[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 138 (Friday, July 18, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38601-38605]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-18983]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration
Federal Transit Administration


Participation in the National Advanced Rural Transportation 
Systems' Traveler Information Services in Tourism Areas Field 
Operational Test

AGENCIES: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit 
Administration (FTA), Department of Transportation (USDOT).

ACTION: Notice; request for participation.

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SUMMARY: The USDOT is interested in evaluating the benefits associated 
with the application of traveler information services in rural tourism 
areas. This request for participation solicits applications from both 
public-public (e.g., State DOT-Chamber of Commerce) and public-private 
(e.g., National Park Service-private industry) partnerships to conduct 
a field operational test. The purpose of this test would be to evaluate 
the benefits of using advanced traveler information systems in rural 
tourist areas involving State or national parks, or other tourist areas 
(public or private) that experience seasonal or annual traffic flow 
congestion.

DATES: Responses to this announcement must be submitted by 4 p.m., 
e.t., on or before August 15, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Responses to this solicitation must be submitted directly to 
the Federal Highway Administration, Office of Traffic Management and 
ITS Applications, Rural Action Team, HTV-3, 400 Seventh St., SW., Room 
3401, Washington, D.C. 20590.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. R. Dale Thompson, FHWA, Office of 
Traffic Management and ITS Applications, Rural Action Team, (202) 366-
0640; or Mr. Ronald Boenau, FTA, Office of Mobility Innovation , Rural 
Action Team, (202) 366-0195; or Mr. Raymond Resendes, ITS Joint Program 
Office, Rural Action Team, (202) 366-2182; or Ms. Beverly Russell, 
FHWA, Office of the Chief Counsel (202) 366-1355, Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. Office 
hours are from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Availability of the Plan and Electronic Access

    Copies of the Advanced Rural Transportation Systems Strategic Plan, 
which describes the program goals and the critical program areas, are 
available from ITS America, 400 Virginia Avenue, SW., Suite 800, 
Washington, DC 20024, telephone (202) 484-4847. Electronic copies are 
available on the ITS America Internet Home Page, http://www.itsa.org.

Background

    Title VI, part B of the Intermodal Surface Transportation 
Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA), Pub. L. 102-240, 105 Stat. 1914, 2189, 
provided the Intelligent Vehicle Highway Systems Act which set the 
foundation for the National Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) 
Program. Under ISTEA, the USDOT has taken the lead in conducting ITS 
research, development, and operational testing activities to lay the 
foundation for the application of existing and emerging technologies 
and systems to improve the efficiency of the surface transportation 
system.
    Early ITS efforts were driven by the desire to address growing 
transportation problems in urban areas and in inter-urban corridors. 
While many of the technologies and systems aimed at solving these 
problems also have application outside urban settings, the market 
structure, application logistics, and motivating factors underlying 
their deployment vary considerably from urban to rural areas. The 
Federal ITS

[[Page 38602]]

Program recognized these differences and, in the past year, has 
initiated the development of an ITS program component with a uniquely 
rural focus: the Advanced Rural Transportation Systems Program.
    During 1996, the USDOT developed an Advanced Rural Transportation 
Systems Strategic Plan which covers the Federal role in developing and 
fostering the application of intelligent transportation systems in 
rural areas. The Strategic Plan describes the vision, mission, goals, 
objectives, and measures which provide the foundation upon which the 
Federal Advanced Rural Transportation Systems Program is built. The 
goals of the Advanced Rural Transportation Systems Program are closely 
tied to those of the overall ITS Program. Priority is given to those 
goals that meet the more critical needs of travelers and transporters 
of goods in rural areas. Consequently, the primary goals of the 
Advanced Rural Transportation Systems Program are safety and efficient 
mobility, versus those of the metropolitan systems which are congestion 
mitigation and increased throughput.
    Because of the diversity of needs and settings in Rural America, 
the Advanced Rural Transportation Systems Strategic Plan specifies 
seven critical program areas, or clusters, which provide areas of 
common interest and focus within the overall rural ITS program. The 
companion Program Plan, currently under development, describes what is 
known and unknown within each cluster, sets the strategic priorities, 
and lays out the program (projects by year) to solve the unknowns. 
Together the Advanced Rural Transportation Systems Strategic and 
Program Plans provide the road map for the Federal Advanced Rural 
Transportation Systems program through the year 2003.
    While rural settings differ greatly, there is general agreement on 
the classes of needs that exist within each setting and the principal 
users of ITS. The critical program areas, therefore, were developed 
around identifiable needs and service categories and are as follows:

    1. Traveler Safety and Security;
    2. Emergency Services;
    3. Tourism and Travel Information Services;
    4. Public Traveler Services/Public Mobility Services;
    5. Infrastructure Operating and Maintenance;
    6. Fleet Operating and Maintenance; and
    7. Commercial Vehicle Operations.

