Office of Naval Research, 800 North Quincy Street, Arlington, VA 22217-5660

A -- U.S. NAVY MANUFACTURING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MS&T) ISSUES IN ELECTRO-OPTICS (E-O) POC Point of contact: S. Linder, ONR 36 (703) 696-8482. This notice constitutes a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA # E-0) as contemplated in FAR 6.102(D) (2). An original and seven copies of the proposal should be submitted to the mailing address listed below on or before 06 July 1995 . Proposals received after this date may not be reviewed. Proposers may obtain a copy of the Navy's Manufacturing Science and Technology Electro-optics Plan from the POC listed above which provides further information on the Navy's areas of interest in Electro-optics. The U.S. Navy's Manufacturing Science and Technology Program (MS&T), in conjunction with the Joint Directors of Laboratories (JDL) MS&T Panel is developing a program plan in E-O manufacturing to address both current and future DoD and industry needs. The area of E-O is critical for a broad spectrum of military applications. These include infrared focal plane arrays, flat panel displays, and photonic and fiber optic devices for sensing, signal processing, radars, and communication systems. Additionally, the topic has broad applicability in the commercial sector. E-O will be a key component to the information age, providing for significant advances in the collection, processing, transport, storage, and display of information in both commercial and defense applications of the 21st century. The extended utility of E-O technology is derived from merging the power of microelectronics with the capabilities of optical and optoelectronic components (e.g., lasers, modulators/switches, optoelectronic integrated circuits and displays). Essential defense needs include target acquisition/fire control systems, night vision equipment, missile seekers, guidance and controls, underwater acoustic sensors, electronic warfare signal processors, and communication networks, etc. Needs fall into two categories: (l) generic manufacturing tools and infrastructure applicable to a broad range of E-O systems and components and (2) manufacturing technology needs associated with improved performance or reduced cost of specific E-O components. Examples of E-O technologies requiring manufacturing technology investments are: (l) affordable manufacture of Lasers and Laser Devices such as laser diode pump arrays, (2) producible and affordable Fiber Optic Devices including fiber optic sensors, and (3) increased affordability involvement in and support of ARPA efforts in Infrared Focal Plane Arrays. It is recognized that no single, generic manufacturing science and technology breakthrough will achieve the performance enhancements and cost reductions of E-O components and systems needed in both the military and commercial sectors. Rather, there are several generic manufacturing method and infrastructure enhancements which together contribute to these goals. Included are enhanced methods for fabrication technology for packaging high speed optical detectors and transmitters, automated fabrication of fiber grating and wavelength division multiplex couplers, cost reduction manufacturing technology for high power diode laser arrays and for thermal electric coolers for IR focal plane arrays. The development of robust packaging methodologies is needed as well. The integration of simulation-based design and process planning with Flexible Computer Integrated Manufacturing (FCIM) methodologies needs to be developed for a broad range of E-O system components to permit cost-effective customization of individual units and small- and mixed-lot manufacturing. Such a custom or small-lot manufacturing capability is clearly important to make military E-O systems affordable and, once developed, will be applicable to the production of both high end military and civil sector systems (e.g., for medical purposes) as well. The benefits of this initiative, which will include increased productivity, reduced costs and cycle time, and improve quality, will accrue to industry as well as to the Navy and DoD. Introduction of the technologies, processes, practices, and/or materials developed, matured, and/or demonstrated will strengthen the defense industrial base. Additionally, the transfer of these technologies to the commercial sector will enhance national industrial competitiveness, increase the DoD supplier base and reduce the manufacturing response time during force surge and mobilization. The technical work will be problem driven to reflect the current and future DoD/Navy and industry needs in E-O . Proposals should address the following goals: 1) Enhance the critical defense manufacturing capabilities and the development of integrated defense/commercial industrial base: assure critical defense needs are met, perform ongoing application assessments, coordinate and leverage activities with other federal programs, e.g., defense conversion, Develop