[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 143 (Wednesday, July 26, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42438-42439]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-11875]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration


Availability of Grant Funds for the Thermal Imaging Inspection 
System Project

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This document announces the availability of grant funding 
under FMCSA's FY2006 Research Grants program as specified in the Safe, 
Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy 
For Users. The program provides one-time funding for a demonstration 
project that uses a thermal imaging inspection system that leverages 
state-of-the-art thermal imagery technology, integrated with signature 
recognition software, providing the capability to identify, in real 
time, faults and failures in tires, brakes, and bearings mounted on 
commercial motor vehicles. The period of performance for this project 
is 24 months from the date of award.

DATES: Applications for grant funding should be sent to FMCSA 
Headquarters no later than August 25, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jeff Loftus, Federal Motor Carrier 
Safety Administration, Office of Research and Analysis, Technology 
Division (MC-RRT), 202-385-2363, 202-385-2422 (fax), 
[email protected], 400 Virginia Avenue, SW., Suite 600, Washington, 
DC 20024. Office hours are from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., e.t., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Section 5513(a) of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient 
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy For Users (SAFETEA-LU) [Pub. L. 
109-59, August 10, 2005, 119 Stat. 1829] authorizes the thermal imaging 
inspection system (TIIS) project for FY2006 only. The authorized 
funding for the program is $2 million. Funding is subject to reductions 
resulting from obligation limitations, recisions, and takedowns as 
specified in SAFETEA-LU or other legislation. The actual amount 
available for this project after these reductions is $1,412,044. FMCSA 
anticipates making one award to one recipient. Incremental payments 
will be made at intervals corresponding to performance milestones 
agreed upon by the parties.
    Funds are available to public nonprofit institutions/organizations, 
profit organizations, private nonprofit institutions/organizations, 
other private institutions/organizations, and institutions of higher 
education including public, private, or state colleges and universities 
who are eligible recipients of Federal assistance.
    The Federal share of the funds is established by SAFETEA-LU as 80 
percent. The 20 percent match may be in the form of dedicated funding, 
equipment, or in-kind services for this project. Allocations remain 
available for expenditure until fully spent.
    Additional information on the TIIS project and its application 
process is available from the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 
(CFDA) on the Internet at http://www.cfda.gov. The TIIS project is 
listed as CFDA number 20.236.

TIIS Project Objectives

    The objectives of this project are to:
     Employ a TIIS in a field environment, along the 
interstate, to further assess the system's ability to identify faults 
in tires, brakes, and bearings mounted on commercial motor vehicles 
(CMVs);
     Establish, through statistical analysis, the probability 
of failure for each component; and
     Develop and integrate a predictive tool into the TIIS, 
which identifies an impending tire, brake, or bearing failure and 
provides a timeframe in which this failure may occur.

Application and Selection Process

    The Secretary may enter a grant agreement with a public or private 
organization including an institution of higher education that has the 
most responsive grant application to the objectives of this project.
    The applicant must submit an application form (SF-424, SF-424A, and 
SF-424B) and proposal to FMCSA Office of Research and Analysis, 
Technology Division no later than August 25, 2006.
    The application must include sections on relevant past performance, 
technical and management approach, budget, schedule, and personnel. 
Additionally, it must address the following project tasks:
     Develop a project work plan,
     Develop a concept of operations document,
     Conduct technology trade-off analyses,
     Develop a test and evaluation plan,
     Conduct analyses of component failures,
     Develop a predictive decision support tool,
     Integrate the tool into the TIIS,
     Conduct a demonstration of the TIIS with the predictive 
tool along the interstate,
     Write an annual report of progress and activities, and
     Write a final report.
    To receive consideration for award, an applicant must submit its 
budget along with adequate documentation that supports the factors 
listed below. The documentation must demonstrate a clear understanding 
of and the ability to accomplish the project objectives.

Factor 1: Past Performance

    The past performance data must not exceed one page for each grant 
or contract referenced.
    To substantiate its past performance, each applicant is requested 
to submit information on at least three of the Government grants or 
contracts or commercial contracts it performed within the past three 
years. The applicant must provide demonstrated experience in work 
effort similar in size, scope, magnitude, complexity, and cost to the 
project objectives. The past performance data can include information 
on grants or contracts on which the applicant, or any proposed 
subgrantee or subcontractor, has performed or is performing. The 
applicant must include the following on each grant or contract 
referenced in its proposal:
     Project statistical information
    [cir] Name and address of the activity;
    [cir] Grant or contract number;
    [cir] Agreement type;
    [cir] Place of performance;
    [cir] Date of project and period of performance;
    [cir] Total project value;
    [cir] Government Sponsor's name, telephone number, and e-mail 
address;
    [cir] Program Manager's name, telephone number, and e-mail address; 
and
    [cir] List of major subgrantees or subcontractors.
     The applicant must include a description of the projects 
cited in order to demonstrate relevance to the requirements outlined in 
the project objectives. The applicant must also identify and state the 
reasons for any terminations.


