BACKGROUND

Current pavement marking guidelines include limited consideration of friction and other surface characteristics. Also, available research on pavement marking friction is limited and does not address pavement marking friction's role in the safety of road users, particularly motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. There is a need to document current practices and technologies relevant to pavement marking friction and identify the research needed to enhance available test methods and approaches. This information will provide a basis for a future research effort that will identify rational practices and technologies for assessing pavement marking friction to enhance safety.

 OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this research are to (1) document the current practices for testing and evaluating friction of pavement markings an (2) recommend a research plan to develop a validated approach for assessing the friction of pavement markings. 

Accomplishment of these project objectives will require at least the following tasks.

TASKS

Task descriptions are intended to provide a framework for conducting the research. The NCHRP is seeking the insights of proposers on how best to achieve the research objectives. Proposers are expected to describe 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 objectives.

PHASE I

Task 1. Collect and review domestic and foreign literature, research findings, and information relevant to test methods and approaches for assessing the friction of pavement markings. This information may be obtained from published and unpublished sources, and from public and private organizations.

Task 2. Based on the review performed in Task 1, identify and evaluate available test methods and approaches and recommend test methods and approaches, or if necessary recommend developing new methods and/or approaches, for consideration/investigation in a future research effort to enhance current practices. 

Note: Proposals shall include the research team’s current thinking regarding available test methods and approaches, and the process for evaluating them and identifying those recommended for future consideration.

Task 3. Based on the work performed in Task 2, prepare a detailed research plan to be executed in a future research project that includes a process for enhancing available methods and approaches and/or developing new methods and approaches. The plan shall consider all road users, including motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians, and shall provide specific information on the different aspects of the proposed work.  

Note: Proposers must include in the proposal a plan that provides detail on the proposer’s current thinking regarding the research needed for developing validated methods and/or approaches. The proposed work must be divided into subtasks, and proposers must describe in detail the work proposed in each subtask.

Task 4. Prepare an interim report that documents the research performed in Tasks 1 through 3. Following NCHRP review of the report, the research team will be required to make a presentation to the NCHRP project panel. Work on Phase II shall not begin until the report is approved and work on Phase II is authorized by the NCHRP.

Note: Proposals shall provide the estimated time for preparing and submitting the interim report. The contractor shall meet with the NCHRP within 1 month of report submission. The meeting is expected to be in person in Washington, DC. The NCHRP will host the meeting and be responsible for any panel member costs to attend. 

PHASE II. 

Task 5. Review and consider the comments on the interim report and prepare a draft report documenting the research performed in the project.

Task 6. Prepare a research problem statement (or several statements if necessary) for the proposed research. The statement shall include (1) an appropriate title, (2) a brief background statement, (3) a succinct description of the research objective that identifies the anticipated product of the research, (4) brief descriptions of the work tasks required to achieve the objective, and (5) estimates of the funds and time required to perform the proposed research. 

Task 7. Submit (1) a draft final deliverable that includes (a) a report documenting the research performed in the project and (b) the research problem statement(s) and (2) a final deliverable that addresses the review comments.

Note: The contractor shall submit a draft final deliverable within 13 months of contract award. Following receipt of the draft final deliverable, the remaining 2 months shall be for NCHRP review and comment and for research agency preparation of the final deliverable.

SPECIAL NOTES

A. The Information and Instructions for Preparing Proposals for the Transportation Research Board’s Cooperative Research Programs were revised in May 2023. Please take note of the new and revised text which is highlighted in yellow.

B. Proposals must be submitted as a single PDF file with a maximum file size of 10 MB. The PDF must be formatted for standard 8 ½” X 11” paper, and the entire proposal must not exceed 60 pages (according to the page count displayed in the PDF). Proposals that do not meet these requirements will be rejected. For other requirements, refer to chapter V of the instructions.

C. The Information and Instructions for Preparing Proposals for the Transportation Research Board’s Cooperative Research Programs have been modified to include a revised policy and instructions for disclosing Investigator Conflict of Interest. For more information, refer to chapter IV of the instructions. A detailed definition and examples can be found in the CRP Conflict of Interest Policy for Contractors. The proposer recommended by the project panel will be required to submit an Investigator Conflict of Interest and Disclosure Form as a prerequisite for contract negotiations.

D. Proposals will be rejected if any of the proposed research team members work for organizations represented on the project panel. The panel roster for this project can be found at https://www.mytrb.org/OnlineDirectory/Committee/Details/6921. Proposers may not contact panel members directly; this roster is provided solely for the purpose of avoiding potential conflicts of interest.

