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Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 213a, Child Restraint Systems – Side Impact Protection sets forth new performance requirements for child restraint systems. It includes the testing provisions which are necessary to determine whether a child restraint system meets those performance requirements. The test provisions include a lateral dynamic sled test which simulates a vehicle struck in a nearside collision.

The purpose of this contract is to first test, validate, and refine sections of the Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance (OVSC) Test Procedure, TP-213-11, that relate to the side impact test program, with a Pilot Program at contracted test facilities prior to the FMVSS No. 213a rule becoming effective in 2025. Then, upon the final rule becoming effective, this contract shall be used to procure test and inspection services to test child restraint systems (CRS) designed for use in motor vehicles to the requirements of FMVSS No. 213a following the requirements in the standard and the compliance test procedure specified in TP-213-11, as applicable, to inform NHTSA of products that may not comply with the minimum safety standards.

This contract will be split into two phases. Phase 1 will be to test and refine the sections of TP-213-11 applicable to FMVSS No. 213a and to collect data to inform decisions needed for future testing. In Phase 2 of this contract tests will be issued per delivery order for evaluation of potential non-compliance with FMVSS No. 213a.