TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL DATA COMPILATION AND VISUALIZATION

BACKGROUND:

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).  NHTSA’s mission is to save lives, prevent injuries, and reduce traffic-related health care and other economic costs. The agency develops, promotes, and implements effective educational, engineering, and enforcement programs with the goal of ending preventable tragedies and reducing economic costs associated with vehicle use and highway travel.  NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is responsible for identifying vehicle safety defects.  This is done by analyzing data received from numerous sources, including consumer complaints, tips and referrals, and manufacturer-submitted data such as warranty claims, death and injury reports, and manufacturer communications and technical service bulletins.  ODI also administers, on average, over 1,000 safety recalls each year, which include millions of motor vehicles, child seats, tires, and other automotive equipment. 

The Takata air bag inflator recalls are the largest and most complex automotive recalls in U.S. history.  These recalls involve over 60 million Takata air bag inflators in tens of millions of vehicles in the United States.  The recalls are due to a design defect whereby the phased-stabilized ammonium-nitrate (PSAN) propellant used in the air bag inflator degrades, causing it to burn too quickly when ignited.  This defect can result in the inflator rupturing during deployment, essentially exploding and shooting sharp metal fragments (like shrapnel) at vehicle occupants.  Rupturing Takata inflators have resulted in 18 deaths in the United States and hundreds of injuries, including a significant number of serious injuries involving lacerations and other serious consequences to the occupants’ face, neck, and chest area.

To address the unprecedented and varied challenges presented by the Takata recalls, NHTSA established a Coordinated Remedy Program in November 2015 to accelerate and coordinate the recalls, NHTSA appointed an Independent Monitor in December 2015 to assist NHTSA in the ongoing oversight of Takata and the vehicle manufacturers’ repair programs.  The Independent Monitor and his team have been heavily involved in the recalls for the past five years, and accordingly have developed a unique and nuanced understanding of the multitude of issues and challenges that the recalls pose.

OBJECTIVE:

The objective is to acquire expert consulting services for the management of a Tableau-based data-reporting and data-visualization platform specifically tailored to the Takata recalls.

Please see the attached Draft SOW that provides further details into the requirements that will need to be supplied in support of ODI with Takata Airbag Recall Data Compilation And Visualizations.

Format of Corporate Capabilities Statement:

Any interested qualified Small Business firms, Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), 8(a)  Certified SDB, HUBZone SB, SDVOSB, or WOSB concerns should submit their Corporate Capability Statement, which demonstrates the firm’s ability and past experience in no more than 10 pages to perform the key requirements described above to the identified NHTSA point of contact listed herein.  

Any proprietary information should be marked as such. All respondents are asked to certify the type and size of their business organization is in-line with the requirements of this Sources Sought Notice which must be received no later than 10 calendar days from the date of publication or by the closing date of this notice.

To facilitate a timely and comprehensive review of all submitted responses, firms should respond using the format requested in this Notice.

Please provide the following information for your firm and for any teaming or joint venture partners:

General Information

1. Company name, address, point of contact name, telephone, and email address.
2. Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number and Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code.
3. Business size and classification (e.g., large, small, small-disadvantaged, SBA Certified 8(a), HUBZone, service-disabled veteran-owned, woman-owned) based on NAICS code: 541519- Information Technology Value Added Resellers.
4. If applicable, potential proposed teaming arrangements to include business size and classification of prime and subcontractors.
5. GSA Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) Number (FSS must include NAICS code 541519- Information Technology Value Added Resellers
6. Identify contracts your company has been awarded under NAICS code: 541519-Information Technology Value Added Resellers

Technical Capability:

1. Provide a brief synopsis to support the firm’s ability to perform all of potential areas of the objective/scope.  Identify each task element and provide information to support the firm’s experience, staffing and overall ability to perform the technical area.
2. Evidence of experience and past performance should include contracts/task orders from the past three (3) years similar in scope to this requirement.
3. Examples must include contract numbers, project titles, dollar amounts, periods of performance, and Government points of contact (telephone numbers or email addresses).
4. Documented information to support the firm’s ability to provide the range of research skillsets capability to quickly plan, conduct, and document studies; AND personnel required for this effort in a timely fashion.
5. Any data on previous contracts/task orders on personnel retention and succession planning.

Additional Information:

1. Indicate if your firm will submit a proposal if a Request for Proposal (RFP) is issued, and if your firms interest is for Prime contracting, teaming agreement or Joint Venture.
2. Validation of, or recommended NAICS codes for this effort.
3. Validation of, or recommended contract type.
4. Validation of, or recommended GSA vehicle
5. In each potential areas of research, indicate any Small Business Subcontracting opportunities, as applicable.
6. Other Recommendations
   1. Any information missing from this requirement that would provide a better understanding of the effort desired.
   2. Please submit any other questions or comments along with your response.

CONTRACTING OFFICE ADDRESS

Department of Transportation (DOT) Headquarters, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20590.