Milestones

In February 2020, each of the five Program Element Guidance Teams (PEGTs) finalized the “Baseline Scoping” exercise (began in November 2019), which proposes what is to be accomplished under Phase I of RM3P, that extends through October 2022. The phasing was expanded by a year, until October 2023, for two of the RM3P program elements, i.e., AI-Based Decision Support System (AI-DSS) and Commuter Parking Information System (CPIS) due to the availability of the federal grant award, Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment (ATCMTD). The proposed scopes were documented in a series of white papers. The encapsulating details were reviewed by the Technical Working Group (TWG) and the Executive Committee (EC), and were later revised by the technical team leaders. The scoping investigations were guided and shaped by examining the state-of-the-practice activities and evaluating technology alternatives.

An independent expert ad-hoc panel, comprising of experts on modeling and simulation both within VDOT and independent experts from Virginia universities, was pulled together in March 2020 by Virginia Transportation Research Council (VTRC), to help guide the approach and use of simulation for the AI-Based Decision Support System (AI-DSS) program element. The Panel’s initial meeting in March 2020 resulted in the development of updated narrative and schematic for deploying the AI-DSS using the offline simulation and an overview of selected simulation models of potential interest to the region. Later in May 2020, the Panel examined the development and deployment of online versus offline simulation, concluding that the offline simulation, given the AI-DSS needs, was financially-prudent and an appropriate solution for RM3P over the long-term.

RM3P’s Contracts and Agreements Working Group (CAWG) helped define, analyze, and validate procurement options and strategies, based on project needs and available contract vehicle options. The CAWG, along with the Program Management team, met with the Executive Committee seeking approval on the proposed procurement approaches for the five program elements moving forward. The final recommendations, along with the projected deployment schedule were approved by the Executive Committee in late Fall of 2020.

In March 2020, the RM3P team planned to organize a public-agency Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAG) Summit, with an objective to keep the regional agency stakeholders informed about the program and also to solicit their inputs. However, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the in-person Summit had to be cancelled. As an alternative to this cancellation, on April 24, 2020, the Management Team released an online, on-demand, recorded RM3P Overview Presentation, introducing stakeholders to the RM3P Initiative, using the Vimeo platform. The presentation is just over 40 minutes in length. The downloadable PDF version is available in the Resource Library.

The RM3P Management Team utilized a modified and flexible digital approach to engaging with the public-agency stakeholders, to fulfill the dual objectives of sharing important information about RM3P and engaging stakeholders in providing insights and guidance to help shape the program requirements. While the first objective was accomplished with the On-Demand Presentation; the second objective was achieved by an Online Questionnaire, released in early June 2020. The questionnaire helped seek inputs, insights, and guidance into specific topics from our agency partners; as well as aided the team to gauge stakeholders’ interest in becoming involved in RM3P. All in all, the questionnaire received approximately 40 responses, representing nearly 20 different stakeholder agencies. Additional information related to the questionnaire can be found on the newsroom page.

After discussions with the Executive Committee in Summer 2020, as well as the interactions with various public transit agencies; questions began accruing regarding the utility and future of the Multi-Modal Analytical Planner (MMAP) program element, specifically on whether its deployment should move forward as planned, be postponed, or cancelled altogether. There also was uncertainty around transit stakeholder’s capacity to use a new tool while managing COVID-19 impact on the industry, and a possibility of leveraging an existing tool that requires design modifications. As a result, several conversations with the transit and MMAP stakeholders were held, including a meeting with the transit community leaders in late August 2020, as well as a meeting with the regional Transportation Demand Management (TDM) coordinators in early September 2020, seeking inputs on the Dynamic Incentivization program element.

The RM3P Management Team successfully conducted four Focus Group sessions and a Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAG) Summit, held between October 27-29, 2020. The purpose of these meetings were numerous, including: (i) providing updates to participants on basic information about RM3P that has evolved since the release of the On-Demand Presentation, (ii) gathering their inputs on preliminary solutions to the real-world needs and challenges necessary to deploy RM3P, and (iii) continuing the process of generating regional stakeholder buy-in of RM3P. The theme of all the meetings, overall, was collaboration among the regional partners. The team accomplished and learned a lot during the dialogue with the regional stakeholders, who were overwhelmingly supportive of the general direction in which the program is headed. The focus group meeting attendance totaled around 70 participants, with an approximate attendance of 110 participants at the Summit.

