Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Contracts Management Office (CMO), 3701 N. Fairfax Dr., Arlington VA 22203-1714

A -- BIOLOGICAL DETECTION AND IDENTIFICATION TECHNOLOGIES SOL BAA96-35 DUE 082396 POC Mildred A. Donlon, DARPA/DSO, FAX (703) 696-3999, email BAA96- 35@darpa.mil. BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT (DARPA BAA#96-35): BIOLOGICAL DETECTION AND IDENTIFICATION TECHNOLOGIES. POC is Mildred A. Donlon, Ph.D., FAX: (703) 696-3999, e-mail: BAA96-35@darpa.mil. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting innovative research proposals and pre-proposals in the areas of biological detection and identification technologies. Detection and identification of biological agents will be key components of DARPA's overarching goal to remove the threat of biological weapons as a factor in the planning and conduct of U.S. military operations. The broader DARPA Biological Warfare Defense Program has two other major thrusts: medical informatics and pathogen countermeasures. This BAA applies to the detection thrust. All aspects of the DARPA program are for defensive purposes only. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES AND DESCRIPTION: It is DARPA's intent to emphasize the development of those technologies that will provide an integrated, automated detection capability for use in the battlefield environment as remotely emplaced unattended sensors. Miniaturized (hand-held size) technology is preferred. The detection technology should be near-real time and sensitive to from 1 to 100 pathogenic particles. Proposals and pre-proposals will be considered for detection and identification devices that address innovative technologies to determine (1) the viability and non-viability of biological agents, (2) those detection technologies that can distinguish between pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria or viruses, and (3) those technologies that specifically identify the pathogen. As part of the detection and identification system, significant thought should be given to the problem of environmental air sampling of biological material and any sample handling required prior to the detection/identification event within the proposed device. Proposals or pre-proposals addressing only environmental sampling of biological agents, however, without addressing detection and identification will not be considered for funding under this BAA. PROGRAM SCOPE: Proposals for individual efforts will be awarded for twelve (12) to thirty-six (36) months in length. Technologies which have the highest possibility for producing an integrated, automated biological detection and identification system will be given the highest priority. The formation of teaming arrangements to integrate the diverse technical areas such as sample collection, sample handling, detection and identification, is encouraged, where appropriate. TECHNICAL AND PROGRAMMATIC REQUIREMENTS: Awards totaling $4 million are expected to be made during the second half of the calendar year 1996. Multiple awards are anticipated. PRE-PROPOSAL: Contractors having the technical and management capabilities, facilities, and experience necessary to conduct all or portions of this program are invited to submit a brief pre-proposal describing their technical approach (including supporting data), management concept, participants, relevant experience, and estimated cost and timing of the project. Teaming is encouraged, if appropriate (e.g., industry, universities, and Government laboratories). Submission of a pre-proposal before the proposal is strongly encouraged. DARPA will ask the bidders with the most promising pre-proposals to submit complete Technical and Cost proposals for full evaluation. The initial screening is intended to save bidders the time and expense of developing a detailed proposal that has little chance for award. DARPA intends to respond to pre-proposals within approximately three weeks of receipt with a recommendation to propose or not propose. It is impractical for DARPA to provide a debrief of the pre-proposal. Regardless of the recommendation, the decision to propose is the responsibility of the proposer. All full proposals will be fully reviewed regardless of the disposition of the pre-proposal. All pre-proposals are due no later than 4 PM EDT 23 August 1996. Offerors should submit one original and seven copies of the pre-proposal to: DARPA/DSO, ATTN.: BAA#96-35/Donlon, 3701 N. Fairfax Dr., Arlington, VA 22203-1714. PROPOSAL: The objective of a successful proposal will be a feasibility demonstration of the technology proposed for development. Proposers must describe in detail the technical and scientific basis of the proposed detection and identification technology. All programs must culminate in a significant end-point demonstration of proposed solutions to crucial problems within the period of support. Excluded for the purposes of this solicitation are proposals for paper studies and/or evaluations. Such proposals will be judged to be non-responsive. FORMAT AND INFORMATION: Proposers should obtain the Proposer Information Pamphlet BAA 96-35, Biological Detection and Identification Technologies. This document provides details of the proposal format (margins - 1 inch minimum, double-spacing, font - no smaller than 12 point, and page limits (10 pages for the pre-proposal, 55 pages for the