1.0 Description

The United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) John A. Volpe National Transportation System Center (Volpe Center) is seeking information from motorcycle manufacturers and other stakeholders on their interest in collaborating with U.S. DOT to explore the potential establishment, by stakeholders, of a Motorcycle Safety Research Consortium (MSRC).

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes—it does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. This request for information does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service. Further, U.S. DOT is not at this time seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Respondees are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI; all costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party's expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued.

2.0 Background

In 2012, 4,957 motorcyclists were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes—an increase of 7 percent from the 4,630 motorcyclists killed in 2011. There were 93,000 motorcyclists injured during 2012, a 15 percent increase from 81,000 in 2011. This increase includes all types of crashes; however, 2,624 of all 2012 motorcycles crashes (52 percent) involved fatal crashes that were the result of collisions with another type of motor vehicle in transport. In two-vehicle crashes, 75 percent of the motorcycles involved in motor vehicle traffic crashes collided with the vehicles in front of them. Only 7 percent were struck in the rear. These two-vehicle crashes may be addressable using advanced crash-avoidance technology.

If established, the MSRC would draw on the success of a similar government-industry collaboration for automobile manufacturers (the Crash Avoidance Metrics Partnership), but would reflect the unique nature of the motorcycle industry, its customers, and its advocates.

The initial vision for the MSRC is to support pre-competitive technical research and collaborative policy investigations on how various crash-avoidance technologies could be applied to motorcycles. Some of the activities we hope to undertake collaboratively with the members of the consortium include:

• Reviewing and revising the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) draft research plan on motorcycle safety communications
• Defining motorcycle pre-crash scenarios that can be addressed by technologies
• Developing initial motorcycle crash avoidance and mitigation safety applications based on light vehicle safety applications, but taking into account motorcycle operational dynamics
• Creating a motorcycle device development, installation, and testing plan
• Developing performance requirements and validation test procedures
• Testing and evaluating the operation of motorcycle crash avoidance and mitigation safety applications
• Projecting potential safety benefits of motorcycle crash avoidance and mitigation safety applications
• Identifying simulator and testing needs in relation to supporting motorcycle driver/passenger alert interface research
• Conducting an initial study on various motorcycle operational practices and laws that may be impacted or impact crash avoidance effectiveness
• Discussing potential ways of organizing a motorcycle safety research consortium and determining which approaches would be most beneficial to all parties

This RFI is only for activities related to exploring the establishment of a Motorcycle Safety Research Consortium. U.S. DOT believes the basic tenets to establishing this collaborative relationship include:

• An organizational structure or structures that can support industry and other groups collectively working with U.S. DOT to conduct research on both pre-competitive technical and collective cross-cutting policy issues.
• The working nature of this relationship must be beneficial to all parties involved.
  Whatever is established must support/facilitate active participation of all parties that want to participate.
• All primary parties that want to participate will be expected to share at some level the cost of conducting the collaborative research.
• The organizational structure or structures need to be able to support entering into research contracts/agreements with U.S. DOT.

As part of the exploratory process, U.S. DOT plans to hold a series of stakeholder meetings to discuss ideas regarding the establishment of a motorcycle consortium for pre-competitive motorcycle crash-avoidance research.

3.0 Submission Information

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY.

Parties interested in participating in exploring the potential establishment of a Motorcycle Safety Research Consortium are requested to respond to this RFI with a letter providing contact information, including phone number and email. The deadline for submitting letters of interest is February 3, 2017.

Please briefly respond to the following:

• How is your organization related to the motorcycle industry (e.g., manufacturer, supplier, technology developer, technical consultant, advocacy group)?
• Why is your organization potentially interested in participating in the Motorcycle Safety Research Consortium? Are there aspects of the proposed research that are of particular interest to your organization?
• Are there aspects of the proposed research with which your organization already has experience?
• Are there additional research topics, not listed in this RFI, that your organization feels are important?
• In addition to motorcycle manufacturers and related industry stakeholders, what other stakeholders should potentially be included in the Motorcycle Safety Research Consortium?
• In your view, what are the key factors for ensuring a successful Motorcycle Safety Research Consortium?

Please submit letters of interest to Joshua Hassol at Joshua.Hassol@dot.gov.