SOLICITATION NOTICE
A -- Applications of Molecular Electronics Technology (MoleApps)
- Notice Date
- 2/27/2003
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- Contracting Office
- Other Defense Agencies, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Contracts Management Office, 3701 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA, 22203-1714
- ZIP Code
- 22203-1714
- Solicitation Number
- BAA03-12
- Response Due
- 5/23/2003
- Archive Date
- 2/27/2004
- Point of Contact
- Kwan Kwok, DARPA Program Manager, Phone 703-696-2313, Fax 703-696-3999,
- E-Mail Address
-
none
- Description
- The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting innovative research proposals for applying molecular-scale electronics technology to the development of ultra-dense molecular electronic computer processors and molecular electronic sensor systems for use in a variety of standalone and embedded applications. Proposed research should investigate innovative approaches that would actually produce prototype nanoelectronic systems that will enable revolutionary advances in computing and sensing. Specifically excluded is research that only uses conductive organic or molecular materials, but does not employ them to fabricate systems of nanometer-scale functional devices which are integrated on similar scales. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES AND DESCRIPTION DARPA seeks innovative proposals in the following two (2) thrust areas: (1) Ultra-dense Molecular Electronic Computer Processor (MoleComputing) The goal of this program thrust area is the reliable, hierarchical assembly and fabrication of a prototype molecular electronic computer processor with local molecular device densities of at least one hundred billion devices per square centimeter. Such a processor will have approximately fifty thousand nanodevices in a 100 square micron area, all operating with a clock rate of at least 10 kilohertz or equivalent, and consuming no more than 10 Watts per square centimeter of power. This nanoprocessor should be programmable and reprogrammable, and it should perform logic functions including arithmetics. Logic and registers should be integrated and in communication with memory. Such a nanoprocessor is envisioned to have approximately the complexity of the original 1971-vintage microprocessors, i.e. the Intel 4004, but it would be 100,000 times smaller in area. The molecular electronic computer processor should be compatible with and/or capable of being integrated with the molecular memory such as those developed by the DARPA Moletronics Program. (2) Ultra-dense Molecular Electronic Sensor System (MoleSensing) The goal of this program thrust area is the reliable, hierarchical assembly and fabrication of a prototype molecular electronic sensor system that operates in air or water, which will have sensitivities and discrimination comparable to the animal kingdom, e.g. artificial dog?s nose. Such an artificial system would consist of at least 1000 nanosensors per square micron (i.e., 100 billion per square centimeter), including matched subsystems of at least eight complementary nanosensor ?receptors? for effecting unique identification of any of 255 different chemical or biological agents, which have a concentration as small as 500 parts per trillion. This should require no more than one second of electrical response time after receptor attachment and no more than ten seconds of chemical response time after exposure of the sensor array to the environment. Also of particular interest are solutions that allow for reuse of the sensor array up to at least 10 times. The molecular electronic sensing system must be compatible with and/or able to be integrated with the memory developed by the DARPA Moletronics Program. Among the requirements for this purpose is that the interaction of a nanosensor with a chemical or biological agent must be transduced into an electrical signal. The chemical/biological interaction area or active detection area of the digital sensing system should range from 1 to 25 square microns. However, should an offeror wish to incorporate additional nanoscale sensor processing circuitry into a proposed architecture, a total of up to 100 square microns for the sensing and the processing modules would be acceptable. The above states the technical goals for the two thrust areas; these shall be interpreted as targets, and not as requirements, and not as specifications. Prototypes in each thrust area must be defect-tolerant in their design and fabrication, as well as fault-tolerant in their operation. To the ends stated above, in both program thrust areas the proposal, development, and application of advanced nanofabrication and nanoassembly techniques, as well as innovative device or circuit design and system architecture concepts will be viewed favorably as part of an overall strategy for developing prototypes with the characteristics enumerated. Additionally, modeling and simulation to ensure a complete, predictive understanding of device and system operation and performance is considered to be an integral part of the prototyping process. Novel approaches are welcome for achieving digital computational and sensing systems at the high densities and performance levels specified, provided primarily that the proposed approaches give evidence of a strong system plan and a rationale indicating a high likelihood that they can be translated to a functional prototype. To ensure sufficient technical management focus in each thrust area, the MoleApps Program will require that contractor R&D in each thrust area be managed independently of the other. Thus, a proposal should focus only on a single thrust area. For groups who might wish to propose in both areas, a separate proposal is required in each thrust area. Additionally, a successful proposal will specify a Principal Investigator who is responsible for R&D in only a single MoleApps thrust area. PROGRAM SCOPE: The MoleApps program will consist of an 18-month Phase I effort, followed by an optional Phase II (18 months) and Phase III (24 months) for those efforts exhibiting the greatest potential for production, insertion, transition, or overall benefit to DoD. Awards totaling approximately $15 million for Phase I are expected to be made