Technical Volume of the proposal, unlimited pages for the Cost Volume of the proposal)). Page limits include the special cover sheet (must be original - no photocopies), cost summary sheet(s), all charts, figures, and appendices. Facsimile transmissions or electronic media transmissions will not be accepted. Separate attachments, such as institutional brochures, reprints, disks, or videotapes will be ignored. Proposals and pre-proposals not meeting this format may not be reviewed. Pre-proposals and proposals will be handled for administrative purposes by a support contractor, Digital Systems Research (DSR). The Proposer Information Pamphlet BAA 96-35 may be obtained by accessing the World Wide Web at URL address - http://dso.sysplan.com/dso/baa/index.htm - and downloading the information for storage and/or printing. Those individuals without access to the Internet or who are unable to obtain the pamphlet in this manner should submit a request in writing via FAX or e-mail to Ms. Jennifer Hansborough (fax: (703) 522-6367, e-mail: jhansborough@snap.org). Within five business days of submission of either the pre-proposal or the full proposal, DARPA will assign a control number that should be used in all further correspondence. This CBD notice itself constitutes the Broad Agency Announcement as contemplated by FAR 6.102(d)(2). A formal RFP or other solicitation regarding this announcement will not be issued. Requests for same will be disregarded. Evaluation and selection of proposal(s) for award will be made to those offerors whose proposals are considered most advantageous to the Government. The Government reserves the right to fund selected tasks from proposals, and to select for award any, all or none of the proposals received in response to this announcement. Proposals identified for funding may result in a contract, grant, cooperative agreement, or ''other transaction'' agreement, depending on the nature of the work proposed, the required degree of interaction among parties, and other factors. All responsible sources capable of satisfying the Government's needs may submit pre-proposals and proposals. No portion of this BAA will be set aside for Historically Black College and University (HBCU) and Minority Institution (MI) participation because of the impracticality of reserving discrete or severable areas of development for exclusive competition among these entities. All proposers are encouraged to team with other offerors when appropriate. EVALUATION CRITERIA: Pre-proposals and full proposals will be evaluated by a peer review panel that may consist of both government and non-government experts. Evaluation of pre-proposals and proposals will be accomplished through a technical review of each proposal using the following criteria, which are listed in descending order of relative importance: (1) scientific and technical merit, including goals and feasibility, (2) quality of demonstration, adequacy of the technical tasks to reach demonstration, and plans and capability to accomplish technology transition and commitment to productization, (3) qualifications of Principal Investigator and other research personnel, record of past performance, adequacy of equipment and facilities, and current state of proposer's arts, and (4) cost realism. Note: cost realism will only be significant in proposals which have significantly under or over estimated the cost to complete their effort. As soon as the proposal evaluation process is completed, the offeror will be notified of selectability or non-selectability. Selectable proposals will be considered for funding, non-selectable proposals will be destroyed. (One copy of non-selectable proposals may be retained for file purposes.) Not all proposals deemed selectable may be funded. Decisions to fund selectable proposals will be based on funds available, scientific and technical merit, contribution to program goals, and overall program balance. Proposals may be considered for funding for a period of up to one year. CLOSING AND SUBMISSION: All full proposals are due no later than 4 PM EDT, 16 October 1996. Offerors should submit one original and seven copies of the proposal to: DARPA/DSO, ATTN. BAA#96-35/Donlon, 3701 N. Fairfax Dr., Arlington, VA 22203-1714. Early submission of pre-proposals and/or full proposals is strongly encouraged. Selections for awards may be made at any time during the evaluation process.Awards made under this BAA are subject to the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 9.5, Organizational Conflict of Interest. All offerors and proposed subcontractors must state in writing, at the time of proposal submission, whether they are supporting any DARPA technical office(s) through an active contract or subcontract. All affirmations must state which office(s) the offeror supports, and identify the prime contract number. All facts relevant to the existence or potential existence of organizational conflicts of interest, as that term is defined in FAR 9.501, must be disclosed. This disclosure shall include a description of the action the Contractor has taken, or proposes to take, to avoid, neutralize or mitigate such conflict. Questions regarding this BAA may be submitted in writing, via fax or e-mail to Mildred A. Donlon, Ph.D., (FAX: (703) 696-3999 or 696-021, e-mail: BAA96-35@darpa.mil). (0194)

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