SOURCES SOUGHT
70 -- Driving Simulator based on TruckSim High-Fidelity Vehicle Dynamics Software - Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition
- Notice Date
- 8/31/2012
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 511210
— Software Publishers
- Contracting Office
- National Transportation Safety Board, National Transportation Safety Board, Acquisition Division, 490 L'Enfant Plaza East, SW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20594, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20594
- Solicitation Number
- NTSBQ120028
- Archive Date
- 9/22/2012
- Point of Contact
- BRYAN J. MOY, Phone: 202-314-6282
- E-Mail Address
-
bryan.moy@ntsb.gov
(bryan.moy@ntsb.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, AN INVITATION FOR BIDS, OR A REQUEST FOR QUOTATIONS. FURTHER, IT DOES NOT REPRESENT A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT TO PAY FOR COSTS INCURRED IN PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION OF DATA OR ANY OTHER COSTS INCURRED IN RESPONSE TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. This is a Sources Sought Notice (NTSB-Q-12-0028) with the intent to award a sole source contract to Mechanical Simulation Corporation under the authority of FAR 6.302 based on their unique technical qualifications as the only known developer and sole license provider of a driving simulator built entirely onTruckSim software. The Safety Board knows of no other sources of a driving simulator that meets NTSB requirement. Notice is provided as information to the marketplace, market research, and is an invitation for any other qualified companies to express their interest in and demonstrate their capability to provide software that performs the required work. Background The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an independent Federal agency with the primary missions of investigating civil aviation accidents in the United States and significant accidents in the other modes of transportation -- railroad, highway, marine and pipeline -- and issuing safety recommendations aimed at preventing future accidents. In order to analyze highway accidents, the time and motion histories of the vehicles involved must be calculated through a combination of physical evidence and computer simulation. To be effective, the computer simulations require accurate models of vehicle dynamics, vehicle systems performance, road conditions and other environmental influences. Currently, the NTSB uses the state-of-the-art computer simulation program TruckSim (developed and licensed by Mechanical Simulation Corporation) coupled with custom input and output through Simulink system control software (developed and licensed by MathWorks) to calculate the behavior of large vehicles such as trucks and buses involved in accidents. The NTSB is seeking to acquire a new capability to include a driver in the simulation, through the purchase of a real-time vehicle simulator with steering and pedal inputs coupled to a 3-screen video display with motion and tactile feedback. Placing a driver in the simulator would allow them to experience the accident situation directly. The real-time visual, tactile and motion feedback in the simulator would therefore provide an alternate method for communicating the circumstances of an accident to an audience beyond the performance engineers that create the simulation to analyze the vehicle motion. In order to ensure that the new vehicle simulator includes the state-of-the-art vehicle dynamics found in TruckSim, and that the work currently done by performance engineers in TruckSim and Simulink can be used directly and transparently to drive the new vehicle simulator, only a vehicle simulator built by Mechanical Simulation Corporation can meet the requirements of the NTSB. Required Capabilities The NTSB has a requirement to acquire a real-time driving simulator with a driver seat and steering and pedal inputs coupled to a 3-screen video display system built entirely on a TruckSim software platform. The simulator shall provide feedback through a motion platform and steering column. The simulations shall be controlled through TruckSim software (developed and licensed by Mechanical Simulation Corporation), coupled with an interface to permit custom input and output through Simulink and/or Matlab software (developed and licensed by MathWorks). Details of the system requirements are described below: • Motion platform chassis - a rectangular steel base fitted with four electromechanical linear actuators with a minimum stroke of 40 mm will be provided. • Steering system - a steering column will be included that provides for both driver input and feedback from the simulation to the driver. The steering wheel will be an 18 inch diameter, commercial vehicle type, and the steering column will include tilt and telescope with a column-mounted release lever. • Driver Pedals - a commercial vehicle throttle and brake pedal set will be provided. • Shifter - a commercial vehicle pushbutton or lever actuated shifter for an automatic transmission will be provided. (If feasible, an option for a manual transmission shifter and clutch pedal should be quoted as well.) • Retarder - if feasible, an option for a retarder should be quoted. • Seat - a commercial vehicle seat will be provided. A