SOLICITATION NOTICE
A -- BAA06-26 Wireless Adaptable Network Node (WANN)
- Notice Date
- 4/7/2006
- 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
- BAA06-26
- Response Due
- 4/6/2008
- Archive Date
- 4/21/2008
- Description
- BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT (BAA) 06-26 Wireless Adaptable Network Node (WANN); CLOSING DATE: Two (2) years after publication; FULL PROPOSALS FOR FIRST SELECTIONS: 24 May 2006; 12 noon Eastern Standard Time (EST). Points of Contact: Preston Marshall and Stephen Griggs, DARPA/ATO; Email: BAA06-26@darpa.mil; Web site: http://www.darpa.mil/ato/solicit/WANN/index.htm. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES AND DESCRIPTION: The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency?s (DARPA) Advanced Technology Office (ATO) is soliciting proposals for the design, development, and demonstration of low-cost wireless network nodes which support adaptation by means of distributed network processing for the Wireless Adaptable Network Node (WANN). The WANN program is divided into four phases: Radio Phase 1 (R1) ? Design; Radio Phase 2 (R2) ? Wireless Node Development; Radio Phase 3 (R3) ? Medium Scale Demonstration; and Radio Phase 4 (R4) ? Large Scale Demonstration. This WANN BAA is soliciting proposals covering the first two phases of the WANN program. Phase R2 will be included as an option that can be executed at the end of Phase R1. Proposals for the final two phases R3 and R4 may be solicited at a later time. Although the cost proposals submitted in response to this BAA should only address Phases R1 and R2, the government requests that you submit rough order magnitude (ROM) costs for Phases R3 and R4. The ROM costs are for government planning purposes and will not be evaluated as part of the proposal evaluation. Because the production of a significant quantity of WANNs in Phases R3 and R4 is critical to the overall program success, your overall vision for all WANN phases should be addressed in your program plan and this vision will be evaluated as part of your technical approach. The WANN development effort is one of two complementary program elements within the larger DARPA wireless networking vision; the other program element, the Network Development effort, focuses on the development of adaptive network topologies required to weld individual WANN nodes into an adaptive ad hoc network. A separate BAA for development of the network technologies required to support the vision is planned for release at a later date. Successful completion of the DARPA wireless technology vision will require a tight coupling of the Wireless Adaptable Network Node development effort and the network technology development effort. Previous practice has been to build high-cost, hence sparsely deployed nodes, and to organize the network around these nodes. This program aims to shift the approach used to design military wireless networks from design for radio range to design for node density. Proposers should assume node densities associated with deployments in which each warfighter and each vehicle has at least one radio node. The objectives of each phase of the Wireless Adaptable Network Node development effort are as follows: Radio Phase 1 (R1) (6 months): o Conduct Critical Design Review (CDR) and define performance of objective WANN, including the strategy and risk mitigation approach for integrating filters, Radio Frequency (RF) / baseband processing, and wideband antennas for Phase R2 units. The WANN architecture developed in Phase R1 is expected to remain unchanged throughout the remaining phases. o Develop and publish non-proprietary network interface Application Program Interfaces (APIs) for integration of network technologies / processes within the WANN. o Develop cost basis for $500 unit cost in quantity 100K, excluding Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE), batteries, and set-up charges. o Develop evidence that the unit cost in quantity is sustainable throughout the system life-cycle, given that components used in the WANN can be expected to change during this time. Radio Phase 2 (R2) (15 months): o Build and test 40 WANNs that achieve performance stated in Phase R1, implement the network API, and integrate filters, RF / baseband processing, and wideband antennas. o Demonstrate WANN performance with voice and Internet Protocol (IP) networking in a small scale network (minimum 10 nodes). Radio Phase 3 (R3) (12 months): o Build 100 WANNs using production line processes (based on commercial methodologies and assembly lines). o Conduct medium scale (100 units) field demonstration of a multicast, highly adaptive network (demonstration led by network developer and supported by WANN developer). Radio Phase 4 (R4) (12 months): o Build 500-1000 WANNs using production line processes (based on commercial methodologies and assembly