RIAS
Map
Request for Proposal
The FTA Project Manager for this project is
Mr. Raj Wagley, Office of Mobility Innovation (TRI-10), Room 9402, Federal Transit
Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation,
CONTENTS
II.
Visions, Goals and Objectives
III.
Funding
IV.
Schedule
V.
Eligibility
VI.
Proposal
VII.
Application Review Information
VIII.
Award Administration Information
IX.
Document Requirements
X.
Additional Resources
The improvement of public transit service
for persons with disabilities is a key focus of the FTA. To support efforts to make transportation
accessible to all persons, the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed in 1990. The FTA
ensures
FTA recognizes
the importance of transportation for all persons to reach their destinations
without any discrimination. To this end,
FTA is committed to fostering safe, efficient, accessible, and convenient
public transit service for all persons living and working in rural and urban
areas alike. To fulfill this commitment,
FTA will ensure that a coordinated effort is made to enhance the accessibility
of transit service to persons with visual, cognitive, and learning
disabilities. By applying Remote
Infrared Audible Signage (RIAS) technology to public transit and paratransit operations,
the potential exists to enhance services, integrate communities and give
persons with visual, cognitive, or learning disabilities access to jobs, health
care, education, social contacts, and other important day-to-day activities.
RIAS technology will aid in meeting the goals
of both
The RIAS Model
Accessibility Program (RIAS MAP) is authorized under section 3046(a)(6) of the
safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act – A Legacy
for Users (SAFETEA-LU) to evaluate the impact of the RIAS technology on the
work, education, and quality of life for persons with visual, cognitive, and
learning disabilities.
RIAS technologies
for persons with visual, cognitive and learning disabilities have been deployed
in the United States (U.S.),
Integrating ITS
technologies into transit systems can improve the system as a whole—for both
the provider and customer. While the RIAS technology has been tested in several
locations in both urban and suburban transit systems, it has not seen
widespread deployment in public transit systems, nor has it been tested in an
integrated fashion with other ITS systems.
This RIAS MAP project will explore the benefits and barriers of
implementing integrated RIAS technologies in a multi-modal transit environment.
II. Objectives
This RFP will seek applications from
public agencies for the installation, demonstration, and data collection of
RIAS systems within a multi-modal transit setting. The successful RIAS MAP applicant shall meet
the program objectives of a multi-modal demonstration of RIAS throughout
various public transit modes. The public
agency should implement RIAS in a multi-modal transit system that is accessible
to persons with visual, cognitive, and learning disabilities. This should include installing RIAS in a multi-modal
transit environment to include a combination of bus, paratransit, and rail
services including stations and stops.
Other places with transit service for RIAS installation can include
airports, cross-walks, street poles, and others, as deemed necessary to meet
the objectives of the project.
This project
should identify current and new innovative RIAS technologies, and gather
information on the benefits of RIAS system to persons with disabilities. Moreover, entities (public agencies, their
private sector partners, and advocacy organizations) associated with the
selected RIAS operational strategies may be asked to provide continued
stakeholder input in the development of the RIAS MAP program. There may be various versions of RIAS
technologies and systems that can be used or developed during the life of the
project in meeting the U.S. DOT’s objectives.
While a
variety of RIAS technologies can be used for this project, there are a number
of non-technical issues that the recipient must address prior to selecting
specific RIAS technologies. In the end,
this project anticipates the integration of multiple transit agency systems
with RIAS technologies. However, agency
issues such as institutional, operational and financial coordination and
arrangements among participating agencies and transportation providers will
have to be addressed by the recipient before selecting specific
technologies. Various RIAS technologies
are currently available, but the means to deploy them effectively in a
multi-modal transit environment needs to be expanded and improved. The RIAS project will seek to integrate these
technologies within the framework of the ADA, coordinate with other public
agencies to provide enhanced public transportation service, and finally to
demonstrate:
1. Operational
Efficiencies — Improvement of public transit system operations specifically for
persons with visual, cognitive, or learning disabilities.
2. Customer
Service — An improvement in service levels to customers, awareness of available
transit services, more accurate information, and reduce anxiety for customers
while waiting for vehicles to arrive.
3. Agency
Coordination — A focus on multi-department coordination among transit
operators, other government agencies, and/or private transit service providers
into a multi-modal transportation system that directly benefits the quality of
life for all residents of the community to include persons with disabilities.
