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

A -- APPLIED AND COMPUTATIONAL MATHEMATICS SOL BAA97-16 DUE 093097 POC Dennis Healy, DARPA/DSO, 703-696-0143 and Anna Tsao, DARPA/DSO, 703-696-2287. APPLIED AND COMPUTATIONAL MATHEMATICS SOL BAA 97-16, PROPOSALS ACCEPTED THROUGH 093097. The DARPA Applied and Computational Mathematics Division of the Defense Sciences Office supports advanced mathematical algorithms research to provide scientific computational capability needed for future DoD systems. This Applied and Computational Mathematics BAA covers two selected research topics: (1) Advanced mathematical modelling and signal processing technology for unified design and optimization of DoD sensor systems and (2) Optimized Portable Application Libraries. TOPIC I. ADVANCED MATHEMATICAL MODELING AND SIGNAL PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY FOR UNIFIED DESIGN AND OPTIMIZATION OF DOD SENSOR SYSTEMS, POC: Dennis Healy, DARPA/DSO, phone: 703-696-0143, email: dhealy@darpa.mil. DARPA is seeking to develop and demonstrate innovative mathematical advances in physics-based modeling and signal processing applied to the end-to-end design and optimization of DoD sensor systems. Recent algorithmic advances in computational modeling capability, adapted waveform analysis, and variational methods, coupled with modern digital hardware technology promise to fundamentally change the design of future DoD sensor processing systems. However, there remain significant research obstacles to designing systems that can significantly exceed current operational capability while maintaining a reasonable development cost. One primary challenge to be faced is the development of strategies for deriving maximum benefit from both physical modeling and data-driven analysis techniques in high fidelity interrogation of the operational environment. A second important issue is to develop a theory for jointly designing deterministic and statistical techniques in a total system context that includes explicit, quantitative performance metrics. Proposers are encouraged to consider fundamental issues such as the basic physics of sensor operation, the design of quantitative performance metrics, and their impact on overall system design. Of particular interest are efforts which combine the following approaches to study one or more specific sensor systems: 1) Physics-based computational modeling of targets, clutter, and sensor function under realistic operating conditions, 2) Design and application of meaningful evaluation metrics for assessing quality and utility of sensor outputs, and 3) Utilization of physical models and evaluation metrics to design innovative mathematical signal processing functions, including front end/data level sensor fusion, feature enhancement and extraction, (feature preserving) compression, and classification. Proposers should identify scenarios in which substantive sensor system performance improvements would be enabled by an approach that combines the above considerations in the joint optimization of the sensors and their associated control and processing systems. The ultimate goal of this effort is to develop and apply innovative mathematical methods for achieving substantial and demonstrable improvements over currently available state-of-the-art capability in DoD sensor/processing systems. Candidate systems of interest include, but are not limited to, imaging radar and sonar including synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and synthetic aperture sonar (SAS), foliage and ground penetrating radar, laser detection and ranging (LADAR), infrared sensors, acoustic sensors, hyperspectral systems and adaptive array systems. Some examples of challenging applications include automatic target recognition/detection/identification (ATR/D/I), imaging in difficult clutter and noise environments such as that produced by landscape features and speckle, forward battlefield awareness, nondestructive evaluation, and unexploded ordinance/mine detection and recognition. Methods developed should have potential to significantly advance both theory and application in the areas proposed. TOPIC II. OPTIMIZED PORTABLE APPLICATION LIBRARIES (OPAL). POC: Anna Tsao, DARPA/DSO, phone: 703-696-2287, email: atsao@darpa.mil. DARPA's Optimized Portable Applications Libraries program is aimed at the development and application of algorithm design methodologies that enable automatic generation of application libraries for broad classes of architectures and DoD signal and image processing applications. Algorithmic innovations or revolutionary uses of adaptive computing technology are particularly encouraged. DARPA is interested in innovative mathematical approaches that allow optimization of important computational kernels at the application, rather than the source code level. Desirable approaches would allow explicit expression and manipulation of application- and architecture-dependent features of algorithms that impact runtime performance. Examples of application-dependent parameters are data layout and transformation requirements. Examples of important architectural parameters include size and organization of memory, numbers of processors, and communication networks. It is anticipated that these methods will require identification of mathematical structure and models at many levels including the target application, machine architecture, algorithm, and data structures. It is also anticipated that new classes of fast computational algorithms will be required to achieve high performance. Approaches should provide models associating key algorithmic parameters to application- and architecture-dependent parameters, thereby allowing library and/or architectural tailoring by setting algorithmic parameters to different values. Different code would in fact be automatically generated and executed