MODIFICATION
A -- Questions and Answers to DTRA01-PRDA-02-AL01 Announcement for DTRA Technology Applications
- Notice Date
- 5/28/2002
- Notice Type
- Modification
- Contracting Office
- Defense Threat Reduction Agency , DTRA Annex, 8725 John J. Kingman Road, MSC 6201, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6201
- ZIP Code
- 22060-6201
- Solicitation Number
- DTRA01-PRDA-02-AL01
- Response Due
- 6/10/2002
- Archive Date
- 7/10/2002
- Point of Contact
- janet thodos, 703-767-7894
- E-Mail Address
-
Email your questions to Defense Threat Reduction Agency
(janet.thodos@dtra.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- NA 1. Question: Do you consider research in how clouds and fogs process bio agents, including effects on transport, atmospheric removal, and replication type efforts to fall within the scope of topics contained in the chemical and biological agent detection area scope of DTRA01-PRDA-02-ALO1? Answer: Yes 2. Question: In regard to the solicitation, Topic 2, Chemical and Biological Detection, there is a statement (Proposals are anticipated to be under $10M for the base period with 5-10 awards anticipated in this area). What is a budget number to target in preparing the proposal and scope? Would the maximum budget considered for a two year program be $2M, or roughly $1M per year? Answer: Budget for individual awards is maximum $5M-$10M over the period of performance for all possible years. 3. Questions: A)Regarding topic area 2, have there been any industry days or similar events for this? Answer: No B) Question: Can you provide information on who is involved with this work currently? Answer: No C)Question: Is this PRDA a follow on to any other solicitation or are there incumbents of any sort? Answer: No. D)Question: Was there any white paper round prior to this solicitation? Answer: no, this solicitation is only for full proposals.E)Question: Could you provide us with a technical contact in topic area 2. Answer: No 4. Question: Is there a Standard Form or format regarding budget submission for proposals for DTRA01-PRDA-02-ALO1? Answer: The format for the cost proposal is listed in the solicitation in Fedbizopps. 5. Question: We assume that the DTRA focus may be primarily biological. However, we have a chemical sensing agent approach. Would submission of a chemical agent only detection scheme fit within the scope of the chemical-biological focus or can you be mo re specific as to the emphasis/focus of biological vs. chemical as it relates to submission of a proposal for a chemical agent detection system. Answer: Primary emphasis is biological, however, promising new chemical technologies are desired. 6. Question: The solicitation does not provide any guidance as to how far to carry the chemical and/or biological agent detection system. Would DTRA be expecting fieldable demonstrations at the end of the program? Are hardware deliverables anticipated? Or, is a feasibility demonstration sufficient with a final report to document the results? The solicitation does say that validation of devices is desired. Does this imply delivery of a system to a third party for independent validation? Answer: DTRA expects vendors to rapidly develop fieldable prototype devices. These devices should be commercially available to local, state, and federal agencies within a reasonable period of time following demonstration. At the end of the period of performance, DTRA expects a final report documenting technical performance and a prototype. Validation by an independent third party is not required. However, DTRA reserves the right to submit prototype devices to an independent third party for validation. 7. Question: We are a company who develops products commercially. Usually we develop with our own internal funds and offer the product for sale in the market. In this situation of a contract resulting from this solicitation, we would be funded to do the development. Would we have the exclusive right to exploit the resulting technology, or could we obtain that right before commencing the project? Answer: Any res earch developed with government funds, the government would have unlimited or at least government use rights for any product development resulting from the contract. 8. Question: What is the application procedure (what you want to see), timescales for go/no go decisions? Answer: All information required for submission of the proposal is contained in the Solicitation DTRA01-02-PRDAALO2. 9. Regarding Topic Area 1.2 Improved Neutron Detectors A) Question: What is the shape or form of the neutron source that is of highest concern to DTRA?Answer: DTRA is interested in the detection/identification of nuclear weapons or Radiological Dispersal Devices. These can take many forms, but for simplicity generally should be regarded as subcritical and spher ical for the purposes of this PRDA. B) Question: Is the purpose of the measurement to identify the energy spectrum of neutron emissions, or to identify the presence of neutrons where you might not expect them? Answer: Both. In the detection and identific a tion of special nuclear materials just the mere presence of neutrons above background is an indicator that a material of interest exists. The general neutron background is low, so an increase in neutron population is generally an item of interest. The en ergy spectrum of the neutron may also be of interest in helping to locate and characterize the material causing the neutron emission. Additionally, identifying fast, epithermal, and thermal neutrons will assist in assessing personnel hazards due to qualit y factors. A fast to thermal ratio can also provide a sense of shielding/quantity of material at risk. C) Question: To what extent are the neutrons moderated by the time they reach the detector? Answer: This depends upon the amount of shielding and mate rials that a neutron interacts with. There will be some moderation, but there should be significant fast neutrons several meters from the