    For example, the Tourism and Travel Information Services category 
mentioned above refers to the needs and services that a visitor (both 
driver and passenger) unfamiliar with a rural area may require. These 
services will also address the needs of the Visitors and Tourism 
Bureaus, transit service providers, information providers, etc., that 
provide the services to meet tourists' needs. In a rural tourist area, 
this may be the main focus of the ITS program. Likewise, the Public 
Traveler Services/Public Mobility Services focuses on reducing the 
isolation of the transportation disadvantaged and increasing the 
mobility of all. Constituents of this critical program area include 
both the potential travelers and service providers. As ITS services are 
shown to reduce costs and improve efficiency, these areas and the 
organizations responsible for them become natural constituents and 
advocates for the programs.

I. Objective and Hypotheses

    The objective of this field operational test is to evaluate the use 
of advanced technologies to collect and disseminate traveler 
information in rural tourist areas with limited traditional 
transportation options available so as to: (1) Improve mobility; (2) 
increase access; (3) relieve traffic congestion caused by high travel 
demands and the limited capacity of roadways and parking facilities; 
and (4) stimulate economic development.
    The hypotheses for this field operational test are: (1) The 
Traveler Information System in a rural tourism area will improve 
mobility compared to mobility without the Traveler Information System; 
(2) tourists surveyed about the access to selected rural attractions 
will rate the access higher after the Traveler Information System is 
installed and operational; (3) the Traveler Information System will 
relieve congestion at the selected rural attraction(s) and tourists 
will perceive the reduction in congestion; and (4) the Traveler 
Information System will stimulate economic development.

II. Scope

Definitions

    1. ``Rural tourist area,'' for purposes of this field operational 
test, is defined as a State or national park, or other tourist area in 
a rural location with a permanent population of roughly 50,000 or less 
with limited access to and from the area, limited roadway capacity in 
and out of the area that contributes to the high levels of seasonal 
congestion during periods of high demand, and limited parking access 
and capacity that reaches saturation levels at periods of high demand, 
as well as limited integration of transit systems.
    2. A ``Traveler Information System,'' for purposes of this field 
operational test, is a system typical of other advanced traveler 
information systems deployed in metropolitan areas to disseminate 
traveler information to the traveling public and transportation 
managers. The Traveler Information System focuses on the unique needs 
of a rural tourist area, which may differ from one tourist area to 
another. Examples of typical equipment and systems deployed to support 
such a system are listed below. A Traveler Information System may have 
any one or more of these listed features, as well as others not listed. 
An important point is that the individual systems are integrated, or at 
a minimum, are capable of being integrated to provide traveler 
information to the general public, as well as to local and regional 
transportation managers. The Traveler Information System components may 
include, but are not limited to:

    A. Cable TV;
    B. Changeable Message Signs/Variable Message Signs;
    C. Radio Traveler Information Reports such as Highway Advisory 
Radio;
    D. Dedicated Telephone Traveler Information System;
    E. Kiosks;
    F. Internet;
    G. Hand-held Devices;
    H. In-vehicle Devices; and
    I. Others.
    Typical information collected and disseminated to travelers may 
include, but is not limited to:
    A. Local Area Information;
    B. Tourist Area Information;
    C. Weather Conditions;
    D. Transit Schedules and Routes;
    E. Real-time Transit Information;
    F. Employee Ride-share Information;
     G. Real-time Traffic Information;
     H. Traffic Conditions;
     I. Roadway Conditions;
     J. Work-zone Information;
     K. Incident Information;
     L. Alternate Route Information;
     M. Emergency Management Information;
     N. Yellow Pages Information (hotels, restaurants, local 
businesses, private transportation services, other public and 
private services, local information, points of interest, maps and 
directions, etc.);
     O. Tourist Attraction and Park Information; and
    P. Others.

