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

A -- ADVANCED RADAR TECHNOLOGY SURVEILLANCE, RADAR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT SOL BAA 98-08-IFKPA POC Alfred F. Marriott, Program Manager, 315-330-1577;Joetta A. Bernhard, Contracting Officer, 315-330-2308 AFRL Rome Research Site is soliciting white papers for innovative approaches in the area of advanced radar technology that will overcome deficiencies in existing and planned radar systems to detect, track, and identify aircraft, missiles, spacecraft, space debris, ground vehicles, water vessels(fast and slow), subsurface complexes and Nuclear Biological Chemical (NBC) operations operating in clutter and countermeasure environments. The survivability of new and existing systems must also be improved without the use of decoys. Upgrades to existing ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) Platforms and demonstrations to support transition to the next level of technology development, and evolutions to new sensors and concepts (Unmanned Air Vehicles, Space Based Platforms, etc.) need to be addressed. Sensor concepts should include multiple configurations with characteristics supporting diverse mission requirements including Airborne Moving Target Indicator (AMTI), Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), and Multiband SAR/Tomographic Imaging features. These concepts include both Monostatic and Bistatic solutions. Lookdown Bistatic concepts should include bistatic receivers using radiators of opportunity (TV, FM etc.) with large wideband receive antennas. Areas of interest include new and innovative advances in system architectures, hardware, software and/or signal processing algorithm improvements, survivability, dual use, positional estimation improvements, unique concepts in radar system design, Multi-Basing Look Down Surveillance (Air and Space), Augmentation of Reconnaissance Capabilities (Development of new surveillance capabilities in Reconnaissance sensors), Ground Penetrating Radar, Bistatic Radar (Non-cooperative emitter stand alone sensors and Cooperative augmentation of existing ISR Platforms through UAVs) and theater missile defense. Addditional technology areas include the measurement, test, analysis and modeling efforts that are required to support the development of advanced radar systems. The primary emphasis is to identify and demonstrate promising technologies for both monostatic and bistatic radar sensors in Space Time Adaptive Processing, Adaptive and Knowledge Based (KB), Multi-Channel Signal Processing Techniques, Innovative and Wideband Processing Techniques, Multi-Dimensional Processing Techniques and technologies that may significantly improve the performance of advanced radar systems. Improved radar system performance developments in spread doppler clutter environment for a theater application. In some cases, AFRL Rome may be able to provide further information. Contact the technical POC. The successful application of these approaches will require a broad spectrum of expertise, covering hardware, software, and systems technology. For example, if multistatic radars operating in concert with advanced Electronic Support Measures (ESM) receivers are to be integrated into existing and planned systems, it will be necessary to develop advanced sensor fusion techniques that utilize data from these multiple Offboard Augmented Theater Surveillance (OBATS) sources to increase target detection, tracking and handoff. Likewise, increases in system sensitivity and positional estimates in existing systems will be required when applying mainbeam nulling and adaptive techniques. The use of new, high throughput processing schemes may be necessary to provide timely response when using these new techniques and models. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ENTIRE SOLICITATION. DO NOT SUBMIT A FORMAL PROPOSAL AT THIS TIME. Offerors are required to submit five (5) copies of a three (3) to four (4) page white paper with a cover letter indicating whether the offeror is a large, small, woman-owned, small business, Historically Black College or University, or Minority Institution. The white paper will be formatted as follows: Section A: Title, Period of Performance, Cost of Task, Name of Company; Section B: Task Objective; Section C: Technical Summary. Offerors must mark their white papers/proposals with the restrictive language stated in FAR 15.609. All responses to this announcement must be addressed to ATTN: Alfred F. Marriott. Reference BAA-98-08-IFKPA, AFRL/SNRD, 26 Electronic Pky, Rome, NY 13441-4514. Also, small business only should send one (1) copy of the cover letter only (1st Class Mail, Unclassified Only) to ATTN: Ms Janis Norelli, Director of Small Business, AFRL/IFB, 26 Electronic Pky, Rome, NY 13441-4514. Multiple white papers may be submitted in different areas of technology. White papers will be accepted until 30 September 2001. The purpose of the white paper is to preclude unwarranted effort on the part of an offeror whose proposed work is not of interest under this BAA. Those white papers found to be consistent with the intent of this BAA may be invited to submit a technical and cost proposal. Such invitation does not assure that the submitting organization will be awarded a subsequent award. Proposals submitted may be evaluated as they are received. Individual proposal evaluations will be 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: a) The overall scientific and/or technical merits of the proposal, b) The innovativeness of the proposed approach and /or techniques, and c) The reasonableness and realism of proposed costs and fees. In addition, the Government will consider other factors, such as past and present performance on recent Government contracts and the capacity and capability to perform the requirements of the effort. The criteria used to evaluate proposals will also be used to determine whether white papers submitted are consistent with the intent of this BAA and of interest to the Government. Only a and b above will apply to white papers. Options are discouraged and unpriced options will not be considered for award. Principal funding of this BAA and the anticipated award of contracts will start in FY 98. Individual awards will not normally exceed 36 months with dollar amounts ranging between $100,000 to $1M per year. Total funding for this BAA is approximately $15M. 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. Complete instructions for proposal preparation will be forwarded with the invitation for proposal submissions. All responsible firms may submit a white paper which shall be considered. Responders are requested to provide their Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) number with their submission as well as a fax number, and an e-mail address. Foreign or foreign-owned offerors are advised that their participation is subject to foreign disclosure review procedures. Foreign or foreign-owned offerors should immediately contact the contracting focal point, Joetta A. Bernhard, for information if they contemplate responding. Export-controlled technical data may be involved, only firms on the Certified Contractor Access List (CCAL) will be allowed to access such data. For further information on CCAL, contact the Defense Logistic Service Center at 1-800-352-3572. Selected offerors may be required to review classified material up to the Secret level, therefore personnel identified for assignment to the proposed effort must be cleared for, or access to Secret information. The cost of preparing proposals in response this announcement is not considered an allowable direct charge to any resulting contract or any other contract. An ombudsman has been appointed to hear significant concerns from offerors or potential offerors during the proposal development phase of this acquisition. Routine questions are not considered to be "significant concerns" and should be communicated directly to the contracting officer, Joetta A. Bernhard, 315-330-2308. The purpose 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. The Ombudsman for this acquisition is Vincent Palmiero, Deputy Chief, Contracting Division, at 315-330-7747. When requested, the ombudsman will maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern. The ombudsman does not participate in the evaluation of proposals or in the selection process. It is recommended that white papers be received by the following dates to maximize the possibility of award: FY-98-30Jul98; FY-99-30Jul99; FY-00-30Jul00; FY-01-30Jul01. White papers will be accepted at any time, but it is less likely that funding will be available in each Fiscal Year after the dates cited. This BAA is open and effective until 30 Sep 01. To receive a copy of the Rome "BAA & PRDA: A Guide for Industry," Sep 1996 (Rev), write to AFRL/IFK, ATTN: Lucille Argenzia, 26 Electronic Pky, Rome, NY 13441-4514, or FAX her at 315-330-4728; the Guide may also be accessed at: http://www.rl.af.mil/div/IFK/baa/. All responsible organizations may submit a white paper which shall be considered. Proposers are warned that only Contracting Officers are legally authorized to commit the Government. (0107)

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