SPECIAL NOTICE
A -- Robots in Manufacturing Environments Manufacturing Innovation Institute (RIME-MII)
- Notice Date
- 6/19/2016
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Army, Army Contracting Command, ACC - APG (W911NF) RTP, PO BOX 12211, RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, North Carolina, 27709-2211, United States
- ZIP Code
- 27709-2211
- Solicitation Number
- W911NF-16-R-0028
- Point of Contact
- Kevin Bassler,
- E-Mail Address
-
kevin.j.bassler.civ@mail.mil
(kevin.j.bassler.civ@mail.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- NOTICE OF INTENT (NOI) FEDERAL AGENCY NAME: The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manufacturing and Industrial Base Policy (MIBP) via its Defense-wide Manufacturing Science and Technology Program AWARDING AGENCY NAME: U.S. Army Contracting Command- Aberdeen Proving Ground (RTP Division), 800 Park Office Drive, Suite #4229, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 ANNOUNCEMENT TITLE: Robots in Manufacturing Environments Manufacturing Innovation Institute (RIME-MII) ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE : This is a Notice of Intent ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER: W911NF-16-R-0028 1. GENERAL INTENT: The purpose of this Notice is to announce the U.S. Government's intent to seek competition for an eighth Manufacturing Innovation Institute (MII) to be led by the Department of Defense (DoD). The topic of this eighth DoD-led Institute is Robots in Manufacturing Environments (RIME). The motivation for the RIME-MII is to improve U.S. competitiveness in manufacturing through advancements in the smart collaborative robotic field. This technology has the potential to level the manufacturing playing field with competing low labor cost economies, with decreased manufacturing cost, better quality and timely reaction to changes needed by the customer. Smart, collaborative robotics can also enable "batch of one" production, also known as mass customization. The technologies developed in this institute will be primarily focused in making advanced manufacturing more competitive, addressing DoD needs, and contribute to improving prosperity in the United States. The Institute will focus on technology areas such as human robot interaction, adaption, learning, manipulation, autonomy, mobility and perception. These state of the art technology areas cut across defense, space, automotive and general commercial sectors. In the manufacturing sector, advanced robots could operate directly alongside humans to enable better quality and efficiency in processes with less variation in the resultant product. Ancillary to the manufacturing application space, the same technologies can be applied to robots for commercial and defense markets such as robots in medical procedures, aerospace manufacturing, space exploration, material handling, mining and earthmoving, and consumer markets such as home service robots and patient recuperation, especially important for an aging population. 2. BACKGROUND: Of the eight overall Institutes currently established as part of the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI) program, six are led by DoD and two are led by the Department of Energy (DOE). The DoD is leading MIIs focused on the following technology areas: (1) Additive Manufacturing; (2) Lightweight and Modern Metals; (3) Digital Manufacturing and Design; (4) Integrated Photonics; (5) Flexible Hybrid Electronics, (6) Revolutionary Fibers and Textiles. Another DoD institute for Advanced Tissue Biofabrication is under solicitation (W911NF-16-R-0021). The DOE is similarly leading MIIs within the NNMI program, with the first two focused on (1) Power Electronics; and (2) Advanced Composites. Additionally, DOE will soon announce the award of a third Institute entitled Smart Manufacturing: Advanced Sensors, Controls, Platforms and Modeling for Manufacturing. DOE's fourth Institute, Modular Chemical Process Intensification, is currently under solicitation. DOE recently announced their fifth institute topic, Reducing EMbodied-energy And Decreasing E missions (REMADE) in Materials Manufacturing. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), within the Department of Commerce (DOC) is currently running an open-topic competition for one or more MIIs. Each planned or existing MII brings together industry, universities and community colleges, federal agencies, and state organizations to accelerate innovation by investing in industrially-relevant manufacturing technologies with broad applications. MIIs are intended to bridge the gap between research and product development, provide shared assets allowing access to cutting-edge capabilities and equipment, and create an unparalleled environment to educate and train students and workers in advanced manufacturing skills. Each Institute serves as a regional hub of manufacturing excellence with a national impact. MIIs provide the necessary innovation infrastructure to repair fragmented advanced manufacturing ecosystems, enabling the U.S. manufacturing sector to commercialize products. Over the last few decades, there have been numerous advancements in