The FHWA is now looking to “Advance Transportation Planning through Innovation and Research” through its Broad Agency Announcement (BAA).  The objective of this BAA is to advance the practice and application of transportation planning among State, metropolitan, regional, local, and Tribal transportation planning governments in response to significant changes in the planning process and to identify new tools, techniques, and approaches that respond to national transportation planning priorities.

The FHWA’s research program funds innovation such areas as planning capacity building, congestion management, safety planning, public involvement, travel modeling, environmental justice, visualization in planning, freight planning, planning and environmental linkages, and pedestrian and bicycle planning and design. 

Examples of travel modeling related research may be methodological innovation in

· Processing and analyzing large passive data sets collected via various media;

· Using large passive data sets for analyzing current travel behavior and forecasting near future travel;

· Using large passive data sets to assist calibrating and validating travel modeling techniques;

· Providing strategies and methods for evaluating the effectiveness of travel forecasting techniques;

To apply, applicants should go to https://www.fbo.gov/ under the heading “Advancing Transportation Planning Through Innovation & Research” to submit your proposal. The Solicitation Number is DTFH6114R00019. Here is the direct link: https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=46b5c187590e07a4ee6a60f6593a6b84&tab=core&_cview=0 .

Please note:  The point of contact is provided in the Solicitation.