Terms of Reference

US DOT is conducting a Pre-proposal Conference (“Safety Pilot Joint Bidders Conference”) for interested parties to learn about and ask questions regarding the following three current US DOT procurements/solicitations in support of the Safety Pilot Program. US DOT officials will present and discuss the procurement process and requirements for each of the following three planned procurements, as well as answer relevant questions from interested parties.

• Safety Pilot Test Conductor – Request for Proposals (RFP) DTFH61-11-R-00006 available atwww.FedBizOpps.gov
• Aftermarket Safety Devices – Request for Applications (RFA) DTFH61-11-RA-00003 available at www.Grants.gov
• Roadside Equipment – Request for Quotations (RFQ) DTFH61-11-Q-00012 available at www.FedBizOpps.gov

Safety Pilot is intended to establish a real world model deployment test site for enabling wireless communications among vehicles and with roadside equipment for use in generating data to enable driver safety warning systems.  The deployment site will encompass vehicles of various types that include a mix of integrated, retrofit, and aftermarket vehicle safety systems.  The model deployment data generated will be used for establishing safety benefits in support of future policy decisions by US DOT, as well as for use by the broader industry in developing additional connected vehicle applications.

As such, the goals of the Safety Pilot Program are to:

• Establish benefits data in support of NHTSA 2013 Agency Decision on V2V Communications with Real World Field Data
• Support real world V2V and V2I safety applications with a data rich environment
• Create public awareness & determine user acceptance

Anticipated outcomes include:

• Obtaining empirical data for determining benefits and user acceptance in support of future federal policy actions
• Establishing a public database of archived road network data for supporting development of additional safety, mobility, and environmental applications
• Establishing multiple supplier sources for safety devices and roadside infrastructure
• Develop a better understanding of the operational policy issues associated with the deployment of V2V and V2I applications

Interested parties are invited to attend in person or participate by webinar. Participants are welcome to participate in the full-day conference or any portion of the day.

Date: February 22, 2011
Location: University of California – UC Washington Center
Address: 1608 Rhode Island Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 974 – 6200
Time: 8:30 am – 4:30pm Eastern

Registration Form Link: http://www.itsa.org/itsa/files/Safety_Pilot_Bidders_Conference_registration.doc

Questions: Interested parties are encouraged to submit questions to US DOT in advance of the Pre-proposal Conference. Please submit questions by COB Wednesday February 16 regarding solicitations to:

• daniel.confer@dot.gov for Safety Pilot Test Conductor
• sarah.tarpgaard@dot.gov for Aftermarket Safety Devices
• sarah.khan@dot.gov for Roadside Equipment

US DOT will address questions during the Conference to the extent possible.

Build your skills and expand your knowledge thru CITE’s upcoming blended course offerings

Telecommunications is the backbone of all ITS applications. It provides the means for sending data, voice, and video information between devices. This course is a primer on telecommunications for the ITS professional with little or no formal training in telecommunications. With so many ITS projects now requiring a telecommunications aspect, this course is a must for project managers. More information can be found here:http://goo.gl/ueHHr.

–  Advanced Telecommunications Technology- April 8 thru May 22, 2011 – The overall goal of this course is to provide a system-level understanding of the operation of modern broadband transportation communications networks. This course focuses on how to plan and implement telecommunications networks to support a major Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) infrastructure.  More information can be found here: http://goo.gl/upAQU.

All course materials are on-line but students have access to course instructors through three pre-scheduled conference calls. Cost is $250 each; $400 for two. Questions, please contact Denise Twisdale (301-403-4592) or Kathy Frankle (410-414-2925).

The Real-Time Data Capture and Management Program Announces a Test Data Sets Request for Procurement (RFP) and Request for Applications (RFA), issued by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on 2/5/11 with the proposal due date of 4:00 PM EDT on 3/15/11.

An initial offering to “Clean-up of Existing Data Sets to Support Dynamic Mobility Applications Development,” was issued on 2/5/11 with the proposal due date of 4:00 PM EDT on 3/15/11.  As a result of this solicitation, FHWA anticipates collecting multiple “cleaned up” research-ready data sets that meet the minimum requirements of this solicitation and program objectives, within available resources.

The Request for Applications (RFA) DTFH61-11-RA-00004 can be found on www.Grants.gov at:
http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/opportunities/instructions/oppDTFH61-11-RA-00004-cfda20.200-instructions.pdf

A solicitation notice (synopsis) for a full and open competition entitled “Test Data Sets to Support Dynamic Mobility Applications Development,” was issued on 2/5/11 with the proposal due date of 4:00 PM EDT on 3/15/11.  The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) intends to make multiple awards to obtain existing well-documented, quality data sets available from recent or ongoing operations, field tests, or simulations of emerging technologies supporting mobility, environment, transit, freight, weather, and other surface transportation research. FHWA intends to award multiple contracts and/or cooperative agreements to fund the following tasks: data clean up of existing data sets, data integration, documentation of data set contents and formats, addition of meta-data to the data set, and provision of data sets in final form to FHWA.

