R&D Contracting Directorate, Bldg 7, 2530 C Street, WPAFB, OH 45433-7607

A -- IMPROVED THERMAL CONTROL SURFACE MATERIALS SOL PRDA #98-38-MLK DUE 031998 POC Contact Tony Lomelin, Contract Negotiator, 937-255-5051 E-MAIL: click here to contact the contract negotiator, lomelinaj@wl.wpafb.af.mil. INTRODUCTION: Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL/MLKN) is interested in receiving proposals (technical and cost) on the research effort described below. Proposals in response to this Program Research and Development Announcement (PRDA) shall be received by 19 March 1998, 1500 hours Eastern Time, addressed to Air Force Research Laboratory, Directorate of R&D Contracting, Building 7, Area B, Attn: (Capt. Tony Lomelin, WL/MLKN), 2530 C Street, Wright-Patterson AFB OH 45433-7607. 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. Proposal receipt after the cutoff date and time specified herein shall be treated in accordance with restrictions of FAR 52.215-1(c)(3);copy of this provision may be obtained from the contracting point of contact. There will be no other solicitation issued in regard to this requirement. Offerors should be alert for any PRDA amendments that may be published. Offerors should request a copy of the WL Guide entitled, "PRDA and BAA Guide for Industry" dated November 1992. This guide was specifically designed to assist offerors in understanding the PRDA/BAA proposal process. Copies may be requested from WL/MLKN, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433-7607 telephone (513) 255-5051. The Guide is also available on the internet, address: www.wl.wpafb.af.mil/contract/prdag.htm. B -- REQUIREMENTS: (1) Technical Description: The purpose of this program is to develop innovative new approaches to thermal control surface materials as high payoff alternatives to traditional coating or optical solar reflector systems for current and future space system use. The Contractor shall supply at least five (5) 15/16 inch to 1 inch diameter specimens of each materials concept for initial screening and at least twenty (20) 15/16 inch to 1 inch diameter specimens of each final materials solution for testing by the government in a mid to high earth simulated orbit environment (no atomic oxygen). This testing will be performed by the government utilizing the AFRL/MLBT operated Space Combined Effects Primary Test and Research (SCEPTRE) facility and test results will be provided back to the Contractor. For technical details of the SCEPTRE facility contact the technical contact: Patrick Carlin, AFRL/MLBT, 2941 P. Street, Suite 1, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH 45433-7750, (937) 255-9022.. All other necessary testing (including atomic oxygen) will be provided by the contractor. Potential technologies to be explored include but are not limited to: thin film technologies, polymer film technologies, sol-gel technologies, rugate filter technologies, as well as improved methods of traditional application methods. The materials developed under this program are not limited to coatings, but may include bonded optical solar reflectors, integral optical solar reflectors, film/membrane concepts, integral structural concepts, and other innovative concepts. Thermal control coatings are required to regulate the temperature of spacecraft systems. Problems exist with current state of the art thermal control surface materials (thermal control coatings and optical solar reflectors). Some of these problems include: insufficiently low beginning of life solar absorptance, insufficiently high thermal emittance, poor space stability (UV, electron, proton, vacuum, atomic oxygen), poor durability and handleability, poor adherence to substrates, poor cleanability, insufficient flexibility, too costly, insufficient or uncertain supply, poor reproducibility, difficult application, insufficient conductivity, poor thermal cycling behavior, excessive weight, and EPA regulations and restrictions. Past programs have attempted to address some of these issues with partial success. However, no solutions exist that can address most or all of the issues. Additionally, new requirements for thermal control surface materials must be addressed for new spacecraft concepts. These concepts include: all composite structures, small high thermal density spacecraft, inflatable or membrane structures, and optically switchable thermal control coating systems. (2) Deliverable Items: The following deliverable data items shall be proposed: (a) R&D Status Report, DI-MGMT-80368/T, monthly; (b) Funds and Man-Hour Expenditure Report, DI-FNCL-80331/T monthly; (c) Project Planning Chart, DI-MGMT-80507A/T monthly; (d) Contract Funds Status Report (CFSR), DI-MGMT-81468/T, quarterly; (e) Presentation Material, DI-ADMIN-81373/T, as required; (f) Scientific and Technical Reports, Contractor's Billing Voucher, DI-MISC-80711/T, monthly.; and (g) Scientific and Technical Reports, DI-MISC-80711/T, (Draft and Reproducible Final). (3) Security Requirements: None. This is an unclassified program. (4) Other Special Requirements: International Traffic in Arms Restrictions Apply. C -- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: (1) Anticipated Period of Performance: The total length of the technical effort is estimated to be 30 months. The contractor shall also provide for an additional 4 months for processing/completion of the final report. (2) Expected Award Date: August 1998 with a contract start date of 1 Nov 1998. (3) Government Estimate: The Government funding profile is estimated to be as follows: FY98 -- $10K, FY99 -- $200K, FY00 -- $200K, FY01 -- $90K. 