Identifying an Appropriate Friction Test Method for the Qualified Products List

Location:	Minnesota
Posted:	Aug 12, 2026
Due:	Sep 29, 2026
Agency:	State Government of Minnesota
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	16 - Aircraft Components and Accessories
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

Brief Description: MnDOT requests responses for this Clear Roads project to identify an appropriate laboratory friction test method to evaluate winter maintenance liquid deicers for inclusion on the Clear Roads Qualified Products List (QPL). The Clear Roads QPL assists transportation agencies in choosing and purchasing winter maintenance products by establishing and evaluating specifications for products that emphasize safety, environmental preservation, infrastructure protection, cost-effectiveness and performance. The primary goal of this project is to identify a laboratory friction testing methodology that sufficiently evaluates winter maintenance liquid deicers for use by vendors to qualify their product for the QPL.

Date posted: 08/12/2026
Due date: 09/29/2026

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State of Minnesota

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

PART A: INSTRUCTIONS AND CONTENT

Identifying an Appropriate Friction Test Method for the Qualified Products List

MnDOT Contract Number: 1063985

Date Posted: 08/12/2026

1. Responses must be received by MnDOT no later than 2:00 pm Central Time, on 09/29/2026. Late responses will

not be considered.

2. This document is available in alternative formats for persons with disabilities by calling Michael Friberg at 651-

366-4683 or for persons who are hearing, or speech impaired by calling the Minnesota Relay Service at 1-800-

627-3529. For other information on disability rights and protections, contact MnDOT’s Americans with

Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator.

3. Responder must also complete and submit PART B of this Request for Proposals, posted separately from this

document.

4. As of July 1, 2025, certain terms are unenforceable in state contracts. See Minnesota Statutes §16C.05

subdivision 8.

Minnesota’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

The State of Minnesota is committed to diversity and inclusion in its public procurement process. The goal is to

ensure that those providing goods and services to the State are representative of our Minnesota communities

and include businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, and those with substantial physical disabilities.

Creating broader opportunities for historically under-represented groups provides for additional options and

greater competition in the marketplace, creates stronger relationships and engagement within the State’s

communities, and fosters economic development and equality.

To further this commitment, the Department of Administration operates a program for Minnesota-based small

businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, and those with substantial physical disabilities. For additional

information on this program, or to determine eligibility, please call 651-296-2600 or go to

www.mmd.admin.state.mn.us/mn02001.html.

SPECIAL NOTICE: This is a request for proposal. It does not obligate MnDOT to award a contract or complete the

proposed program, and MnDOT reserves the right to cancel this RFP if it is considered in its best interest.

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Request For Proposal Part A Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION 1 – INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDERS

SECTION 2 – SUMMARY OF PROJECT SCOPE

SECTION 3 – PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

SECTION 4 – PROPOSAL CONTENT AND SUBMISSION

SECTION 5 – EVALUATION PROCEDURE AND CRITERIA

SECTION 6 – TERMS AND GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

Request For Proposal Required Forms and Declarations (see PART B, posted seperately):

1. Attachment 1: Responder Declarations & Certifications

2. Attachment 2: Exceptions to MnDOT's Terms and Conditions Form

3. Attachment 3: Responder Forms

a. Workforce and Equal Pay Declaration Form

b. Conflict of Interest Checklist and Disclosure Form

c. Resident Vendor Form

d. Link to the Federal Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying (Standard Form-LLL)

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Steps for

Completing

Your Response

Incomplete

Submittals

How to Ask

Questions

SECTION 1 – INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDERS

Follow the steps below to complete your response to this RFP:

Step 1: Read the solicitation documents and ask questions, if any

Step 2: Write your Proposal and complete the required Forms in Part B of this RFP

Step 3: Submit your Proposal

A Proposal must be submitted along with any required additional documents. Incomplete

Proposals that materially deviate from the required format and content may be rejected.

