U.S. Department of Transportation’s NHTSA Grant for Motorcycle Helmet Use Promotion Demonstrations

U.S. Department
of Transportation
National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration

PRE-SOLICITATION SYNOPSIS

Notice Date: 27 June 2013

Solicitation Number: DTNH22-13-R-00717

Response Due: 30 July 2013

BACKGROUND:

Motorcyclist Fatalities

For the eleven year period of 1998 through 2008, motorcyclist fatalities increased every year according to the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), more than doubling from 2,116 in 1997 to 5,312 in 2008. A number of factors are believed to account for this decade-long increase in motorcyclist fatalities, including: expanding motorcycle sales; increases in the percentage of older riders; increases in motorcycle engine sizes and increases in motorcycle power-to-weight ratios; use of motorcycle helmets that are not compliant with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 218, Motorcycle Helmets, in States with Universal motorcycle helmet use laws enacted; and, the lack of motorcycle helmet use in States without Universal motorcycle helmet laws enacted.

Motorcyclist fatalities increased slightly in 2010 to 4,502 and accounted for 14 percent of total traffic fatalities for the year. This increase in motorcycle fatalities picked up the overall increasing trend for the last 13 years, despite a significant one-year decline to 4,469 in 2009 that could be attributed to a downturn in economic stability in the United States.

Motorcycle Helmet Effectiveness

In 2010, NHTSA estimates that motorcycle helmets saved the lives of 1,550 motorcyclists. If all motorcyclists in the United States had worn motorcycle helmets, NHTSA estimates that an additional 706 motorcyclists’ lives could have been saved.

Motorcycle helmets are estimated to be 37 percent effective in preventing fatal injuries to motorcycle riders and 41 percent effective for motorcycle passengers. In other words, for every 100 motorcycle riders killed in crashes while not wearing a motorcycle helmet, 37 of them could have been saved had all 100 worn helmets.

FMVSS No. 218 Compliant Motorcycle Helmet Use

The National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS) provides nationwide probability-based observation data on seat belt and motorcycle helmet use in the United States. With respect to motorcycle helmet use, data indicate national use of FMVSS No. 218-compliant motorcycle helmets has gradually increased over time, which coincides with a gradual increase in the use of FMVSS No. 218-compliant motorcycle helmets in States with laws that mandate the use by all motorcyclists. However, in States that do not have laws mandating use of motorcycle helmets by all motorcyclists, helmet use has essentially remained unchanged over time with only 50 percent use. Table 1 presents relevant NOPUS data for FMVSS No. 218-compliant motorcycle helmet use from 2008 to 2011.

Table 1 – Motorcycle Helmet Use*

National States with Universal Helmet Use Laws States with Partial or No Helmet Use Laws
2008 63% 78% 50%
2009 67% 86% 55%
2010 54% 76% 40%
2011 66% 84% 50%

* Table 1 presents NOPUS data for FMVSS No. 218-compliant motorcycle helmet use. Data associated with the use of non-compliant helmets, also known as novelty helmets, is not presented here. However, observation data associated with the use of novelty helmets can be located in Table 2 in each of the following Traffic Safety Facts Research Notes: DOT HS 811 610, DOT HS 811 419, and DOT HS 811 254.

Determining Influential Factors for Helmet Use

In FY2012, NHTSA awarded a contract (DTNH22-12-D-00270) to Westat, Inc., for the purpose of determining whether there are States without universal helmet use laws that have meaningfully higher helmet use rates than other States without universal helmet use laws and submit a letter report to NHTSA by April 2013. Prior to the solicitation and award of this Cooperative Agreement, Westat shall have submitted its letter report to NHTSA on this issue and shall be made available upon request.

PROJECT PURPOSE AND GOALS:

Purpose:

The purpose of this Cooperative Agreement is not to support the promotion of or lobbying for the introduction/enactment of any legislation or law mandating the use of motorcycle helmets by motorcyclists in any State or jurisdiction. No funds awarded under this Cooperative Agreement shall be approved or provided by NHTSA for that purpose. In its proposal, each Applicant must include a signed statement by the State Governor’s Highway Safety Representative that clearly demonstrates the State’s acknowledgement and understanding of this restriction on the use of funds awarded under this Cooperative Agreement.

Goals:

This Cooperative Agreement will demonstrate and evaluate strategies to increase motorcycle helmet use among motorcyclists in the absence of a State Universal motorcycle helmet use law to accomplish the following goals:

1. An increase in observed motorcycle helmet use among motorcyclists in the State;
2. An increase in the estimated number of lives saved (deaths prevented) as a result of motorcyclists wearing Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 218, Motorcycle Helmets;

3. An increase in the estimated economic costs saved by the State as a result of motorcyclists wearing FMVSS No. 218-compliant motorcycle helmets;
4. An increase in communication and outreach with individual motorcyclists and motorcycle groups/clubs about the benefits of wearing FMVSS No. 218-compliant motorcycle helmets through the implementation of a Statewide strategic communications plan; and,
5. An increase in motorcyclists’ perceived risk of sustaining traumatic brain injury or fatal injury in the event of a motorcycle crash when he/she is not wearing an FMVSS No. 218-compliant motorcycle helmet.

Period of Performance:

The period of performance for this cooperative agreement will be not more than five (5) years from the effective date of award, which includes a base period of three (3) years and two (2) optional one-year extensions. However, the actual period of performance will depend on the scope of work and evaluation plan for the submitted project.

Award:

The Government intends to award a Cooperative Agreement resulting from the solicitation, with or without discussion, to the responsive Grantee whose application, conforming to the solicitation, is most advantageous to the Government based on the evaluation factors contained in the Statement of Work. Applicants are responsible for monitoring the www.grants.gov internet site for the release of the solicitation and amendments (if any). Potential Applicants will be responsible for downloading their own copy of the solicitation and amendments (if any). Requests for paper copies of the RFA will not be accepted. The estimated date of release of the solicitation is on or about June 27, 2013.

The anticipated Cooperative Agreement award date is expected on or before September 30, 2013.

Contracting Office Address:

U.S. Department of Transportation
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE
NP0-320, W53-411
Washington, DC 20590, United States

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Letter of Invitation (LOI) of a Request for Applications (RFA). Announcement of a Request for Applications to promote the use of DOT-compliant motorcycle helmets in States that do not mandate their use by all motorcyclists.

SUMMARY: NHTSA is planning to initiate a new program to support a demonstration grant for the implementation of an education, promotion, and evaluation of strategies that encourage motorcyclists to wear Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 218 motorcycle helmets in one (1) State that does not have a Universal motorcycle helmet use law.

DATES: Application(s) must be submitted by email to the following address: Melissa.Tyson@dot.gov. All application(s) submitted must include a reference to NHTSA Request For Application Number DTNH22-13-R-00717. Only complete packages received on or before 10:00 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time on Friday, July 30, 2013 will be considered.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: General administrative and programmatic questions may be directed Melissa Tyson, Contract Specialist, Office of Acquisition Management, by email at nhtsaoam@dot.gov. To allow for sufficient time to address questions appropriately, all questions must be received no later than 10:00 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, Monday, July 08, 2013 via e-mail.