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Full Scale Vehicle Crashworthiness Testing and Side Air Bag Out-of-Position Testing for the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)

Updated Oct 21, 2026

Sources Sought from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, for work in Washington, District of Columbia. Due Nov 2, 2026, 10:00 PM (UTC-5), 12 days left.

Solicitation number	693JJ927RQ000049
Agency	National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Office	693JJ9 Nhtsa Office of Acquistion
Notice type	Sources Sought
Set-aside	None
Trade (NAICS)	Testing Laboratories and Services (541380)
Product or service code	H223
Place of performance	Washington, District of Columbia
Posted	Oct 20, 2026
Response deadline	Nov 2, 2026, 10:00 PM (UTC-5) (12 days left)
Add the deadline to	Google Calendar · Apple / Outlook (.ics)

Official notice and attachments

Description

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is issuing this Sources Sought Notice to identify potential qualified Small Business (SB), Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), 8(a) Certified SDB, HUBZone SB, SDVOSB, or WOSB concerns that may be interested in and capable of performing the work described herein which is to provide Full Scale Vehicle Crashworthiness Testing and Side Air Bag Out-of-Position Testing for the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).

NHTSA welcomes all qualified Small Business concerns, with the appropriate NAICS Code and past experience to submit their Corporate Capability Statements that demonstrate their ability to successfully accomplish the goals of the project as listed below. NHTSA does not intend to award a contract on the basis of responses to this notice or otherwise pay for the preparation of any information submitted.

Acknowledgement of receipt of responses will not be made; no formal evaluation of the information received will be conducted by NHTSA. NHTSA may; however later on issue a Request for Proposals (RFP). However, should such a requirement fail to materialize, no basis for claims against NHTSA shall arise as a result of a response to this notice.

Background: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). NHTSA’s mission is to save lives, prevent injuries, and reduce traffic-related health care and other economic costs. The agency develops, promotes, and implements effective educational, engineering, and enforcement programs with the goal of ending vehicle crash tragedies and reducing economic costs associated with vehicle use and highway travel.

As part of this work, NHTSA conducts a variety of motor vehicle crash tests including, but not limited to, frontal, rear, oblique, side moving deformable barrier (MDB), and side pole impact test modes. NHTSA also conducts various crash avoidance tests, static and dynamic rollover tests, air bag out-of-position low risk deployment tests, tire testing, and testing in accordance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS).

To support future efforts, NHTSA expects to conduct research for future FMVSS, crash avoidance technologies, automated vehicles, and electric vehicles. The agency may also conduct testing to assess new crash test dummies and child restraint systems and may perform research study vehicle safety defects. The New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) is a consumer information program conducted by NHTSA.

Its major goals are to: (1) provide consumers with relative safety ratings information to assist them in their vehicle purchasing decisions and (2) use market forces to motivate automobile manufacturers to design vehicles to a higher level of occupant protection. To accomplish these goals, NHTSA utilizes testing contracts to conduct NCAP testing and release test results to the public as quickly as possible so that consumers can use this information when selecting a new vehicle to purchase.

The contractor shall support NHTSA’s testing/research efforts by providing inspection, testing, and reporting services for NCAP. Federal law requires new passenger vehicles to be labeled with NCAP safety ratings information published by NHTSA. The Contractor shall be responsible to include all the necessary equipment, personnel, facilities, and management of personnel and workflow as identified in the attached Draft Statement of Work (SOW).

Any interested qualified Small Business firms, Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), 8(a) Certified SDB, HUBZone SB, SDVOSB, or WOSB concerns should submit their Corporate Capability Statement, which demonstrates the firm’s ability and past experience in no more than 10 pages to perform the key requirements described above to the identified NHTSA point of contact listed herein. Any proprietary information should be marked as such.

All respondents are asked to certify the type and size of their business organization is in-line with the requirements of this Sources Sought Notice which must be received no later than 10 calendar days from the date of publication or by the closing date of this notice. To facilitate a timely and comprehensive review of all submitted responses, firms should respond using the format requested in this Notice.

Please provide the following information for your firm and for any teaming or joint venture partners: General Information Company name, address, point of contact name, telephone, and email address. Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number and Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code. Business size and classification (e.g., large, small, small-disadvantaged, SBA Certified 8(a), HUBZone, service-disabled veteran-owned, woman-owned) based on NAICS code: 541380, Testing Laboratories.

If applicable, potential proposed teaming arrangements to include business size and classification of prime and subcontractors. GSA Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) Number (FSS must include NAICS code 541380, Testing Laboratories Identify contracts your company has been awarded under NAICS code: 541380, Testing Laboratories Technical Capability: Provide a brief synopsis to support the firm’s ability to perform all of potential areas of the objective/scope.

Identify each task element and provide information to support the firm’s experience, staffing and overall ability to perform the technical area. Evidence of experience and past performance should include contracts/task orders from the past three (3) years similar in scope to this requirement. Examples must include contract numbers, project titles, dollar amounts, periods of performance, and Government points of contact (telephone numbers or email addresses).

Documented information to support the firm’s ability to provide the range of research skillsets capability to quickly plan, conduct, and document studies; AND personnel required for this effort in a timely fashion. Any data on previous contracts/task orders on personnel retent

The description continues in the official notice.

Contracting contact

Shanahan, Michelle · [email protected] · (202) 578-0962

As published on the official notice. Ask questions in writing and before any questions deadline the notice sets.

Is your business small enough?

For NAICS 541380, a business counts as small if it has no more than $19.0 million in average annual receipts (SBA size standard). This notice is not set aside, but the size decides your small business status on it. SBA table, current as of Oct 15, 2026.

Notice history

Oct 20, 2026: Sources Sought Due Nov 2, 2026, 10:00 PM (UTC-5)

Testing Laboratories and Services contracts right now

There are 43 open government contract opportunities in this trade (NAICS 541380), 21 posted in the last 7 days; 65% are set aside for small businesses. The agencies buying the most are Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of the Army and Department of the Navy. Most of the work with a stated place is in Washington, Indiana and Texas. A notice in this trade gives a median of 15 days from posting to deadline; this one gives 13 days.

All open testing laboratories and services contracts