during calendar year 2003. Options totaling approximately $50 million may be awarded for Phase II and Phase III efforts. Organizations wishing to participate in Phase II and Phase III should include them as options in their proposal (separate options for each phase). Multiple awards are anticipated. Collaborative efforts/teaming are strongly encouraged. A website at the URL https://www.davincinetbook.com/moleapps has been established to facilitate the formation of teaming arrangements among interested parties. The specific information content, communications, networking, and team formation data provided are the sole responsibilities of the participants. Neither DARPA nor the Department of Defense (DoD) endorses the content of the website at the URL cited above, including any of the technical or organizational information contained therein, nor does DARPA or the DoD exercise any oversight at that URL. The website is provided consistent with the stated purpose of this BAA. The program also may support some innovative individual investigator efforts. Cost sharing is not required and is not an evaluation criterion, but is encouraged where there is a reasonable probability of a potential commercial application related to the proposed research and development effort. PROPOSER INFORMATION: Proposers must obtain the pamphlet entitled BAA 03-12 MoleApps Proposer Information Pamphlet which provides further information on areas of interest, the submission, evaluation, and funding processes, proposal formats, and other general information. This pamphlet may be obtained from the FedBizOpps website: http://www.fedbizopps.gov/, World Wide Web (WWW) at URL http://www.darpa.mil/ or by fax, electronic mail, or mail request to the contact address given below. Proposals not meeting the format described in the pamphlet may be rejected without review. PROPOSAL ABSTRACTS: Submission of proposal abstracts (i.e., "white papers") is optional. Submission and review of proposal abstracts is intended to minimize unnecessary effort in proposal preparation and review. All proposal abstract submissions will be evaluated for their responsiveness to the stated goals and objectives of this BAA. Offerors should submit an original and ten (10) copies of the proposal abstract to DARPA/MTO, (Attn.: BAA 03-12), 3701 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1714 on or before 4:00 p.m., local time, Thursday, March 27, 2003. In addition, offerors should submit 2 electronic copies (i.e., two separate disks). File formats shall be PDF and MS-Word-readable. Media for each copy may be a single CD-ROM, a single 100 Megabyte Iomega Zip (registered) disk, or a single 3.5-inch High Density MS-DOS formatted 1.44 Megabyte diskette. Each disk must be clearly labeled with BAA 03-12, proposer organization, proposal abstract title (short title recommended), and Copy number. Proposal abstracts received after this time and date may not be reviewed. Proposal abstracts must meet the objective and format guidelines as described in the Proposer Information Pamphlet in order to be considered. FULL PROPOSALS: The full proposal (original and designated number of hard and electronic copies) must be submitted to DARPA/MTO, (Attn.: BAA 03-12), 3701 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1714 on or before 4:00 p.m., local time, Friday, May 23 , 2003, in order to be considered during the initial round of selections. However, proposals received after this deadline may be received and evaluated up to one year from the date of posting on FedBizOpps. GENERAL INFORMATION: This notice, in conjunction with the BAA 03-12 MoleApps Proposer Information Pamphlet, constitutes the total BAA. No additional information is available, nor will a formal RFP or other solicitation regarding this announcement be issued. Requests for the same will be disregarded. The Government reserves the right to select for award all, some, or none of the proposals received. All responsible sources capable of satisfying the Government's needs may submit a proposal, which shall be considered by DARPA. Input on technical aspects of the proposals may be solicited by DARPA from non-Government consultants /experts who are bound by appropriate non-disclosure agreements. Non-Government technical consultants/experts will not have access to proposals that are labeled by their offerors as ?Government Only.? Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU's) and Minority Institutions (MI's) are encouraged to submit proposals and join others in submitting proposals; however, no portion of this BAA will be set aside for HBCU and MI participation due to the impracticality of reserving discrete or severable areas of research in Applications of Molecular Electronics Technology. All correspondence and questions on this solicitation, including requests for information on how to submit a proposal to this BAA, should be directed to one of the contact addresses below; e-mail or fax is preferred. DARPA intends to use electronic mail and fax for correspondence regarding BAA 03-12. Proposals may not be submitted by fax or e-mail; any so sent will be disregarded. DARPA encourages use of the World Wide Web for retrieving the Proposer Information Pamphlet and any other related information that may subsequently be provided. EVALUATION CRITERIA: Evaluation of proposals will be accomplished through a technical review of each proposal using the following criteria, listed in descending order of relative importance: (l) overall scientific and technical merit, (2) potential contribution and relevance to DARPA mission, (3) offeror's capabilities and related experience, (4) plans and capability to accomplish technology transition, and (5) cost realism. Note: cost realism will only be significant in proposals that have significantly under- or over-estimated the cost to complete the proposed effort. CONTACT ADDRESSES: The administrative addresses for this BAA are: Fax: (703) 741-0639 (Addressed to: DARPA/MTO, BAA 03-12), Electronic Mail: BAA03-12@darpa.mil, Mail: DARPA/MTO, Attn: BAA 03-12, 3701 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1714.
- Record
- SN00266971-W 20030301/030227213911 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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