HQ, ESC/ENK, 5 Eglin Street, Bldg. 1704, Hanscom AFB, MA 01731-2116

A -- NATIONAL PRODUCT LINE ASSET CENTER POC Mr. Andrew Hodyke, Point of Contact, 617-377-8473, Michael Garrish, Contracting Officer, 617-377-3858, Walter Ronten, Negoitator, 617-377- 8474. BAA 96-01-ENK National Product Line Asset Center (NPLACE). The Electronic Systems Center Software Center is soliciting proposals from not-for-profit organizations, with well established contacts in the area of software, to operate a National Product Line Asset Center (NPLACE). ESC/ENS intends to award a single, cooperative agreement for this program. ESC/ENS estimates that amount of government funding required for this effort at $10,000,000 over a 5 year period. We intend that, at the end of this period, NPLACE shall be self sustaining through user fees. NPLACE will evaluate commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software products under procedures and criteria established by two ESC programs: Portable, Reusable, Integrated Software Modules (PRISM) and Comprehensive Approach to Reusable Software (CARDS). NPLACE will then make the evaluation results available to system developers who desire to use those COTS products. The purpose of the program is to apply a technical model for evaluating software products and to provide prospective consumers (individuals, companies and Government agencies) with informed choices about the available software. This service will be undertaken by a non-profit organization, with no financial interests in the software evaluation results. There will be no fee or profit awarded for this effort. It will aid small businesses and individuals that depend on COTS software products, but have few resources to compare and evaluate these products for their own use, which includes commercializing their products. Evaluation of proposals will be performed using the following criteria, 1) The technical merits of the proposed processes, 2) The potential to broaden the existing technology base, 3) Accessibility and contacts with software providers and users, 4) The qualifications, capabilities, experience, past performance and present accomplishments of the key personnel who are responsible for the project, 5) The proposed infrastructure (experimental, computers, administrative) to accomplish the objectives of the proposal, 6) Budget realism and reasonableness of cost. No further criteria will be used in source selection. Award of a Cooperative Agreement is subject to the availability of federal funds to perform the product evaluations, The ESC Ombudsman for acquisition is Colonel Claude E. Messamore at (617) 377-5106. Interested concerns wishing to receive a proposal package shall notify this office in writing within 15 calendar days of the publication of this synopsis. Request for proposal packages may be submitted by FAX to (617) 377-7033. The proposal package is available on the Hanscom Electronic RFP Bulletin Board (HERBB). HERBB can be accessed via computer and 9600 baud modem by dialing (617) 377-1487. Any questions regarding HERBB should be directed to the RFP Support Organization at (617) 377-5346. Replies to this notice should be submitted not later than 15 days after publication in the CBD. All respondents shall specify if they are considered a large business concern, small business concern, small-disadvantaged business concern, 8(a) concern, Historically Black College or University, or women owned business concerns. Respondents shall also indicate if they are a U.S. or foreign owned entity, and provide verification that they are a not for profit concern. Please provide all information to: HQ ESC/ENS (PRISM), 5 Eglin Street, Building 1704, Hanscom AFB MA, 01731-2116, Attn.: Walter Ronten. (0082)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0003 19960325\A-0003.SOL)