Project Description
The RIAS MAP is a technology
evaluation project to incorporate new, and existing technology in providing
information to transit customers with visual, cognitive, or learning
disabilities. RIAS operates by using a
transmitter at transit stations or on transit vehicles that repeatedly send
infrared signals (voice modulated) towards transit customers who have visual,
cognitive, or learning disabilities. The
handheld receiver carried by customers receives the signal and demodulates to
an audible message which contains the way-finding, vehicle, and directional
information. There are other RIAS systems that have been integrated into bus
personal address (PA) system that have multi-language capability. It is envisioned that all of the project
funds will be spent in the RIAS planning, installation and testing, and final
evaluation.
The RIAS project will involve a
recipient being solely responsible for purchasing, deploying the RIAS
technology and equipment, and testing the technology and demonstrations, for
purposes of producing a study on the benefits of the technology. The recipient should execute design selection
and equipment installation and technology testing such that the project will
effectively be complete no later than
Independent Evaluation
A major goal
of the U.S. DOT is to promote the development of innovative applications of
Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) technologies. In order to encourage the widespread adoption
of technological innovations and results, the RIAS MAP project must be
independently evaluated. To that end, a
system evaluation of the technological benefits will be conducted using an
evaluation plan developed by an independent contractor. This will also include a final report that
provides test details and whether the project benefits meet the pilot program
objectives, as demonstrated by the recipient.
The project recipient will not be responsible for the independent
evaluation. The recipient will also
provide the independent contractor with full access to the RIAS test sites and
the equipments in operational condition during this period.
The RIAS MAP
project will provide a total funding of $1,980,000 for the period FY 2006
through FY 2009. There will be only one
cooperative agreement awarded to implement this project; however, a portion of
the total project funds will be obligated for each of the project’s four
years. In addition, a portion of the
total project funds will be withheld by FTA for the conduct of a review of
ongoing project activities and an independent project evaluation. The decision to proceed with a subsequent
project phase will depend on Congressional appropriations, successful
completion of project milestones, availability of program funds, and approval
of the FTA Administrator.
This notice is
a request for proposal (RFP) for selecting a recipient for procuring,
installing, demonstrating, and testing of the RIAS technology and equipment.
The U.S. DOT intends to issue a second RFP (independent of the first RFP) for
an independent project evaluation at a later date. The second RFP will be to select a contractor
to conduct an RIAS MAP evaluation and final report submission.
Funds for the
cooperative agreement are authorized to be appropriated in SAFETEA-LU under
Section 3046
(a)(6)of the National Research and Technology Program. All
funds obligated are to be consistent with the purpose of Section 3046(a)(6) and
consistent with 49 U.S.C. Section 5312(a).
The U.S. DOT
has the right to access all documents pertaining to the use of federal funds
and non-federal contributions.
Non-federal partners must submit sufficient documentation during final
negotiations and on a regular basis during the life of the project to
substantiate these costs. Such items as
direct labor, fringe benefits, material costs, consultant costs, subcontractor
costs, and travel costs should be included in that documentation.
It is
anticipated that the RIAS MAP project will last a maximum of thirty six (36)
months. This includes project start-up, design, procurement, installation,
technology integration, operation, and test for 24 months, and independent
evaluation and report submission for 12 months.
This means that the cooperative agreement recipient will complete the
project in 24 months, before
All public
agencies and private agencies in formal partnerships with those public agencies
are eligible to submit proposals. Public
transit agencies and transit providers, state DOTs, MPOs, and health and human
service agencies are eligible to apply.
Community Access Program (CAP) recipients are also considered
eligible. In cases where the applicant
is not a local transit agency, a statement explaining why a local transit
partner is unable to submit the application and serve as a recipient must be
included in the proposal. This
eligibility restriction applies only to the agency submitting the proposal and
serving as the applicant, and does not limit project partners. Consortia, combinations, or partnerships
among eligible parties are also encouraged to apply. All agencies that submit proposals in
response to this notice shall consent to be publicly identified as respondents.
FTA will
select only one RIAS MAP proposal for funding under this RFP. This RFP is intended to solicit proposals for
a cooperative agreement for the installation of RIAS technology and
coordination of existing transportation resources to enhance transit benefits
to persons with visual, cognitive, or learning disabilities. Applications that demonstrate the greatest
multi-agency coordination and integrated use of RIAS technology to benefit
visually, cognitively, and learning-disabled persons and provide greater access
to education and work and an overall improvement in quality of life, will
receive greater consideration.
