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

A -- PHYSICAL OPTICS SOL BAA95-32 DUE 120195 POC Dr. L. N. Durvasula, ARPA/DSO, FAX: (703)696-2201. The Defense Sciences Office (DSO) of the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) is soliciting innovative proposals to develop and demonstrate enabling technology for conformal and off-axis optical systems for use in the next generation of missile seekers, multi-spectral target acquisition and tracking systems, and insertions in current platforms. These systems may use complex aspheres, toroids, diffractive optics and gradient-index optics to provide wide field-of-view distortion free imaging with size and weight much reduced over current systems. DSO interest includes technology for automated design, low cost manufacture and flexible automated assembly of the optical elements from window to focal plane in missile seekers and target acquisition and tracking systems. Successful efforts shall demonstrate the performance improvements in prototype systems in realistic operational environments. Interested organizations should submit ''expressions of interest'' in the form of a short (one or two page) letter with NONPROPRIETARY information prior to COB Friday, 14 July 1995 including: 1) a short summary of the organization's relevant technical experience, and 2) business and technical points of contact, including phone/fax numbers and e-mail address. An information package giving details of ARPA objectives and guidelines for preparation of proposals will be sent to all respondents. A subsequent two-stage solicitation process is anticipated (pre-proposals and full proposals). In order to insure that all technically relevant aspects of the program are fully addressed, teaming of companies and academic institutions with complementary areas of expertise will be encouraged. To facilitate teaming, copies of all 'expressions of interest' letters received prior to COB Friday, 14 July 1995 will be included in the information package to all respondents, unless ARPA is specifically requested in a respondent's letter of interest to be excluded. This teaming is encouraged to stimulate fully conherent proposals capable of meeting all program objectives. The closing date for receipt of pre-proposal white papers, limited to fifteen pages, describing the technical approach and an estimate of the cost, is COB Friday, 15 September 1995. Bidders having the most promising pre-proposals will be encouraged to submit complete technical and cost proposals (full proposals) for evaluation. The deadline for receipt of full technical and cost proposals will be COB Friday, 1 December 1995. This initial screening process is intended to save bidders the time and expense of preparing detailed proposals that have little chance of award. However, all proposals received by the appropriate due date will be fully evaluated. ARPA has identified $36 million for a five year (FY96-FY00) effort. The Government reserves the right to select all, some, or none of the proposals received in response to this announcement. All bidders are required to submit one original and six copies of their proposal. The proposal should be submitted in two volumes: 1) Technical and Management and 2) Cost. Volume 1 - Technical and Management: The title page should include the following information of the principal investigators: names, telephone and fax numbers and e-mail addresses. Page two and three should be an executive summary. The remaining proposal, not to exceed fifty pages, should be divided into two sections. Section I should be the technical proposal which describe the requirements, technical approach and the uniqueness of the design and the construction, the statement of work and performance milestones giving details on risk reduction and Go/No-Go decision points. Section II should be a summary of offerors capabilities, relevant prior work, organizational structure, management plan and resumes of key individuals. Volume II - Cost: The cost proposal shall contain a complete cost breakdown per task. All proprietary materials should be clearly marked and will be held in strict confidence. Separate attachments, such as institutional brochures, reprints, disks, or videotapes, will render the entire proposal ineligible. Facsimile transmissions or electronic media transmissions will not be accepted. Within approximately seven business days of receipt, ARPA will acknowledge receipt of the submission and assign a control number that should be used in all further correspondence regarding the proposal. Proposal evaluation (full technical and cost proposals) will be based on: (1) overall scientific and technical merit, (2) offerors capabilities, related experience, facilities or unique combinations of these which are integral factors for achieving the proposed objectives, and (3) schedule, cost and the extent of cost sharing. Criteria 1 has the most significance in the evaluation. Criteria 2 and 3 are approximately equal and individually are approximately half the weight of criteria 1. This CBD notice itself constitutes the Broad Agency Announcement as contemplated by FAR 6.102(d)(2). No portion of this BAA will be set aside for HBCU and MI participation due to the impractibility of reserving discrete or severable tasks relating to this program, however HBCUs and MIs are encouraged to apply. In cases where evaluation of proposals is substantially equal, preference for award will be given to those proposals which include HBCU's and MI's as participants over those which do not include HBCU's and MI's. No additional information will be made available, nor will a formal RFP or other solicitation regarding this announcement be issued. All letters of ''expression of interest'' must be submitted by mail or fax and addressed to: Dr. L. N. Durvasula, ARPA/DSO, ARPA BAA 95-32, 3701 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1714, Fax: (703)696-2201. e-mail: ldurvasula@arpa.mil. Telephone inquiries are strongly discouraged, written inquiries may be sent by mail or fax or e-mail to the technical contact given above. (0165)

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