MODIFICATION
A -- Controllable Contested Environment (CCE)
- Notice Date
- 2/26/2016
- 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/RIK - Rome, 26 Electronic Parkway, Rome, New York, 13441-4514, United States
- ZIP Code
- 13441-4514
- Solicitation Number
- BAA-RIK-2015-0003
- Point of Contact
- Gail E. Marsh, Phone: 315-330-7518
- E-Mail Address
-
Gail.Marsh@us.af.mil
(Gail.Marsh@us.af.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The purpose of this modification is to republish the original announcement, incorporating any previous amendments, pursuant to FAR 35.016(c). This republishing also includes the following changes: (a) Section IV.2: Removed two references to proposals. Directions are now specific to white papers (see Proposal Preparation Instructions for proposal guidance.); (b) Section V, 1 & 3: Removed the second to the last sentence in Sub-Section 1 and reworded the first sentence in Sub-Section 3 to clarify the use of adequate price competition; (c) Section VI.1: Added new URL for BAA Guide to Industry and the Proposal Preparation Instructions; (d) Section VI.5: Revised highlight some of the new or revised contractual provisions; (e) Section VI.6: Add special guidance for proposed grants. 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 BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT (BAA) TITLE: Controllable Contested Environment (CCE) BAA ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Initial announcement BAA NUMBER: BAA RIK-2015-0003 CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA) Number: 12.800 & 12.910 I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION: The Air Force Research Laboratory - Information Directorate (AFRL/RI) is soliciting white papers under this Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for research, design, development, concept testing, evaluation and experimentation with Command, Control, Communications, Computers & Intelligence (C4I)-related information and communications technologies/techniques supporting the implementation and use of a controllable contested environment (CCE). In particular, this effort seeks to assess advanced communication, networking and RF technologies and concepts. AFRL's Stockbridge facility is a 300 acre site that hosts a Controllable Contested Environment (CCE). This environment can be used to create a "real-world RF contested environment" where RF transmissions and receptions can be controlled and measured. Stockbridge also hosts Small Unmanned Aerial System (SUAS) flight operations from two 600 foot runways. This capability enables small payload packages to be flown in support of CCE and related experimentation. Additionally the site hosts microwave and optical line-of sight communication links with reach-back to AFRL/RI in Rome, NY and AFRL/RI's Newport Test Site located in Newport, NY. The characteristics of today's electromagnetic environment, communications and networks may limit our combat effectiveness, especially in contested, degraded, operationally limited (CDO), and anti-access area denial (A2/AD) environments. The Stockbridge Controllable Contested Environment may be used to emulate the battlefield environment in cyberspace by hosting a very diverse set of tactical analog and digital communication systems, wired and wireless sensor and C2 networks. The CCE will have the flexibility and adaptability to create this complex RF and Cyber environment. Together the CCE and the SUAS enable the testing of emerging C4I capabilities on mobile platforms in near real-world environments. This BAA seeks white papers that propose new capabilities that will support the warfighter in an anti-access area denial (A2/AD) and contested spectrum environment. These technologies should focus on information technologies including communications, networking and RF technologies. Enhancement of capabilities of the Stockbridge Controllable Contested Environment (CCE) will be considered of secondary benefit. Potential efforts in this area may include technologies and techniques to control, monitor, configure and analyze the RF and spectrum environment. They may also include assessment, instrumentation and configuration and control of experimental systems. As new warfighter challenges emerge, new tools will be required to improve the usability, adaptability, and functionality of the CCE and SUAS environments. Areas of interest include but are not limited to: Research and Development The battlefield in cyberspace today hosts a very diverse set of tactical analog and digital communications systems, wired and wireless sensor and Command and Control (C2) networks that are costly to maintain and lack the flexibility and adaptability to respond and adjust to changes in the environment. Radio and network cognitive capabilities are needed to autonomously anticipate and understand changes within the environment and be able to reconfigure and operate in the presence of interference or a threat by leveraging cross layer adaptability. The goal is enhanced warfighter mission assurance delivering the right information, at the right time, to the right place. Technology areas include, but are not limited to: Dynamic spectrum