advanced manufacturing technologies and their transfer to U.S. industry: improved technologies for both low-and high-volume manufacturing cost reduction, precompetitive development and selected testbed operations, maximum dissemination of technology while preventing loss of military critical information, 3) Identify opportunities in E-O science and technology for public and private investments: focus on key science issues and technology hurdles, report on international programs, 4) Promote opportunities in dual-use applications and defense conversion opportunities: quantify economics and establish cost threshold to open potential markets,identify commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) candidates. Evaluation of the proposals will be conducted using the following criteria: (1) TECHNICAL: (A): Soundness of technical approach including integratability of the proposed technology, adequacy of analysis, test and degree of technology advancement. Understanding the problem including the ability to plan and implement the program and formulate permanent objectives: (B): Efficiency and Methodology for industrial involvement and transition of work results to Industry. Merits of benefits to supporting long term government requirements. (2) MANAGEMENT: Allocation of resources, experience and management including facilities, personnel and the offeror's credibility based on past performance in similar projects. (3) COST: Costs will be evaluated on the basis of cost realism. This pertains to the offeror's ability to project costs which are realistic and reasonable and which indicates whether the offeror understands the nature and scope of the work to be performed. This shall include a strong emphasis on cost sharing and leveraging. At a minimum, cost sharing shall be at least a ratio of one to one, government funds versus other funds. The evaluation criteria are ranked in descending order of importance. No further criteria will be used in the evaluation. The technical and cost information will be evaluated at the same time. Selection for award will be based on technical merit, cost, greatest value and advantage to the Government, and availability of Government funds. Cost sharing contracts are anticipated. It is estimated that the Navy shall have funds only in the amount of $1.4M lasting no more than two years. The offerors should have security clearances up to and including the secret level for contracts contemplated under this announcement. This announcement is an expression of interest only and does not commit the Government to pay any proposal preparation costs for responding to this BAA. Responses should be forwarded at no cost to the Government. The cost of preparing proposals in response to this announcement is not considered an allowable direct charge to any resulting contract or other contract. It is however, an allowable expense to the normal bid and proposal indirect cost as specified in FAR 31.205-18. Only the contracting officer is authorized to award Government contracts pursuant to this BAA. Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions, as determined by the Secretary of Education to meet the requirements of 34 CFR Section 608.2 and 10 U.S.C. Paragraph 2323(a)(1)(C), are encouraged to participate. Questions regarding business issues and legal matters relating to this BAA should be directed to Mark J. Kurzius, Code 252, Office of Naval Research, 800 North Quincy Street, Arlington, VA 22217-5660, (703) 696-2610. All correspondence, proposals and questions on technical matters are to be submitted to the Office of Naval Research, 800 North Quincy Street, Arlington, VA 22217-5660 Attention: Code 361 - Mr. Steven Linder, (703) 696-8482. Copies of the Navy's Manufacturing Science and Technology Electro-optics Plan may be obtained by requesting a copy from the above technical POC or electronically through the BMPNET. This document may be viewed/retrieved via BMPNET, a Navy-sponsored, DOS-based dial-up network, or via Internet. The document is stored in WordPerfect format and in KnowHow format (KnowHow is a DOS-based electronic document delivery application). The WordPerfect document is stored in the Optics SIG on BMPNET, the KnowHow version is in KnowHow under ''Digitized Standards.'' To access BMPNET, you need to first retrieve a free copy of ONLAN comm software. For a detailed fax of step-by-step instructions for accessing BMPNET, call the HelpDesk at (703) 538-7253. To download the KnowHow version from Internet via ftp, connect to BMPNET.CSC.COM, enter user name ''ftp'' and use your Internet address as the password, SET FILE TYPE TO BINARY, then GET the readme file, as well as setup.exe, inst.exe, khsys.exe, and ms&t.exe. Use the setup program to install the files to your pc or network. To download the WordPerfect version of the document from Internet, follow the instructions above, but get only ms&t_wp5.exe, which is a self extracting zip file. (0138)

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