container above background. The item and/or the container may not comply with all Department of Transportation requi rements for transport on public roads (10 CFR Part 71). Shielding may be significant in some situations. D) Question: What is the required time resolution for the neutron detector? Must neutron identification be made promptly (i.e. screening measurement s) or is the focus on precise determination for the type and strength of the neutron source? Answer: Primarily the time resolution needs to be made promptly. In an arms control environment, there could be 5-10 minutes available for detection. However,in a counter terrorism role the initial detection time drops to under a minute. Counter-terrorism forensic examinations might have more time, but more information would be needed. E) Question: What is the minimum fluence or fluence rate that needs to be id entified by the neutron detectors?Answer: Some basic facts can be used to determine approximate fluxes. In the arms control environment, any amount of weapon grade plutonium above 0.5 kg is considered as potentially useful in a nuclear weapon assembly. W eapon grade plutonium can crudely be defined as 90% plutonium 239, and 10% plutonium 240 or other constituents. A similar consideration is given to highly enriched uranium (HEU) with a concentration of 20 percent or more of U-235 and/or U-233. The neutro n emission can be approximated to radiate out uniformly from a sphere. There will be attenuation of the neutron emission because of self shielding within the material and the shielding of the storage container. F)Question: Is the primary objective to dev elop a stationary neutron detection system, or must it be portable? Answer: The primary goal is to develop portable detection systems. There may be a need to develop some stationary systems/portal monitors dependent upon the development of new detection materials. g. Question: To what extent can sensitivity be sacrificed in order to obtain the direction of the incident neutrons? Answer: The primary goal is to detect and identify. First, we must be able to establish the presence of a neutron-emitting s ource. If we cannot do that, then direction does not matter. There will be a trade-off. Either method should provide sufficient signal to rule out false indication, i.e. efficient and sufficient detection above background. Directionality is of most int erest in a high clutter background or at a longer distance. In either situation, sensitivity is still a key advantage. 10. Question: In regard to topic area 1, Radionuclide detectors, if a modeling only response were proposed to address additional issues that will determine the ultimate performance of CZT based detectors, would such a modeling only proposal be considered as responsive? Answer: Yes 11. Question: Is the comment on page 4 of section 1 Successful proposers will recognize the value of coordinating efforts with diverse teams from the DOD contractor industry and the DOE national labs only associated with Topic 3 or does it pertain to all topics?Answer: This answer was listed under Topic Area 3. This relates to information exchange and coordination rather than teaming. DOE or DOD labs are not permitted to propose as a prime or a subcontractor under this solicitation. 12. Question: Under Topic 2, Is the hope that proposals will integrate efforts in a number of sub-topics (Software Development and environmental monitoring) or can a proposal emphasizing one subtopic be successful? Answer: Technical proposals will be ev aluated as sub topics. Consideration will be given to integrated technical proposals that clearly demonstrate synergy. 13. Question: We have the PRDA solicitation which is listed in two parts, part one being the solicitation and part two being the modification 01 to the solicitation. Is there any other information about this proposal? Answer: No, other than any modifi cations to the synopsis posted on fedbizopps. 14. Question: a. Does the prohibition against proposals requiring performance by an FFRDC also apply to a proposal that utilizes the services of an FFRDC as a subcontractor? Answer: Yes, the same prohibition applies. b) Question: What about if the F FRDC (DOE OR DOD Lab) is used as an unpaid collaborator? Answer: The same rule applies. 15. Question: We have development technologies that can be employed to make Commercial off the shelf display based devices. This approach would require testing to be performed by DOD labs. Would this development be relevant to this solicitation? Answe r: Federal labs (DOE or DOD labs) are prohibited to participate as a prime or subcontractor in this solicitation. 16. Question: Can a group apply to this solicitation which includes a foreign organization? Answer: Yes 17. Question: Is the solicitation open to non-US individuals and institutions? Answer: Yes 18. Question: Can proposals be submitted by Federal Government laboratories as well as private businesses, or are proposals limited to private sector organizations? Answer: Federal labs (DOE or DOD labs) are prohibited from proposing on this solicitati on. 19. Question: At the bottom of the solicitation, there is a statement place of performance with the address being Fort Belvoir. Does this mean that the program will be run out of Fort Belvoir, or if the technical work itself must be performed there. Ans wer: The technical work will be performed at the contractor's address. The program will be run out of Fort Belvoir. 20. Question: Do the Sections on Contract and Proposal List and Funding Organization count against the 35 page limit? Answer: Yes, the correct maximum pages is 45 pages which includes the section on contracts and proposal list. 21. Question: Is biosensor device development a valid area of work under this solicitation? Answer: Yes, with the only constraint being the need for a fieldable prototype within the period of performance. 