adaptation, RF environment adaptation and assessment, cognitive RF and networking techniques, Waveform development experimentation and assessment, communications and networking technologies for disadvantaged, deployed and small UAS environs, spectrum sharing techniques and assessment. Integration The Controllable Contested Environment and Small UAS experimentation capabilities provide an environment for integrating multiple technologies and concepts together in an experimental environment. This capability can facilitate experimentation with and assessment of new C4I capabilities that support the warfighter in an A2/AD environment. Whether the capability augments the existing CCE/SUAS or a warfighter capability, tools must facilitate an open architecture and support plug and play features to enable flexible test and experimentation set-up, execution and tear down. Demonstration, Experimentation and Evaluation The CCE/SUAS capability provides a venue for demonstrating and evaluating emerging C4I capabilities. Demonstration and experimentation must define and develop the scenarios, tools and methodology that will support showcasing and assessing the merits of the capability in a realistic environment (A2/AD, congested, contested, etc). This may require modifying scenarios and the environment as necessary, as well as the instrumentation and data collection tolls and methodologies required. Provide tools to capture and analyze the specified Measures of Performance and Measures of Effectiveness for the defined scenario. Advanced techniques for Data Management and Data Security are also of interest. Successful Offerors will be provided access to the Stockbridge CCE and SUAS areas on a non-interference basis, during normal duty hours. Access may include access to AFRL-Rome Research Site (RRS) Building 3 if required. Access will include space for experiments at Stockbridge in Buildings 1477 & 1480, as well as space in the CCE shelters distributed throughout the site. All space and personnel access requirements will be coordinated on a per effort basis, but in general space in a shelter would be one person, one computer plus 24 vertical inches of 19 inch rack-mount space. Space in building 1477 would be approximately 150-200 sq. ft., including bench and rack space, plus seating for up to 4 persons (for experiments only, no office space is available). II. AWARD INFORMATION: 1. FUNDING: Total funding for this BAA is approximately $9.9M. The anticipated funding to be obligated under this BAA is broken out by fiscal year as follows: FY15 - $1.9M FY16 - $2M FY17 - $2M FY18 - $2M FY19 - $2M Individual awards will not normally exceed 24 months with dollar amounts normally ranging between $100K to $1M per year. There is also the potential to make awards up to any dollar value. The Government reserves the right to select all, part, or none of the proposals received, subject to the availability of funds. All potential Offerors should be aware that due to unanticipated budget fluctuations, funding in any or all areas may change with little or no notice. 2. FORM. 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. 3. BAA TYPE: This is a two-step open broad agency announcement. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation. As STEP ONE - The Government is only soliciting white papers at this time. DO NOT SUBMIT A FORMAL PROPOSAL. 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 regarding the proposal. III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION: All qualified offerors who meet the requirements of this BAA may apply. This BAA is closed to foreign participation at the Prime Contractor level. Foreign Ownership, Control or Influence (FOCI) companies who have mitigated FOCI may inquire as to eligibility by contacting the contracting office focal point, Gail E. Marsh, Contracting Officer, telephone (315) 330-7518 or e-mail Gail.Marsh@us.af.mil for verification prior to submitting a white paper. Please reference BAA RIK-2015-0003. IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION: All responses to this announcement must be addressed to the Technical point of contact (POC) listed in SECTION VII. DO NOT send white papers to the Contracting Officer. 1. SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES: It is recommended that white papers be received by the following dates to maximize the possibility of award: FY15 by 09 Feb 2015 FY16 by 31 Aug 2015 FY17 by 31 Aug 2016 FY18 by 31 Aug 2017 FY19 by 31 Aug 2018 White papers will be accepted until 2 PM Eastern Time on 27 Sept 2019, but it is less likely that funding will be available in each respective fiscal year after the dates cited. This BAA will close on 27 Sept 2019. 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 submission. 2. CONTENT AND FORMAT: Offerors are required to submit 1 copy 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: a. 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); b. Section B: Task Objective; and c. Section C: Technical Summary and Proposed Deliverables. All white papers shall be double spaced with a font no smaller than 12 point. 