The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) intends to award a sole source purchase order to Rahall Appalachian Transportation Institute (RATI) for the Co-Sponsorship on International Transportation Economic Development Conference in conjunction with the Transportation Research Board (TRB).  RATI will develop research activities in the Surface Transportation Environment and Planning with emphasis on Defense and Interstate Planning.  Additionally, the research conducted will inform state officials, FHWA and partners by looking at the factors that can balance where people live and work, how goods move, and their resultant effect on the environment and climate.  Because RATI will develop, organize, manage, and provide their own facilitators for their conference they are the only source for the services.  All responsible sources may submit a response identifying their interest and capability to respond to the requirement.  The proposed contract action is for services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under authority FAR 6.302.  This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals.  Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.  This is a Simplified Acquisition and the anticipated award date is September 13, 2010.