III. Partnerships

    The USDOT will generally work with the lead public agency 
participating in the partnership (State, city, or regional agency, 
depending on the site) to ensure an up front commitment to provide the 
needed support to achieve the evaluation objectives of this field

[[Page 38603]]

operational test. The USDOT will also ensure that needed institutional 
and partnership arrangements are in place and required funding is 
available.
    All necessary partnership arrangements and institutional agreements 
to support the project should be documented. Signed copies of completed 
Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) that clearly define 
responsibilities and relationships should be included in the proposal. 
Partners are also strongly encouraged to seek participation from 
certified minority business enterprise firms, women business enterprise 
firms, disadvantaged business enterprise firms, historically black 
colleges and universities, Hispanic serving institutions, and other 
minority institutions.

IV. National ITS System Architecture

    Proposals shall provide a ``Statement of Intent'' to implement a 
system that is consistent with the National ITS Architecture, including 
any national ITS standards, protocols, or standards requirements as 
these emerge from the National ITS Architecture Development Program. 
Copies of the Architecture Definition Documents, the draft Standards 
Requirements Document, and the Standards Development Program from the 
Architecture Development Program are available from ITS America, 400 
Virginia Avenue, SW., Suite 800, Washington, DC 20024, telephone (202) 
484-4847. Electronic copies are available on the ITS America Internet 
Home Page, http://www.itsa.org. These documents provide insight into 
the definition of the National ITS Architecture, and the emerging 
approaches being taken toward standardizing interfaces that would 
support the integration of transportation management components.

V. Project Evaluation Activities

    Evaluation is an integral part of each field operational test and 
is critical to the success of the National ITS Program. As such, the 
USDOT ITS Joint Program Office will conduct a rigorous, independent 
evaluation of traveler information services and products supported by a 
Traveler Information System in a rural tourist area. The independent 
evaluation may be conducted using existing USDOT resources, or, as part 
of another solicitation. Applicants are not required to perform this 
evaluation; however, they are required to support the independent 
evaluation.
    The field operational test partners will be involved in specific 
phases of the evaluation. At a minimum, the partners are expected to be 
part of the process to develop the goals and objectives of the 
individual tests and the overall evaluation plan. Partners are also 
expected to be involved in much of the technical, legal, and 
institutional data collection, archiving, and reporting. Nothing in 
these guidelines shall preclude the non-Federal partners from 
conducting additional evaluations for their specific needs.
    The non-Federal project coordination evaluation activities will 
include assisting the USDOT Evaluation Team in developing an evaluation 
report that summarizes findings/lessons learned resulting from the 
deployment of this Traveler Information System. Partners are expected 
to review and comment on this report; however, the independent 
evaluator is obligated to perform an independent analysis of the data 
and an unbiased report of results compared to partner-identified goals, 
objectives, and hypotheses.

VI. Funding

    The total maximum amount of Federal ITS funding in this 
solicitation is $600,000. In accordance with sec. 6058 of the ISTEA, 
the maximum share of a project funded from Federal funds, including ITS 
funds, cannot exceed 80 percent. For this project, the Agency is 
requiring a 50% cost share from perspective partners. At least 40% of 
the required cost share amount must be derived from non-Federal sources 
in order that the Federal maximum share of 80% mandated in section 6058 
not be exceeded.
    The statutorily required 20 percent cost share must be from non-
federally derived funding sources and must consist of either cash, 
substantial equipment contributions that are wholly utilized as an 
integral part of the project, or personnel services dedicated full-time 
to the project for a substantial period, as long as such personnel are 
not otherwise supported with Federal funds. The non-federally derived 
funding may come from State, local government, or private sector 
partners.
    In an ITS partnership, as with other USDOT cost-share contracts, it 
is inappropriate for a fee to be included in the proposed budget as 
part of a partner's contribution to the project. This does not prohibit 
appropriate fee payments to vendors or others who may provide goods or 
services to the partnership. It also does not prohibit business 
relationships with the private sector which result in revenues from the 
sale or provision of ITS products or services.
    The USDOT, the Comptroller General of the United States, and, if 
appropriate, individual States have the right to access all documents 
pertaining to the use of Federal ITS 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.

