DOCUMENT
A -- Distributed Mission Operations (DMO) Infrastructure - DMO Proposer's Information Packet
- Notice Date
- 9/18/2008
- Notice Type
- DMO Proposer's Information Packet
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, AFRL - Rome Research Site, AFRL/Information Directorate, 26 Electronic Parkway, Rome, New York, 13441-4514
- ZIP Code
- 13441-4514
- Solicitation Number
- BAA-08-12-RIKA
- Point of Contact
- Lynn G. White,, Phone: (315) 330-4996
- E-Mail Address
-
Lynn.White@rl.af.mil
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- NAICS CODE: 541712 FEDERAL AGENCY NAME: Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, AFRL - Rome Research Site, AFRL/Information Directorate, 26 Electronic Parkway, Rome, NY, 13441-4514 TITLE: Distributed Mission Operations (DMO) Infrastructure ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Initial announcement FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: BAA# 08-12-RIKA CFDA Number: 12.800 DATES: It is recommended that white papers be received by the following dates to maximize the possibility of award: FY 09 should be submitted by 30 Oct 2008; FY 10 by 30 Jul 2009; FY 11 by 30 Jul 2010; FY 12 by 30 Jul 2011; FY 13 by 30 Jul 2012. White papers will be accepted until 2:00 p.m. Eastern time on 30 Sep 2013, but it is less likely that funding will be available in each respective fiscal year after the dates cited. FORMAL PROPOSALS ARE NOT BEING REQUESTED AT THIS TIME. See Section IV of this announcement for further details. I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION: Distributed Mission Operations (DMO) is essentially a type of networked training that pulls in participants from all the armed services and, increasingly, allies to permits them to "game" and rehearse highly complex campaigns, using a mix of local, distant, and virtual players. The Information Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Rome Research Site, is soliciting white papers under this announcement for innovative solutions to address technical challenges associated with distributed communications and information management problems that arise as DMO progressively scales up the number, diversity, and geographic dispersal of participants in simulated training and rehearsal exercises. These challenges are exacerbated by the DMO goal to "train warfighters as they expect to fight" because it requires Command, Control and Intelligence (C2I) systems and real-world data to be linked together with realistic, high quality distributed simulations over an open Wide Area Network (WAN) such as the Global Information Grid (GIG). The requirement to support anytime, anywhere, anyone training and rehearsal implies that exercise participants may be at the end of problematic high-latency and/or disadvantaged links. Current DMO exercise demands on the underlying networking and computational infrastructure are relatively modest in comparison with the actual conditions (event rates, numbers of participants, quantity of information exchange, etc.) experienced in full-scale military engagements. The need exists to scale the infrastructure required to effectively support the management and rapid flow of information between the increasing number of increasingly diverse and geographically dispersed participants that are anticipated in the realization of the DMO vision. This solicitation focuses on solutions for improving existing DMO deployments in ways that minimize code changes and which facilitate a path of least resistance for the evolution of legacy DMO systems so that they can further exploit emerging commercial and breaking edge research technologies to meet future needs. Additional information is contained in the Proposer's Information Packet (PIP) associated with this solicitation. Research questions include: • How can DMO best exploit the next generation of technical options with minimal disruption of its legacy code base? • Can communications options be transparently improved for future integrated DMO platforms? • When transparency is not an option, are there solutions that will still help in a minimally disruptive fashion? • From what we know about the state of the practice, where are the pressure points that would make DMO stumble? • How can we use best of breed ideas to head off serious issues before they become problematic? Technology, capabilities, and evaluation activities that are desired include: • Migration-friendly solutions for legacy Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS)/High Level Architecture (HLA) simulation applications and environments, including the capability to transparently inject new code under existing standard DMO interfaces such that there is improved interoperability and performance with minimal impact to existing DMO components. • High performance, scalable "best-of-breed" alternative network communication protocols for large scale real-time distributed simulations. The key idea is to mimic standard DMO interfaces while carrying data over protocols other than User Datagram Protocol (UDP) multicast and Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). Doing so should provide better: o Scalability in Local Area Network (LAN) settings where UDP limitations promise to pose serious issues. o Performance in WAN settings where TCP collapses. o Time-critical, reliable delivery for UDP multicast, stabilizing DMO applications that will otherwise face disruptive collapses in performance and reliability. • Efficient and effective solutions to meet security needs in an open (shared) WAN environment, as well as other cross-cutting issues such as Information Assurance (IA), Quality of Service (QoS), and