NCCOSC RDTE Division Code 02214B 53570 Silvergate Avenue Bldg A33 San Diego CA 92152-5113

A -- HYPERSPECTRAL MINE DETECTION. PART 1 OF 2. SOL N66001-95-X-6022 POC Contract Specialist, Ed Brown, (619)553-5725. Contracting Officer, Mark Lopez. Technical Contact, Dr. Vern Smiley (619)553-6128. Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). The Naval Command, Control and Ocean Surveillance Center (NCCOSC), RDT&E Division (NRaD) is seeking proposals (technical and cost) with innovative approaches for a research and development effort primarily to support the Advanced Research Projects Agency's (ARPA) Hyperspectral Mine Detection (HMD) Program. Consideration may be given to proposals to use this same technology for other applications. Uncleared land mines pose a significant challenge to the achievement of key U. S. military and foreign policy objectives. They inhibit the safe movement of soldiers and repatriation of refugees, hinder economic reconstruction and development, and provide a continuing element of chaos in countries striving for political stability. It is one of the characteristics of mines that, although they are very easy to place they are extremely difficult to detect, locate accurately, and remove or destroy. The technology does not yet exist that would allow the standoff detection and/or standoff neutralization of all of the mines in a minefield. Development of technology solutions to this problem would be extremely valuable. Advanced technology offers the promise of enabling more effective assistance to be offered to afflicted areas and thereby reducing the human suffering which now results from uncleared minefields. The objective of the HMD program is to investigate, develop, and demonstrate a hyperspectral infrared technology which will improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and safety of detection of buried mines, including newly buried as well as older buried mines. ARPA and the University of Hawaii have developed an infrared sensor, the Spatially Modulated Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer (SMIFTS), which offers a unique combination of sensitivity, field of view, bandwidth, and spectral resolution for short to mid wavelength infrared (SWIR/MWIR) applications. Extension to the LWIR is being considered. This device has been tested, evaluated and flown on data collection experiments in a helicopter. A new effort is being started to improve the SMIFTS so that it will be small enough for use in operationally realistic scenarios for mine detection operations. Other uses of hyperspectral sensors will also be investigated. Data will be acquired from various platforms including truck beds, towers, and aircraft. This BAA will be coordinated with ARPA and University of Hawaii work. In support of the SMIFTS development, evaluation and data collection efforts, this BAA will address the following areas: 1) Phenomenology Investigation (Analysis and evaluation of infrared mine detection concepts, analysis of data processing requirements, act as test director with responsibility for test procedures, required targets, ground truth, planning and overall integration of tests, signal processing, and post test analysis, 2) Data Analysis (Analysis of image and nonimaging data collected from field tests. The field tests are designed to collect spectral and spatial data from buried mines and/or simulants, 3) Data Processing System Development (Design and development of a processing system for hyperspectral mine detection and optimize performance. Development, implementation, and evaluation of mission-oriented algorithms.), 4) Data Processing and Integration (Data reduction and post test data analysis, including the reduction of sensor data and ground truth data, the comparison of sensor data to available phenomenological models, the implementation and evaluation of mission-oriented algorithms, and the integration of infrared mine detection system concepts), and 5) System Concepts, Evaluation and Development. (Design and coordinate tests and experiments to verify system concepts and participate in laboratory and field tests from ground sites, towers, and airborne platforms. Identify tests and demonstrations which will validate and verify Infrared HMD concepts, configurations, and test beds under operationally and scientifically meaningful scenarios and conditions. Coordinate program activities, and manage program documentation.) It is anticipated that the task areas 1, 2, 4, and 5 start at contract award and continue at least in part for 24 months after award date and should be completed 12 months after contract award. The possibility exists that the effort may continue beyond the two-year period such that tasks 1, 2 4, and 5 could have options for an additional 24 month period. All technical approaches will be considered. Proposals may address one or more of the technical areas indicated. Emphasis will be placed, however, on demonstrated previous experience in each technology area and related programs. Contract award is anticipated at or before the beginning of fiscal year (FY) 1996. Proposed efforts will be evaluated according to the following selection criteria: 1) Offeror's overall demonstrated experience and capabilities, in particular, background and experience with program such as, but not limited to, Multispectral Sensor Program (MSSP), Multispectral Infrared Camera (MUSIC), and Hyperspectral Imager (SMIFTS), 2) Scientific and technical merit of the proposed effort, as it relates to the HMD Program, 3) Potential (risk) of the proposed effort to meet the final objectives, 4) Demonstrated qualifications, capabilities and relevant recent experience of the proposed principal investigator and key technical personnel, 5) Management and facilities, and past performance on similar efforts, and 6) Realism of the proposed costs. The Government anticipates multiple contract awards, however, the availability of funds may be a determining factor as to the actual number of proposals accepted by the Government. The Government desires unlimited data rights with regard to data to be delivered under this procurement. Proprietary concepts/information should be clearly identified up front and marked in the proposal. It is anticipated that the following data deliverables will be required under the resulting contracts: monthly progress reports, quarterly program reviews and reports, applicable test plans, procedures and reports; and interim and final technical reports. Offerors may propose alternative and/or additional deliverables deemed appropriate. The technical volume of the proposal is limited to 25 pages (Eight and one-half by eleven inches), excluding resumes, and management/facilities information. The technical volume should also include a separate section of specific task/subtask statements of the proposed work so that these could be incorporated into a Government contract Statement of Work (SOW). The cost volume should: 1) be a separate document which clearly shows the costs of each proposed task separately; and 2) provide a Standard Form 1411, Contract Pricing Proposal Cover Sheet, supported by adequate breakout of cost elements and rates for the purpose of cost/price analysis. Each task should be separately costed. Cost proposals should be valid for a period of 120 days after the date of submission. An original plus four copies of the technical volume, plus three copies of the cost volume should be submitted to NCCOSC RDT&E Division, Attn: Ed Brown, Code 02213, San Diego, CA 92152-5000. Any other questions may be addressed to Mr. Ed Brown or Mr. Mark Lopez. (0073)

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