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). Any grants awarded will be cost (no fee). (5) Government Furnished Property: None contemplated. (6) Size Status: For the purpose of this acquisition, the size standard is 500 employees (SIC 8731). (7) Notice to Foreign-Owned Firms: Such firms are asked to immediately notify the Air Force point cited below upon deciding to respond to this announcement. Foreign contractors should be aware that restrictions may apply which could preclude their participation in this acquisition. D-PROPOSAL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS: (1) General Instructions: Offerors should apply the restrictive notice prescribed in the provision at FAR 52.215-1(e), Restriction on Disclosure and Use of Data, to trade secrets or privileged commercial and financial information contained in their proposals. Proposal questions should be directed to one of the points of contact listed elsewhere herein. Offerors should consider instructions contained in the WL PRDA and BAA Guide for Industry referenced in Section A of this announcement. Technical and cost proposals, submitted in separate volumes, are required and must be valid for 180 days, Proposals must reference the above PRDA number. Proposals shall be submitted in an original and five copies. In an effort to move toward paperless contracting, you are encouraged to submit your cost and technical proposals via electronic means via computer disk or CD-ROM. Please note that classified information shall NOT be submitted on disk. If proposals will be submitted by electronic means, submit theoriginal, one paper copy, and three electronic copies. The disks shall be 31/2 inch high density disk or CD ROM. 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: Adequate price competition is anticipated. The accompanying cost proposal/price breakdown shall be furnished with supporting schedules, and shall contain a person-hour breakdown per task. Copies of the above-referenced guide 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. 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. Offerors should refer to the WL Guide referenced in Section A to assist in SOW preparation. Public Law 98-94 applies. Any questions concerning the technical proposal or SOW preparation shall be referred to the Technical Point of Contact cited in this announcement. (4) Page Limitations: The technical proposal shall be limited to 50 pages (12 pitch or larger type), double-spaced, single-sided, 8.5 by 11 inches. If electronic means are used, it shall be readable by Microsoft Word for Windows, version 6.0. The double spacing requirements shall be satisfied by Microsoft Word's double spacing method and the 12 pitch or smaller requirement shall be satisfied by setting the Microsoft Word for Windows type size (point) at 10 or larger. The page limitation includes all information, i.e. indexes, photographs, foldouts, appendices, attachments, etc. Pages in excess of this limitation will not be considered by the government. Cost proposals have no limitations, however, offerors are requested to keep cost proposals to 50 pages as a goal. (5) Preparation Cost: This announcement does not commit the Government to pay for any response preparation cost. The cost of preparing proposals in response to this PRDA 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. E -- BASIS FOR AWARD: The selection of one or more sources for 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 the 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) new and creative solutions; (b) the offeror's understanding of the scope of the technical effort; (c) soundness of offeror's technical approach; (d) the availability of qualified technical personnel and their experience with applicable technologies; (e) the offeror's past experience with applicable spacecraft thermal control coating and / or optical coatings/ thin films technologies; and (f) organization, clarity, and thoroughness of the proposed SOW. Cost and/or price, which includes consideration of proposed budgets and funding profiles, is a substantial factor, but ranks as the second factor. No other evaluation criteria will be used. The technical and cost information will be evaluated at the same time. The Air Force reserves the right to select for award of a contract or grant any, all, part, or none of the proposals received. Award of a grant, in lieu of a contract, to universities and nonprofit institutions will be considered and will be subject to the mutual agreement of the parties. The government reserves the right to award any resulting contract pursuant to the Research and Development Standard Contract format in DFARS 235.70. See Note 26. F-POINTS OF CONTACT: (1) Technical Contact Point: Engineer, Patrick Carlin, AFRL/MLBT, 2941 P. Street, Suite 1, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH 45433-7750, (937) 255-9022. (2) An ombudsman has been appointed to hear concern from offerors or potential offerors during the proposal development phase of this acquisition. The purpose of the Ombudsman is not to diminish the authority of the program director or Contracting Officer, but to communicate Contractor concerns, issues, disagreements, and recommendations to the appropriate government personnel. When requested, the Ombudsman shall maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern. The Ombudsman does not participate in the evaluation of proposals or in the selection decision. Interested parties are invited to contact Mr. Stephen J. Plaisted, ASC/SYI, 1790 10th Street, Rm 102.01 Wright Patterson AFB, OH telephone (937) 255-5535, E-mail stephen.plaisted@ascsy.wpafb.af.mil. All routine communication concerning this acquisition should be directed to Lynne Imhoff, Contracting Officer, telephone (937) 255-5051. (3) Contracting/Cost Point of Contact: Questions related to the contract/cost issues should be directed to the Wright Laboratory, Directorate of Research and Development Contracting, Capt. Tony Lomelin, WL/MLKN, Bldg 7, 2530 C Street, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH 45433-7607, (513) 255-5051. (0021)

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