STEP 1 – READ THE SOLICITATION DOCUMENT & ASK QUESTIONS, IF ANY

The Instructions for Questions and Answers section is in this link to Section 3. The contact person

for questions is:

Michael Friberg, Contract Administrator

Michael.friberg@state.mn.us

How to Write

your Response

Use the following as the subject line of your email: MnDOT Contract No. 1063985, Identifying an

Appropriate Friction Test Method for the Qualified Products List. Questions must be emailed to

the contact person and received by 2:00 pm Central Time, on 09/15/2026. Other personnel are

not authorized to answer questions regarding this RFP.

STEP 2 – WRITE YOUR RESPONSE

The Proposal Content section is in this link to Section 4. Prepare a written response and supply

all requested content. Proposals must address the requested information and documents

detailed in Section 4 or be disqualified as non-responsive.

All Proposals submitted in response to this RFP will be public information under the Minnesota

Government Data Practices Act, Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13 once the evaluation process is

complete.

Where to Send

Your Response

and

Confirmation

Make sure to review and sign your Proposal and include all necessary Part B Attachments.

STEP 3 –SUBMIT YOUR RESPONSE

Proposals must be electronically submitted via e-mail to:

Michael Friberg, Contract Administrator

Michael.friberg@state.mn.us

Use the following as the subject line of your email: MnDOT Contract No. 1063985, Identifying an

Appropriate Friction Test Method for the Qualified Products List. You must copy:

ProfessionalTechnicalContractForms.dot@state.mn.us on the email.

Proposals must be received by MnDOT no later than 2:00 pm Central Time, on 09/29/2026. Late

responses will not be considered.

You will receive a confirmation email from MnDOT after submission. If you do not, please email

the Contract Administrator above to ensure your response was received.

By signing and submitting a Proposal, you are making a binding legal offer for the period of time

listed here. This Condition of Offer is discussed in more detail in the Terms & General

Requirements section of this RFP, Section 6.

(CSS/CM Last Updated: 06/09/2026)

SECTION 2 –SUMMARY OF PROJECT SCOPE

1. Project Overview and Goals

Project Overview

This project has been developed by Clear Roads. Clear Roads is an ongoing pooled fund research project aimed at

rigorous testing of winter maintenance materials, equipment and methods for use by highway maintenance crews. Clear

Roads will fund and oversee the contract for this project in coordination with MnDOT. For more information, visit

www.clearroads.org.

MnDOT requests responses for this Clear Roads project to identify an appropriate laboratory friction test method to

evaluate winter maintenance liquid deicers for inclusion on the Clear Roads Qualified Products List (QPL). The Clear

Roads QPL assists transportation agencies in choosing and purchasing winter maintenance products by establishing and

evaluating specifications for products that emphasize safety, environmental preservation, infrastructure protection,

cost-effectiveness and performance. The main goals of the Clear Roads QPL are to:

1. Protect infrastructure and the environment by minimizing the introduction of pollution into the environment

through use of appropriate criteria to evaluate products for listing.

2. Level the playing field for manufacturers by providing consistent review and listing processes, including the

development and publication of standard specifications.

3. Treat all submittals equitably by minimizing exceptions and ensuring transparency when exceptions occur.

Clear Roads understands that there is a correlation between laboratory friction testing results and grip between a

vehicle’s tires and the roadway surface. Clear Roads also understands that liquid deicers in certain environments - such

as NaCl products with added corrosion inhibitors (Categories A1, A2, and A3 on the QPL) at various blend ratios - may

create a slick surface. Thus, Clear Roads would like to know whether there is a test that would aid in product

qualification based on this risk. Also, would it be possible to identify conditions in which a product shouldn’t be used due

to this risk.

While the QPL requires friction testing of liquid deicers prior to consideration for inclusion on the QPL, the previous

friction test method for vendor samples presented a barrier to producing repeatable, reproducible, and clearly

comparable test results.

