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

A -- CONTROLLED BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS (CBS) SOL BAA98-07 DUE 020498 POC DR. Alan Rudolph, DARPA/DSO, FAX (703) 696-3999 CONTROLLED BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS (CBS) SOL BAA#98-07, SUBMISSION DEADLINE February 4, 1998; POC: Dr. Alan S. Rudolph, DARPA/DSO; FAX: 703-696-3999; URL: http://www.sainc.com/darpa/cbs/index.htm/. BACKGROUND: The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting proposals in the area of Controlled Biological Systems (CBS). Biological systems have adapted unique sensing and locomotion schemes in order to distribute into environments in search of food and reproduction and to avoid predators. The ability to discriminate specific signals in a complex background in a wide variety of environments and to use these signals to effect distribution into those environments currently exceeds any defense capability. The ability to passively monitor, influence, or control in real time the distribution of individual or populations of biological systems could result in a number of applications of interest to DoD. The success of this effort will require the ability to understand and utilize the sensory signalsemployed by biological systems and employ the neural circuitry and other hardware used for foraging, mate identification, and predator avoidance. Understanding and utilizing signal discrimination methods and sensory fusion in a complex environment and how biological systems navigate in this environment will also be required in order to control or influence distribution. For higher level organisms, the ability to influence the signals through the integration of neurobiology and behavior in training programs such as associative learning could result in the ability to train a biological system to seek out signals of interest to DoD. New methods to monitor signals in the passive distribution of biological systems or in those that have been engineered to respond (through engineered receptors or other neuronal control schemes) to signals of interest will be required to build effective one- and two-way communications with controlled and distributed biological systems. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES / DESCRIPTION: The principalobjective of the program is to control, influence, and monitor distributed biological systems. Applications of interest include controlling the distribution of biological systems for real-time monitoring of individuals or populations of organisms (e.g., swarms, hives, dens, schools) to seek out and collect information in the environment (air, land, or water) about agents of harm including chemical or biological weapons and unexploded ordnance. The program will explore the control of biological systems as first warning systems for these agents that will be predictive for human health risk. Application of controlled biological systems could include mapping agent concentration and distribution in potentially contaminated air, land, and water, and countermeasure delivery or intelligence information gathering in hostile or inaccessible environments. All aspects of the program are for defensive purposes only. Other applications might involve controlling the distribution of pest organisms to improve operational environments for troops. In order to accomplish this objective, the program will seek to monitor and utilize the sensory signals (e.g., chemical, visual, thermal, acoustic, other) employed by biological organisms to forage and reproduce in their environment. We also seek to develop revolutionary methods to interface with individuals or populations of biological systems as they distribute in the environment that will result in the real-time, remote collection of information about the environment. The DARPA Controlled Biological Systems (CBS) Program seeks major technology innovation in new concepts for "plugging into" the signals used by biological organisms and utilizing them for the directed distribution of biological systems and collection of environmental information. These concepts could focus on the development of materials or electronics to effect neuronal control of locomotion and distribution, genetic engineering of biological systems in order to alter the signals used by biological systems to forage or reproduce, and new methods of effecting learned behavior in individuals or distributive populations. Proposals should demonstrate these new concepts and potential for defense applications. Demonstrations should include figures of merit using controlled biological systems such as sensitivity (to agent of interest), time of response, retention of learned behavior, monitoring and navigational control in simple and complex plume structures, fidelity of control, and operational duty cycle of distributed individuals or populations. It is anticipated that the breadth of expertise required to achieve these goals may require the formation of interdisciplinary teams. To assist the process of team formation, an interactive web site has been established at URL: http://www.sainc.com/darpa/cbs/index.htm/ to enable individual researchers and organizations with specific, applicable expertise or capabilities to provide a one- to two-page (non-proprietary) description of their capabilities and interests. This web site will remain active from the date of issuance of this BAA until the proposal deadline. Specific informationcontent, communications, networking and team formation are the sole responsibilities of the participants. DARPA will not participate in these activities other than to provide the web site forum to enable other to initiate communications. PROPOSAL PROCESS/PREPARATION: Interested offerors are encouraged to submit full proposals to be due no later than 1600 ET on February 4, 1998. All responsible sources capable of satisfying the Government's needs may submit a proposal that shall be considered by DARPA. Proposers shall obtain the pamphlet entitled "BAA#98-07 Proposer Information Pamphlet (PIP)" by mailing, faxing, or e-mailing a written request (with name, address, and phone number) to DARPA/DSO, Attn: BAA#98-07/Rudolph, 3701 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia 22203-1714; faxed requests: 703-696-3999, Attn: DARPA/DSO, BAA#98-07/Rudolph, email requests: baa98-07@darpa.mil. The PIP will be sent via first-class mail to each requester. The PIP provides the required cover sheets and forms as well as detailed information on the required proposal format. PROPOSAL EVALUATION: Proposals will be evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria in descending order of importance: (1) scientific and technological merit of the proposed program; (2) offeror's capabilities, past performance, and recent related experience, including personnel, facilities, equipment and data; (3) impact of the successful development on defense systems; and, (4) reasonableness of cost. Additional information on proposal evaluation may be found in the PIP. Early submission of proposals is strongly encouraged. Selections for awards will be made at any time during the evaluation process. Proposals will not be returned, but will be destroyed. Restrictive notices notwithstanding, proposals may be handled, for administrative purposes only, by Strategic Analysis, Inc., a support contractor. This contractor is bound by appropriate non-disclosure requirements. All proposals will be reviewed by Government officials only. Input on technical aspects of the proposals may be solicited by DARPA from non-Government consultants/experts who are bound by appropriate non-disclosure requirements. Non-Government technical consultants will not have access to proposals that are labeled by the offerors as "GOVERNMENT ONLY." BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT: This Commerce Business Daily (CBD) notice, in conjunction with the BAA#98-07 PIP, constitutes a BAA as contemplated by FAR 6.102(d)(2). No additional information is available nor will a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) or other solicitation regarding this announcement be issued. Requests for same will be disregarded. The Government reserves the right to select for award all, some, or none of the proposals received in response to this announcement. Proposals identified for funding may result in a procurement contract, grant, cooperative agreement, or other transaction depending upon the nature of the work proposed, the required degree of interaction between parties, and other factors. The offeror must submit a separate list of all technical data or computer software that will be furnished to the Government with other than unlimited rights (see DFARS Part 227). No portion of the BAA will be set aside for HBCU and MI participation due to the impracticality of reserving a discrete or severable area of research for exclusive competition among those entities. HBCUs and MIs are encouraged to apply and/or teams with other proposers. One (1) original and twelve (12) paper copies of each proposal and one (1) electronic version (using the software package as stated above) shall be sent to DARPA/DSO, ATTN: BAA#98-07/Rudolph, 3701 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1714 by 1600 ET on February 4, 1998. (0339)

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