Developing Pedestrian Realistic Artificial Datasets (RADs)
ID: 693JJ325R000014Type: Solicitation
Overview

Buyer

TRANSPORTATION, DEPARTMENT OFFEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION693JJ3 ACQUISITION AND GRANTS MGTWASHINGTON, DC, 20590, USA

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715)

PSC

TRANSPORTATION R&D SERVICES; SURFACE TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC TRANSIT, AND RAIL; APPLIED RESEARCH (AS12)
Timeline
    Description

    The Department of Transportation, specifically the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), is soliciting proposals for the development of Realistic Artificial Datasets (RADs) focused on pedestrian volumes to enhance roadway safety. The primary objectives include identifying gaps in existing pedestrian data, utilizing advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence to generate these datasets, and creating a standalone software solution that will aid in safety research and urban planning. This initiative is crucial in addressing the rising pedestrian fatalities and improving safety measures for vulnerable road users. The contract is expected to be awarded as a firm-fixed price agreement, with an estimated budget of $400,000 over a performance period of 30 months. Proposals are due electronically by April 25, 2025, and interested parties can contact Amalia Rodezno at amalia.rodezno@dot.gov or Jonathan Agudelo at jonathan.agudelo@dot.gov for further information.

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    The document pertains to a Request for Proposals (RFP) by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) seeking a contractor to create realistic artificial datasets of pedestrian volumes (RADs) to enhance pedestrian safety on roadways. As pedestrian fatalities have surged, particularly in urban areas, this initiative aligns with the National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS) aimed at eliminating fatal and serious roadway incidents. The contract, established for a duration of 30 months, requires the contractor to address gaps in pedestrian count data and utilize innovative approaches to develop the RADs. Key objectives include validating and promoting RADs for application in safety research, developing countermeasures, and enhancing planning for pedestrian facilities. The contractor must conduct a literature review, propose a research plan, and generate user guides, alongside ensuring effective stakeholder engagement. The RFP emphasizes performance goals, contractor management, and compliance with government standards, including rigorous documentation and progress reporting. This proposal highlights the significance of leveraging advanced methodologies, such as artificial intelligence, to create pertinent pedestrian data, ultimately aiming to support governmental preparedness in managing pedestrian safety challenges through actionable insights and informed planning.
    The document outlines a federal solicitation amendment from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), specifically aimed at developing realistic artificial datasets of pedestrian volumes for improved traffic safety. The contract, anticipated to be a Firm-Fixed Price (FFP), focuses on using innovative methods, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, to address data gaps in pedestrian counts, crucial for developing crash modification factors and enhancing urban planning for pedestrian safety. The research will take place over a 30-month period at the contractor's facilities and includes deliverables such as a comprehensive literature review, a standalone pedestrian count dataset generator, and marketing strategies to promote the developed datasets to stakeholders. It emphasizes accountability through regular progress meetings, deliverables reporting, and thorough inspection and acceptance procedures. The contractor's responsibilities encompass project management, adherence to technical directions, compliance with performance objectives, and maintaining communication with the Government's Contracting Officer and representatives. This solicitation reaffirms the government's commitment to enhancing roadway safety, especially for vulnerable road users, by establishing a reliable framework for pedestrian data analysis and application.
    The document details a federal solicitation amendment (693JJ325R000014) from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) aimed at developing realistic artificial datasets (RADs) for pedestrian traffic counts. This initiative addresses the increase in pedestrian fatalities while striving to enhance safety for vulnerable road users (VRUs) amidst rising concerns in urban settings. The contract includes comprehensive research objectives such as identifying data gaps and utilizing advanced methods like artificial intelligence to generate these datasets. The expected outcomes encompass creating RADs for different roadway classifications and promoting their use among various stakeholders like state departments of transportation. The proposal must be submitted electronically by April 25th, 2025, with a thorough management plan including biweekly status meetings, monthly progress reports, and performance follow-ups. The scope covers developing a standalone RAD application, use case documentation, and strategies for stakeholder engagement. The successful contractor must adhere to strict compliance and quality measures throughout the project duration of 30 months, ensuring all findings support FHWA's broader mission to improve safety on roadways while aligning with federal and state regulations. Overall, the document outlines a structured approach to vehicle and pedestrian safety research that leverages innovative data solutions.
    The solicitation (contract number 693JJ325R000014) from the Federal Highway Administration aims to establish a non-personal services contract for developing realistic artificial datasets (RADs) concerning pedestrian volumes to enhance roadway safety. The contract is structured to provide services, materials, and support over a 30-month period, focusing on identifying gaps in pedestrian data crucial for creating effective crash modification factors (CMFs) and planning pedestrian facilities. Key objectives of the project involve assessing existing pedestrian volume counts, addressing data insufficiencies, and generating artificial datasets applicable to various roadway types using advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence. The contractor is expected to develop a user guide, execute a comprehensive literature review, validate RADs, and demonstrate their utility to stakeholders such as state departments of transportation and urban planners. The method of delivery for the outputs defined in the contract involves electronic submission of documents and regular status updates. The contractor must ensure compliance with government regulations, including the Rehabilitation Act’s Section 508 accessibility standards. Through this initiative, the FHWA emphasizes its commitment to improving safety for vulnerable road users while addressing the pressing increase in pedestrian fatalities.
