U.S. ARMY SOLDIER SYSTEMS COMMAND, ACQUISITION DIRECTORATE, ATTN AMSSC-AD, NATICK MA 01760-5011

A -- BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT INNOVATIVE AIRDROP DECELERATORS AND CONTAINERS SOL DAAK60-97-R-9620 DUE 043097 POC Contracting Officer FRANK A. SCIPIONE (508) 233-4366 (Site Code DAAK60) The U.S. Army Soldier Systems Command (SSCOM) is interested in receiving proposals in response to this Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for Innovative Airdrop Decelerators and Containers. Proposals in response to this BAA shall be submitted by 30 April 97, 1500 hours Eastern Time, addressed to U.S. Army Soldier Systems Command, Acquisition Directorate, AMSCC-AD, Attn. Mr. Frank Scipione, Kansas Street, Natick, MA 01760. This is an unrestricted solicitation. Small businesses are encouraged to propose on all or any part of this solicitation. Proposals submitted shall be in accordance with this announcement. Proposals submitted after the cutoff date specified herein shall be treated in accordance with FAR Provision 52.215-10. A copy of this provision may be obtained from the contracting officer. Any amendments to this BAA will be published in the CBD with modifications to this announcement. There will be no other solicitations issued in regards to this requirement. The requirements of this BAA are as follows: (1) The 1995 U. S. Air Force New World Vistas study identified Precision Airdrop (PAD) as a capability to improve global mobility. SSCOM is seeking innovative, robust, affordable solutions to the concepts of carrying, releasing, controlling descent speed and profile, and the precise landing of military supplies and equipment from current and future mobility aircraft. PAD is defined to be a family of delivery solutions, all integrated with aircraft core support systems, capable of all altitude release, delivery in/through adverse weather conditions, with circular error probable of not more than 50 meters. If offerors have recent or existing Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) or Independent Research and Development (IRAD) aerial delivery technology or concepts, they may be utilized in this program to define more generalized, robust airdrop capabilities. This BAA is specifically seeking proposals for advanced decelerators and/or containers concepts or related modeling and simulation efforts. (2) Technical Description: The objective of this effort is to study innovative solutions related to advanced decelerators and/or containers that allow precision delivery of cargo weighing up to 20,000 pounds from a range of altitudes (up to 25,000 feet MSL). The end result of this effort should be mature, analyzed, and verified concept(s) capable of entering the exploratory development phase of Research and Development, which may include a demonstration-ready system prototype(s). Emphasis should be on novel technologies to control the descent speed, profile, and/or impact of a payload and/or provide significant improvement in current decelerator/container capabilities (such as increased offset capability). Multiple solutions to cover a range of payload weights and altitudes are being sought (example, CDS size payloads from 25,000-ft MSL). No one solution needs to encompass all payload weights or all altitudes and component technologies are desirable. Solutions should provide reasonable accuracy as definedabove, and amenable to affordable, low maintenance/low cost of ownership systems. Solutions which significantly increase delivery aircraft survivability are highly desirable. Offerors should not be constrained by current airdrop concepts, practices, or methods. The program may consist of three general phases. Phase I may consist of concept(s) analysis of system performance and integration issues. As guidelines for generating realistic concepts, offerors may assume future mobility aircraft will possess core support systems consistent with Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation and reasonable wind profiling capability consistent with either GPS weather sonde or lidar technologies. Phase II, if approved, may consist of identifying and conducting basic research of enabling technologies of the concepts selected in Phase I. Phase III, if approved, may consist of analytical or experimental verification of system integration and performance of the concept(s) to the maturity level necessary to transition to exploratory development. (3) Data Requirements: The following deliverable data items shall be proposed: (a) Monthly Status Reports, monthly; (b) Scientific and Technical Reports, (Draft and Reproducible Final(s)). (4) Other Special Requirements: International Trade in Arms Restrictions Apply. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: (1) Anticipated Period of Performance: The total length of the technical effort is estimated to be 36 months. The contractor shall also provide for an additional 4 months for processing/completion of the final report. (2) Expected Award Date: October 97. (3) Government Estimate: The Government anticipates approximately 1,160,000 dollars in total contract awards. Estimated funding profile by fiscal year (FY): 200,000 dollars in FY98, 460,000 dollars in FY99, 500,000 dollars in FY00. This funding profile is an estimate only and is not a promise for funding as all funding is subject to change due to government discretion and availability. (4) Type of Contract: Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) or Cost (no fee) as appropriate. (5) Government Furnished Property (GFP): Offerors should clearly request in their proposal what, if anything, is desired as GFP for the given project. It is recommended that a section in the technical proposal be set aside to summarize the GFP requirements. PROPOSAL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS: (1) General Instructions: Offerors should apply the restrictive notice prescribed in the provision at FAR 52.215-12, Restriction on Disclosure and Use of Data, to trade secrets or privileged commercial and financial information contained in their proposals. Technical and cost proposals, submitted in separate volumes, are required and must be valid for 180 days. Proposals must reference the above BAA number. Proposals shall be submitted in an original and six copies. All responsible sources may submit a proposal which shall be considered against the criteria set forth herein. Offerors are advised that only contracting officers are legally authorized to contractually bind or otherwise commit the government. (2) Cost Proposal: The accompanying cost proposal/price breakdown shall be supplied on SF1411 separated by phases, together with supporting schedules, and shall contain detailed cost data. This includes materials (raw materials and purchased parts), labor (with engineering, manufacturing and service labor shown separately), hours, hourly rate of pay and total labor cost for each labor category, other direct costs, subcontractor/consultant costs, overhead costs and rates, and profit or fee. Copies of SF1411 may be obtained from the contracting office cited. (3) Technical Proposal: The technical proposal shall include a discussion of the nature and scope of the research and the technical approach. Additional information on prior work in this area, descriptions of available equipment, data and facilities, and resumes of personnel who will be participating in this effort should also be included as attachments to the technical proposal and not included in the page limit. The technical proposal shall include a Statement of Work (SOW) detailing the technical tasks proposed to be accomplished under the proposed effort and suitable for contract incorporation. Informal discussions with the Technical Point of Contract prior to submission of the proposal are encouraged. PL 98-94 applies. (4) Page Limitations: The technical proposal shall be limited to 100 pages or less (12 pitch or larger type), double spaced, single sided, 8.5 X 11 inches. The page limitation includes all information, i.e. indexes, photographs, foldouts, appendices, illustrations, etc. Pages in excess of this limitation will not be considered by the government. Cost proposals have no limitation. (5) Preparation Cost: This announcement does not commit the government to pay for any response preparation cost. The cost of preparing responses to this BAA is not considered an allowable direct charge to any resulting or any other contract; however, it may be an allowable expense to the normal bid and proposal indirect cost as specified in FAR 31.205-18. BASIS FOR AWARD: The selection of one or more sources for contract award will be based on an evaluation of an offeror's response (both technical and cost aspects) to determine the overall merit of the proposal in response to this announcement. The technical aspect, which is ranked as the first order of priority, shall be evaluated based on the following criteria which are of equal importance: (a) innovation of solutions; (b) coherence of solutions; (c) the offeror's understanding of the scope of the technical effort; (d) soundness and totality of the offeror's technical approach; (d) the availability of qualified technical personnel and their experience with applicable technologies; (e) organization, clarity, and thoroughness of the offeror's proposed statement of work; (f) offeror's past experience. Cost, which includes consideration of proposed budgets and funding profiles, is ranked as the second order of priority. No other evaluation criteria shall be used. The technical and cost information will be evaluated at thesame time. SSCOM reserves the right to select for award of a contract or cooperative agreement any, all, part, or none of the proposals received. Award of a cooperative agreement, in lieu of contract, will be considered and will be subject to the mutual agreement of the parties. POINTS OF CONTACT: (1) Technical Point of Contact: Ms. Nancy Harrington, (508) 233-5291, fax (508) 233-5000 or email "nharring@natick-amed02.army.mil." (2) Contracting Point of Contact: Questions related to contract/cost issues should be directed to Mr. Frank Scipione, (508)233-4366, fax (508) 233-5286 or email "fscipion@natick-amend02.army.mil". (0066)

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