Office of Naval Research, 800 North Quincy St., Arlington, VA 22217-5660

A -- NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC TECHNOLOGY SOL BAA-97-021 DUE 070197 POC Thomas B. Curtin ONR 322OM, (703)696-4119 ONR BAA-97-021 Point of Contact: Thomas B. Curtin, ONR 322OM, 703- 696-4119. National Oceanographic Technology Broad Agency Announcement (BAA #AOSN). Development and application of sensing systems and unmanned underwater vehicles for land margin continental shelf oceanographic and environmental measurements for mine countermeasures and other applications. This capability is to be achieved through the deployment and real-time control of a distributed mobile network of sensors onboard small Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV's) operating in the littoral ocean. The overall goal of this capability is to significantly improve the nowcast mapping of geophysical fields by reducing temporal and spatial aliasing and the forecast skill of ocean variability by feedback adaptive sampling. Feedback is typically through the output of a prognostic ocean model. Essential components of this AUV-based sampling system are cost-effective platforms capable of autonomous energy re-supply, low power and weight oceanographic sensors, precise underwater navigation, reliable subsurface acoustic communication and over-the-horizon radio link for control and data telemetry, and network management software for adaptive reconfiguration to achieve mission objectives most efficiently. The ocean sampling network should be accessible through Internet while operating. This solicitation is targeted primarily at academic institutions. Cooperative submissions with Navy Laboratories and industry are encouraged but not required. Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions, as determined by the Secretary of Education to meet the requirements of 34 CFR Section 608.2 and 10 U.S.C. Paragraph 2323(a)(1)(C), are encouraged to participate. Interested offerors are requested to submit proposals (six copies) to the technical point of contact below by close of business, 01 July 1997. Faxed or electronically mailed proposals will not be accepted. Proposals received after that date will not be considered. If a confirmation ofreceipt of the proposal is desired, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope and a form letter in the submitted package. Proposals are to be formatted as specified on the ONR Home Page (www.onr.navy.mil) under Contracts & Grants, How To Submit a Proposal. Proposal evaluations will be conducted using the following selection criteria: (1) Overall scientific, technical, and socio-economic merits; (2) Potential contributions of the effort to the specific mission and goal as outlined above; (3) The offeror's capabilities, related experience, facilities, techniques or unique combinations of these which are integral factors for achieving the proposal objectives; (4) The qualifications, capabilities and experience of the proposal Principal Investigator(s), team leader(s) or key personnel who are critical in achieving the proposed objectives; (5) Realism of the proposed cost and availability of funds. For awards made as contracts the socio-economic merits of each proposal will be evaluated based on the commitment to provide meaningful subcontracting opportunities for small business, small disadvantaged business, woman-owned small business concerns, historically black colleges and universities, and minority institutions. In addition, contract proposals that exceed $500,000 submitted by all but small business concerns must be accompanied by a Small, Small Disadvantaged and Women-Owned Small Business Subcontracting Plan in accordance with FAR 52.219-9. Selection decisions will be announced on or about 01 August 1997. The period of performance for these efforts will be approximately 20 September 1997 through 31 December 1998. ONR anticipates funding individual awards in the range of $300-$500K. Up to $10 million may be available. This announcement constitutes a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) as contemplated in FAR 6. 102(d) (2). No request for proposal (RFP), solicitation or other announcement of this opportunity will be made. For more information regarding technical issues relating to this BAA questions should be directed to: Dr. Thomas B. Curtin, ONR 322OM, Ballston Tower One, 800 N. Quincy St., Arlington VA 22217-5660, 703-696-4119 (voice), 703-696-3390 (fax), curtint@onr.navy.mil. Questions regarding business issues and legal matters relating to this BAA should be directed to: Office of Naval Research, Attn. Ms. Rebecca Taylor (Code 252), Ballston Tower One, 800 N. Quincy St., Arlington, VA 22217- 5600, 703- 696-2588 (voice), 703-696-0066 (fax), taylorr@onr.navy.mil. (0147)

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