NCHRP, the research team will be required to meet with the project panel to discuss the interim report. Work on Phase III of the project will not begin until the interim report is approved and the Phase III work plan is authorized by the NCHRP.

PHASE III – Guidance and Communication

This phase will develop (1) guidance for transportation stakeholders on the use of potential materials, tools, approaches, and technologies for enhancing system maintenance, preservation, and renewal consistent with the described vision and (2) communication packages to convey the vision, objective, and products of this research to current and future transportation stakeholders. This phase will also identify future research efforts that are required to expand the findings of this project and to serve as a guide for further research opportunities.  

Note: The plan for developing the communication packages shall demonstrate the proposer’s creativity and understanding of its purpose. An interim report that documents the research performed in Phase III and includes an updated work plan for completing the project must be submitted no later than 24 months after contract award. Following a 1-month review of the interim report by the NCHRP, the research team will be required to meet with the project panel to discuss the interim report. All review comments must be addressed in the deliverables that will be prepared in Phase IV.

PHASE IV – Deliverables

This phase will prepare and submit project deliverables, including a final report that documents the entire research effort, communication packages, and other items identified in the research plan.

Note: As appropriate, work on parts of Phase IV may proceed while work on other phases is progressing. The project’s preliminary draft deliverables must be submitted no later than 3 months prior to contact expiration.  

SPECIAL NOTES

A. The research plan (Item 4 in the proposal) shall be limited to 30 pages. Resumes of research team members must depict relevant qualifications and be limited to no more than 2 pages for each member. 

B. Proposals should include a task-by-task breakdown of labor hours for each staff member as shown in Figure 4 in the brochure, "Information and Instructions for Preparing Proposals" (http://www.trb.org/NotesDocs/ProposalPrep.pdf). Proposals also should include a breakdown of all costs (e.g., wages, indirect costs, travel, materials, and total) for each task.

C. Item 5 in the proposal, "Qualifications of the Research Team," must include a section labeled "Disclosure." Information relevant to the NCHRP's need to ensure objectivity and to be aware of possible sources of significant financial or organizational conflict of interest in conducting the research must be presented in this section of the proposal. For example, under certain conditions, ownership of the proposing agency, other organizational relationships, or proprietary rights and interests could be perceived as jeopardizing an objective approach to the research effort, and proposers are asked to disclose any such circumstances and to explain how they will be accounted for in this study. If there are no issues related to objectivity, this should be stated.

D. Proposals are evaluated by the NCHRP staff and project panels consisting of individuals collectively very knowledgeable in the problem area. Selection of an agency is made by the project panel considering the following factors: (1) the proposer's demonstrated understanding of the problem; (2) the merit of the proposed research approach and experiment design; (3) the experience, qualifications, and objectivity of the research team in the same or closely related problem area; (4) the plan for ensuring application of results; (5) the proposer's plan for participation by Disadvantaged Business Enterprises--small firms owned and controlled by minorities or women; and (6) the adequacy of the facilities.

E. An electronic version of the research plan (Item 4 of the proposal) will be required of the selected agency following authorization of selection.