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Participation in the Advanced Rural Transportation Systems' Traveler Information Services in Tourism Areas Operational Test (FTA/FHWA)

Number 62 38601
07-18-97

[Federal Register: July 18, 1997 (Volume 62, Number 138)]
[Notices]
[Page 38601-38605]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18jy97-125]

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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:

Typical information collected and disseminated to travelers may
include, but is not limited to:

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.

Activities

Total amount

Source and description of matching funds

Federal ITSfunds

Matchingfunds

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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