for different applications or different platforms. Platforms of interest include high performance uniprocessors, tightly coupled multiprocessor systems, and adaptive computing platforms. Approaches are desired that have the potential to enable automatic generation of high performance application libraries and to jointly optimize algorithm and architecture for adaptive computing applications. The viability of the approach should be demonstrated through application to sensor systems of real interest to the DoD. Topics of particular interest are those pertinent to Topic I above, or which complement the topics and objectives of the Adaptive Computing Program as discussed in BAA 97-06. GENERAL INFORMATION FOR BOTH TOPICS I AND II: Proposers are strongly encouraged to submit brief proposal abstracts in advance of actual proposals and to discuss prospective proposals with the DARPA technical POC in advance of proposal abstracts or full proposals to get an indication of potential DARPA interest. This procedure is intended to minimize unnecessary effort in proposal preparation and review. An original and five copies of the proposal abstract must be delivered to DARPA by 4:00 pm (EDT) Friday, August 29, 1997 in order to be considered. After evaluation of the abstracts, DARPA will provide offerors with an indication of the relevance and acceptability of the technical ideas advanced. Regardless of the feedback, the decision to propose is the responsibility of the proposer. Proposers must submit an original and five copies of the full proposals to DARPA on or before 4:00 pm (EDT), Tuesday, September 30, 1997. Proposers must obtain a pamphlet entitled "BAA 97-16, Applied and Computational Mathematics Proposer Information Pamphlet (PIP)" which provides further information on areas of interest, the submission, evaluation, and funding processes, full proposal formats, and other general information. This pamphlet may be obtained by fax, electronic mail, or mail request to the administrative contact address given below, as well as at the URL address http://dso.sysplan.com/DSO/BAA. Proposals not meeting the format described in the pamphlet may not be reviewed. Proposals shall consist of two volumes, a technical volume and a cost volume. Both volumes should be printed on 8-1/2 by 11 inch pages with 1 inch margins and type not smaller than 12 point. Volume 1, the technical proposal, shall consist of a cover page and sections presenting A) innovative claims for the proposed research, B) deliverables, C) statement of work, D) description of the results, products, transferable technology, and expected technology transfer path, E) conflict of interest disclosure, F) Cost, schedule, and milestones for the proposed research, G) Technical rationale, technical approach and constructive plan for accomplishment of technical goals, H) comparison with other ongoing research indicating advantages and disadvantages of the proposed effort, I) list of key personnel with descriptions of qualifications and sources of major support, J) discussion of proposer's previous accomplishments and work in this or closely related research areas, K) description of the facilities. Volume 1 should also include a bibliography of relevant technical papers and research notes. Volume 2, the cost proposal, should clearly show the costs to the level of proposed major tasks and equipment, and should be supported by adequate breakout of cost elements and rates by month for the purpose of cost/price analysis. Each task should be separately costed. Proposed subcontractor costs should be proposed in a similar detail. Cost Proposals should be valid for a period of six (6) months after the date of submission. Where the effort consists of multiple portions which could reasonably be partitioned for purposes of funding, these should be identified with separate cost estimates for each. Details of any cost sharing should also be included. This Commerce Business Daily notice, in conjunction with the BAA 97-16 Proposer Information Pamphlet, constitutes the total BAA. No additional information is available, nor will a formal RFP or other solicitation regarding this announcement be issued. Requests for the same will be disregarded. All responsible sources capable of satisfying the Government's needs may submit a proposal which shall be considered by DARPA. The Government reserves the right to select for award all, some, or none of the proposals received in response to this announcement. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and Minority Institutions (MI) are encouraged to submit proposals and join others in submitting proposals. However, no portion of this BAA will be set aside for HBCU and MI participation. Evaluation of proposals will be accomplished through a scientific review of each proposal using the following criteria, which are listed in descending order of relative importance: 1) scientific and technical merits of the proposed effort, including the goals and the feasibility of the approach, 2) the level and quality of mathematical innovation, 3) the potential impact on DARPA's mission, 4) qualifications of the principal investigator and other key research personnel, their record of past performance, and the adequacy of current and planned equipment and facilities to accomplish the research objectives, 5) the feasibility of the plan for transitioning results to relevant DoD activities, 6) cost realism. ADMINISTRATIVE ADDRESSES FOR THIS BAA: Fax: 703-522-7161 addressed to: DARPA/DSO, BAA 97-16. Electronic Mail: baa97-16@darpa.mil. Electronic File Retrieval: http://dso.sysplan.com/DSO/BAA. Mail: DARPA/DSO, ATTN: BAA 97-16, 3701 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1714. Administrative Point of Contact: Julie Evans, jevans@snap.org. (0027)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0017 19970129\A-0017.SOL)