SOLICITATION NOTICE
A -- University and Non Profit Scientific and Engineering Research
- Notice Date
- 11/26/2008
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Navy, Naval Sea Systems Command, NSWC Dahlgren Division, N00178 NAVAL SURFACE WARFARE CENTER Dahlgren Division 17362 Dahlgren Road Suite 157 Dahlgren, VA
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- N0017809Q3000
- Response Due
- 9/30/2009
- Archive Date
- 9/30/2009
- Point of Contact
- Tina Lynn 540-653-8325 Tina LynnVoice: 540-653-8325,Fax: 540-653-6810
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD), through the Dahlgren Laboratory at Dahlgren, VA soliciting scientific and engineering research "white papers" to identify capabilities of University and Non-Profit Institutions to conduct basic research, applied research, and advanced research projects in a wide variety of scientific and engineering disciplines. PLEASE NOTE: We are NOT seeking specific research proposals at this time - we are requesting submission of capability statements only. Specific research proposals may be returned to the submitting institution with a request to submit a capability statement. N00178-08-Q-3004 white papers will be considered as candidate sources until 30 Sept 2010. N00178-07-Q-3003 white papers will be considered as candidate sources until 30 Sept 2009. White papers submitted under BAA N00178-06-Q-3009 are no longer being considered. Research projects are expected to require a high level of technical expertise, primarily involving PhD level personnel; personnel requirements include, but are not limited to, the following categories: distinguished postdoctoral, senior postdoctoral, postdoctoral, professors, and graduate students. Awards under this BAA are expected to take the form of grants, cooperative agreements, other transactions, or contracts. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 541712 -- Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences. Representative research areas requiring scientific and engineering research expertise for which "white papers" (capability statements) are solicited include: FY09 BAA Announcement Topics Topic (a): COMPLEX SYSTEMS/EMERGENT BEHAVIOR MODELING Emergent Behavior Systems (EBS) are those systems characterized by complex system phenomena in which characteristics that are observed at a global level arise from interactions among lower-level components acting on rules that are executed using only local information and without reference to global information. Such phenomena is recognized as predominant in many natural systems and research indicates that the complex interactions between simple entities is central to many of the more sophisticated behaviors we observe in weather phenomena, social insects, terrorist networks, economics, etc. Models of EBS are typically implemented through agent-based simulation (ABS). Although modeling EBS through ABS has the potential to provide a disciplined methodology to explore both the composition and performance of EBS, at present specific application domains instead of more general theories of emergence have dominated what little there is in the way of axiomatic formalisms and ass! ociated theoretical foundations to describe such systems. Modeling EBS and designing for emergence is less understood compared to traditional engineering domains since the goal is not merely to create an environment in which well specified agents can interact and then "see what happens" but rather given a desired system behavior (or set of behaviors) how should entities be designed and in what number to effect the desired system behavior? This is compounded by the fact that the decision space of such systems is typically computationally intractable. Additionally, many real-world examples tend to be singular in nature (e.g., the formation of adversarial organizations, group responses to catastrophic events, and most military operations) and so do not occur with sufficient frequency to allow the formulation of probability distributions. Although increasing computational power is making the creation of such systems through agent-based methods more attractive, validating su! ch designs remains challenging, costly, and problematic. Nevertheless, the future of unmanned autonomous systems, swarm systems, warfare analysis, social network analysis (e.g., terrorist networks), and artificial intelligence will rely on increased understanding of emergent phenomena. Topic (b): HYPERGOLIC PROPELLANT SAFETY The Navy has to date restricted the use of hypergolic fueled weapons aboard ships due to the unique environment and safety concerns for propellant leaks, both from a toxicity and reactivity standpoint. Further study of these concerns will be required before the acceptability of hypergolic fueled weapons is considered by the Navy. Limited studies have been performed in the past. Requested studies are of Navy deployed weapon configurations and environments and to focus on such areas as: (1) safer fuel alternatives with pros and cons, (2) ideal fuel tank/container construction, (3) leak containment and mitigation, (4) leak detection technology (sensors with consideration for size, power requirements, maintenance, and accessibility) and (5) leak reaction response approaches. Topic (c): RISK ASSESSMENT Perform analysis to transition current and emerging risk assessment methodologies and techniques beyond single system and into the systems of systems context. Research should include concepts that allow risk definition at any level of system context when integrating multiple systems into a system of systems environment. Research should consider statistical research work performed in the areas of intuitive and subjective probability, to include conditional probabilities such as experience and knowledge; analysis, research, and technical support to define quantitative and qualitative safety risk definition (i.e. personnel injury, equipment damage, and environmental