A proposal
should not exceed thirty (30) pages in length, including title, index, tables,
maps, appendices, abstracts, and other supporting materials except resumes
(i.e., resumes may be in addition to the 30 pages). A page is defined as one (1) side of an 8.5
by 11-inch paper, with 12 point Arial Font and single line spacing. The
proposals should be submitted electronically only on http://www.grants.gov. An
electronic copy of the proposal must also be submitted to the FTA Project
Manager. The cover sheet or front page
of the proposal shall include the name, address, and phone number of an
individual to whom correspondence and questions about the application may be
directed. In addition, an SF-424
Application for Federal Assistance form must be completed and submitted with
the proposal. The form may be obtained
at http://www.grants.gov.
Each proposal
shall include a Technical Plan, Financial Plan, and a Management and Staffing
Plan that describes how the proposed objectives will be met within the
specified time frame and budget.
Technical Plan
General
Requirements
The proposal
must provide a comprehensive and concise plan that ensures development and
deployment of the agreements and technology necessary to support the
development and implementation of a RIAS MAP system. The technical plan must
contain a description of the local area/jurisdiction where the operational test
will take place. This description should include size, population, income
levels, economy, and other supporting information as necessary. In addition, a full description of the
proposed RIAS transit environment including ridership statistics (fare
structure, number of routes), modes, legacy/current/future ITS, and agency
coordination, should be included.
Project
Overview
In addition to
general project overview, the following should be highlighted:
1. Describe how
the existing infrastructure will be expanded and used to support the proposed
RIAS system. Identify existing
technological and institutional linkages within and across agencies.
2. Describe the
proposed system, including new and improved services, and how it will be
integrated with ITS infrastructure as well as other non-transportation
applications and participating private sector institutions (if applicable).
3. Summarize the
expectations of the proposed system (e.g., costs, benefits, risks, operations,
maintenance issues, plans, and system support).
Technical
Approach
The Technical
Approach will be judged on its ability to incorporate the requirements of a
regionally coordinated and integrated public transit system. FTA recognizes that a considerable number of
technologies are available to transit agencies and that no one proposal will be
able to incorporate all of the ideas presented in this document. However, proposals will be evaluated on the
party’s willingness to coordinate with various agencies and implement the
necessary technology to ensure the agency coordination is both successful and
beneficial to the operating agency and customer.
Within the
Technical Approach, the following areas must be clearly addressed:
1. Define and
describe the goals and objectives of the system, and each of the service
providers participating in the proposed RIAS MAP system. Address both customer service and operating
efficiency.
2. Describe the
system design concept. Include evidence of consumer input in design.
3. Describe the
extent of proposed agency coordination, technologies to be used, system
integration, and partners.
4. Describe
implementation of the system in probable phases or sub phases with funding for
each phase or sub phase clearly specified.
5. Document the
schedule of work, assumptions and technical uncertainties, and propose specific
approaches to resolve any uncertainties.
6. Describe the
approach by which the system design concept will be refined, developed, and
operationally tested. Include consumer participation and input in testing.
7. Show evidence
that the project team has considered service delivery issues. Examples include: Who will use the enhanced transit
benefits? What problems will it solve
for the participating transportation providers?
What are the anticipated benefits of the new system and how will the
project team market the system to the user?
8. Describe the
plan for including participation of persons with visual, cognitive, or learning
disabilities in the design, testing, and implementation of the RIAS project.
9. Describe the
plan for concluding the operational test, indicating whether hardware,
software, and infrastructure will remain in service, be sold, or returned to
participating vendors, if applicable. Describe
how long the RIAS system will remain operational for independent evaluation.
Management and Staffing Plan
1. Provide names
and positions of all personnel related to managing the project
2. Identify key
management and control responsibilities for the overall program
3. Provide a
timeline and define key milestones and deliverables for the project
4. Provide
estimated professional and technical staffing in staff-months and staff-hours
5. Demonstrate
that the project manager is capable, available, and able to commit to a level
of involvement that ensures project success
6. Include
biographical data on key management personnel
Financial Plan
1. Provide a
description of total project costs
2. Provide a
system budget, identifying costs for system design, development, implementation,
project management, operations, maintenance, and evaluation support
3. Provide cost
estimates by phase as defined in the Technical Approach
4. All financial
commitments to the project, from both public and private sectors, shall be
documented in a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and included in the
proposal
5. The proposal
shall provide an in-depth description and assessment of the total cost of
achieving the objectives of the implementation of advanced technology in the
RIAS MAP project
6. The financial
plan should describe a phased approach that delineates what will be
accomplished with the project funding
VII. Application Review Information
Criteria
The primary
evaluation criterion for the proposal will be the degree to which the proposal
demonstrates the potential for successfully implementing an integrated RIAS
system. Significant consideration will
be given to those projects that involve coordination among public agencies
and/or private sectors for the enhancement of the overall transit system and
utilize ITS technologies. Proposals must
demonstrate local viability and must also show strong potential for providing
the baseline for a national model.
