SOLICITATION NOTICE
A -- ELINT COLLECTION AND PROCESSING
- Notice Date
- 4/22/2009
- Notice Type
- Modification/Amendment
- 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, NY, 13441-4514, UNITED STATES
- ZIP Code
- 13441-4514
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-BAA-07-08-IFKA
- Point of Contact
- Lynn G. White,, Phone: (315) 330-4996
- E-Mail Address
-
whitel@rl.af.mil
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The purpose of this modification is to republish the original announcement, incorporating all previous modifications, pursuant to FAR 35.016(c). This republishing also includes the following changes: (a) NAICS code. No other changes have been made. 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: ELINT COLLECTION AND PROCESSING ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Initial announcement FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: BAA 07-08-IFKA CFDA Number: 12.800 DATES: It is recommended that white papers be received by the following dates to maximize the possibility of award: FY 08 should be submitted by 15 April 2008; FY 09 by 15 April 2009; and FY 10 by 15 April 2010. White papers will be accepted until 2:00 p.m. Eastern time on 30 Sep 2010, 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: The overall technical objectives of this BAA are to use innovative, disruptive technologies to collect and process ELINT signals and their associated SIGINT information. Technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence and enhanced or new digital processing hardware/software, will be used to: (1) Dynamically characterize and correlate databases that use existing multi-source, multi-platform, real-time collection systems; (2) Enhance collection system efficiency to include multi-platform collection optimization and management; and (3) Automate digital signal processing hardware and software analysis to enable a man-on-the-loop concept to address the increased volume of data and increased time criticality of analysis, both necessary to support Effects Based Operations of the future. The scope of this effort concerns several areas and covers a broad range of issues, which include, but are not limited to the following: (1) Target specific characteristics identification/correlation; (2) Automated collection, signal ID sorting and first level processing; (3) Enhanced digital ELINT processing/analysis technology at both the Operational/Tactical and Scientific and Technical Intelligence (S&TI) levels; (4) Software aboard UAV platforms which specifically address SIGINT objectives; (5) Advanced knowledge-based processing; and (6) Network centric collection management. Detailed scope and definition of problems are as follows: (1) Target characteristic identification/correlation: Battlefield management depends heavily on ELINT and Electronic Warfare (EW) assets to provide current threat analysis for successful deployment of war-fighting resources. One area that supports this analysis is target specific operating characterization and equipment/unit correlation which is normally a "brute-force/labor intensive" effort: (2) Automated collection, signal identification (ID) sorting and first level processing. Dense, hard-to-get, advanced modulated, and Low Probability of Intercept (LPI) signals dictate the need for automated, dynamic collection using both on-board / off-board assets. This area should also allow for the improvement in signal sorting and identification, discrimination (‘flagging') of out-of-limits signals, especially threat systems whose measurable values can readily be characterized. Continual high-resolution sampling of Intermediate Frequency Modulation (IFM), pulse sorting, and deinterleaving processes using ‘fingerprinting' techniques should continue to be investigated as a means to support flagging and automated tracking efforts; Signal identification algorithms for next generation target radars. (3) Enhanced digital ELINT processing: Environment complexity, as well as advanced collection hardware technology, demands growth in the digital ELINT processing arena. Efforts should take into consideration current analysis technology available, reduction in processing of routine activity allowing time to be spent on more critical tasks, methods employing horizontal, parallel processing, and how best to insert these solution(s) into existing systems. (4) Software aboard UAV platforms which specifically address SIGINT objectives: Given current levels of activity, operational requirements, hostile environments, and resources being heavily tasked, collection systems will need to coordinate and collaborate automatically with UAV-type SIGINT platforms. Host processing systems will enable net-centric collection and targeting using low power and weight digital receivers and a processing schema that operates modularly, in parallel, and in firmware. (5) Advanced Knowledge-Based Processing Techniques: Timely and accurate decision support to the warfighter require innovative knowledge-base processing for sensor management, emitter ID, flagging, and SIGINT fusion to include but not limited to techniques for automated knowledge acquisition and knowledge modeling, real-time inferencing, and real-time operating system. (6) Network centric collection management: Networked SIGINT sensors extend the sensor virtual collection space, thus significantly enhancing the potential to collect LPI/difficult waveform signals. Therefore, network centric collection management should be investigated to include but not be limited to multi-platform signal correlation and multi-INT sensor cueing. Attention should be paid to fusing the sensor measurements and network data bandwidth to support collection management. Deliverables will be technical reports and, when appropriate, demonstrations. II. AWARD INFORMATION: Total funding for this BAA is approximately $24.5M. The anticipated funding to be obligated under this BAA is broken out by fiscal year as follows: FY 08 - $8.0M; FY 09 - $8.5M; and FY10 - $8.0M. Individual awards will not normally exceed 36 months with dollar amounts ranging between $250,000 and $350,000 per fiscal year. 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 07-08-IFKA. 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 three 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), a fax number, and an e-mail address 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 08 should be submitted before 15 April 2008; FY 09 before 15 April 2009; and FY 10 before 15 April 2010. White papers will be accepted until 2:00 p.m. Eastern time on 30 Sep 2010, 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. OTHER SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: DO NOT send white papers to the Contracting Officer. All responses to this announcement must be addressed to AFRL/RIEC, ATTN: Charles Estrella, Reference BAA 07-08-IFKA, 525 Brooks Road, Rome NY 13441-4505. V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION: 1. CRITERIA: The following criteria, which are listed in descending 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) Overall Scientific and Technical Merit -- 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, (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. ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS: Depending on the work to be performed, the offeror may require a SECRET or TOP SECRET facility clearance and safeguarding capability; therefore, personnel identified for assignment to a classified effort must be cleared for access to SECRET or TOP SECRET information at the time of award. In addition, the offeror may be required to have, or have access to, a certified and Government-approved facility to support work under this BAA. Data subject to export control constraints may be involved and only firms holding certification under the US/Canada Joint Certification Program (JCP) (www.dlis.dla.mil/jcp) are allowed access to such data. 3. 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: Technical POC: Charles Estrella Telephone: (315) 330-7160 Email: Charles.Estrella@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 5315.90, 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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