damage) associated with the integration and interoperability of naval weapon systems within the system of system context. Topic (d): ADVANCED PAYLOADS AND AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS FOR UNMANNED VEHICLES Research the application and integration of advanced sensor packages and autonomous decision making payloads onto unmanned vehicles including Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs), Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) and Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs). This research is to develop and demonstrate integrated payloads that increase the military utility of unmanned vehicles while reducing personnel requirements to operate and field these vehicles. Topic (e): ELECTROMAGNETIC RAILGUN LAUNCHER DEVELOPMENT The US Navy is pursuing the development of an electromagnetic launcher (also known as a railgun) for long range naval surface fire support. An electromagnetic launcher consists of two parallel electrical conductors called rails, and a moving element, called the armature. Current is passed down one rail, through the armature, and back up the other rail. The interaction between the magnetic field and the current causes the armature to accelerate. This will create high temperature and strong forces in the breech, rails and armatures. In order to develop the Electromagnetic Railgun Launcher, we are working on developing model and simulation tools, and instrumentation that can survive the extreme environment. These tools will help us understand the multiphysics phenomena (dynamics, thermal, electromagnetic, armature to rail interface, etc.) of the launcher and therefore develop a successful system. Topic (f): EXPEDITIONARY CONCEPTS AND OPERATIONS Develop new technologies in support of Expeditionary Concepts and operations that will be evaluated relative to the projected operational requirements of future maneuver warfare and develop a technology investment strategy in the form of a technology roadmap. Specific tasks will include, but not be limited to: 1. Develop exploratory models to be designed, built and evaluated in conjunction with other appropriate advanced models. 2. Development of new or modification of existing technologies that will contribute to long-range detection and tracking of targets. 3. Increase target location accuracy of targeting systems over existing and planned target acquisition systems 4. Expand performance envelope to include urban environments and operations from vehicles 5. Reduction of system size and weight 6. Long-range acoustic detection of targets 7. Hardware in the loop modeling and simulation 8. Sensor clustering 9. Human Systems Integration and Performance 10. Laser Systems Analysis Topic (g): PULSED AND HIGH POWER ELECTROMAGNETIC TECHNOLOGIES Technologies including electrical energy storage, pulsed power switching, electromagnetic launcher components, compact high-voltage sources, ultra-wideband technology, high power microwave technologies, detectors and sensors, and all associated modeling; and thermally induced material failure mechanisms. Analysis of high heating rate linear and non-linear processes. Additionally, hypersonic technologies to include materials, electronics, test and evaluation assets, and associated modeling and simulation. Topic (h): Investigate using a small microwave system to initiate secondary energetic materials from an artillery fuze. Topic (i): Investigate using a spread spectrum RF system for use in an artillery proximity fuze. Topic (j): Text Data Mining and Network Analysis for the Mitigation of Technology Surprise This effort seeks to develop new methodologies that utilized semi-formatted/unformatted data feeds along with network based information in order to mitigate technology surprise. We are specifically interested in new techniques that combined together text data mining approaches/features and network analysis based approaches/features. In addition we are interested in using these combined techniques to improved data visualization, dimensionality reduction, clustering, or classification results. Topic (k): Inhalational Anthrax and other Diseases in Animals: NSWCDD is interested in analyzing and quantifying host-pathogen interactions in animal models of anthrax. For example, NSWCDD is interested in determining bacterial numbers, germination rates, toxin production, and antibody production in selected tissues and biological fluids of immunized and non-immunized animals following exposure to high and low doses of virulent B. anthracis spores. The targeted exposure route is via inhalation (aerosol, intratracheal, intranasal). Targeted tissue/fluids include BAL, blood, lung homogenates, lymph nodes and other tissues relevant to the infection. Targeted hosts include rabbits and non human primates as well as other relevant species. In addition, NSWCDD is also interested in conducting similar studies using other bacterial agents as well as viral agents. Targeted tissues, sample types and analysis will depend on the agent with the goal of quantifying the disease progression following exposure to high and low doses. Topic (l): Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) Analysis of Biotoxin Samples Perform analysis and quantification of biotoxin samples, specifically aflatoxin, pre- and post-decontamination, using LC-MS and/or Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). In particular, analysis would include identification, quantification of aflatoxin and identification and quantification of decontamination by-products for aflatoxin.Topic (m): Next Generation of Technologists Provide support for developing and maintaining a cadre of active research scientists who can distill and extend results from worldwide research and apply them to Naval problems, to promote hiring and development of new scientists, and to encourage collaboration with universities, private industry, and other Navy and Department of Navy laboratories, in