BACKGROUND
NCHRP Project 17-71A, "Proposed AASHTO Highway Safety Manual, Second Edition" (HSM2) has developed proposed materials in a format suitable for consideration by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). HSM2 is expected to incorporate updates from several associated research projects, as well as other relevant highway safety guidance documents and publications. While the HSM2 was not intended to be a complete rewrite, it underwent significant changes in content and organization (see Special Note A). This presents a major opportunity to advance highway safety practices through its application and integration into engineering practices.
As the proposed HSM2 material is provided to AASHTO for consideration, a concurrent effort is needed to create guidelines on the appropriate application of HSM2 for transportation agencies.
Research is needed to develop training materials and tools that support state departments of transportation (DOTs) and other practitioners in adopting and applying the new HSM2 materials. The resources will facilitate the implementation of the HSM2 materials throughout the full project life-cycle, from programming and planning to design and operation, by focusing on typical HSM2 applications and incorporating the NCHRP Project 17-127, "Guide for Applying Quantitative Highway Safety Analysis Methods" for non-traditional cases.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this research is to develop a comprehensive training program to support understanding why and how to apply HSM2.
The training program, with a minimum of 40 hours of training modules, shall be developed with a focus on being customizable, interactive, engaging, and incorporating real-world examples. The training program must be developed to:
- Include a target audience that encompasses, but is not limited to, those involved in research, planning, project development, and operations.
- Assume that the targeted audience may have limited or no previous experience in applying quantitative highway safety analysis methods.
Accomplishment of the project objective(s) 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 objective. The work proposed must be divided into tasks and proposers must describe the work proposed in each task. 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 objective.
The sequencing of tasks and deliverables (such as technical memorandums or summary reports) shall be structured for delivery in quarterly progress report submissions where specific deliverables are requested or proposed. There will be three project phases, with a 27-month duration broken into nine 3-month quarters. An estimation of time for Phases I and III is presented below. However, the proposer may resequence the timeline according to their best thinking.
PHASE I – PLANNING AND PREPARATION
Phase I of the project will comprise the approval of the cornerstone elements of the research plan. It is envisioned that Phase I will assist with the development of the completed draft set of training materials in Phase II. The research team shall discuss how non-proprietary spreadsheet tools can be incorporated into the training courses.
This phase is estimated to be accomplished in two project quarters and shall include the delivery of (1) the Amplified Research Plan; (2) a kick-off meeting with summary notes; (3) a breakdown of training modules with learning outcomes; (4) recommendations on the length and delivery method for each training module to best meet the needs of the audiences; (5) a schedule for the deliverables and panel review for Phase II activities; and (6) template files for storyboard and modular training materials that must include presentation slides with speaker notes, participant and instructor notebooks, and interactive activities featuring exercises and examples.
At the end of Phase I, the research team shall deliver Interim Report No. 1 and an updated Phase II research plan with a virtual interim meeting.
Note: Following a 1-month review of Interim Report No. 1 by the NCHRP, the research team will be required to meet virtually with the NCHRP project panel to discuss the interim report. Work on Phase II of the project will not begin until authorized by the NCHRP. Phase I budget shall not exceed $70,000.
PHASE II – PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Phase II of the project will focus on developing the training materials per Interim Report No. 1 and ensuring each training module's storyboard is reviewed and approved before creating the full training content. For each example or exercise, the research team shall provide input data, completed spreadsheets, and output files.
In Phase II, the research team shall also develop a plan to pilot a 16-hour-long subset of the training program in Phase III. A list of invitational attendees, with good geographic and organizational diversity, must be prepared and will be reviewed and approved by the NCHRP.
At the end of Phase II, the research team shall deliver Interim Report No. 2, which includes all the training materials for all training modules, a plan for the pilot, and an updated Phase III research plan with a virtual interim panel meeting.
Note: Following a 1-month review of Interim Report No. 2 by the NCHRP, the research team will be required to meet virtually with the NCHRP project panel to discuss the interim report. Work on Phase III of the project will not begin until authorized by the NCHRP.
For budgeting purposes, the proposer shall anticipate that the pilot will include two days of instruction and one day for consultation with attendees. The costs for the pilot, including invitational travel for 10 attendees, shall be included in the detailed budget for the research. For the purpose of estimating these costs, assume that the pilot will be held at Keck Center in Washington, DC, or Beckman Center in Irvine, CA. TRB will cover costs associated with the meeting space at NAS facilities and NCHRP panel member travel. Catering services for all participants including panel members shall be included in the detailed budget for the research.
PHASE III – PILOT AND FINAL DELIVERABLES
Phase III shall not exceed 5 months and will be reserved for piloting a subset of the training program and developing the final deliverables.
The research team shall conduct a pilot as approved in Phase II. A task report shall document opportunities, challenges, barriers, and other observations learned from the pilot useful for refining the training materials.
Based on the feedback collected from the pilot, revise the training program. The final deliverables shall include:
- An executive summary and conduct of research report documenting the entire project and describing the deliverables;
- A comprehensive training program, including presentation slides, speaker notes, participant notebook, instruction notebook, interactive activities, exercises and examples for each training module;
- A technical memorandum titled “Implementation of Research Findings and Products” (see Special Note L); and
- A recording with an overview and explanation of the modules within the training program and the presentation slides and speaker notes.
Note: Following receipt of the draft final deliverables, the remaining 3 months shall be for NCHRP review and comment and for research agency preparation of the final deliverables.
SPECIAL NOTES
A. The following link provides a draft list of chapters for HSM2: https://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/nchrp/17-71A/DraftChapters.pdf. NCHRP will allow the selected contractor access to other products on a case-by-case basis. All requests must be submitted in writing.
B. All materials should use liability neutral language; refer to recommendations from NCHRP LRD 83: Guidelines for Drafting Liability Neutral Transportation Engineering Documents and Communications Strategies: https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/25894/guidelines-for-drafting-liability-neutral-transportation-engineering-documents-and-communication-strategies
C. The Information and Instructions for Preparing Proposals for the Transportation Research Board’s Cooperative Research Programs were revised in May 2024. Please take note of the new and revised text which is highlighted in yellow.
D. 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.
E. 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.
F. 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/7076. Proposers may not contact panel members directly; this roster is provided solely for the purpose of avoiding potential conflicts of interest.
G. 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.
H. 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.
I. 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.
J. 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.
K. 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.
L. 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
M. 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.
N. 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.
O. The National Academies have an ethical and legal obligation to provide proper attribution whenever material from other sources is included in its reports, online postings, and other publications and products. TRB will review all Cooperative Research Programs draft final deliverables using the software iThenticate for potential plagiarism. If plagiarized text appears in the draft final deliverable, the research team will be required to make revisions and the opportunity to submit future proposals may be affected.
