DOT - Corporate Average Fuel Economy Database - MRAS

The Department of Transportation (DOT), in collaboration with the General Services Administration (GSA), is conducting market research to enhance the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Database. This initiative is part of the DOT's ongoing efforts to improve fuel efficiency standards and reduce national energy consumption. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), under 49 USC 329, oversees these programs, which require vehicle manufacturers to meet specific fuel efficiency benchmarks. The primary goal is to bolster energy security and provide economic benefits by reducing fuel expenditures for consumers.

The work involves the continued development, modernization, enhancement, and maintenance of the CAFE Light Duty and Medium/Heavy Duty Management Suite. This suite functions as a centralized repository for receiving and processing data from Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) regarding fuel economy metrics, vehicle footprints, and production volumes. Data is collected through standardized Excel templates or via a web service shared with the Environmental Protection Agency's Central Data Exchange. The system supports regulatory compliance by tracking manufacturer efforts in meeting established fuel efficiency standards.

The CAFE Database comprises four main functional modules: management of Light Duty Vehicles (LDV), Medium/Heavy Duty Vehicles (MD/HD), Business Intelligence Reporting for internal stakeholders, and a Public Information Center that facilitates transparency by reporting compliance data to the public. Additionally, it automates credit administration processes such as managing trades between manufacturers and ensuring program compliance through account balancing.

To achieve these objectives, the contract seeks a modernized cloud-native application hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS) that offers a secure web-based interface for streamlined data management. By eliminating manual processes prone to errors, this modernization effort aims to provide high-integrity analytical tools essential for NHTSA's rulemaking and enforcement activities while enhancing public transparency through comprehensive reporting capabilities.