22. Question: Regarding Topic area 2, a) Would DTRA consider funding several related projects as one project with a number of individuals working on separate but related microarray technology projects? Answer: Teaming is permitted b. Question: What size award or size range do you expect to make? Answer: Budget for total contract amount of individual contracts is $5M-10M or less for the total period of performance (maximum 2 yr. base period and 1 option year). c. Question: What kind of research are you looking to fund-more new technology (i.e. new ways of maki ng arrays but with known chemical or biological interactions) or more new science (fundamentally superior ways of detecting bacteria and toxins) or both? Answer: Both, emphasis is on the former. d. Question: What type of deliverable are you looking for at the end of the project? Would you want a completely working and packaged array chip that could be inserted directed into a commercial reader? Or would you want something more along the lines of a proof of concept chip that demonstrated it would be superior technology if commercialized? Answer: A final technical report and a limited number of prototype devices (NTE 10). Emphasis is on prototypical devices. Limited proof of concept demonstrat ions are permitted if the technology demonstrates superior technical performance and can be easily manufactured. 23. Question: The stated technical proposal page limitation is 45 single spaced pages. The PRDA also states individual proposals should be directed to only one topic area. Can a single contractor submit a separate technical proposal for each topic area , therefore providing up to 3 times the 45 technical pages limitation and a separate cost proposal in each of the three topic areas? Answer: Yes 24. Question: Though the PRDA states individual proposals should be directed on only one topic area, since several sections of the proposal for a given topic area will duplicate the same materials in the proposal for a different topic area, would an offe ror be allowed to bundle proposals for two or three topic areas into a single package, providing cross references between the topic area sections to pertinent material in other sections? Answer: No. Each proposal must be separate for each topic area. 25. Question: Will there be separate awards under each topic area? Answer: Yes 26. Question: Will DTRA make a single award to the contractor covering more than one topic area and more than one proposal? Answer: No, each proposal submitted must be specific to only that topic area. Individual awards will be made according to eacht opic area. 27. Question: Under Topic Area 1, DTRA is looking for Improved Neutron Detection systems, can the contractor propose alternative approaches to the same end that meet or exceed the current detection capabilities?Answer: Yes, the topic area does allow for alternate methods to detect neutrons. 28. Question: It is stated in the solicitation that No plastic or other type of document protector shall be used. Does this include binding?Answer: Yes 29. Question: It is stated in the solicitation that The technical proposal length shall not exceed 45 single spaces pages and that the page limitation does not include the cost proposal. It is also stated that CV's should be included as Annex A to the pro posal and will not be counted against the proposal page limitation. Does the 45 page limitation include: (A) cover page, table of contents, (b) Summary Page, (c) Proposal narrative, (D) Statement of Work; (E), Proposed schedule, (G) Contract and proposal list, and (H) funding Organization list? Answer: Yes, A, B, C, D, E, G, and H are all included in the 45 page limitation. 30. Question: It is requested that an extension in the due date for proposals be granted to June 21, 2002. Answer: No extension is granted; the RFP is already open for 45 days (from 25 April 2002 to 10 June 2002). The due date for proposal submission i s 10 June 2002, 2PM EST. Offerors are reminded that the address for submission of the proposals is: Defense Threat Reduction Agency/ALO, ATTN: J. Thodos, 14703E Willard Rd, Chantilly, VA 20151-1705. In addition, as stated in the solicitation, handcarrie d or faxed proposal will not be accepted. 31. Question: Regarding Topic Area 2, what approach should one propose if an integrated photonic approach that uses one Digital Signal Processor and spectrograph to cost effectively monitor and trigger the detection and identification of any NBC threat i s the objec tive? Answer: It?s a business decision of the offeror. 32. Question: Regarding Topic Area 3: A)At high altitude, both regional-scale and global-scale issues are important. We can address either or both. Which better meets the needs? Answer: Both scales are of interest. The proposer should give reasons for exploring one scale rather than the other, along with discussion of continuity from one scale to another and limitations of one methodology from the other. B) Question: The ability of the numerical model to represent accurately the transport, as well as thermal radiation and chemistry is crucial and a recognizably complex problem that requires making some crucial trade-offs. Does DTRA have any preference for focusing on the dynamics to begin with, or prefer a more inclusive (but dynamically less accurat e) treatment? Answer: There are no preferences, but the proposer should explain both pros and cons, along with limits of application.. C) Question: How important for your current needs is the inclusion of lower altitude (within the same model) in a high al titude work? This is an important interfacing issue if DTRA already has models for ground explosion or fallout from high altitude. Answer: Interest is limited.
- Place of Performance
- Address: Defense Threat Reduction Agency DTRA Annex, 8725 John J. Kingman Road, MSC 6201 Fort Belvoir VA
- Zip Code: 22060-6201
- Country: US
- Zip Code: 22060-6201
- Record
- SN00084266-W 20020530/020528213500 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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