Transcript Wisconsin DOT’s “MDSS” RFP

Wisconsin DOT’s “MDSS” RFP Experience
March, 2005
Tom Martinelli
Winter Operations Engineer
Contract Background
• Weather forecast services contract
expired after last winter
• Needed to explore new ways of doing
business
• Wanted more frequent forecasts and
more emphasis on computer modeling
WisDOT’s Weather Forecast
Services RFP
• Used NCAR MDSS template as a guide
• Required 3-hourly updates vs hourly in guide
• Required vendor to run all forecast and
decision support software
• Text and graphical outputs
• Eliminated items deemed not necessary or
too difficult to implement
– Weather parameters like drifting snow
– Decision support was optional item
Mandatory RFP Items
(similar to old contract)
• Required the following for one point in each
of our 72 counties
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All forecast parameters out to 24 hours
Surface air temperature, dew point, RH, wind
Precipitation amount and intensity
24-72 hour statewide outlook
• Winter storm warning service (pager/cell
phone)
• Toll-free access to forecaster
Mandatory RFP Items
(new items)
• Forecast confidence
• Conditional probability of precipitation
type
• Road and bridge condition products
• Pavement, bridge frost potential
Decision Support Limitations
• Treatment recommendations was an optional
proposal item
• WisDOT concerned about cost (limited
budget)
• Little GPS/AVL used in Wisconsin means
treatment feedback is limited
• Could use initial treatment recommendation,
but then would be “business as usual”
without treatment feedback loop
• Three proposals, but only one gave cost, and
it was very high
Questions?
Contact
Mike Adams
Phone: 608-266-5004
E-Mail: [email protected]