SOLICITATION NOTICE
A -- Large Area Coverage Optical Search-while-Track and Engage (LACOSTE)
- Notice Date
- 11/21/2005
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- NAICS
- 541710
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences
- 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
- BAA06-11
- Response Due
- 2/4/2006
- Archive Date
- 11/28/2006
- Description
- The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Special Projects Office (SPO) is accepting proposals to develop and demonstrate large-area addressable masks for adaptive coded aperture imaging systems operating in the mid-wave infrared (MWIR). DARPA?s Large Area Coverage Optical Search-while-Track and Engage (LACOSTE) program is seeking to develop extremely-wide field-of-view coded aperture imaging technology to support single sensor day/night persistent tactical surveillance of all moving vehicles in a large urban battlefield. The LACOSTE coded aperture imaging technology proposals should focus on achieving a very wide instantaneous field-of-regard (approximately 90 degree cone angle) using multiple simultaneous wide field-of-view (FOV) images. For persistent tactical surveillance, the coded aperture should provide 0.3 m resolution across a large coverage area (approximately 500 sqkm) while operating from a significant stand-off distance ( approximately 20 km). Analysis of multiple optical designs has identified coded apertures using large-area addressable masks as uniquely capable of meeting the objectives within reasonable cost, mass, and volume constraints. In coded apertures, a structured mask of pinhole cameras is created such that the image from each individual pinhole falls across a common focal plane array (FPA). With a large-area mask centered above a small FPA, the pinhole camera structure opens as a lens in the desired look direction while the remainder of the mask remains opaque. Knowing the mask structure, the multiple images on the same focal plane are digitally deconvolved to form an image. This concept provides several unique and enabling features. Orthogonally coded masks allow multiple simultaneous images at arbitrary pointing angles. Grouping pinholes enables electronically switchable resolution. The coded aperture replaces optical gain with digital processing gain. A critical enabling technology is the adaptive pinhole mask where each pixel is: physically small, addressable (either independently or in spatially distributed orthogonal groupings), millisecond switching speed, sufficient MWIR transmittance, low power consumption, large-area manufacturability, and extremely low cost-per-pixel. A detailed description of the program objectives, scope, and technology demonstration requirements are provided in the BAA 06-11 Proposer Information Pamphlet referenced below. PROGRAM SCOPE: Multiple awards are anticipated. Collaborative efforts/teaming are encouraged. 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. The technical POC for this effort is Tim Clark, DARPA/SPO, Phone (703) 812-1975, tim.clark@darpa.mil. GENERAL INFORMATION: Proposers must obtain a pamphlet entitled ?BAA 06-11, Large Area Coverage Optical Search-while-Track and Engage (LACOSTE), Proposer Information Pamphlet? which provides further information on the technical objectives, 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/, the FedGrants website: http://www.fedgrants.gov/, World Wide Web (WWW) at URL http://www.darpa.mil/ or by fax, electronic mail, or mail request to the administrative contact address given below. Proposals not meeting the format described in the pamphlet may not be reviewed. Proposers must submit a cover letter; two PC Compatible CD ROMs with a complete proposal (including the SOW); and a printed original plus 5 hardcopies of their proposal. Each CD must be clearly labeled with BAA 06-11, offeror organization, proposal title (short title recommended), and Copy __ of 2. The full proposal (original and designated number of hard and electronic copies) must be submitted to DARPA/SPO, Attn: Tim Clark, 3701 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1714 (Ref.: BAA 06-11) on or before 4:00 p.m., local time, Friday, February 4, 2006, 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 date of posting on FedBizOpps and FedGrants. Proposals submitted after the due date specified in the BAA may be selected contingent upon the availability of funds. This notice, in conjunction with the BAA 06-11 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 and to make award without discussions. 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 will be solicited by DARPA from non-Government consultants /experts ?specifically, Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) and Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC). BAH and SAIC are prohibited from competition on the LACOSTE program and are bound by appropriate nondisclosure requirements. BAH and SAIC will not have access to proposals that are labeled by their offerors as ?Government Only?. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Minority Institutions (MIs), and Small and Small Disadvantaged Businesses are encouraged to submit proposals and join others in submitting proposals; however, no portion of this BAA will be set aside for these organizations? participation due to the impracticality of reserving discrete or severable areas of the LACOSTE program. All administrative correspondence and questions on this solicitation, including requests for information on how to submit a proposal to this BAA, should be sent via electronic mail to BAA06-11@darpa.mil. DARPA intends to use electronic mail and fax for correspondence regarding BAA 06-11. Proposals may not be submitted by fax or e-mail; any so sent will be disregarded. DARPA encourages use of the WWW for retrieving the Proposer Information Pamphlet and any other related information that may subsequently be provided. EVALUATION CRITERIA: The following criteria, which are listed in descending order of importance, will be used to determine whether proposals submitted are consistent with the intent of this BAA and of interest to the Government. Evaluation Criteria: 1. Overall scientific and technical merits of the proposal; 2. Relevance to DARPA LACOSTE program objectives; 3. Relevance of intermediate milestones (Go/No-Go?s); and 4. Reasonableness and realism of proposed costs, fees (if any), and schedule. Also, consideration will be given to the capacity and capability to achieve the objectives of this BAA. No further evaluation criteria will be used in selecting proposals. Individual proposal evaluations will be evaluated against the evaluation criteria without regard to other proposals submitted under this BAA. Note: cost realism will only be significant in proposals which have significantly under or over-estimated the cost to complete their effort. This announcement and the Proposer Information Pamphlet may be retrieved via the WWW at URL http://www.darpa.mil/ in the solicitations area.
- Record
- SN00935807-W 20051123/051121212232 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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