VII. Schedule

    A system in a summer or year-round tourist area must be operational 
by May 1, 1998. A system in a winter tourist area must be operational 
by November 1, 1998. The system must remain operational for a period 
long enough to obtain valid evaluation data. Depending on the degree of 
system stability during the data collection period, the nominal data 
collection period will be five months from the declaration of the 
system as ``operational.'' After the end of data collection, there 
shall be a six-month period of data analysis and report coordination 
before the final independent evaluation report is submitted. The system 
shall remain operational until the final evaluation report has been 
received and accepted by USDOT.

VIII. Evaluation of Applications

    The USDOT will select one rural site to evaluate the potential and 
realized benefits of a Traveler Information System focusing on the 
objectives previously stated. However, the USDOT reserves the right to 
make multiple awards. Applications shall, where possible, focus on the 
use of currently available technologies, existing communications and 
infrastructure, and strengthened institutional ties to support 
evaluation objectives with the limited Federal ITS funding available in 
this effort. Applications that offer the greatest potential for 
demonstrating and evaluating the benefits of a Traveler Information 
System in a rural tourist area (including both the institutional and 
technological aspects) for the least Federal ITS dollars will be 
considered the most desirable.
    Interested parties are invited to submit a proposal containing 
sufficient information to enable an evaluation of the proposal based on 
the selection criteria set forth below. A proposal shall not exceed 30 
pages in length including title, index, tables, maps, appendices, 
abstracts, resumes and other supporting materials. A page is defined as 
one side of an 8\1/2\ by 11 inch paper, line spacing no smaller than 
1.5, with a type font no

[[Page 38604]]

smaller than 12 point. Proposals greater than 30 pages will not be 
accepted. Ten copies plus an unbound reproducible copy of the proposal 
shall be submitted. 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. 
Proposals shall include a ``Technical Plan,'' a ``Financial Plan,'' and 
a ``Management and Staffing Plan'' that describe how the proposed 
objectives will be met within the specified time frame and budget. The 
plans should be structured such that they contain the following 
information.

Technical Plan

1. General Requirements

    A. General description of the targeted tourist site or area. 
Include information on the local area, State or national parks, or 
other tourist sites involved, roadways into and out of the area, 
historical data on traffic volumes and congestion or weather related 
problems, seasonal data applicable to congestion levels or mobility/
access, any multimodal aspects of the transportation system, and the 
public/private agencies involved in the project such as local or State 
Bureau of Tourism, Chamber of Commerce, transportation agencies, park 
agencies, etc.
    B. Interagency, interjurisdictional and public/private/academic 
cooperative arrangements currently in place to support the overall 
field test and evaluation effort.
    C. Provide letters of commitment/signed Memorandums of 
Understanding by local public/private/academic partners.

2. Concept Overview

    A. Define the current infrastructure or support systems in place to 
be used as a foundation for evaluating the Traveler Information System, 
e.g., communication systems, sources and current availability of 
traffic data, weather data, public and private transportation services, 
etc.
    B. Define the Traveler Information System and the infrastructure 
that will be expanded and used to support the proposed system.
    C. Describe the proposed rural traveler information system 
components and how they will be linked into the overall system.
    D. Summarize the expectations of the proposed system, e.g., 
benefits, operations and maintenance issues, plans and system support 
beyond the test period.

3. Technical Approach

    A. Describe system design concept discussing extent of system 
integration and information packaging.
    B. Describe how the traveler information data will be collected, 
packaged into useful information, and provided to the traveling public.
    C. Describe implementation of the system in probable phases with 
funding for each phase.
    D. Describe technical approach by which the system design concept 
will be refined, developed, operationally tested, evaluated, and 
documented.
    E. Document schedule of work, assumptions, and technical 
uncertainties, and propose specific approaches to resolve any 
uncertainties.
    F. Show evidence that the project team has thought through the 
service delivery part of the project design: (1) Who will use the 
system?; (2) What problems will it solve for the user?; (3) Where in 
their trip will users find the information most useful?; and (4) How 
will the project team market the system?

4. Draft Project Evaluation Plan

    A. Proposals shall include a draft project evaluation plan that 
demonstrates an understanding of the importance of building automatic 
data collection into the system. The proposed system shall provide 
feature usage and other evaluation data needed to measure the degree to 
which hypotheses are supported.
    B. Proposals shall describe methods to ensure that benefits and 
costs are measurable.
    C. A demonstrated understanding of the role of the evaluation 
should be evident in the organizational and management approach of the 
proposal.
    D. Proposals shall describe how the proposed partnership will 
provide information for a with-the-system/without-the-system evaluation 
analysis as well as identify existing data sources available and 
methods to obtain such data. A discussion of the availability and 
potential utility of baseline information shall be included. Existing 
survey data bases shall be described.
    E. Proposals shall describe how the proposed partnership will 
convey to the independent evaluation team evaluation data automatically 
collected by the system.