E. Proprietary Products - If any proprietary products are to be used or tested in the project, please refer to Item 6 in the Information and Instructions for Preparing Proposals.

F. Proposals are evaluated by the NCHRP staff and project panels consisting of individuals collectively knowledgeable in the problem area. The project panel will recommend their first choice proposal 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) how the proposer approaches inclusion and diversity in the composition of their team and research approach, including participation by certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprises; and, if relevant, (6) the adequacy of the facilities. A recommendation by the project panel is not a guarantee of a contract. The National Academy of Sciences (NAS - the contracting authority for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine) will conduct an internal due diligence review and risk assessment of the panel’s recommended proposal before contract negotiations continue.

Note: The proposer's approach to inclusion and diversity as well as participation by Disadvantaged Business Enterprises should be incorporated in Item 11 of the proposal.

G. Copyrights - All data, written materials, computer software, graphic and photographic images, and other information prepared under the contract and the copyrights therein shall be owned by the National Academy of Sciences. The contractor and subcontractors will be able to publish this material for non-commercial purposes, for internal use, or to further academic research or studies with permission from TRB Cooperative Research Programs. The contractor and subcontractors will not be allowed to sell the project material without prior approval by the National Academy of Sciences. By signing a contract with the National Academy of Sciences, contractors accept legal responsibility for any copyright infringement that may exist in work done for TRB. Contractors are therefore responsible for obtaining all necessary permissions for use of copyrighted material in TRB's Cooperative Research Programs publications. For guidance on TRB's policies on using copyrighted material please consult Section 5.4, "Use of Copyrighted Material," in the Procedural Manual for Contractors.

H. The text of the final deliverable is expected to be publication-ready when it is submitted. It is strongly recommended that the research team include the expertise of a technical editor as early in the project timeline as possible. See Appendix F of the Procedural Manual for Contractors Conducting Research in the Transportation Research Board’s Cooperative Research Program for technical editing standards expected in final deliverables.

I. Proposals should include a task-by-task breakdown of labor hours for each staff member as shown in Figure 4 in the Information and Instructions for Preparing Proposals. Proposals also should include a breakdown of all costs (e.g., wages, indirect costs, travel, materials, and total) for each task using Figures 5 and 6 in the brochure. Please note that TRB Cooperative Research Program subawards (selected proposers are considered subawards to the National Academy of Sciences, the parent organization of TRB) must comply with 2 CFR 200 – Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards. These requirements include a provision that proposers without a "federally" Negotiated Indirect Costs Rate Agreement (NICRA) shall be subject to a maximum allowable indirect rate of 10% of Modified Total Direct Costs. Modified Total Direct Costs include all salaries and wages, applicable fringe benefits, materials and supplies, services, travel, and up to the first $25,000 of each lower tier subaward and subcontract. Modified Total Direct Costs exclude equipment, capital expenditures, charges for patient care, rental costs, tuition remission, scholarships and fellowships, participant support costs and the portion of each lower tier subaward and subcontract in excess of $25,000.

J. The required technical memorandum titled “Implementation of Research Findings and Products” should (a) provide recommendations on how to best put the research findings/products into practice; (b) identify possible institutions that might take leadership in applying the research findings/products; (c) identify issues affecting potential implementation of the findings/products and recommend possible actions to address these issues; and (d) recommend methods of identifying and measuring the impacts associated with implementation of the findings/products. Implementation of these recommendations is not part of the research project and, if warranted, details of these actions will be developed and implemented in future efforts.

The research team will be expected to provide input to an implementation team consisting of panel members, AASHTO committee members, the NCHRP Implementation Coordinator, and others in order to meet the goals of NCHRP Active Implementation: Moving Research into Practice, available at http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/nchrp/docs/NCHRP_ActiveImplementation.pdf

K. If the team proposes a Principal Investigator who is not an employee of the Prime Contractor, or if the Prime Contractor is proposed to conduct less than 50% of the total effort (by time or budget), then section five of the proposal should include: (1) a justification of why this approach is appropriate, and (2) a description of how the Prime Contractor will ensure adequate communication and coordination with their Subcontractors throughout the project.

L. All budget information should be suitable for printing on 8½″ x 11″ paper. If a budget page cannot fit on a single 8½″ x 11″ page, it should be split over multiple pages. Proposers must use the Excel templates provided in the Information and Instructions for Preparing Proposals for the Transportation Research Board’s Cooperative Research Programs.