The Request for Proposals (RFP) DTFH61-11-R-00010 can be found on http://www.FedBiz.Opps at:
https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=db892596312f21e9508d6ae4f70faf31&tab=core&_cview=1

The Real-Time Data Capture and Management Program is a multimodal program of the Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office, a program office of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA).Additional information can be found at: http://www.its.dot.gov/

Click image to access the announcement

Integrity, confidence, discipline and commitment define your career in Battelle’s National Security Division.  Battelle was built on a firm foundation of honesty, integrity, and outstanding service and the work we do in national security impacts lives around the world; whether we’re creating armor for military applications, testing a life-saving vaccine, or developing a more efficient hydrogen fuel cell. At Battelle, we reward the best work with more responsibility, positions to grow and develop, and the opportunity to make a positive impact on the world.  Are YOU ready for your Next Mission?

As part of our National Security Global Business, our Transportation business specializes in improving the factors that are critical to our country’s transportation systems – safety, efficiency, and environmental acceptability. Battelle develops and deploys creative technology solutions to meet challenges faced by the U.S. Department of Transportation, other federal and state transportation agencies, and the commercial transportation industry. We deliver high-value, technology-oriented answers to problems in the areas of highway, aviation, marine, rail, and transit by combining unique capabilities in transportation engineering, technology development and deployment, system safety, regulatory and operations analyses, and human factors.

Our Transportation Research and Engineering group is currently seeking a Transportation Engineer/Planner.   This position will be located in our Washington, DC offices.  Working with Battelle’s transportation staff, the successful candidate will use their solid background in engineering and planning work on national and state-level projects in the area of transportation systems management, highway policy, and intelligent transportation systems to contribute to our  research and technology evaluation programs.

The successful candidate will participate with the members of the Transportation Group in the proposal development, project management and technical analysis associated with planning and conducting transportation technology and policy studies in:

1.     Transportation Systems Management and Operations

2.     Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Research

3.     Transportation Policy

4.     Program Evaluations

THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS MUST BE MET TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION:

• Graduate Degree in Transportation Engineering,  Transportation Planning or a Transportation-related field, OR an undergraduate degree in Transportation Engineering,  Transportation Planning or a Transportation-related field with 2+ years of directly-relevant experience in similar job description
• ·Must have a minimum of 3.0 GPA for both undergraduate and graduate level degrees.
• Must be a US citizen with the ability to obtain and maintain a government Security Clearance
• Ability to execute analyses, design reviews and evaluations of assigned projects using sound engineering principles, adhering to business standards and procedures in accordance with product/ program requirements
• Must have excellent communication skills, both written and oral.  This includes providing a writing sample (if selected for an interview) such as a thesis, research/technical report or other evidence of writing capability.
• Self starter, able to work independently with a sense of urgency and network effectively to gather data from different sources in a team environment
• ·Must be a detail-oriented individual, thoughtful and deliberate in your approach to conducting research and analyses.
• Be an effective listener and contributor at client meetings.  Demonstrated ability to document the pertinent information/action items/opportunities discussed in a client meeting and provide a written summary of that material for management and senior technical staff.  Excellent Microsoft Office software skills (Excel, Word, and PowerPoint; also skills in Project preferred)
• Must possess a strong work ethic and be task focused.  Must be willing to “do what it takes” to get the job done within the allotted timeframe while maintaining the highest levels of quality in the products you produce.

THE FOLLOWING IS DESIRED, BUT NOT REQUIRED TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION:

• Experience in Project Management a plus, including ability to work with Microsoft Project.
• Formal project management training (i.e., coursework, continuing education, CAPM or PMP certifications) a plus.
• Demonstrated experience conducting research for USDOT a plus.

BENEFITS

Battelle’s competitive benefits program includes comprehensive medical and dental care, matching 401K, employee pension, tuition reimbursement, work/life balance, paid time off, flexible spending accounts, disability coverage, and other benefits that help provide financial protection for you and your family.

Battelle is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and supports diversity in the workplace. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, or sexual orientation. For more information about our other openings, please visit www.battelle.org/careers.

Note:  Access the Job Posting Link directly here: https://performancemanager.successfactors.com/career?company=battelle (Select “Washington Navy Yard” as the location choice)

To say the least, it is very inspiring .  Watching this I came to a conclusion – you don’t really need millions of dollars and big name community leaders to change some of our trouble communities and rid them of crime while trying to keep the young men from straying away from schools.

Oh, here are some requirements for you to be a member of Scrapertown:

• Be a resident of Oakland, CA.
• Be at least 7 y/o or older.
• Retain A 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA),
• Create your own Scraper Bike (It Has To Be Amazing, Or Else You Can’t Ride.)

