[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 243 (Monday, December 20, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71179-71180]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-32909]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
Weather and Winter Mobility Program
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice; solicitation of letters of interest.
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SUMMARY: This document solicits letters of interest from private sector
vendors of weather information services and products for participation
in development of Surface Transportation Weather Decision Support
Requirements (STWDSR) relating to the legislative requirement to
incorporate research on the impact of environmental, weather, and
natural conditions on intelligent transportation systems, including the
effects of cold climates provided in section 5207 of the Transportation
Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). The FHWA's weather and winter
mobility program is conducting a project to document these
requirements. Firms and individuals having expertise in products or
services relevant to the STWDSR document are invited to participate in
stakeholder meetings and review of draft documents as a contribution to
the STWDSR. Up to two outreach sessions will be held between 1/1/00 and
6/30/00 with accompanying rounds of document review.
DATES: Letters of interest from private vendors should be received by
February 3, 2000.
ADDRESSES: Your letters of interest may be mailed or hand carried to
the Federal Highway Administration, Office of Transportation
Operations, HOTO-1, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001,
or submitted electronically to: Paul.Pisano@fhwa.dot.gov in WordPerfect
6.1 or higher.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Paul Pisano, Office of
Transportation Operations, HOTO-1, (202) 366-1301, or Mr. Wilbert
Baccus, Office of the Chief Counsel, HCC-32, (202) 366-4233, Federal
Highway Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-
0001. Office hours are from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., e.t., Monday
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Electronic Access
An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded by using a
computer, modem and suitable communications software from the
Government Printing Office's Electronic Bulletin Board Service at (202)
512-1661. Internet users may reach the Office of the Federal Register's
home page at: http://www.nara.gov/fedreg and the Government Printing
Office's web page at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara.
Internet users may access the FHWA Intelligent Transportation
Systems (ITS) web site at http://www.its.dot.gov.
Background
Section 5207(b)(5) of the TEA-21, Public Law 105-178, 112 Stat.
107, at 458 (1998), requires the FHWA to incorporate research o the
impact of environmental, weather, and natural conditions on intelligent
transportation systems.
The FHWA has conducted system engineering and program planning
activities to define a conceptual Weather Information for Surface
Transportation Decision Support
[[Page 71180]]
System (WIST-DSS). This system is intended to be an integrated part of
the ITS, and is described in the white paper on ``Weather Information
for Surface Transportation,'' May 15, 1998, available electronically
at: http://www.its.dot.gov/welcome.htm. The document can be retrieved
by logging into the Electronic Document Library as a guest (select
``EDL Login''), and then searching on the document number, which is
11263.
The STWDSR document will define weather information needs of
surface transportation (especially road) users and operators, that
ultimately will aid in improved decisionmaking to reduce negative
impacts of weather on the roadway network. It will also define WIST-DSS
requirements in response to these needs.
Creation of the STWDSR document will include defining the state-of-
the-art in decision support systems involving weather and road-surface
condition information, and allocating requirements to decision support
system components within the ITS. Initially, the focus will be on
highway winter maintenance agencies. The document also will identify
future system research and operational tests to be funded by the FHWA,
and will contribute to interdepartmental requirements through the
Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology (OFCM). Background
The STWDSR plans specify participation of stakeholder groups, including
nonprofit research and development organizations specializing in
various aspects of meteorological system development, highway
maintenance managers, and vendors of weather information systems and
consulting.
The STWDSR development task is being conducted between 5/1/99 and
6/30/00 and is organized around two key deliverables:
1. STWDSR Version 1.0 delivered 11/15/99, and
2. STWDSR Version 2.0 delivered 6/30/00.
These deliverables are correlated with the OFCM program for the
Weather Information for Surface Transportation Joint Action Group
(WIST/JAG). The deliverables will be inputs to the OFCM requirements
process, and independently will guide the FHWA program of research and
development, operational tests and deployment guidance, as well as
informing the weather-information elements of the National ITS
Architecture. The Version 1.0 document will be a baseline for
stakeholder review that will contribute to STWDSR Version 2.0.
Participation of private sector vendors of weather information
services and products will contribute to: (1) Defining the state of
practice in tailored weather information for surface transportation
decisionmakers; (2) identifying information needs into the tailoring
process, and; (3) identifying technical advances needed to enhance the
quality or delivery of weather information services. No proprietary
information will be required. Attendance at stakeholder meetings will
be at the expense of the private sector participants. The stakeholder
meetings will be for nonproprietary information exchange. Formal
marketing activities, such as, booths or product sales presentations
will not be accommodated. Consenting participants may be selected to
give presentations or serve on discussion panels relevant to STWDSR
review and development, and user education.
The following items are required in the letter of interest:
1. The organization, contact person, address, telephone number, fax
number and email.
2. Brief description of the expertise and/or products relevant to
STWDSR development.
3. The level of effort the respondent is willing to undertake,
including:
a. Attendance at stakeholder meetings;
b. Giving presentations at stakeholder meetings;
c. Review of draft documentation; and
d. Receipt of final documentation.
Authority: 23 U.S.C. 315; Sec. 5207, Pub. L. 105-178, 112 Stat.
107, at 458 (1998); and 49 CFR 1.48.
Issued on: December 9, 1999.
Gloria J. Jeff,
Federal Highway Deputy Administrator.
[FR Doc. 99-32909 Filed 12-17-99; 8:45 am]
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