    The Federal Highway Administration's report, "DREDGE (Disaggregate Realistic Artificial Data Generator)—Design, Development, and Application for Crash Safety Analysis, Volume II," focuses on developing a framework for generating realistic artificial data (RAD) for traffic crash safety analysis. This study addresses the limitations of relying solely on observed crash data, which often fails to capture the full complexity of real-world crash interactions. Researchers employed both macroscopic and microscopic approaches to create a customizable, web-based tool capable of generating years of RAD reflecting predetermined safety relationships. The generated datasets can serve as a valuable test bed for evaluating crash modification factors and statistical models, thereby enhancing the accuracy of safety analyses conducted by State and local agencies. This volume, the second in a series, aims to advance the understanding and usage of data-driven safety analysis models that can reliably inform the effectiveness of roadway safety measures. The content aligns with government interests in improving traffic safety and transportation infrastructure.
    The MIMIC project, under the Federal Highway Administration's Exploratory Advanced Research Program, aims to enhance roadway safety through the development of realistic artificial datasets (RAD) that replicate known causal relationships between crash factors at diamond interchanges. The project specifically focuses on left-turn (LT) crashes at ramp terminals and speed change lanes (SCL). It establishes a framework for generating RAD using contributing factors derived from empirical data, ensuring models can accurately reflect and predict crash occurrences. Key outputs include sophisticated web-based software providing access to 196 pregenerated RAD datasets, customizable data requests, and the creation of virtual reality (VR) testbeds for educational purposes and human factors research. The software enables users to evaluate various statistical and machine learning models against the RAD datasets, utilizing a comprehensive evaluation rubric. Through this initiative, the USDOT aims to align safety strategies with its National Roadway Safety Strategy, pushing for data-driven decision-making and reinforcing a safe system approach across its initiatives. The methodologies developed offer a scalable solution for generating synthetic safety data applicable to a variety of roadway conditions, ultimately working towards the goal of zero fatalities in transportation networks.
    The Federal Highway Administration's Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program is developing Realistic Artificial Datasets (RAD) to improve transportation safety analysis. Researchers from the University of Missouri, University of Connecticut, and University of Central Florida are collaboratively creating datasets using de-identified data from the Strategic Highway Research Program's naturalistic driving study. These datasets aim to help transportation agencies understand crash causation, particularly at urban interchanges, which are frequently involved in serious crashes. The project will produce customizable RAD tools that generate both macroscopic and microscopic datasets, taking into account factors such as human behavior, roadway design, and environmental context. By leveraging machine learning algorithms, these RADs will serve as testbeds, allowing researchers to evaluate the effectiveness of various safety analysis models. This initiative seeks to enhance data-driven safety analysis (DDSA) and establish best practices for transportation safety, ensuring more accurate predictions and improved safety measures. The EAR program supports long-term, high-risk research, encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration to address critical transportation issues through innovative solutions, significantly impacting current and future transportation safety strategies.
    The document comprises questions and responses related to RFP 693JJ325R000014, detailing the requirements for a proposal concerning a pedestrian count Rapid Assessment Dashboard (RAD). Key points include guidance on proposal structuring, clarifications on required documentation, and expectations regarding the technical approach. It specifies that Volume I (Technical Capability) should not include blank pages between sections and outlines that previous requirements for contract transparency have been rescinded. The estimated budget for the project is set at $400,000 over a 30-month performance period, underscoring a focus on the development of a standalone software solution for generating pedestrian counts. The audience for the RAD tool is primarily researchers equipped with statistical software, and additional attributes related to pedestrian behaviors are allowed. The document indicates flexibility in AI/ML techniques, requiring offerors to justify their approaches. The FHWA has established no specific validation criteria for the pedestrian data generated, leaving it to proposers to define appropriate benchmarks. Concerns regarding stakeholder engagement, software requirements, and submission guidelines were also addressed, emphasizing the importance of familiarity with pedestrian research methodologies as a key evaluation criterion. Overall, this document serves to clarify expectations for potential vendors in the RFP process within the federal domain.
    The document centers on the RFP 693JJ325R000014, addressing inquiries and responses related to the development of a software tool for generating pedestrian count Research Application Documents (RADs). Key points include clarification on proposal formatting, financial disclosures, software requirements, and audience engagement strategies. The project aims for a standalone software solution that caters primarily to researchers with statistical software access. The government has removed specific financial reporting requirements and stipulates no travel funding is available, with an estimated project cost of $400,000. Proposed methodologies and performance metrics will be determined by bidders rather than predefined by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Moreover, the aim is to collect pedestrian volumes, with additional behaviors recognized as secondary. Contract type remains fixed-price, and no incumbent exists for this RFP. Additionally, the proposal emphasizes the necessity for a dataset-generating application over mere datasets to enhance analysis potential. This document highlights the FHWA's intent to foster innovation while ensuring clear guidelines for industry stakeholders participating in the RFP process.
    The report "DREDGE (Disaggregate Realistic Artificial Data Generator)—Design, Development, and Application for Crash Safety Analysis, Volume I" outlines the development of a framework for generating realistic artificial data (RAD) aimed at enhancing traffic safety analysis. This initiative, funded by the Federal Highway Administration, addresses the limitations of relying solely on observed data for understanding traffic collisions. The researchers employed both macroscopic and microscopic approaches to create a web-based tool for generating RAD that simulates roadway characteristics and crash occurrences over multiple years and various facility types. The report emphasizes its significance for academics and researchers in developing crash modification factors and statistical models, thereby improving the modeling of real-world crash dynamics. Additionally, the tool's feasibility was validated through case studies assessing crash patterns at different roadway settings. Overall, this volume represents the first in a series, with a subsequent volume anticipated. The project underscores the commitment of the U.S. Department of Transportation to utilizing advanced data-driven methodologies for improving road safety and reducing traffic incidents.
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