SOLICITATION NOTICE
A -- Multi-INt Operations Technologies And Unification Research (MINOTAUR)
- Notice Date
- 3/11/2016
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- 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-AFRL-RIK-2016-0007
- 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
- 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: Multi-INt Operations Technologies And Unification Research (MINOTAUR) BAA ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Initial announcement BAA NUMBER: BAA-AFRL-RIK-2016-0007 CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA) Number: 12.800 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, test, evaluation and experimentation of innovative technologies and techniques for Multi-INt Operations Technologies and Unification Research (MINOTAUR). The objective of the BAA is to incrementally deliver a suite of tools and technologies to enhance Open Architecture Intelligence Information Systems from the sensor through the analyst, chain of command, and out to the operational units. This effort will research, develop, test, and evaluate new methods for integrating multiple intelligence sources and improving the fusion, processing and exploitation of raw source data from the battlefield to actionable mission criteria through assured and adaptable technologies. These tools and technologies will be able to securely share information and integrate new sensors and sources of data. Additionally, this effort is intended to advance baseline performance beyond what is currently operational or fielded. Research efforts under this program are expected to result in next generation tools and technologies, which incrementally deliver a suite of Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities. These capabilities will provide a myriad of decisive advantages such as: 1) Integration/modernization of intelligence based Open Architectures, 2) Integrate new sensors and sources of data into the enterprise in rapid and agile fashion, 3) Develop tools and technologies for fusion, processing and exploitation of raw intelligence, and 4) Speedy access to intelligence products based on mission need. The effectiveness of this research and development will be assessed through testing and evaluation activities. Technology innovations that deliver new or improved operational capabilities are of high interest. Offerors are encouraged to describe the pre-conditions that are necessary for the proposed techniques to work effectively. Work is encouraged in, but not limited to, these focus areas: 1. Integration/modernization of intelligence based Open Architectures. • Securely integrate multiple intelligence sources for the purpose of increasing intelligence analyst's situational and contextual awareness. • Securely consolidate and integrate enterprise workstations and communication systems within both physical and logical architectures. • Modernize existing data, software, communication, and hardware architectures and solutions to meet evolving CONOPS. Integrate these solutions into the Open Architecture adhering to open standards and methods. 2. Integrate new sensors and sources of data into the enterprise in rapid and agile fashion. • Enable integration with sensors and data sources of various formats and protocols into the architecture for further processing and exploitation. • Develop methods for processing data and information from multiple sensor feeds or intelligence types. • Demonstrate, test, and measure improved performance of intelligence data sources. 3. Develop tools and technologies for fusion, processing and exploitation of raw intelligence. • Provide an architecture/framework to easily integrate data consumers into the enterprise. • Use techniques to perform topic modeling of intelligence data and develop methods of associating disparate types of data. • Develop methods for omnidirectional association among intelligence data sources and summarize these associations in order to provide analysts contextual information and assist in streamlining data fusion. • Design and develop processing and exploitation tools into the architecture enabling standard formats, protocols on a platform for growth, agile development and rapid deployments. 4. Speedy access to intelligence products based on mission need. • Develop an improved Graphic User Interface (GUI) that incorporates methods of suggesting highly relevant data sources to assist in analyst search, correlation, and compilation. • Generate recommendations surrounding intelligence sources to aid in identifying situations and information that cannot be found in current data archives available to the intelligence analyst. • Develop information management techniques to enable strategic prioritization of intelligence data, maximizing effectiveness of an analyst when overwhelmed with available information. • Develop automated archiving methods and techniques of intelligence data designed for continuous operations. Include real-time adaptability mechanisms for associating information sources and priority data. II. AWARD INFORMATION: 1. FUNDING: Total anticipated funding for this BAA is approximately $24.9M. The anticipated funding to be obligated under this BAA is broken out by fiscal year as follows: FY16 - $4.6M FY17 - $4.7M FY18 - $5.0M FY19 - $5.2M FY20 - $5.4M Individual awards will not normally exceed 36 months with dollar amounts normally ranging between $1M to $3M. 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, cooperative agreements or other transactions 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 AFRL-RIK-2016-0007. IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION: All responses to this announcement must be addressed to the Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) 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: FY16 by 29 Apr 2016 FY17 by 30 Sep 2016 FY18 by 02 Oct 2017 FY19 by 01 Oct 2018 FY20 by 01 Oct 2019 White papers will be accepted until 2 PM Eastern Time on 30 Sep 2020, but it is less likely that funding will be available in each respective fiscal year after the dates cited. This BAA will close on 30 Sep 2020. All offerors submitting white papers will be contacted by the TPOC, referenced in Section VII of this announcement. Offerors can email the TPOC for status of their white paper/proposal no earlier than 45 days after submission. 2. CONTENT AND FORMAT: 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: 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/proposals 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) code, their Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, a fax number, an e-mail address, and reference BAA AFRL-RIK-2016-0007 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/proposals, 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 28, 2006 and incorporating Change 1 dated 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 DO NOT contact the above Information Protection Officer unless you have a possible compromise of classified information. All other inquiries should go to the TPOC. b. CLASSIFIED SUBMISSIONS. AFRL/RIEB 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 TPOC listed in Section VII for guidance and direction in advance of preparation. c. MAILING INSTRUCTIONS. All mailed responses, unclassified/classified, to this announcement must be sent U.S. Postal Service, registered mail and addressed to AFRL/RIEM, 525 Brooks Road, Rome NY 13441-4505, and reference BAA AFRL-RIK-2016-0007. When mailing follow the directions regarding the number of copies required. Classified electronic submissions are NOT authorized. Questions can be directed to the cognizant TPOC listed in Section VII. Unclassified electronic submissions to (Capt Patrick E. Kellerman, patrick.kellerman.1@us.af.mil ) will be accepted. Encrypt or password-protect all proprietary information prior to sending. Offerors are responsible to confirm receipt with the TPOC 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 TPOC 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 importance and 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, with proven, incremental, or novel techniques, 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, and 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 TPOC. 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 or TOP SECRET facility clearance and safeguarding capability; additionally, 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 at a TOP SECRET/SCI/SAR level. 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 TPOC as specified below (unless otherwise specified in the technical area): Capt Patrick Kellerman 525 Brooks Rd. Rome, NY 13441 Telephone: (315) 330-4030 Email: Patrick.kellerman.1@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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