Pilot Deployment of the Center-to-Center Reference Implementation | DTFH6116RA00001

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the official name of this grant opportunity?

The opportunity is titled "Pilot Deployment of the Center-to-Center Reference Implementation (C2C RI)."

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this program?

The Funding Opportunity Number is DTFH6116RA00001.

Which federal agency is offering this funding?

This is a U.S. Department of Transportation program administered by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) as a discretionary funding opportunity.

What is the purpose of the Pilot Deployment of the C2C Reference Implementation?

The purpose is to support a real-world, in-the-field pilot of the Center-to-Center Reference Implementation (C2C RI) to verify that it can be deployed and used effectively to improve interoperability between traffic management centers.

Why is this pilot focused on "interoperability" between traffic management centers?

The pilot is intended to demonstrate practical interoperability by relying on established national communications standards rather than creating custom, one-off interfaces between centers.

What does the program mean by avoiding "custom, one-off interfaces"?

Based on the opportunity description, the intent is to reduce reliance on unique, bespoke connections between systems and instead use nationally recognized standards so different centers can communicate more consistently.

What organization is expected to carry out the pilot work?

Under this cooperative agreement, the Transportation Operations Coordinating Committee (TRANSCOM) is expected to conduct the pilot implementation and verification activities.

Who is eligible to apply for this opportunity?

Eligibility is narrowly limited: only TRANSCOM may apply.

Is this opportunity open to state DOTs, local governments, universities, nonprofits, or private companies?

No. The eligibility described is restricted to TRANSCOM only.

What type of funding instrument will be used?

The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement.

What does it mean that the award is a "cooperative agreement"?

In this opportunity, a cooperative agreement indicates FHWA is expected to have substantial involvement during the period of performance rather than acting only as a pass-through funder.

What is FHWA's expected role during the project?

FHWA is expected to be substantially involved during performance. The posting does not list specific tasks for FHWA beyond that involvement expectation.

How many awards are anticipated?

The program anticipated a single award.

What is the maximum funding amount available?

The anticipated award ceiling is $180,000.

Is $180,000 the total amount available for the program?

The posting states an award ceiling of $180,000 and anticipates a single award, which indicates the maximum amount for the expected award is $180,000.

What are the main activities TRANSCOM is expected to perform?

TRANSCOM is expected to carry out a structured cycle of implementation and verification work on its center-to-center interface, including initial testing, making needed modifications, and then retesting the interface.

What is being tested and verified during the pilot?

The pilot focuses on verifying that TRANSCOM's center-to-center interface is correctly implemented to the relevant standards, using an implementation-and-retest approach in a real deployment context.

Which standards must the interface implement and be tested against?

The interface is expected to ensure correct implementation of the Interface for the Traffic Management Data Dictionary (TMDD) Standard for Traffic Management Center-to-Center Communications, Revision 3.03c, along with the NTCIP 2306 standard.

What version of the TMDD standard is referenced?

The opportunity references TMDD Revision 3.03c.

What is the role of NTCIP 2306 in this pilot?

NTCIP 2306 is one of the specified standards that TRANSCOM's interface is expected to correctly implement and be tested against during the pilot.

What is the "C2C RI testing tool" mentioned in the opportunity?

The opportunity describes a C2C RI testing tool used to test TRANSCOM's interface to validate conformance with TMDD v3.03c and NTCIP 2306 requirements.

Is the pilot only testing TRANSCOM's interface, or also the testing tool?

Both. A key part of the pilot is using the C2C RI testing tool against TRANSCOM's interface to validate the interface and to evaluate and confirm the usefulness and correctness of the testing tool itself in a live deployment context.

What does "real-world pilot" mean in the context of this opportunity?

The description emphasizes practical, in-the-field verification, meaning the work is intended to occur in a live deployment environment rather than being limited to a purely theoretical or lab-only exercise.

What is the main goal of this pilot deployment?

The main goal is practical, in-the-field verification that the C2C Reference Implementation can be deployed and used effectively to improve interoperability between traffic management centers using established national communications standards.

What is the activity category for this opportunity?

The opportunity falls under the transportation activity category.

What CFDA number is associated with this grant opportunity?

The opportunity is associated with CFDA number 20.200.

When was this opportunity posted?

The posting was created on October 5, 2015.

What was the original closing date for applications?

The original closing date was November 3, 2015.

Is this opportunity competitive among multiple applicants?

The opportunity is limited to a single eligible applicant (TRANSCOM) and anticipated a single award, so it is not described as a multi-applicant competition.

Does the posting describe any required deliverables or milestones?

It describes an implementation-and-verification cycle (test, modify, retest) and use of the C2C RI testing tool to validate standards conformance and assess the tool in live deployment. No additional deliverables or milestone schedule details are provided in the supplied description.