Mr. Moacyr S. Duarte, President, Associacao Brasileira de Concessionarias de Rodovias, Rua Geraldo Flausino Gomes 42 conj. 82, Moncoes, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil CEP 04575-060. Telephone: (011-55-11) 5505-0190; Fax: (011-55-11) 5505-1640

B -- FEASIBILITY STUDY -- BRAZIL, ELECTRONIC TOLL COLLECTION INTEROPERABILITY STANDARDS POC Ms. Carol Stillwell, USTDA, Room 309, SA-16, Washington, D.C. 20523-1602, Tel: (703) 875-4357, Fax No.: (703) 875-4009 The Grantee invites submission of qualifications and proposal data (collectively referred to as the "Proposal") from interested U.S. firms which are qualified on the basis of experience and capability to develop a feasibility study for the Associacao Brasileira de Concessionarias de Rodovias on the interoperability standards of ETC equipment, including cost estimates for the various implementation options. Associacao Brasileira de Concessionarias de Rodovias is an Association of Brazilian Road Concessionaires whose purpose is "to study, prepare and submit alternative solutions to problems that are common to all associated members." The road concession program in Brazil was started in 1995 and there have been approximately 1,000 km of toll roads already concessioned. A total of approximately 30,000 km is anticipated to be concessioned. One of the first problems to be addressed is the choosing of compatible and interoperable DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communications) standards to be adopted by all road operators, "applicable initially to ETC and subsequently to ETTM." The selected contractor will be required to: 1) Review and analyze all relevant data regarding the ETC systems currently in place in Brazil and scheduled to be installed; identify existing compatible systems; collect and review all relevant studies on ETC Standards and interoperability, 2) Perform Cost Benefit analysis of the direct impact accruing to the selection and installation of alternative systems; identify maintenance and costs of alternative systems; examine international interoperability benefits, 3) Identify those principal areas of environmental impact concern which should be addressed in the project development phase, and 4) Issue recommended installation standards; prepare functional specifications; compute system performance parameters; prepare a migration strategy; prepare a Final Report. It is estimated that the study can be conducted within a period of four months. The U.S. firm selected will be paid in U.S. dollars from a $170,000 grant to the Grantee from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (TDA). A detailed Request for Proposals (RFP), which includes requirements for the proposal, Terms of Reference, and a background desk study report are available from TDA, at Room 309, SA-16, Washington, D.C. 20523-1602. Requests for the RFP should be faxed to the IRC, TDA at (703) 875-4009. In the fax, please include your firm's name, contact person, address and telephone number. Some firms have found that RFP materials sent by U.S. mail do not reach them in time for preparation of an adequate response. Firms that want TDA to use an overnight delivery service should include the name of the delivery service and your firm's account number in the request for the RFP. Firms that want to send a courier to TDA to retrieve the RFP should allow one hour after faxing the request to TDA before scheduling a pickup. Please note that no telephone requests for the RFP will be honored. Please check your internal fax verification receipt. Because or the large number or RFP requests, TDA cannot respond to requests for fax verification. Requests for RFPs received before 4:00 PM will be mailed the same day. Requests received after 4:00 PM will be mailed the following day. Please check with your courier and/or mail room before calling TDA. Only U.S. firms and individuals may bid on this TDA financed activity. Interested firms, their subcontractors and employees of all participants must qualify under TDA's nationality requirements as of the due date for submission of qualifications and proposals and, if selected to carry out the TDA-financed activity, must continue to meet such requirements throughout the duration of the TDA-financed activity. All goods and services to be provided by the selected firm shall have their nationality, source and origin in the U.S. or host country. The U.S. firm may use subcontractors from the host country for up to 20 per cent of the TDA grant amount. Details of TDA's nationality requirements and mandatory contract clauses are also included in the RFP. Interested U.S. firms should submit their Proposal in English (1 copy) and Portuguese (4 copies) directly to the Grantee in Sao Paulo by 4:00 pm, July 29, 1997. Evaluation criteria for the Proposal are included in the RFP. Price will not be a factor in contractor selection, and therefore, cost proposals should NOT be submitted. The Grantee also reserves the right to reject any and/or all Proposals. The Grantee also reserves the right to contract with the selected firm for subsequent work related to the project. The Grantee is not bound to pay for any costs associated with the preparation and submission of Proposals. (0160)

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