Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), Contracts Management Office (CMO), 3701 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1714

A -- MAGNETIC MATERIALS AND DEVICES SOL BAA95-35 DUE 092595 POC Dr. Stuart A. Wolf and Dr. Francis W. Patten, ARPA/DSO, FAX: (703)696- 2201. BACKGROUND: The Advanced Research Projects Agency seeks proposals to exploit/develop for the benefit of advanced military systems recent breakthrough discoveries in Giant Magneto-Resistance (GMR) in magnetic materials and multilayers. It is believed that GMR thin-film multilayers offer a unique opportunity to build non-volatile, magnetic, random access memory (MRAM) with cell density, access time and power dissipation orders of magnitude better than other non-volatile memories. Since these memories are intrinsically radiation hard, they should be extremely important for replacing current technologies in certain strategic military systems. ARPA seeks proposals for enhancing the performance of GMR materials and improving designs for the memory cells and high density circuits. Also, these same GMR effects (and to a lesser extent the very recently discovered magnetoresistive effects in manganese oxides) should enable a large range of magnetic sensors. This program aims to improve these materials for this application, develop these sensors and optimize their performance for military applications. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES AND DESCRIPTION: This program focuses on demonstrating the feasibility of using GMR and other breakthrough discoveries to enable 1) radiation-hard, static, magnetic random access memories with access times comparable to SRAM and densities comparable to DRAM, 2) magnetic sensors targeted at a broad range of applicability from read heads for very high density storage offering to precision motion, linear and angular displacement sensors at a lower cost and, 3) new and novel magnetic devices that offer a significant benefit to any of the areas outlined above. Teaming among industrial, academic and government laboratories is very strongly encouraged with the model program being led by the industrial member to insure that research, development, and product development proceeds effectively. Cost-sharing is also strongly encouraged for the industrial participants and will be a factor in the evaluation process. Individual efforts by industrial, academic or government laboratories will be entertained where proposals present a compelling case for broad applicability to products. The total program is planned to be approximately five years in duration with about $30M of total DoD funding. The work will fund materials, component, and systems development. HOW TO PROPOSE: The proposed submission process is in two stages: First, concept papers are sought from prospective offerors and are due on August 11, 1995. Based on the evaluation of concept papers, selected offerors will be invited to submit full proposals by September 25, 1995. The intent of the request for concept papers is to minimize the labor and costs associated with the production of full, detailed technical and cost proposals. All interested offerors are therefore encouraged to submit concept papers. However, proposals satisfying the terms and conditions cited herein will be reviewed regardless of the disposition (or lack) of concept papers. CONCEPT PAPERS: Five single-sided, hard copies of concept papers of no more than five pages must arrive no later than 1600 EDT, August 11, 1995 to receive consideration. Concept papers should concisely (1) identify the focus of the proposed effort, (2) describe anticipated shortfalls in competing technology, (3) outline the essence of the new ideas, (4) describe the impact of a successful effort if reduced to practice, (5) identify the central science and technology issues, (6) define the major milestones, (7) set forth in tabular form the timing of the major milestones with the estimated funding required by research year, (8) identify key individuals along with their institutions, roles and experience and (9) outline commitment to productization including the character and extent of prospective cost sharing. FULL PROPOSALS: Five single-sided, hard copies of full proposals shall be submitted in two volumes to arrive no later than 1600 EDT September 25, 1995. They will be evaluated according to the following criteria listed in descending order of relative importance: (1) scientific and technical merit of the proposed program, (2) offeror's capabilities, expertise and related experience including personnel, facilities, equipment and data, (3) impact of successful development on the performance of defense systems, (4) plans, capability and commitment to productization including character and extent of cost sharing, (5) reasonableness of the overall cost. PROPOSAL FORMAT: Each volume must be of 8.5 by 11 inches with 1.25 inch margins and a font size no smaller than 12 pitch. The first page of each volume should clearly indicate the title, the prime contractor and subcontractors or partnership members, the principal investigator, phone number, fax number, the period of performance, and the first year cost and total cost of the effort. Volume 1: the technical proposal shall be limited to a maximum of 50 pages including all figures, references, tables, charts and resumes. It shall include a Table of Contents, Executive Summary, a Program Description, a Program Plan, a Statement of Work, a Milestone Chart, a Facilities and Equipment list, a description of Relevant Prior Work, a Management Plan, and Resumes of Key Individuals. Volume 2: the cost proposal shall contain a summary cost breakdown (no longer than six pages) and a detailed cost breakdown (no page limit) and details of offeror cost sharing, if any. The summary breakdown should be to the level of major tasks and should indicate manpower levels of effort, equipment, supplies, travel and miscellaneous expenses for the tasks of the entire program, broken out by phases and time. Non-conforming proposals may be rejected without review. GENERAL INFORMATION: This CBD notice itself constitutes the Broad Agency Announcement as contemplated by FAR 6.102(d)(2). No additional information is available nor will a formal RFP or other solicitation regarding this announcement be issued. The Government reserves the right to select for award all, some or none of the proposals in response to this announcement. No portion of the BAA will be set aside for HBCU and MI participation due to the impracticability of reserving discrete or severable areas of research for exclusive competition amount those entities. HBCU's and MI's are encouraged to team with other proposers. Proposals and concept papers must be submitted to: Dr. Stuart A. Wolf and Dr. Francis Patten, Advanced Research Projects Agency, Defense Sciences Office, 3701 North Fairfax Dr. Arlington VA 22203-1714. ARPA will acknowledge receipt of the submission within approximately seven (7) business days of receipt and assign a control number that should be used in all further correspondence regarding the proposal. Requests for general administrative information should be addressed to MS. Alice Burgess, Strategic Analysis, Inc., Suite 175, 4001 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington VA 22203-1714, Phone-(703) 527-5410, FAX-(703)527-5445. (0160)

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