custom seat should be quoted as an option. • Chassis panels - panels will be used to enclose the chassis floorboard area and steering column. • Visualization system - three LED HDTV flat panel displays mounted on stationary stands with a field of view approximately 160 degrees will be provided. The minimum monitor size shall be 70 inches (diagonal). Larger monitors can be quoted as an option. Minimum monitor refresh rate is 120 Hz. • Instrument visualization - An option should be quoted to provide a flat panel screen capable of visualizing instrument clusters similar to a truck or bus, which will be mounted on the "dashboard" in a location to be determined through agreement with the purchaser. • Electrical Cabinet - an enclosure for mounting motion amplifiers, servodrive, power conditioning, and simulator I/O devices will be provided. • Computer - the simulator system shall include a computer to drive the software and interface with the displays, inputs and feedback systems. • Operator Station - an enclosure to mount single simulator PC, and keyboard tray will be provided. A 22" or larger monitor is provided for the simulator operator. • TruckSim Live Animator software - two additional licenses to upgrade the existing single-display TruckSim DS license for the three display visualization system will be provided. One existing TruckSim DS license owned by NTSB will be transferred to this driving simulator. An additional license for TruckSim DS that would be dedicated to the simulator should be quoted as an option. • Simulink interfaces - Simlulink interfaces to the input devices and motion and feedback systems shall be included in the system. This will include the ability to run simulations in real time when running Simulink code from within the TruckSim simulation. • Real time software - an option to run Simulink codes embedded in TruckSim files in real time on the simulator should be quoted. This option should include the cost of purchase of all software necessary to run simulations in real time when running Simulink code from within the TruckSim simulation. (The vendor has indicated that Simulink Real-Time Windows Target and Simulink Coder are required to meet this requirement. The MathWorks website indicates that Simulink Coder requires Matlab Coder to operate.) • Relevant specifications shall also be provided for the simulator o Dimensions (length, width, height) o Weight o Power requirements o Other information deemed relevant by the vendor • Demonstration scenarios - the simulator shall include software with sample driving scenarios that will be used to exercise all components of the system and demonstrate both the programming approach and the successful assembly and operation of the system. • Documentation - the system shall include technical specifications and user's manuals for all components. • Documentation - the system shall include a description of the interfaces, inputs and outputs for all components. Sources capable of fully satisfying the above requirements are invited to submit capability statements/expressions of interest providing the Government the necessary information to determine actual capability. At a minimum, this information, which must be prepared specifically in response to this notice should, must include: (1) identification of company or organization; (2) an assertion of existing, full capability to meet proposed requirements; (3) business/contracts/marketing office point(s) of contact; (4) notification of business size and /or special status; and (5) any additional information that may be useful to the successful procurement of the requirements, if solicited. These expressions of interest shall adhere to a five (5)-page submission limit plus web links and any specialized product descriptions. The statement of qualifications should include only information that clearly demonstrates the respondent's capabilities, expertise, and experience to provide the requirements described in this notice. General marketing material should not be included. The NTSB prefers that companies do not submit proprietary material. However, the Government recognizes that proprietary data may be a part of your submittal. If so, clearly mark such restricted or proprietary data and present it as an addendum to the non-restricted/non-proprietary information. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. A determination by the Government not to compete the proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. All responsible sources may submit a capability statement, which shall be considered by NTSB. Parties must submit information within ten (10) days of publication of this notice. NTSB will not return capability statements and the supporting documentation submitted in response to this notice. Telephone responses and inquiries will not be accepted. You may email questions regarding this notice to the issuing office to Bryan J. Moy via email at: bryan.moy@ntsb.gov.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/NTSB/CMS/WashingtonDC/NTSBQ120028/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Contractor Facility, United States
- Record
- SN02864249-W 20120902/120831235605-05fff0dabbc4b438607c4ee5063774fd (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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