fault tolerance. • Enterprise and information management services that help to eliminate the need for translators between architectures, improve performance and load balancing, enable "plug-n-play" and the joining and departing of individual simulation systems over WAN and LAN networks, and reduce the level of effort to integrate a mixture of simulations and legacy systems. • Experimentation to verify that the resulting solutions achieve superior interoperability, performance, scalability and overall capability. II. AWARD INFORMATION: Total funding for this BAA is approximately $1,799,000.00. The anticipated funding to be obligated under this BAA is broken out by fiscal year as follows: FY 09 - $298K; FY 10 - $406K; FY 11 - $445K; FY 12 - $350K; FY 13 - $300K. Individual awards will not normally exceed 24 months with dollar amounts normally ranging between $300K to $445K per year. There is also the potential to make awards up to any dollar value. Awards of efforts as a result of this announcement will be in the form of contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements depending upon the nature of the work proposed. III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION: 1. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS: All potential applicants are eligible. Foreign or foreign-owned offerors are advised that their participation is subject to foreign disclosure review procedures. Foreign or foreign-owned offerors should immediately contact the contracting office focal point, Lynn G. White, Contracting Officer, telephone (315) 330-4996 or e-mail Lynn.White@rl.af.mil for information if they contemplate responding. The e-mail must reference the title and BAA 08-12-RIKA. 2. COST SHARING OR MATCHING: Cost sharing is not a requirement. IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION: 1. APPLICATION PACKAGE: THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION. WE ARE SOLICITING WHITE PAPERS ONLY. DO NOT SUBMIT A FORMAL PROPOSAL AT THIS TIME. Those white papers found to be consistent with the intent of this BAA may be invited to submit a technical and cost proposal, see Section VI of this announcement for further details. For additional information, a copy of the AFRL/Rome Research Sites "Broad Agency Announcement (BAA): A Guide for Industry," April 2007, may be accessed at: http://www.fbo.gov/spg/USAF/AFMC/AFRLRRS/Reference%2DNumber%2DBAAGUIDE/listing.html 2. CONTENT AND FORM OF SUBMISSION: Offerors are required to submit 3 copies of a 3 to 5 page white paper summarizing their proposed approach/solution. The purpose of the white paper is to preclude unwarranted effort on the part of an offeror whose proposed work is not of interest to the Government. The white paper will be formatted as follows: Section A: Title, Period of Performance, Estimated Cost, Name/Address of Company, Technical and Contracting Points of Contact (phone, fax and email)(this section is NOT included in the page count); Section B: Task Objective; and Section C: Technical Summary and Proposed Deliverables. Multiple white papers within the purview of this announcement may be submitted by each offeror. If the offeror wishes to restrict its white papers/proposals, they must be marked with the restrictive language stated in FAR 15.609(a) and (b). All white papers/proposals shall be double spaced with a font no smaller than 12 pitch. In addition, respondents are requested to provide their Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) number, their Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, a fax number, an e-mail address, and reference BAA 08-12-RIKA with their submission. All responses to this announcement must be addressed to the technical POC, as discussed in paragraph five of this section. 3. SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES: It is recommended that white papers be received by the following dates to maximize the possibility of award: FY 09 should be submitted by 30 Oct 2008; FY 10 by 30 Jul 2009; FY 11 by 30 Jul 2010; FY 12 by 30 Jul 2011; FY 13 by 30 Jul 2012. White papers will be accepted until 2:00 p.m. Eastern time on 30 Sep 2013, but it is less likely that funding will be available in each respective fiscal year after the dates cited. 4. FUNDING RESTRICTIONS: The cost of preparing white papers/proposals in response to this announcement is not considered an allowable direct charge to any resulting contract or any other contract, but may be an allowable expense to the normal bid and proposal indirect cost specified in FAR 31.205-18. Incurring pre-award costs for ASSISTANCE INSTRUMENTS ONLY, are regulated by the DoD Grant and Agreements Regulations (DODGARS). 5. CLASSIFICATION GUIDANCE FOR WHITEPAPER SUBMISSIONS: DO NOT submit white papers that contain classified information. All Proposers should review the NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL SECURITY PROGRAM OPERATING MANUAL, (NISPOM), dated February 28, 2006 as it provides baseline standards for the protection of classified information and prescribes the requirements concerning Contractor Developed Information under paragraph 4-105. Defense Security Service (DSS) Site for the NISPOM is: https://www.dss.mil/portal/ShowBinary/BEA%20Repository/new_dss_internet//isp/fac_clear/download_nispom.html. 6. OTHER SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: DO NOT send white papers to the Contracting Officer. All such responses to this announcement must be electronically addressed to James.Milligan@rl.af.mil and/or physically mailed to: ATTN: James Milligan AFRL/RISE 525 Brooks Road Rome, NY 13441-4505. Electronic submissions must reference the solicitation (BAA) number and title of the acquisition. V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION: 1. CRITERIA: The following criteria, which are listed in equal order of importance, will be used to determine whether white papers and proposals submitted are consistent with the intent of this BAA and of interest to the Government: (1) The overall scientific and/or technical merits of the proposal, including the approach for the development and/or enhancement of the proposed technology and its evaluation (2) Related Experience - The extent to which the offeror demonstrates relevant technology and domain knowledge, the offeror's capabilities, related experience, facilities, techniques, or unique combination of these which are integral factors for achieving the proposed objectives; as well as the qualification, capabilities and experience of the proposed principal investigator, team leader, and other key personnel who are critical to achieving the proposed objectives. (3) Openness/Maturity of Solution - The extent to which existing capabilities and standards are leveraged and the relative maturity of the proposed technology in terms of reliability and robustness, and (4) Reasonableness and realism of proposed costs and fees, if any. No further evaluation criteria will be used in selecting white papers/proposals. Individual white paper/proposal evaluations will be evaluated against the evaluation criteria without regard to other white papers and proposals submitted under this BAA. White papers and proposals submitted will be evaluated as they are received. 2. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS: Only Government employees will evaluate the white papers/proposals for selection. The Air Force Research Laboratory's Information Directorate has contracted for various business and staff support services, some of which require contractors to obtain administrative access to proprietary information submitted by other contractors. Administrative access is defined as "handling or having physical control over information for the sole purpose of accomplishing the administrative functions specified in the administrative support contract, which do not require the review, reading, or comprehension of the content of the information on the part of non-technical professionals assigned to accomplish the specified administrative tasks." These contractors have signed general non-disclosure agreements and organizational conflict of interest statements. The required administrative access will be granted to non-technical professionals. Examples of the administrative tasks performed include: a. Assembling and organizing information for R&D case files; b. Accessing library files for use by government personnel; and c. Handling and administration of proposals, contracts, contract funding and queries. Any objection to administrative access must be in writing to the Contracting Officer and shall include a detailed statement of the basis for the objection. VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION: 1. AWARD NOTICES: Those white papers found to be consistent with the intent of this BAA may be invited to submit a technical and cost proposal. Notification by email or letter will be sent by the technical POC. Such invitation does not assure that the submitting organization will be awarded a contract. Those white papers not selected to submit a proposal will be notified in the same manner. Prospective offerors are advised that only Contracting Officers are legally authorized to commit the Government. All offerors submitting white papers will be contacted by the technical POC, referenced in Section VII of this announcement. Offerors can email the technical POC for status of their white paper/proposal no earlier than 45 days after proposal submission. 2. REPORTING: Once a proposal has been selected for award, offerors will be required to submit their reporting requirement through one of our web-based, reporting systems known as JIFFY or TFIMS. Prior to award, the offeror will be notified which reporting system they are to use, and will be given complete instructions regarding its use. VII. AGENCY CONTACTS: Questions of a technical nature shall be directed to the cognizant technical point of contact, as specified below: James R. Milligan Telephone: (315) 330-1491 Email: james.milligan@rl.af.mil Questions of a contractual/business nature shall be directed to the cognizant contracting officer, as specified below: Lynn White Telephone (315) 330-4996 Email: Lynn.White@rl.af.mil The email must reference the solicitation (BAA) number and title of the acquisition. In accordance with AFFARS 5301.91, an Ombudsman has been appointed to hear and facilitate the resolution of concerns from offerors, potential offerors, and others for this acquisition announcement. Before consulting with an ombudsman, interested parties must first address their concerns, issues, disagreements, and/or recommendations to the contracting officer for resolution. AFFARS Clause 5352.201-9101 Ombudsman (Aug 2005) will be incorporated into all contracts awarded under this BAA. The AFRL Ombudsman is as follows: Susan Hunter Building 15, Room 225 1864 Fourth Street Wright-Patterson AFB OH 45433-7130 FAX: (937) 225-5036; Comm: (937) 255-7754 All responsible organizations may submit a white paper which shall be considered.
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- DMO Proposer's Information Packet
- File Name: DMO Proposer's Information Packet (dmopip.doc)
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- File Name: DMO Proposer's Information Packet (dmopip.doc)
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