Technical Support Services Contract for Infrastructure Engineering Laboratories

This Synopsis is issued in accordance with FAR Part 5.203 in response to the 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 as a Competitive Small Business Set-Aside to procure the services of Offeror(s) for the “Technical Support Services Contract for Infrastructure Engineering Laboratories” located at the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC) pursuant to FAR Part 19.2.

FHWA intends to award multiple Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contracts to successfully carry out the technical support services detailed in the Statement of Work (SOW). The anticipated period of performance shall not exceed 60 months for the ID/IQ contracts. Background FHWA’s Office of Infrastructure Research & Development (HRDI) conducts and oversees research and development programs and projects that address critical highway infrastructure needs and priorities of national importance.

Studies focus on the design, materials, construction, operation, and preservation of highway pavements, bridges, culverts, tunnels, and other structures. In addition, HRDI provides expert technical assistance to other FHWA offices, other Federal agencies, State and local transportation organizations, industry, and academia.

Through an integrated and interdisciplinary research approach, HRDI provides state-of-the-art knowledge and tools with the goal of improving the safety, performance, sustainability, resilience, and cost effectiveness of the Nation’s highway infrastructure, while minimizing the impacts that highway construction, operations, maintenance, and rehabilitation may have on the environment.

Across the highway infrastructure spectrum, the contributions of stakeholders in the development and execution of multiple year research and development plans and roadmaps are key to the success of the office. The work of HRDI is carried out by highly qualified researchers, including but not limited to, engineers, scientists, chemists, geologists, lab managers, interns, post-doctoral associates, visiting researchers, consultants, and technicians within ten laboratories.

The technical capabilities needed to support HRDI’s research laboratories, are not readily available within FHWA, so external support is needed.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this requirement is to provide non-personal technical support services of qualified researchers, engineers, and technicians for the following HRDI research engineering laboratories: Geotechnical Laboratory (GEO Lab) J. Sterling Jones Hydraulics Research Laboratory (HYD Lab) Nondestructive Evaluation Laboratory (NDE Lab) Structures Laboratory (STR Lab). The Contractor shall provide overall management and operation of a specific laboratory or laboratories. This shall include at a minimum, the following:

Daily operation and maintenance of laboratory and test equipment Specimen preparation and logging Materials testing and evaluation Instrumentation and modeling Data acquisition, analysis, and validation Documentation and reporting of methods, findings, and recommendations Administration of the safety program for the laboratory. More information on each of the four infrastructure engineering laboratories (GEO, HYD, NDE, and STR) can be found on the TFHRC’s Laboratories Overview webpage.

FHWA anticipates hosting an onsite visit of the laboratories after the solicitation is posted. SOLICITATION INFORMATION The solicitation will be offered as a Small Business Set-Aside and released electronically on the Contract Opportunities website at www.sam.gov in March 2024. 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 the website to receive any further information in reference to the solicitation inclusive of any announcements, and/or amendments to the solicitation after its release. The selected NAICS code for this planned procurement is 541715, Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences. Any questions regarding this Synopsis should be directed to Tamiko Aikens, Contracting Officer, via email at tamiko.aikens@dot.gov.