As RM3P expanded southwards from its original geographic scope, the Management Team successfully conducted two stakeholder summits, held respectively on May 13 and May 26, 2021, for its Fredericksburg-area stakeholders. The purpose of these summits were to provide a high-level overview of the program; and primarily to assess stakeholders’ understanding as well as to obtain their input and feedback on RM3P’s two program elements – the AI-Based Decision Support System (AI-DSS) and the Commuter Parking Information System (CPIS). Both events were in a virtual setting with as high engagement level as possible; this was validated by the stakeholder attendees feedback that was overwhelmingly positive. The high interaction level was achieved by making use of different tools, e.g., polling, animations, whiteboard, panel discussions, etc. The two summits’ attendance totaled around 80 participants.

To Be Announced

In September 2020, the RM3P Executive Committee authorized commencement of negotiations with the University of Maryland’s (UMD) Center for Advanced Transportation Technology (CATT) Laboratory to use CATT’s Regional Integrated Transportation Information System (RITIS) as the foundational component for the RM3P Data-Exchange Platform (DEP). Prior to the negotiations, investigations were conducted to assess whether RITIS capabilities will meet the needs of RM3P DEP. To that end, a high-level economic review of implementing RITIS as the RM3P DEP vs. a “build-it-from-scratch” (open-market procurement) approach was performed. This involved coordination with VDOT’s Administrative Services Division (ASD), both prior to and during the negotiations process. To guide the process of negotiations, a RITIS-DEP Negotiations Plan was also developed in October 2020.

In October 2020, VDOT formally notified UMD CATT Lab of interest in using RITIS as the RM3P DEP; following which in November 2020, VDOT released a Statement-of-Work (SOW) to adapt, implement, and operate RITIS as RM3P’s foundational component. For the purpose of arriving at an agreement with UMD CATT Lab, a seven-member VDOT Negotiations Team was established, with an additional three-person panel designated as the “Front-Line Negotiators” who represented RM3P in negotiating with CATT Lab. Bob Osmond, VDOT’s Chief of Technology and Business Strategy, was one of the key front-line negotiators. The structure, details, risks, issues, and final review of the SOW were discussed with the Negotiations Team, followed by the release of the final Negotiations Package that comprised of the SOW, DEP and non-DEP white papers, data sources catalog, logical architecture, and proposal guidance.

Following VDOT’s release of the Statement-of-Work (SOW), UMD CATT Lab submitted an unofficial RITIS-DEP pre-proposal in November 2020. Several rounds of discussions and clarifying questions and answers ensued thereafter. CATT Lab subsequently submitted a formal RITIS-DEP proposal in January 2021, which was thoroughly vetted and reviewed by the Negotiations Team; and the approach approved and finalized by the RM3P’s Executive Committee in February 2021. After the negotiations were finalized, in March 2021, VDOT extended an existing RITIS Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) contract to UMD CATT Lab for RM3P DEP development.

Following VDOT’s execution of the supplemental MOU contract with UMD CATT Lab, RM3P’s foundational project, i.e., Data-Exchange Platform (DEP) commencement officially took place in April 2021. The project startup included organizing, establishing, and debriefing a VDOT-led multi-agency DEP Oversight Committee, whose role is to provide strategic guidance and project oversight. The inaugural meeting for the DEP Oversight Committee took place on April 14, followed by the DEP project Kick-Off meeting on April 22.

On August 31, 2021, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) posted a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) solicitation for the Artificial Intelligence-Based Decision Support System (AI-DSS) through their procurement website, eVA. Expressions of Interest (EOIs) were received on October 6, 2021. Qualified offerors were then invited to respond to the Request for Proposal (RFP).

On February 2, 2022, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) posted a Request for Proposal (RFP) solicitation for the Artificial Intelligence-Based Decision Support System (AI-DSS) through its procurement website eVA. The release of this RFP is the second step in a two-tiered competitive procurement process. In the first step, Offerors were invited to respond to a Request for Qualification (RFQ) by submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI). 19 EOIs were received in response to the RFP. Pre-qualified Offerors will compete to deploy AI-DSS by responding to the RFP with full technical and pricing proposals. Responses for the RFP were received on March 30, 2022.

Following the release of the RFP, the AI-DSS Procurement Panel reviewed, scored, and down-selected the proposals. The down-selected Offerors then had a chance to provide demonstrations, based on which the Panel re-scored and further down-selected the Offerors. This was followed by a review of the Pricing Proposals as well as the onset of the Virginia Information Technology Agency’s (VITA) Enterprise Cloud Oversight Service (ECOS) process. As the ECOS process continued, the AI-DSS Procurement Panel began Negotiations with the down-selected Offerors. After the final negotiations were complete, a Final Offeror (Supplier) was selected.