2. Scope of Work and Deliverables

Project Goal

The primary goal of this project is to identify a laboratory friction testing methodology that sufficiently evaluates winter

maintenance liquid deicers for use by vendors to qualify their product for the QPL.

Scope of Work and Deliverables

The Investigator will conduct a literature review and survey to gather information as it relates to friction and the

application of liquid deicers. The investigator will then identify and evaluate existing laboratory friction tests that could

potentially be utilized to test the friction performance of winter maintenance liquid deicers for use on roadways. As part

of an effective evaluation, the test should incorporate and consider variables that winter maintenance personnel

regularly encounter. These variables include, but are not limited to, humidity, time, air temperature, road temperature

and application rate. The repeatability, reproducibility, ability to implement (cost / affordability), and duration of time of

evaluated friction tests should also be considered.

Once the selected investigator identifies laboratory friction tests for further evaluation, they will then establish

protocols and parameters for evaluating the friction tests, conduct evaluations of the laboratory friction tests, and make

a recommendation for a test that Clear Roads will support. The selected investigator will then summarize the procedures

and parameters employed by the chosen laboratory friction test or tests, and explain the information provided by

testing results and identify threshold results that could be referenced to qualify liquid deicers for the QPL.

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If no existing test methods are deemed to be appropriate, a recommendation of developing or modifying a new test

method can be made but development of a method is outside the scope of this project.

Tasks

Responders should detail their approach to this project and outline the steps they would take to achieve the project’s

goals and anticipated deliverables.

Anticipated Deliverables

The following is a list of deliverables expected to be provided by the successful responder:

1. Kick-off teleconference at the start of the project to review project tasks and goals and discuss the plans for all

of the tasks.

2. Check-in teleconferences with Clear Roads to review deliverables as appropriate.

3. Information gathering. Conduct a literature review and survey that focuses on friction as it relates to the

application of liquid deicers. This review and survey should focus on issues with the application of liquid deicers

and identify the known(or potential) causes for the loss of friction. The investigative team will also conduct an

industry review to determine the available laboratory-based friction testing methodologies, including how the

tests are used to evaluate liquid deicers. Task deliverables will be a memo that summarizes the literature,

survey, and industry review, and identifies friction tests that might meet Clear Roads needs and why they might

work. Clear Roads will review and approve the list of candidate friction tests for further evaluation.

4. Evaluation protocols for tests. Establish protocols and parameters for evaluating the approved laboratory

frictions tests, including, but are not limited to, humidity, time, air temperature, road temperature and

application rate . Factors including repeatability, reproducibility, ability to implement (cost / affordability), and

duration of time of evaluated friction tests should also be considered. The task deliverable will be a memo that

describes the testing protocol.

5. Evaluation of laboratory friction tests. Task deliverable is a memorandum that summarizes friction test

evaluations and a recommendation, if any, of the laboratory friction testing methodology most appropriate to

evaluating liquid deicers for the QPL. The memo should include a clear summary of the procedures and

parameters employed by the chosen laboratory friction test or tests, the applicable information provided by test

results, limitations of the friction tests, and threshold testing values for qualifying liquid deicers.

6. Final report. Document the research methodology and findings. The report will include an executive summary,

conclusions and recommendations.

7. Virtual webinar to present project findings including a recommendation, if any, of a laboratory friction test

methodology for use for the QPL and threshold testing values for qualifying liquid deicers.

8. Quarterly Reports that provide documentation of progress should be submitted to the Clear Roads Technical

Advisory Committee (TAC) at the end of each quarter of the year (March 31, June 30, September 30, December

31) for the duration of the contract.

3. Additional Tasks or Activities.

Responders are encouraged to propose additional tasks or activities if they will substantially improve the results of

this Project. These items must be separated from the required items on the cost proposal required under this RFP.

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This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.

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Identifying an Appropriate Friction Test Method for the Qualified Products List

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