Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Contract Management Directorate (CMD), 3701 N. Fairfax Dr., Arlington, VA 22203-1714

A -- ADAPTIVE COMPUTING SYSTEMS SOL BAA 99-02 DUE 120498 POC Dr. Jose L. Munoz, DARPA/ITO, FAX:(703)522-7161 WEB: http://www.ito.darpa.mil, http://www.ito.darpa.mil. E-MAIL: baa99-02@darpa.mil, baa99-02@darpa.mil. The Adaptive Computing Systems (ACS) program solicits research to define, develop and accelerate the adoption of a new class of computing and communication system composed of configurable hardware capable of supporting system-level adaptation. The adaptation is driven by the need for optimum performance across rapidly evolving computational, environmental, and fault tolerance constraints. Unlike the microprogramming approaches of a decade ago supporting low-level software manipulation of a fixed hardware architecture, the intent of ACS is to allow software to "reach through" to a reconfigurable hardware layer and directly optimize its underlying hardware architecture. The adaptive computing program supports the notion of "composable systems" by creating the enabling hardware, architecture, languages, compilers, user friendly abstractions, development environments, and runtime environments allowing the hardware/software boundary to be fluidly redefined. A key goal of ACS is to enable the reconfigurationto occur during execution, i.e. in real-time. Research, for example, might result in systems whose hardware architecture could be instantiated "on the fly" during intermediate stages of computation, providing only the essential level of precision for maximum computational/power efficiency. Alternatively, research might identify adaptive system hardware and software architectures providing fault detection, isolation, and recovery supporting fail-soft graceful degradation in systems such as unmanned airborne systems and satellites. In the context of ACS, application domains of interest to Defense include, but are not limited to: automatic target recognition, synthetic aperture radar, signal and image processing, information security, mission planning, adaptive filtering, channel coding, adaptive waveforms, and multimedia data. Research will be considered across a broad range of technologies related to ACS. Of particular interest to this solicitation are the following technical topic areas: 1. Dynamic Reconfiguration: Key to the success of ACS is the ability to reconfigure these devices at runtime. Reconfiguration times must be reduced by orders of magnitude; 2. Dynamic Place-and-Route: ACS components have unique place-and-route requirements. Orders of magnitude improvements in the ability to place-and-route ACS components are required; 3. ACS Input/Output and Data Access: ACS devices are typically used in systems demanding streaming data and/or rapid access to large quantities of data. Innovative approaches to meeting these ACS component requirements are required; 4. Debugging: Innovative approaches to assist in the debugging and fine tuning the performance of this new technology are required. 5. Other ACS areas: Topics are not limited to those listed above, but proposals should be for research that substantially contributes towards the goals stated. PROGRAM SCOPE: Proposed research should investigate innovative approaches and techniques that lead to or enable revolutionary advances in the state-of-the-art. Proposals are not limited to the specific strategies listed above and alternative visions will be considered. However, proposals should be for research that substantially contributes towards the goals stated. Research should result in prototype hardware and/or software demonstrating integrated concepts and approaches. Specifically excluded is research that primarily results in evolutionary improvement to the existing state of practice or focuses on a specific system or solution. Integrated solution sets embodying significant technological advances are strongly encouraged over narrowly defined research endeavors. Proposals may involve other research groups or industrial cooperation and cost sharing. GENERAL INFORMATION: Proposers must submit an original and nine (9) copies of full proposals in time to reach DARPA by 4:00 PM (ET), Friday, December 4, 1998, in order to be considered. Proposers must obtain a pamphlet, BAA 99-02 Proposer Information, which provides further information on the areas of interest, submission, evaluation, funding processes, and full proposal formats. This pamphlet may be obtained by fax, electronic mail, or mail request to the administrative contact address given below, as well as at URL address http://www.ito.darpa.mil/Solicitations.html. Proposals not meeting the format described in the pamphlet may not be reviewed. This Commerce Business Daily notice, in conjunction with the pamphlet BAA 99-02 Proposer Information, constitutes the total BAA. No additional information is available, nor will a formal 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. All responsible sources capable of satisfying the Government's needs may submit a proposal that shall be considered by DARPA. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and Minority Institutions (MI) are encouraged to submit proposals and join others in submitting proposals. However, no portion of this BAA will be set aside for HBCU and MI participation due to the impracticality of reserving discrete or severable areas of this research for exclusive competition among these entities. Evaluation of proposals will be accomplished through a scientific review of each proposal using the following criteria, which are listed in descending order of relative importance: (1) overall scientific and technical merit, (2) potential contribution and relevance to DARPA mission, (3) offeror's capabilities and related experience, (4) plans and capability to accomplish technology transition, and (5) cost realism. All administrative correspondence and questions on this solicitation, including requests for information on how to submit a proposal to this BAA, must be directed to one of the administrative addresses below by 4:00 PM (ET), Friday, November 27, 1998; e-mail or fax is preferred. DARPA intends to use electronic mail and fax for some of the correspondence regarding BAA 99-02. Proposals may not be submittedby fax; any so sent will be disregarded. The administrative addresses for this BAA are: Fax: 703-522-7161 Addressed to: DARPA/ITO, BAA 99-02 Electronic Mail: baa99-02@darpa.mil Electronic File Retrieval: http://www.ito.darpa.mil/Solicitations.html Mail: DARPA/ITO ATTN: BAA 99-02 3701 North Fairfax Drive Arlington, VA 22203-1714 Posted 10/16/98 (W-SN262901). (0289)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0002 19981020\A-0002.SOL)