particular the corporate Naval Research Laboratory (NRL). Establish a long-term program to create the next generation of Technologists at Naval R&D centers; generate and sustain the interest and excitement of adolescents in careers in mathematics, physics, engineering and or other sciences, invigorate the science and math curricula, and enhance science and math training for teachers. Topic (n): Development of new technologies in detection, protection, filtration, decontamination, and predictive hazard modeling of chemical warfare agents, toxic industrial chemicals and materials, biological warfare agents, and radiological materials. Topic (o): Experimentation to understand phenomenology of chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear aerosol, droplet or vapor interaction with complex environmental surfaces. All white papers received will be maintained for a period not to exceed three years and will be considered as candidate sources for research projects during that period. Offerors may replace, update, or withdraw white paper submissions at any time. All white papers submitted for topics may be considered for research efforts at the Dahlgren Laboratory. The Dahlgren Laboratory anticipates making multiple awards of grants, cooperative agreements, other transactions, or contracts. When appropriate, research grants will be the preferred award method. All white papers received that indicate interest in a particular research area will be reviewed for potential research projects in that area. Please identify the area in which your research is to be considered. Selection of a source for each separate research project will be based primarily on "best match" of technical merit (offeror's interest, expertise, and capability) and potential for contribution to accomplishment of Navy/DOD missions, as presented in the white papers and considering other relevant information available to the evaluator. Anticipated cost will be considered in the selection, but cost will not be the primary determining factor. The selected source for each project will be requested to submit a detailed proposal. Submission of a white paper or a detailed ! proposal does not assure the offeror of a subsequent award. White papers should be submitted as a MS Word file either (1) as an email attachment to dlgr_nswc_xds13@navy.mil to Grants Officer (N00178-09-Q-3000), NSWCDD (Code CXS13), 17632 Dahlgren Road, Suite 157, Dahlgren, VA 22448-5100. Hard copy submissions (other than the grant certification package) are neither required nor desired. White papers should be formatted as follows: A. Cover Page (one page) - identify offeror by name and address, include point of contact (Office of Sponsored Programs, etc.) with telephone number and email address, include date of submission, indicate that submission is in response to this BAA; B. Overview (one page) - provide overview of offeror's capabilities (physical plant and equipment as well as human resources); C. Costing (one page) - provide representative salary costs (hourly rates) for the following labor categories: distinguished postdoctoral, senior postdoctoral, postdoctoral, professors, and graduate students. In addition, identify and provide all applicable indirect (facility and administration) rates that would be charged on each research project; provide name, address, and point of contact, including telephone number, of applicable government auditor and government Administrative Grants Officer/Administrative Contracting Officer; D. Specific Research Area Information [one page for each research area (listed above) in which you have interest/capability to conduct research projects] - provide specific capability information applicable to the research area to supplement information provided in the overview; identify/discuss specific human resources expertise, specific facilities or equipment relevant to the research area, offeror's prior participation in related research projects, and any other relevant information. DO NOT submit a specific research proposal unless requested. Please identify the topic area applicable to your white paper submission. In addition, all offerors should submit (in hard copy to the address shown above) a completed and signed NSWCDD Grant Certification package that can be accessed at the NSWCDD Home Page (http://www.nswc.navy.mil/supply/grants/grants.htm) Each grant or cooperative agreement that may be awarded to an institution of higher education under this announcement must contain the Military Recruiting on Campus clause in DODGARS 22.520(f), which may be accessed at http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/321006r22p.pdfAny institution that has been identified under the procedures established by the Secretary of Defense to implement P.L. 103-337, section 558, is not eligible to receive a grant or cooperative agreement in Response to this solicitation. Questions regarding this announcement may be submitted to Grants Officer (N00178-09-Q-3000, NSWCDD (Code CXS13), 17632 Dahlgren Road, Suite 157, Dahlgren, VA 22448-5100, to email dlgr_nswc_xds13@navy.mil or to facsimile (540) 653-6810. This announcement will remain open and white papers will be accepted through 30 September 2009. Awards may be made at any time after this notification is published, but only those offerors who have submitted white papers will be considered. This notice constitutes a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for University and Non-Profit Scientific and Engineering Research for Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, and, as such, solicits the participation of all offerors capable of satisfying the Government's needs. This BAA should not be construed as a commitment or authorization to incur costs in anticipation of a grant, cooperative agreement, other transaction, or contract; the Government is not bound to make any awards under this announ! cement.
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