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-RIK-2015-0003 with their submission. Multiple white papers within the purview of this announcement may be submitted by each offeror. If the offeror wishes to restrict its white papers, they must be marked with the restrictive language stated in FAR 15.609(a) and (b). 3. HANDLING AND MAILING INSTRUCTIONS: a. CLASSIFICATION GUIDANCE. All Proposers should review the NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL SECURITY PROGRAM OPERATING MANUAL, (NISPOM), dated February 2006 Incorporating Change dated 1 March 28, 2013, 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: http://www.dss.mil/. In the event of a possible or actual compromise of classified information in the submission of your white paper or proposal, immediately but no later than 24 hours, bring this to the attention of your cognizant security authority and AFRL Rome Research Site Information Protection Office (IPO): Vincent Guza 315-330-4048 0730-1630 Monday-Friday 315-330-2961 Evenings and Weekends Email: vincent.guza@us.af.mil b. CLASSIFIED SUBMISSIONS. AFRL/RITF will accept classified responses to this BAA when the classification is mandated by classification guidance provided by an Original Classification Authority of the U.S. Government, or when the offeror believes the work, if successful, would merit classification. Security classification guidance in the form of a DD Form 254 (DoD Contract Security Classification Specification) will not be provided at this time since AFRL is soliciting ideas only. Offerors that intend to include classified information or data in their white paper submission or who are unsure about the appropriate classification of their white papers should contact the technical point of contact listed in Section VII for guidance and direction in advance of preparation. c. MAILING INSTRUCTIONS. Mailed responses to this announcement may be sent via U.S. Postal Service, registered mail and addressed to AFRL/RITF, 525 Brooks Road, Rome NY 13441-4505, and reference BAA-RIK-2015-0003. When mailing follow the directions regarding the number of copies required. CLASSIFIED mailings should follow the classified instructions above for proper packaging and mailing methods. UNCLASSIFIED electronic submission to richard.butler.10@us.af.mil will also be accepted. Encrypt or password-protect all proprietary information prior to sending. Offerors are responsible to confirm receipt with the technical POC listed in Section VII. AFRL is not responsible for undelivered documents. If electronic submission is used, only one copy of the documentation is required. Questions can be directed to the technical POC listed in Section VII. 4. OTHER SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS/CONSIDERATIONS: a. COST SHARING OR MATCHING: Cost sharing is not a requirement. b. SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT (SAM). Offerors must be registered in the SAM database to receive a contract award, and remain registered during performance and through final payment of any contract or agreement. Processing time for registration in SAM, which normally takes forty-eight hours, should be taken into consideration when registering. Offerors who are not already registered should consider applying for registration before submitting a proposal. The provision at FAR 52.204-7, System for Award Management (Jul 2013) applies. c. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION AND FIRST-TIER SUBCONTRACT/ SUBRECIPIENT AWARDS: Any contract award resulting from this announcement may contain the clause at FAR 52.204-10 - Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards. Any grant or agreement award resulting from this announcement may contain the award term set forth in 2 CFR, Appendix A to Part 25 which can be viewed at: http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=c55a4687d6faa13b137a26d0eb436edb&rgn=div5&view= text&node=2:1.1.1.41&idno=2#2:1.1.1.4.1.2.1.1 d. ALLOWABLE CHARGES: 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). e. GOVERNMENT APPROVED ACCOUNTING SYSTEM: An offeror must have a government approved accounting system prior to award of a cost-reimbursement contract per limitations set forth in FAR 16.301-3(a) to ensure the system is adequate for determining costs applicable to the contract. The acceptability of an accounting system is determined based upon an audit performed by the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA). IMPORTANT: If you do not have a DCAA approved accounting system access the following link for instructions: https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=1cffad228f48b58057072a6c9113799d&tab= core&_cview=1 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: a. Overall Scientific and Technical Merit -- The soundness of approach for the development and/or enhancement of the proposed technology b. Related Experience - The extent to which the offeror demonstrates relevant technology and domain knowledge c. Openness, Maturity and Assurance of Solution - The extent to which existing capabilities and standards are leveraged and the relative maturity of the proposed technology d. Reasonableness and realism of proposed costs and fees (if any) No further evaluation criteria will be used in selecting white papers/proposals. 