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

A -- ACTIVE TEMPLATES SOL BAA 99-28 DUE 093099 POC Technical: Major Douglas Dyer, DARPA/ISO, FAX: (703) 696-2201, URL: http://www.darpa.mil (search under solicitation), E-mail: baa99-28@darpa.mil WEB: http://www.darpa.mil, http://www.darpa.mil. E-MAIL: baa99-28@darpa.mil, baa99-28@darpa.mil. BAA 99-28 OPEN THROUGH 14 JUNE 2000 WITH FIRST-ROUND SUBMISSIONS DUE 30 SEPTEMBER 1999. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Information Systems Office is soliciting proposals for a revolutionary new software technology to assist in the automation of time-critical planning and execution for military operations as exemplified by missions conducted by special operations forces (SOF). Short-notice military operations require commanders to manually identify/track/satisfy mission constraints, plan complicated deployment and employment options, coordinate forces, and continually revise the plan throughout the operation to handle new contingencies. Because they lack computer support, staff experts currently spend most of their time searching for, manipulating, and sharing information, rather than making hard decisions. Lack of speed in our command and control apparatus has far ranging effects from reducing mission rehearsal time to yielding complex, failure-prone mission plans that significantly hinder our ability to respond to a crisis. During mission execution, situational changes may result in failure even when feasible options exist but could not be identified, developed and coordinated manually in the time available. While DARPA and the service labs have had considerable success in building prototype automated mission planning systems, these systems lack the flexibility and simplicity required for widespread adoption. The potential of automation is still largely untapped, yet the potential is growing exponentially as networks, information technology, and processing power improve according to Moore's Law. To take advantage of this technology, we need a new software approach. PROGRAM SCOPE: The goal of the Active Templates program is to develop a scalable, simple, distributed software infrastructure for mission planning and execution by integrating symbolic problem solvers and external data sources with simple but expansive visual interfaces. We envision a kind of "spreadsheet" for planning, information monitoring, and execution replanning, however, funded research will focus human-in-the-loop problem solving, rather than fancy graphical user interfaces or detailed visualizations. Like a spreadsheet, Active Templates will have a zero entry cost and enable incremental addition of automated functions. Even without automation this spreadsheet-like interface will provide a uniform, visual method of managing missions and capturing decisions in the relevant problem-solving context. Unlike current automated planning prototypes, Active Templates will seek to improve plans incrementally rather than solve whole problems completely. Active templates will make use of default plans, exploiting available information to adapt these standard operating procedures to the current situation (similar to case-based reasoning). By parameterizing complex problem solving algorithms and defining simple ways to represent relevant concepts, we will enable users to tailor Active Templates themselves, greatly enhancing the scalability and acceptance of the technology. Constraints and problem solving methods attached to slots in Active Templates will result in a living causal model. When attached to real-time data feeds and integrated with other Active Templates, the result will be a distributed control system that can be tailored to meet mission needs. Active Templates will result in an innovative integrated mission management technology to enhance military planning and execution by reducing planning time, speeding recovery of problems encountered during execution, and increasing quality of operational control for battlefield commanders. Specifically, the program will research technology for automatically retaining generic plan templates, tailoring them using heuristics, situational constraints, and human guidance; and merging them to generate high quality, tightly coordinated mission plans. In addition, these Active Templates will be embedded in an integrated mission management system that automatically compiles site/situational information, captures the decision thought process, posts constraints as a result of planning decisions, monitors enemy and friendly forces and logistics, generates particular views of this information automatically, and indicates any requirement for additional decision making. Proposed research should investigate innovative approaches and techniques that lead to or enable revolutionary advances in the state-of-the-art. Research should result in prototype software demonstrating integrated concepts and approaches or technology components that are directly applicable and designed as plug-ins. TECHNICAL TOPIC AREAS: There is only one topic area (1) Active Templates. This area encompasses template representation, indexing and retrieval as well as the template problem-solving software infrastructure and data source integration hooks for templates, but the research seems to be dominated by problem-solving methods and the constraint-based causal model that make the templates active. A wide variety of problem solvingmethods are potentially useful. Problem-solving algorithms such as inference, heuristically triggered procedures, and constraint propagation appear to have immediate application, while other methods such as machine learning clustering algorithms may not be relevant in the short term. A phased approach is, we believe, appropriate. Building the causal model that supports Active Templates is a challenging endeavor; we are interested in gaining computational experience in simplifying this process and evaluating the utility of a partial, but improving causal model. For both problem-solvers and the causal model, researchers will be expected to identify and conduct rigorous experiments so that we can make strong assertions about the technology rather than rely on intuition and user preferences. To address this research area in a holistic fashion, individual researchers are encouraged to form integrated, multi-disciplinary teams prior to proposal preparation to exploit specialized talents while covering the necessary topic scope. Individual researchers who do not form teams prior to proposal submission should be prepared to participate as part of a multi-disciplinary team developed with DARPA guidance after proposal awards. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION: Proposers MUST obtain the BAA 99-28 Proposer Information Package (PIP) which includes further information on the areas of interest: technical overview, program schedule, expected deliverables, preparation and formats of abstracts and full proposals, and proposal evaluation criteria. The PIP may be obtained from the World Wide Web one working day after release of the BAA in the CBD publication at URL http://www.darpa.mil (search under solicitation), or requests may be sent to the administrative electronic mail or fax addresses below. To minimize unnecessary effort in proposal preparation and review, proposers are required to submit proposal abstracts in advance of full proposals. Although this BAA is open for 1 year from publication date, to be considered in the first round of evaluations, an original and three (3) hard copies of the proposal abstract must be submitted to DARPA/ISO, 3701 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1714 (Attn.: BAA 99-28) on or before 4:00 p.m. EDT, Wednesday, 14 July 1999. Proposal abstracts received after this time and date will not be reviewed during the first round of proposal evaluations. Thirty days after receipt of the proposal abstract, DARPA will provide written feedback on the likelihood of a full proposal being selected in the first round. To be considered in the first round of proposal evaluations, full proposals must be submitted to DARPA/ISO, 3701 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1714 (Attn.: BAA 99-28) on or before 4:00 p.m. EDT, Thursday, 30 September 1999. In addition to hardcopies, electronic copies of proposals and proposal abstracts should be submitted by electronic mail to baa99-28@darpa.mil according to instructions in the PIP. Even though this BAA is open for one year after publication in the CBD, it is important to realize that funding for additional proposals may or may be available after the first round of proposal selections. The Government anticipates completing the evaluation the first round of proposals during the first quarter of fiscal year 2000. PROPOSAL FORMAT: Proposals shall consist of two separately bound volumes. Volume I shall provide the technical proposal and management approach and Volume II shall address the cost. Detailed instructions for completing the proposals are contained in the PIP. Proposals and proposal abstracts not meeting the specified format described in the PIP will not be reviewed. This Commerce Business Daily notice, in conjunction with the BAA 99-28 PIP, constitutes the total BAA. No additional information is available. EVALUATION CRITERIA: Proposals will be selected through a technical/scientific/business decision process with technical and scientific considerations being most important. Evaluations will be performed using the following criteria listed in descending order of relative importance. 1. Quality and Technical Merit: Innovation -- potential for revolutionary advance; Soundness of approach; Potential for highly reliable Active Templates solutions; Awareness of state-of-the-art; ability to apply the work of others; Design of demonstration systems; Quality of Evaluation Plan. 2. Potential Contribution to the Solution of Military Problems: Well-defined and realistic problem domain; Adequacy of domain expertise; Potential for revolutionary advance in military capability; Ability to measure usefulness of proposed application. 3. Offeror's Capabilities and Related Experience: Qualifications/demonstrated productivity of personnel; Quality of related experience of research team; Responsiveness to goals of Active Templates program; Ability to manage proposed effort; Adequacy of proposed hardware & software infrastructure; Adequacy of security plan. 4. Approach to Technology Transfer: Understanding of systems in operational and laboratory environments; Potential for low-cost integration into operational and laboratory environments; Commitment to delivering results to others; Realism of cost proposed will be evaluated separately. ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST: Organizational Conflict of Interest: Each cost proposal shall contain a section satisfying the requirements of the following: Awards made under this BAA are subject to the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 9.5, Organizational Conflict of Interest. All offerors and proposed subcontractors must affirmatively state whether they are supporting any DARPA technical office(s) through an active contract or subcontract. All affirmations must state which office(s) the offeror supports and identify the prime contract number. Affirmations shall be furnished at the time of proposal submission, and the existence or potential existence of organizational conflicts of interest, as that term is defined in FAR 9.501, must be disclosed. This disclosure shall include a description of the action the offeror has taken, or proposes to take, to avoid, neutralize or mitigate such conflict. If the offeror believes that no such conflict exists, then it shall so state in this section. It is the policy of DARPA to treat all proposals as competitive information, and to disclose the contents only for the purposes of evaluation. The Government intends to use Schafer Corporation personnel as special resources to assist with the logistics of administering proposal evaluation, and to provide advice on specific technical areas. Personnel of this contractor are restricted by their contracts from disclosing proposal information for any purpose other than these administrative or advisory tasks. Contractor personnel are required to sign the Organizational Conflict of Interest Non-Disclosure Agreements (OCI/NDA). By submission of its proposal, each offeror agrees that proposal information may be disclosed to those selected contractors for the limited purpose stated above. Any information not intended for limited release to this contractor must be clearly marked and segregated from other submitted proposal material. DARPA is seeking participation from the widest number of offerors. Toward this end, DARPA is willing to consider all types of proposals including, traditional FAR/DFARS type contracts, grants and "Other Transactions." Information concerning "Other Transactions" can be found at URL http://www.darpa.mil/cmo/pages/other_trans.html. OTHER GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS: DARPA will construct a balanced program meeting its needs. A total of approximately $6M will be available in FY00 for multiple efforts. Total funding available over 4 years is expected to be approximately $26M. Size of each award and duration of efforts will vary according to the type of effort undertaken. All responsible sources may submit a proposal that will be considered by the Agency. Historical 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 99-28 will be set aside for HBCU and MI participation due to the impracticality of reserving discrete or severable areas of technology for exclusive competition among these entities. The Government reserves the right to select for award all, some or none of the proposals received in response to this announcement. This BAA 99-28 will be open for a period of one year after its publication in the CBD. COMMUNICATING WITH DARPA: All administrative correspondence and questions concerning this BAA must be directed, in writing, to one of the administrative addresses below. Email or fax is preferred. DARPA intends to use electronic mail for most technical and administrative correspondence regarding this BAA. Technical and contractual questions should be directed to baa99-28@darpa.mil. Include the originator's full name and return Email address in the text. These questions will be answered directly by Email. Frequently asked questions will be posted to URL http://www.darpa.mil (search under solicitation). ADMINISTRATIVE ADDRESSES: The PIP and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) are available at URL http://www.darpa.mil (search under solicitation). Written requests for these documents may be sent by facsimile to 703-516-6065 addressed to ATTENTION BAA 99-28 INFORMATION, or by surface mail addressed to DARPA/ISO, ATTN: BAA 99-28 INFORMATION, 3701 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1714. These requests must include the name, address, and phone number of a point of contact. Posted 06/09/99 (W-SN340892). (0160)

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