VDOT’s Administrative Services Division (ASD) then coordinated with the Supplier to begin development of the VDOT-Supplier Contract Package. This required intervention in the form of reviews from the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), VITA, technical teams, and the Supplier. Approval on the ECOS review was furnished in Spring 2023. The Contract Package development continued before it was finalized and submitted to VITA and OAG for a formal high-risk review in May 2023. Approval from OAG on the Contract Package was received in June 2023 and from VITA in July 2023. A Notice-of-Intent-to Award (NOIA) was posted on eVA on July 31, 2023.

Given the nature and complexity of the AI-DSS project, the procurement was considered high-risk and so the contract required review and approval of the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB). The resolution authorizing contract execution was approved by the CTB on September 20, 2023.

Following CTB’s approval, the Contract Package was signed by the Supplier, the Commissioner, as well as other parties within VDOT. Any formalities to execute the contract award were completed by ASD before issuing the Notice-to-Proceed (NTP) on November 10, 2023.  

The project startup included organizing and establishing several different stakeholder groups and committees as well as gathering their feedback in preparation for the AI-DSS project kick-off meeting held between November 13-14, 2023.

On September 14, 2021, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) posted a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) solicitation for the Dynamic Incentivization through their procurement site, eVA. Expressions of Interest (EOIs) were received on October 20, 2021. Qualified offerors were then invited to respond to the Request for Proposal (RFP).

On March 4, 2022, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) posted a Request for Proposal (RFP) solicitation for the Dynamic Incentivization through their procurement site, eVA. Offerors, in Fall 2021, were invited to respond to a Request for Qualification (RFQ) by submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI). 12 EOIs were received in response to the RFQ. Pre-qualified Offerors will now compete to deploy DI initiative by responding to the RFP with full technical and pricing proposals. Responses for the RFP were received on April 29, 2022.

FEB 2024

MAR 2024

Following Executive Committee’s (EC) approval (Fall 2020) on the proposed procurement approach, the team began developing the Statement-of-Work (SOW) and established a Procurement Panel for the Commuter Parking Information System (CPIS), in late-Spring 2021. While the SOW is under development and undergoes a series of review cycles, the team continues to work on securing the VITA-related procurement forms and obtaining any needed clearance and waiver on the federal procedures. The developed scope, procurement concept, and budgets were presented to the EC in July 2021 to obtain their consent. The solicitation materials are expected to be released as a Request for Proposal (RFP) in late-Fall 2021.

On June 29, 2022, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) posted a Request for Proposal solicitation for the Smart Parking Insight project (a subset of the Commuter Parking Information System) through their procurement site, eVA. Responses for the RFP were received on September 13, 2022

2024 (Est.)

2024 (Est.)

To Be Announced

To Be Announced

In Fall 2020, RM3P’s Executive Committee (EC) discussed plans for placing Multi-Modal Analytical Planner (MMAP) on pause, while the RM3P Management and Technical Teams determined the impacts of the pandemic on overall transit usage in the region. At EC’s request, the RM3P team reevaluated the initiative in light of where things stood a year later. After consulting with key stakeholders, including DRPT, the team provided a recommendation that the MMAP project be placed on an indefinite hold. The principal reason for this recommendation was COVID-19, and the still uncertain impacts on our region’s transportation system, that continue to make it impossible to adequately judge the utility of MMAP. MMAP was originally envisioned as a transformative project which would, in some respects, significantly alter the processes that multiple agencies use for transportation planning in the region. Asking agencies to transform their established processes at the same time the transportation system is, itself, undergoing significant change seemed unnecessarily risky.

The management team still strongly believes in the vision of MMAP and anticipates that it will continue to be a worthy concept once a “new normal” for our transportation network is established. However, given that it is currently impossible to predict when the “new normal” will arise, MMAP has been put on hold indefinitely. The RM3P Team will periodically be reviewing the situation and determining whether to move forward with MMAP or take other actions.

A team, led by Virginia Transportation Research Council (VTRC), designated to look into evaluation planning, was set up early on in the program, essentially to have an evaluation plan for the RM3P Initiative. In April 2020, the evaluation team was focused to look into issues related to performance measures, transit data, among others. Consequently, the team defined and developed some preliminary performance measures for each of the five program elements.

In April 2020, alongside the development of the performance measures, the evaluation team also developed an evaluation scope for the independent and the development teams, providing conceptual requirements for vendor evaluation measures. For each of the report-out items, the evaluation scope document provides a relevant “performance measure identifier” tracing back to the performance measurement matrix.

To Be Announced

To Be Announced