Here are some other requirements as outlined by the ruler of Scrapertown, Mr. Scraper Bike King:  “A single-file line when riding. After 10 rides The Scraper Bike King and his Captains will decide if your bike is up to standards and if you can follow simple guidelines. After your evaluation we will consider you a member and honor you with an Original Scraper Bike Team Shirt. Only worn when Mobbin’ Stay posted to our website for all upcoming Scraper Bike Rides…”

Awesome .

Related articles

• Friday Fun: Scrapertown (thecityfix.com)
• Scraper Bike Team of Oakland documentary (boingboing.net)
• The First Annual Youth Bike Summit (streetfilms.org)

This is a must attend event for those interested/involved in public transit policy!  Here’s a great opportunity to expand your professional network and hear from industry experts on a variety of public transportation hot topics.

Young Professionals in Transportation (YPT) members are being offered a 50% discount on conference registration.  To take advantage, when you register, be sure to use the discount code “YPT”.

What: Making Connections is a day-long conference for public transportation professionals to strengthen the national dialogue on public transit advocacy, policy and workforce development.

When and Where: Thursday, March 17, 2011 at the Hilton Hotel Washington DC/Silver Spring (Metro-accessible).

For full details, visit the conference registration website at http://mc2011.eventbrite.com or see the attached informational flyer.  The conference host is also seeking a small number of volunteers (in particular, students, but all inquiries are welcome) to help staff the event in return for free registration.  Contact event organizer and YPT member Aimee Custis at acustis@transportcenter.org for more information.

General flyer – National Transit ConferenceDownload flyer – National Transit Conference

This is a good opportunity for students/emerging professionals who are interested in these issues.  See http://ecpaplanning.org/2011/01/ecpa-call-for-essays-from-emergin-professionals/ for full details.

(Source: Gizmodo via Telegraph)

Image Courtesy: Gizmodo.com

At 26.4 miles long, the Qingdao Haiwan Bridge would easily cross the English Channel and is almost three miles longer than the previous record-holder, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in the American state of Louisiana. The vast structure links the centre of the booming port city of Qingdao in eastern China‘s Shandong Province with the suburb of Huangdao, spanning the wide blue waters of Jiaozhou Bay.

Here is a collection of some amazing and interesting factoids gleaned from the parent articles cited above:

• You can easily run a marathon, entirely on the bridge span, and still will have 0.2 miles left before you set foot on Terra Firma (Marathon = 26.2 miles)
• Built in just four years at a cost of £5.5 billion ($8 Billion USD)
• Will feature a six-lane road bridge that is supported by more than 5,200 columns
• When it opens to traffic (in late 2011) , the bridge is expected to carry over 30,000 cars a day
• Expected to cut the commute between the city of Qingdao and the sprawling suburb of Huangdao by between 20 and 30 minutes.
• At least 10,000 workers were involved in building the bridge, in shifts around the clock
• Built with 450,000 tons of steel, which is roughly the equivalent of steel used in almost 65 Eiffel Towers
• 2.3 million cubic meters of concrete, which is roughly the equivalent of filling 3,800 Olympic-sized swimming pools
• The bridge will be strong enough to withstand a magnitude 8 earthquake, typhoons or the impact of a 300,000 tonne vessel.
• With its economy growing by 16 per cent a year, Qingdao is one of China’s fastest-growing and most prosperous cities.
• The main port of the Chinese navy and home of Tsingtao Beer, China’s best-known brew, it hosted the sailing events of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

What’s more astonishing. It would be this: “China is already home to seven of the world’s 10 longest bridges, including the world’s lengthiest, the 102 mile Danyang-Kunshan rail bridge, which runs over land and water near Shanghai.  And with Beijing pumping billions into boosting China’s infrastructure, the Qingdao Haiwan Bridge will not be the world’s longest sea bridge for very long.  According to the Telegraph,  work started in December 2009 on a 31 mile bridge that will link Zhuhai in southern Guangdong Province,  China’s manufacturing heartland, with the financial centre of Hong Kong. The £6.5 billion project is expected to be completed in 2016.”

Now, building the infrastructure at this break neck pace and still flush with more cash than a machine can count, China is not too far from becoming the Numero Uno aka the Big Daddy of the World economy.

Related articles

• China builds world’s longest bridge (telegraph.co.uk)
• China has built the longest bridge in the world… so you don’t have to dig that hole (engadget.com)
• World’s longest bridge completed (thesun.co.uk)
• China claims longest bridge over water with whopping 26-mile span (dvice.com)

This position is located in the Technical Services Branch of the Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division, Sterling, Virginia. The Civil Engineer (Transportation) serves as the Federal Lands Highway (FLH)-wide technical expert and authority for promoting, coordinating and implementing the various highway traffic operations, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), and traffic monitoring activities. In this capacity, you will promote the development and implementation of innovative and state-of-the-art technologies, practices, and products to meet the FLH transportation related needs. The deadline for applications is January 21, 2011.

http://jobsearch.dot.gov/getjob.asp?JobID=95298113