    Note: In the event that an applicant has no past performance 
history, e.g., a new firm,

[[Page 42439]]

this rating factor will be considered neutral and will neither 
increase an applicant's overall rating nor decrease it.

Factor 2: Technical and Management Approach

    This section cannot exceed 30 pages.
    The applicant's proposed approach must include adequate 
documentation to clearly demonstrate a thorough understanding of the 
project objectives. Each applicant must:
     Describe in sufficient detail the technical capability of 
its proposed resources to meet the project objectives, including 
projects completed and current training completed that are applicable 
to the functions to be performed;
     Provide a proposed matrix that demonstrates that it 
possesses the capability to manage and the staff to perform the work;
     Provide an unpriced matrix that includes labor category/
skill level and labor category descriptions;
     List the skills of the Program Manager, including relative 
experience and expertise; and
     Describe its proposed quality control measures in 
sufficient detail to demonstrate that established procedures would 
adequately recognize substandard performance and document corrective 
actions.

Factor 3: Budget

    The applicant must provide budget information as required in SF-
424, SF-424A, and SF-424B as well as all associated budget supplemental 
documentation.
    As an alternative, an applicant can apply for the TIIS project 
funding by using the grants.gov electronic application process. To use 
this process, the applicant must have a DUNS number and be registered 
with grants.gov. To obtain a DUNS number or register with grants.gov, 
go to http://www.grants.gov/GetStartedRoles?type=aor type=aor.
    To apply for a grant using the grants.gov process, the applicant 
must download, complete, and submit the grant application package. This 
can be done on the Internet at http://www.grants.gov/Apply?campaignid=tabnavtracking081105 tracking081105.
    The grants.gov application process will be available for use by the 
TIIS project on July 26, 2006.

Grant Evaluation Criteria

    Upon receipt, the applications will be evaluated by FMCSA for 
potential funding. Selection of a successful applicant will be made 
based upon the evaluation criteria stated below.

Factor 1: Past Performance

    FMCSA will conduct a performance risk assessment based upon the 
applicant's past performance, as well as that of its proposed 
subgrantees and subcontractors, as it relates to the probability of 
successful accomplishment of the project. When assessing performance 
risk, FMCSA will focus its inquiry on the past performance of the 
applicant and its proposed subgrantees and subcontractors as to cost, 
schedule, and performance--including the applicant's adherence to 
project schedules and administrative aspects of performance as well as 
its history for reasonable and cooperative commitment to Federally-
assisted programs.
    The assessment of performance risk is not intended to be the 
product of a mechanical or mathematical analysis of an applicant's 
performance on a list of grants but rather the product of subjective 
judgment of the evaluation team after it considers all available 
information. FMCSA's definitions of performance risk are:
     High Performance Risk: Based on the applicant's 
performance record, or lack of related experience on which past 
performance may be measured, significant doubt exists that the 
applicant can successfully complete the project within the estimated 
cost and schedule.
     Moderate Performance Risk: Based on the applicant's 
performance record, some doubt exists that the applicant can 
successfully complete the project within the estimated cost and 
schedule.
     Low Performance Risk: Based on the applicant's performance 
record, little doubt exists that the applicant can successfully 
complete the project within the estimated cost and schedule.
     Neutral Rating: There is no evidence that past performance 
information exists for the applicant.

Factor 2: Technical and Management Approach

    FMCSA will evaluate the applicant's:
     Proposed technical and management approach to ensure that 
it clearly demonstrates a thorough understanding of the project,
     Information to determine the technical capability of its 
proposed resources to meet the requirements outlined in the project 
objectives,
     Proposed personnel matrix to determine if sufficient 
resources exist that demonstrate that the applicant possesses the 
capability to manage and the staff to carry out the project,
     Unpriced personnel matrix to ensure it includes the right 
mix of labor category/skill level, and
     Proposed quality control measures to determine if 
established procedures will adequately recognize problems and employ 
appropriate corrective actions.

Factor 3: Budget

    Budget information will be analyzed for reasonableness and 
completeness to include the 24-month period of the project. This 
evaluation may include a comparison of the applicant's proposed prices 
to those of other applicants and to prices paid under similar grants.
    The applicant who has been approved for funding will enter into a 
grant agreement with FMCSA. The grant agreement must be in accordance 
with OMB Circulars A-21, A-110, A-122, and A-133.

    Issued on: July 18, 2006.
David H. Hugel,
Acting Administrator.
 [FR Doc. E6-11875 Filed 7-25-06; 8:45 am]
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