Sources Sought Notice - Automated Vehicle Shuttle Demonstration in Washington D.C.

Sources Sought Notice

This notice is issued by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for market research purposes to determine industry interest and capability in providing services for a non-personal services contract. The contract will involve a safe Demonstration and Showcase of an Automated Shuttle Bus in Washington, D.C., coinciding with the America 250th anniversary celebration. The goal is to assess technology maturity, encourage progress in the automated transit vehicle industry, and inform research program planning and public awareness.

• Demonstration of state-of-the-art L3/4 automated transit shuttle technology on a public roadway.

• Shuttle must be ready for safe demonstration on public roads, distinct from existing robotaxi-style operations.

• Showcase rider capacity, boarding/alighting throughput, and on-board information systems.

• Operate safely and smoothly under normal conditions without impeding traffic.

• Comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and FHWA’s Buy America regulation.

• Propose a suitable demonstration route and include representative shuttle stop locations.

• Conduct demonstration hours totaling approximately 250 hours between June-August 2026, covering various environmental conditions and times of day (weekdays and weekends).

• Include two one-day showcase events in July/August 2026.

• On-board personnel must be present to monitor and take control if necessary.

• This notice is for market research only and does not commit the Government to any future contract actions.

• The Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in responding.

• Not responding does not preclude future participation.

• Responses are not offers and cannot form a binding contract.

• Responses must be submitted electronically to Rochelle.Infante@dot.gov and HCFA-23SRI@dot.gov.

• Subject line: "Automated Vehicle Demonstration in Washington, D.C. Sources Sought Response (company name)".

• Deadline: 2:00 pm Local Time (Washington, DC) January 21, 2026.

• Format: Adobe Acrobat (.pdf), 8.5"x11", max 5 pages (including cover letter, table of contents, etc.), size 11 font or larger (except for tables/graphics).

• Submission content: Company/Organization name, Primary Point of Contact, Phone Number and Email Address, UEI Number, NAICS Code(s), Business Size, Socioeconomic Business Status, FSS/MAS and OASIS+ Contract Number(s) (if applicable), Prior/current experience (last 3 years) with similar automated vehicle shuttle services on public roads without safety issues.

• Not specified in this notice.

• Respondents may provide feedback on the overall intent and scope.

• The Government seeks feedback on whether the requirement is commercial or non-commercial, with definitions provided.

• FHWA reserves the right to seek further clarification from respondents.