AFMC, Air Force Research Laboratory/IFK, 26 Electronic Parkway, Rome, NY 13441-4514

A -- BAA 98-05-IFKPA ``EXPERT SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING PROGRAM'' SOL A-BAA 98-05-IFKPA POC Jim Wasielewski, Laboratory Program Manager, 315-330-3730; Joetta A. Bernhard, Contracting Officer, 315-330-2308 POC Jim Wasielewski, Laboratory Program Manager, 315-330-3730; Joetta A. Bernhard, Contracting Officer, 315-330-2308. Air Force Research Laboratory Rome is soliciting research proposals under the "Expert Science & Engineering Program" Broad Agency Announcement BAA-98-05-IFKPA. Research areas of interest include innovative approaches, and basic and exploratory research projects in the area of information science and technology. Information science and technology areas of interest include but are not limited to: information fusion; information security and privacy; advanced computing architectures; networking and distributed computing; robust computing; high performance computing; optical computing and networking; distributed databases; defensive information warfare; modeling and simulation; multi-sensor exploitation; and specialized C4I (command, control, communications, computer and intelligence) research projects for Rome. Principal funding for proposals selected from this announcement will begin in FY98. Each award is limited to approximately $300,000 in value with a duration of not more than thirty six (36) months. Total funding for the BAA is $9.9M. Awards of efforts as a result of this BAA will be in the form of contracts, grants, cooperative agreements or other transactions depending upon the nature of the work proposed. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE SOLICITATION. DO NOT SUBMIT A FORMAL PROPOSAL AT THIS TIME. Offerors are required to submit three (3) copies of a two (2) to three (3) page white paper on their proposed research topic to Mr. James E. Wasielewski, AFRL/IFB, 26 Electronic Parkway, Rome 13441-4514, Reference BAA-98-05-IFKPA, and small business only should submit one (1) copy of the cover letter only by First Class Mail, to Janis Norelli, Director of Small Business, AFRL/IFB, 26 Electronic Parkway, Rome NY 13441-4514 Reference BAA 98-05-IFKPA. The white paper should be formatted as follows: Section A: Title, period of performance, cost of effort, and name of company, Section B: TaskObjective, and C: Technical Summary. Offerors must mark their white papers/proposals with the restrictive language stated in FAR 15.509(a). Multiple white papers may be submitted in different areas of technology. The purpose of this white paper is to preclude unwarranted effort of the part of an offeror whose work is not of interest under this BAA. Those white papers found to be consistent with the intent of the BAA and of interest to the Government may be invited to submit a proposal. Complete instructions proposal preparation and submission will be forwarded with any proposal invitation. Such invitation does not assure that the submitting organization will receive an award. Proposals submitted will be evaluated as they are received. Individual proposal evaluations will based on acceptability or non-acceptability without regard to other proposals submitted under the announcement. Evaluation of proposals will be performed using the following criteria which are all of equal importance: (1) The scientific and/or technical merits of the proposal, (2) The innovativeness of the proposed and/or techniques, and (3) The reasonableness and realism of proposed costs and fees, if any. In addition, the Government may consider other factors, such as past and present performance on recent Government contacts and the capacity and capability to perform the requirements of the effort. No further evaluation criteria will be used in selecting proposals. The criteria used to evaluate the proposals will also be used to determine whether the white papers submitted are consistent with the intent of this BAA and of interest to the Government. Options are discouraged and unpriced options will not be considered for award. Respondees are requested to provide their Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Number and reference number BAA-98-05-IFKPA with their submissions. Foreign or foreign-owned offerors are advised that their participation is subject to foreign disclosure review procedures. Foreign and foreign-owned offerors should immediately contact the contracting focal point, for information if they contemplate responding. The cost of preparing proposals in response to this announcement is not an allowable direct charge to any resulting contract, but may be an allowable expense to the normal bid and proposal indirect costs as specified in FAR 31.205-18. An Ombudsman exists for this acquisition. The purpose of the Ombudsman is to receive and resolve significant concerns from interested parties and potential offerors, offerors, and industry representatives, when they prefer not to use established channels of communication during the proposal development phase. Vincent R. Palmiero, Deputy Director of Contracting is the appointed Ombudsman and he may be reached at 315-330-7747. The Ombudsman will communicate significant issues, disagreements, and/or recommendations to the appropriate Government organization or individual. The role of the Ombudsman is not to diminish the authority of the contracting officer or program manager, but to communicate contractor concerns, issues, disagreements, and recommendations to the appropriate Government personnel. When requested, the Ombudsman will maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern. The Ombudsman will not participate in either the evaluation of the proposals or the source selection decision for this acquisition. All responsible organizations may submit a white paper, which shall be considered. This announcement is open and effective until 1 Jan 01. Proposers are warned that only contracting officers are legally authorized to commit the Government. For more information contact Mr. James Wasielewski, Project Manager, at (315)330-3730. To receive a copy of Rome's BAA and PRDA: A Guide for Industry, SEP 96 (Rev), write to ATTN: Lucille Argenzia, AFRL/IFK, 26 Electronic Parkway, Rome NY 13441-4514, or the guide may be accessed on the Internet at the following address: http://www.rl.af.mil/Lab/PK/bp-guide.html. Respondents are asked to provide a FAX number, an e-mail address and their Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) number with their submission and reference BAA 98-05-IFKPA. This BAA is open and effective until: 01 Jan 01. (0022)

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