Proposals should emphasize the nature and arrangement of any
public-private partnerships. Proposals
should present the potential benefits as well as associated risks and costs to
collaborating partners.
In addition to
the above general evaluation criteria, the FTA will use the following specific
criteria in evaluating the proposals:
1. Local Share –
proposals with greater levels of private and local funding contributions (cost
sharing) will be given preference.
2. Qualifications
and experience – qualifications and experience of individuals and organizations
with respect to project management and technical capabilities.
3. Interagency
coordination – ability to demonstrate the potential for successful coordination
among participating agencies and organizations in providing transportation
services for customers/clients.
4. System
interoperability – ability to integrate RIAS technologies with other ITS
systems (e.g., existing AVL, APC, and GIS systems) to produce an interoperable,
multi-agency system.
5. Ability to
upgrade and expand the system – ability to upgrade the system with additional
RIAS technologies functionality, and to expand the system to include additional
organizations and customers/clients.
6. Number of
transportation providers and other organizations involved – the number of
transportation providers and other organizations involved in the project should
be large enough to demonstrate operational efficiencies and cost savings, but
not too large to impede the feasibility and practicality of the project.
7. Geographic
coverage – a significant percentage of the geographic area in which
transportation services are provided should implement RIAS technology.
8. System cost –
the cost of the project should reflect the scope of the project.
9. Consumer input
– the project should involve significant participation of the consumers who
have visual, cognitive and learning disabilities, during design and testing.
10. Reasonableness
to execute plan – the project should have a reasonable chance of being
successfully executed, schedules met and milestones reached.
Proposals will
be accepted immediately, as of the issue date of this RFP. Each proposal will be evaluated on its own
merits against the above criteria (as opposed to a competitive process).
Review and Selection Process
The FTA will
establish a proposal review panel to evaluate all eligible applications based
on the criteria and requirements defined in this Notice. The FTA panelists may include Federal
agencies outside of the U.S. DOT to provide diversified perspectives and
expertise related to human service transportation.
VIII. Award Administration Information
Award Notices
It
is anticipated that successful applicants will be notified within 15 days from
the closing date of this RFP. The FTA Project Manager will notify the
successful applicants.
Administrative and National
Policy Requirements
Following receipt of the FTA
notification letter, the successful applicants will be required to submit their
proposal through the FTA Transportation Electronic Award and Management (TEAM)
system website. FTA will manage the
cooperative agreement using the TEAM system website. Before FTA may award Federal financial
assistance through a cooperative agreement, each applicant must submit all
certifications and assurances pertaining to itself and its project as required
by Federal laws and regulations. Since
Federal fiscal year 1995, FTA has been consolidating the various certifications
and assurances that may be required of its awardees and the projects into a
single document published in the Federal Register. Fiscal year 2006 Annual List of
Certifications and Assurances for FTA Grants and Cooperative Agreements and
guidelines are published in the Federal Register and posted on the FTA Web site
at http://www.fta.dot.gov.
The recipient must comply with all program requirements, including reporting
requirements, set forth in FTA Circular 6100.1C Transit Research and Technology
Programs found at http://www.fta.dot.gov/396_14724_ENG_HTML.htm.
Deliverables
After
the project is awarded, the recipient will submit a Statement of Work (SOW)
which is mutually agreed by the FTA and the recipient. The SOW will include a detailed project plan
and project deliverables for the entire project duration.
The following
items are required for the RIAS MAP project:
1. Completion of
SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance form (see section V.A above),
2. Signed
Certifications and Assurances, and
3. Executed FTA
Cooperative Agreement, which incorporates FTA’s Master Agreement by reference.
There are a
number of resources available that may help in responding to this RFP. The FTA website has information about FTA,
application forms, statutory, and administrative requirements, etc. Applicants
are encouraged to use the FTA website as much as is needed. They are also
invited to visit the transit technology websites listed below.
1. Federal
Transit Administration—http://www.fta.dot.gov
2. ITS Joint
Program Office—http://www.its.dot.gov
3. ITS
4. United We Ride
Initiative—http://www.unitedweride.gov
5. Guidelines for
Accessible Public Right of Ways,
6.
7.