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, and 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. 3. ADEQUATE PRICE COMPETITION: The Government may simultaneously evaluate proposals received under this BAA with a common cutoff date for multiple offerors. In this case, the Government may make award based on adequate price competition, and offerors must be aware that there is a possibility of non-selection due to a proposal of similar but higher-priced technical approach as compared to another offeror. VI. STEP TWO INFORMATION - REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL & AWARD: 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. For additional information, a copy of the AFRL "Broad Agency Announcement (BAA): Guide for Industry," Mar 2015, and Proposal Preparation Instructions, Dec 2014, may be accessed at: https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=1cffad228f48b58057072a6c9113799d&tab= core&_cview=1 2. ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS: Depending on the work to be performed, the offeror may require a Secret facility clearance and safeguarding capability; therefore, personnel identified for assignment to a classified effort must be cleared for access to 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. This acquisition may involve data that is subject to export control laws and regulations. Only contractors who are registered and certified with the Defense Logistics Information Service (DLIS) at http://www.dlis.dla.mil/jcp/ and have a legitimate business purpose may participate in this solicitation. For questions, contact DLIS on-line at http://www.dlis.dla.mil/jcp or at the DLA Logistics Information Service, 74 Washington Avenue North, Battle Creek, Michigan 49037-3084, and telephone number 1-800-352-3572. You must submit a copy of your approved DD Form 2345, Militarily Critical Technical Data Agreement, with your white paper/proposal. 3. DATA RIGHTS: a. SBIR RIGHTS. The potential for inclusion of Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or data rights other than unlimited on awards is recognized. In accordance with (IAW) the Small Business Administration (SBA) SBIR Policy Directive, Section 8(b), SBIR data rights clauses are non-negotiable and must not be the subject of negotiations pertaining to an award, or diminished or removed during award administration. Issuance of an award will not be made conditional based on forfeit of data rights. If the SBIR awardee wishes to transfer its SBIR data rights to the Air Force or to a third party, it must do so in writing under a separate agreement. A decision by the awardee to relinquish, transfer, or modify in any way its SBIR data rights must be made without pressure or coercion by the agency or any other party. b. NON-SBIR RIGHTS. Non-SBIR data rights less than unlimited will be evaluated and negotiated on a case-by-case basis. Government Purpose Rights are anticipated for data developed with DoD-reimbursed Independent Research and Development (IR&D) funding. 4. REPORTING: Once a proposal has been selected for award, offerors will be given complete instructions on the submission process for the reports. 5. NOTICE: The following provisions* apply: (a) DFARS 252.239-7017, Notice of Supply Chain Risk (b) DFARS 252.204-7008, Compliance with Safeguarding Covered Defense Information Controls (c) DFARS 252.203-7996, Prohibition on Contracting with Entities that Requirement Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements-Representation * Please note that the current versions or deviations of the related clauses will be included in any resulting contract. 6. GRANT AWARDS ONLY : For efforts proposed as grant awards, offerors must provide an abstract in their proposal (not to exceed one page) that is publically releasable and that describes - in terms the public may understand - the project or program supported by the grant. If the proposal is selected for award, the DoD will publically post the abstract to comply with Section 8123 of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2015 (Pub. L. 113-235). VII. AGENCY CONTACTS: All white paper and proposal submissions and any questions of a technical nature shall be directed to the cognizant technical point of contact as specified below (unless otherwise specified in the technical area): Technical POC: Richard Butler Mailing Address: AFRL/RITF 525 Brooks Road Rome, NY 13441 Telephone: (315) 330-4372 Email: richard.butler.10@us.af.mil Questions of a contractual/business nature shall be directed to the cognizant contracting officer, as specified below (email requests are preferred): Gail Marsh Telephone (315) 330-7518 Email: Gail.Marsh@us.af.mil Emails 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 (Apr 2014) will be incorporated into all contracts awarded under this BAA. The AFRL Ombudsman is as follows: Ms. Barbara Gehrs AFRL/PK 1864 4th Street Building 15, Room 225 Wright-Patterson AFB OH 45433-7130 FAX: (937) 656-7321; Comm: (937) 904-4407 Email: barbara.gehrs@us.af.mil All responsible organizations may submit a white paper which shall be considered.
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