U.S. DOT FY 2026 Phase I Pre-Solicitation Q&A
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229 results found
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Topic 26-FH1: Edge Artificial Intelligence Vehicle-to-Everything (AI-V2X)
Does the topic seek only vehicle-centric V2X solutions, or would deployable or infrastructure-based edge nodes that provide resilient communications (including failover in degraded or disaster-response environments) also be considered within scope?"
1 vote -
Is the agency interested in roadside truck disablements as predictive corridor safety risks?
Many existing corridor intelligence systems focus primarily on traffic flow after disruptions occur. Is the agency interested in approaches that instead predict and prevent the operational events themselves — such as commercial vehicle failures, thermal derating, or unsafe roadside disablements — before they cascade into broader freight corridor congestion and highway safety impacts?
1 vote -
Auditable validation record
Would an auditable validation record, including scenario inputs, baseline behavior, V2X enabled behavior, timing changes, system outputs, and a tamper evident integrity digest, be considered a valuable deliverable under Topic 26 FH1?
1 vote -
live field data vs applicants use controlled, reproducible corridor scenarios supported by real roadway
Does the topic require live field data during Phase I, or can applicants use controlled, reproducible corridor scenarios supported by real roadway geometry and clearly documented assumptions?
1 vote -
metrics primarily around travel time reduction, or window reduction
Should applicants frame success metrics primarily around travel time reduction, or may they also include conflict window reduction, queue clearance timing, signal phase responsiveness, emergency response delay reduction, and reproducible validation records?
1 vote -
1 vote
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1 vote
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AI decision logic only vs a system that validates, compares, and documents edge AI V2X behavior across baseline
Does the topic prioritize development of new roadside edge AI decision logic only, or would it also consider a system that validates, compares, and documents edge AI V2X behavior across baseline and V2X enabled corridor conditions?
1 vote -
V2X validation platform
Would a corridor level V2X validation platform be considered responsive if the Phase I work focuses on proving how edge based V2X decision logic can reduce congestion related conflict exposure, emergency vehicle delay, queue formation, and signal timing failure conditions before infrastructure deployment?
1 vote -
dedicated rail propulsion battery architectures? What is the anticipated energy capacity range of the rail battery systems involved (kWh or
What type of propulsion BESS systems are expected to be supported? Are these conventional UPS-style systems or dedicated rail propulsion battery architectures?
What is the anticipated energy capacity range of the rail battery systems involved (kWh or MWh)?
What is the intended operational goal after de-energization? Is recovered energy expected to be stored and reused through secondary BESS or grid integration methodologies?
Is the expectation to develop a fully integrated all-in-one mobile discharge platform, or a modular deployable system architecture?1 vote -
Beyond predictive model accuracy, what operational success criteria are most important to the Department for evaluating Phase II readiness,
Beyond predictive model accuracy, what operational success criteria are most important to the Department for evaluating Phase II readiness, particularly regarding interoperability with existing DOT operational systems, dashboard environments, and stakeholder decision-making workflows?
1 vote -
Does the Department have preferred characteristics for candidate pilot corridors in Phase II (e.g., port-centric, interstate freight, interm
Does the Department have preferred characteristics for candidate pilot corridors in Phase II (e.g., port-centric, interstate freight, intermodal, rural supply chain corridors), or is corridor selection intended to be proposer-defined based on operational feasibility and partner availability?
1 vote -
Public data for Phase I proof of concept
For topic 26-OS2, will a Phase I proof of concept be considered responsive if it uses publicly available freight, traffic, weather, incident, work zone, and infrastructure datasets for the initial model, while identifying private freight or telematics data partnerships as part of the Phase II pilot plan?
1 vote -
For Phase I proof-of-concept activities, does the Department anticipate facilitating access to any federal or state multimodal freight datas
For Phase I proof-of-concept activities, does the Department anticipate facilitating access to any federal or state multimodal freight datasets, or should proposers assume responsibility for sourcing and integrating all public and private datasets independently?
1 vote -
Non-AV Fleet Data as Primary Input
Does 26-OS2 accept non-AV commercial vehicle telemetry as qualifying data inputs? Or is the topic scoped to connected infrastructure sources such as RSUs and V2I systems only?
1 vote -
We have a new lithium battery extinguishing system under development. This is a water-based low-cost agent that suppresses lithium battery
We have a new lithium battery extinguishing system under development. This is a water-based low-cost agent that suppresses lithium battery fires efficiently. It can be dispensed through fixed piping, in a fire extinguishing device or directly into a BEES or EV battery system making it easy-to-deploy. It can rapidly and reliably suppress lithium-ion battery fires. It is non-toxic and safe from a environmental and personal health perspective. Would this be a good candidate for 26-PH4: Improved Response to Lithium-ion Battery Fires?
1 vote -
Topic 26-FT1 identifies rural and frontier areas as a key challenge for Complete Trip planning. Is a Phase I proof-of-concept scoped to a sm
Topic 26-FT1 identifies rural and frontier areas as a key challenge for Complete Trip planning. Is a Phase I proof-of-concept scoped to a small urban or rural transit network considered equally responsive as one focused on a large metropolitan system, provided the technical approach is designed to scale?
1 vote -
Expected fire-exposure test scope within Phase I
For Phase I is bench-scale torch-fire / direct-flame impingement testing on coated coupons sufficient to demonstrate proof-of-concept and threshold-response repeatability, or does the agency expect any radiant-panel (e.g., per 49 CFR Part 178 Appendix B / ASTM E1354 cone calorimeter at defined heat fluxes) exposure to be included within the Phase I scope of work?
1 vote -
Color-Difference Acceptance Criterion
Would PHMSA accept a quantitative colorimetric criterion as the threshold for "visible and distinct" — for example, a CIELAB color difference of ΔE*ab ≥ 30 (or another agency-preferred value) between the pre-trigger and post-trigger states, measured per ASTM D2244 or equivalent?
1 vote -
For 26-OS2, may Phase I focus on a U.S. port-linked intermodal freight corridor using maritime data and AIS/port/canal indicators?
Clarifying whether port-linked maritime freight flows are within scope when connected to a U.S. freight corridor. No proprietary data or proposal details are included.
1 vote