    Note: Refinement of the draft project evaluation plan, and the 
actual data collection will be the responsibility of the independent 
evaluator in coordination with the project team.

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 
system data base and the overall system.
    3. Provide a time line and define key milestones 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 description of total project costs and sources of 
matching funds.
    2. Provide a system budget identifying costs for system design, 
development, implementation, project management, operations and 
maintenance, and evaluation support.
    3. Applicants' evaluation support costs shall include the following 
information.
    A. Labor costs of a single project evaluation coordinator who 
integrates and represents evaluation interests of all partners and 
stakeholders to the independent evaluator and critically reviews and 
provides comments on evaluation plans and products.
    B. Incidental labor costs of individual partners and stakeholders 
who will review evaluation deliverables.
    C. Labor, hardware, and software costs for ensuring automatic 
collection of evaluation data (e.g., recording of kiosk or web feature 
usage.)
    D. Cost of periodic transfer of evaluation data base information to 
the independent evaluator.

    Note: Funds identified to support this effort shall not be spent 
for other portions of the operational tests. The USDOT shall 
negotiate with the project partners during the initial operational 
test definition to ensure an adequate estimate of resources is 
committed to support the national evaluation objectives. The USDOT 
reserves the right to require that additional data be collected and 
made available to allow the USDOT to make comparative analyses with 
similar functions or features associated with other national 
operational tests.

    4. Break costs down identifying them by non-Federal (public and 
private) and Federal (ITS and Federal-aid) sources.
    5. Provide cost estimates by phase as defined in the Technical 
Plan.
    6. All financial commitments to the project from both public and 
private sectors shall be documented in signed MOUs and included in the 
proposal.

[[Page 38605]]

    The application shall provide an in-depth description and 
assessment of the total cost of achieving the objectives of the 
Traveler Information System field operational test, and the 
partnership's plans for raising the matching funds required by this 
solicitation. The ``Financial Plan'' should describe a phased approach 
that delineates what will be accomplished with the project funding.
    The application should provide a comprehensive but concise plan for 
design, acquisition (including innovative contracting procedures such 
as design-build), construction, and other procurement actions to 
improve the systems integration of the functions needed to support a 
Traveler Information System.
    The budget shall show the requested Federal ITS funding and 
proposed partnership match funding for the activities shown in the 
table below. The matching funds should be further divided into public 
and private contribution amounts in the table, as well as the source 
and type of contribution described in the application.

                        Total Traveler Information System--Field Operational Test Funding                       
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                                               Total amount                 Source and description of matching  
                                -----------------------------------------                  funds                
           Activities                                                    ---------------------------------------
                                  Federal ITS funds     Matching funds          Public              Private     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Design.........................  ...................  ..................  ..................  ..................
Current System Expansion.......  ...................  ..................  ..................  ..................
New Systems....................  ...................  ..................  ..................  ..................
Operation/Maintenance..........  ...................  ..................  ..................  ..................
Evaluation Support.............  ...................  ..................  ..................  ..................
Project Management.............  ...................  ..................  ..................  ..................
Outreach/Marketing.............  ...................  ..................  ..................  ..................
    Total......................  ...................  ..................  ..................  ..................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IX. Proposal Evaluation Criteria

    Applicants must submit an acceptable ``Technical Plan,'' 
``Financial Plan,'' and ``Management and Staffing Plan'' that provide 
sound evidence that the proposed partnership can successfully meet the 
objectives of the Traveler Information System field operational test. 
The ``Technical Plan'' and ``Financial Plan'' will be weighed equally 
and more than the ``Management and Staffing Plan.''

    (Authority: 23 U.S.C. 307 note and 315; Secs. 6051-6059, Pub. L. 
102-240, 105 Stat. 1914, 2189; and 49 CFR 1.48).

    Issued on: July 14, 1997.
Jane F. Garvey,
Federal Highway Administrator (Acting).
Gordon J. Linton,
Federal Transit Administrator.
[FR Doc. 97-18983 Filed 7-17-97; 8:45 am]
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