lines). o Demonstrate scalable production capacity for annual production of 100K units. o Achieve large scale (500-1000 units) operational demonstration of an adaptive, highly dynamic, self-forming, self-healing military network (demonstration led by network developer and supported by WANN developer). Performers will be expected to maintain the cost basis of $500 per unit in quantity 100K throughout all four phases. Proposals should cite the quantitative and qualitative success criteria that the proposed effort will achieve at the end of each phase to support the overall program objectives: Development of a low cost ($500) handheld military network radio based on commercial production parts, lines, and processes that supports network adaptation. Development of a network capability that adapts to mitigate hardware shortfalls. Support of internetworking at IP rather than waveform in heterogeneous networks. Brigade-sized demonstration (500 - 1000 nodes) of an adaptive, highly dynamic, self-forming and self-healing military network. Sustainable $500 unit cost (excluding NRE, batteries, and set-up charges) throughout the system life cycle. Ongoing set-up charges will be considered as part of the life-cycle cost evaluation. Determination of estimated cost should be based on production node quantities of 1,000 and 100,000, and should include a detailed basis and analysis of the manufacturing learning curve. The Government intends to contract for an independent review and analysis of the cost basis. This BAA shall remain open for two (2) years from the date of publication on www.fbo.gov and www.grants.gov. Although the Government may select proposals for award at any time during this period, it is anticipated that the majority of funding for this program will be committed during the initial selections. Proposers may submit a full proposal in accordance with the instructions provided in the Proposer Information Pamphlet (PIP) at any time up to the proposal due date. In order to be considered during the initial round of funding, full proposals must be submitted to DARPA, 3701 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1714 (Attn.: BAA06-26) on or before 12 noon, 24 May, 2006, Eastern Standard Time (EST). All responsible sources capable of satisfying the Government's needs may submit a proposal that shall be considered by DARPA. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Minority Institutions (MIs) 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 HBCU/MI, small, or small and disadvantaged businesses due to the impracticality of reserving discrete or severable areas of this research for exclusive competition among these entities. This BAA affords proposers the choice of submitting proposals for the award of a Grant, Cooperative Agreement, Contract, Technology Investment Agreement, Other Transactions for Prototype Agreement, or such other appropriate award instrument. The type of procurement or assistance vehicle is subject to negotiations. A Proposers? Day Conference was held on 16 March. The information from this conference will be available on the WANN website: www.darpa.mil/ato/solicit/WANN/index.htm. Attendance at the Proposers? Day was not a prerequisite to responding to this BAA. EVALUATION CRITERIA: Each proposal will be evaluated on the merit and relevance of the specific proposal to the program. In descending order of importance, the evaluation criteria are: 1) Technical Approach with elements: (a) Program Scope and Robustness, (b) Wireless Node Performance and Flexibility, (c) Support for Network Adaptation Performance, (d) Practicality of Commercial Manufacturing and Sustainability of Wireless Node Production Cost and (e) Program Flexibility and Risk Mitigation; 2) Management Approach; 3) Potential Contribution and Relevance to the DARPA Mission; and 4) Cost Realism. The Government reserves the right to select for negotiation all, some, or none of the proposals received in response to this BAA, and to make award without discussions. Further, DARPA may choose to select for negotiation all of a given proposal, or from selected portions thereof, and make award without discussion. For evaluation purposes, the Government will only evaluate the costs of Phases R1 and R2. ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE: Additional information regarding program objectives, anticipated schedule, technical milestone criteria, and proposal preparation and submittal is provided in the Proposers? Information Pamphlet (PIP) associated with this BAA. The PIP is available at www.fbo.gov and www.grants.gov. NOTE: ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS ANNOUNCEMENT SHOULD BE SENT TO BAA06-26@darpa.mil.
- Record
- SN01023781-W 20060409/060407221422 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
| FSG Index | This Issue's Index | Today's FBO Daily Index Page |