the use of robots in manufacturing, mainly in the automotive and electronics sectors. However, the manufacturing use of robotics has traditionally been restricted to one repetitive task and physically separated from human workers. Technological advancements in robotic research areas such as machine perception/sensing, autonomy, dexterous manipulation, collaborative behaviors with humans, platform mobility, and machine learning allow increased flexibility and collaboration between humans and robots. The RIME-MII will focus on applied research, technology demonstration, technology transition and scale up (MRL 4-7). It will facilitate connections between the US robotics research and development community and the domestic industrial base to enable agile, cost effective production of diverse consumer tailored products, thus strengthening U.S. competitiveness. 3. THIS INSTITUTE: The technical focus area for this Institute is: Robots in Manufacturing Environments Manufacturing Innovation Institute (RIME-MII). The RIME-MII will bring together manufacturing, engineering, computer science, and research organizations from universities, government and industry, local, state, and federal government agencies to address common manufacturing challenges. This collaboration will enable delivery of intelligent, responsive robotic technologies which can be applied to multiple disciplines and requirements, with a primary focus on agile manufacturing. The cost of labor drives low skilled manufacturing jobs to low-wage nations around the world. The insertion of agile, collaborative robotics into U.S. manufacturing has the potential to alter the current paradigm by changing the cost, quality and efficiency equations. The vision of the institute includes robots working collaboratively with humans on the assembly line and in material handling; increasing productivity and precision while freeing humans from low-value added activities. The integration of advanced robotics into multiple manufacturing areas will enhance U.S. competitiveness. The evolution of smart, collaborative robots in the private sector is hampered by the fragmented nature of the current robotic technology base, proprietary intellectual property, and a lack of resources for applied research and development. Different attributes of the desired robotic capabilities are under development in the private sector, but there is limited coordination to bring these attributes together and a lack of common standards. The RIME-MII will create a common collaborative environment to advance and synergize emerging technologies to accelerate the development of agile, collaborative robots for manufacturing as well as bring the different disciplines together. The RIME-MII will provide the facilities and institutional knowledge for prototype integration and development, testing, evaluation, validation, and verification of robotic technologies. The RIME-MII will also synthesize industry concepts and practices to develop standards and support a robotic technology repository, compressing learning curves for robotic manufacturers and users. In order to achieve disruptive change in U.S. manufacturing, advanced manufacturing robotic systems need to be intelligent, perceptive, mobile, adaptable, and have the capability to work side-by-side with humans with minimal restrictions. Specific technology enablers include: (1) collaborative robotics which includes advanced human-machine interfaces to ensure seamless, safe, and intuitive interactions; (2) intelligence and learning to effectively and efficiently repurpose to quickly adapt to multiple levels of tasking; (3) dexterous manipulation for robust and efficient object acquisition and grasping; (4) autonomous platform mobility in a highly contested manufacturing environment; (5) machine perception in order to operate and monitor surroundings for safety and productivity; and, (6) testing/verification/validation to ensure assurance, efficiency, and safety. 4. AWARD INFORMATION: The U.S. Government intends to award and enter into a five to seven year Technology Investment Agreement and provide federal funding of approximately $75-80 million that is to be matched or exceeded by funding from private industry and other non-federal sources (minimum 1:1 cost share). A Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is expected to be released in early August 2016. There will be two Proposers' Days associated with this solicitation, planned for mid-August 2016. Further details on both Proposers Days will be provided in an amendment to this NOI. The Proposers' Days are for informational purposes only, and attendance is not a prerequisite for submitting a proposal. 4. INQUIRIES: All questions may be directed via email using the title "NOI RIME - MII Questions" in the subject line to: Contract ing Officer: Mr. Kevin Bassler Email address: Kevin.j.bassler.civ@mail.mil NOTE: All questions received and answers will be posted on www.manufacturing.gov 5. DISCLAMER: This NOI does not constitute a FOA. A future announcement will be posted that will provide FOA requirements for an assistance award.
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