ESC/PKR, R&D Contracting Division, 104 Barksdale St., Hanscom AFB, MA 01731-1806

A -- DYNAMIC SPACE ENVIRONMENT: EFFECTS, SENSORS, AND MODELS SOL PRDA # AFRL/VSB 00-01 POC John W. Flaherty, Division Chief, 781-377-2529; Dr. Gino F. Cascieri, Contract Specialist, 781-377-2623; Janet CF. Johnston, Technical Contact, 781-377-2138. WEB: ESC Business Opportunities Web Page, http://www.herbb.hanscom.af.mil. E-MAIL: Click Here to E-mail the POC, gino.cascieri@hanscom.af.mil. PROGRAM RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ANNOUNCEMENT (PRDA # AFRL/VSB 00-01) entitled, "DYNAMIC SPACE ENVIRONMENT: EFFECTS, SENSORS, AND MODELS". The Battlespace Environment Division, Space Vehicles Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL/VSB) is interested in receiving proposals to provide research on active space experiments, radiation belt dynamics and models, space environmental sensors, and space environmental chemistry and models. DoD space capabilities are limited by the hazardous radiation environment. The objectives of this program are the investigation of the origins and dynamics of various particle populations that affect military space-based systems; a result of this objective is the development of predictive models and tools that will enable spacecraft and sensor designers to plan for the analysis and mitigation of the harmful effects of space. Research areas include: (1) Space Environmental Models -- Space environmental models are needed to specify the current state of the space environment and to provide timely warnings and forecasts of future conditions. Work in this area will involve analysis of the full range of space weather (solar, solar wind, magnetosphere) data. This work should result in the development of models of energetic particles and radiation found in the magnetosphere/ionosphere, and the development of visualization tools for the ionosphere, magnetosphere, and solar wind environments. State of the art computational techniques will be used to create new specification/forecast tools for space weather hazards addressed by the Space Vehicles Directorate ranging from coronal mass ejections to ionospheric scintillation. (2) Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Data Reduction and Analysis -- Work relating to several aspects of the DMSP science program is needed: a) data reduction, archiving and surveys; b) product development and statistical analyses supporting Air Force operations, c) space weather research and space weather predictions. The answer to several questions concerning fundamental ionospheric and magnetospheric dynamics will advance our capabilities for space weather prediction, such as how particles access the magnetosphere, where low altitude, high latitude field lines field line trace, what determines particle precipitation rates, and so on. Research to answer such questions, employing, in part, DMSP data is solicited. (3) Space Particle Sensor Data Reduction and Analysis -- Existing radiation belt models will be modified and new models will be developed using data from recent and upcoming space-borne instruments. Work conducted under this topic will included data reduction and analysis of raw data. (4) Active Space Experiments and Radiation Belt Dynamics -- Research on preliminary design studies for active magnetospheric wave-particle scattering and beam injections experiments, as well as research on the development of physics-based radiation belt models are solicited. (5) Space Environmental Chemistry -- Codes being developed for the assessment of damage posed by natural hazards, such as meteoroids and space debris, require experimental and/or theoretically-calculated cross sections for a variety of non-equilibrium chemical reactions. Research in this area is solicited. BASIS FOR AWARD: Technical proposals will be evaluated using the following factors of equal importance based on a peer scientific review. (a) demonstrated technical and/or scientific merit and its relevancy to current AFRL needs, including capabilities and related experience, facilities, techniques, or unique combinations of these which are an integral factor for achieving proposal objectives, (b) impact of successful development on the performance of space systems and AFRL mission, (c) new or unique ideas which enhance state-of-the-art or scientific knowledge, (d) the qualifications, capabilities, and experience of the proposed principal investigator, team leader, and other key personnel who are critical to achievement of the proposed objectives, (e) feasibility of accomplishing tasks. Cost proposals will be evaluated using the factor of completeness, reasonableness and realism. Technical considerations are more important than cost, although cost will be considered a significant factor. No further evaluation criteria will be used in selecting proposals. Subject to the availability of funds, the Government reserves the right to select for award any, all, part, or none of the proposals received. Contractor personnel will participate in working teams at AFRL and will attend technical interchange meeting at Hanscom AFB at most every two weeks. At least 50% of the effort will be performed at Hanscom AFB. Office facilities already exist in the VS buildings. DELIVERABLES WILL INCLUDE: (1) Scientific/Technical Reports, annual and final (2) R&D Status Reports, quarterly (3) Contract Funds Status Reports, quarterly PROPOSAL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS: Responses must provide new and unique concepts ideas, or approaches in order to qualify for evaluation and consideration for award. Proposal shall be submitted in two (2) parts: (1) Technical Proposal: The Technical Proposal shall include an Executive Summary, Program Description, Program Plan, Milestone Chart, Facilities and Equipment Description, Description of Relevant Prior Work, Management Plan, and Resume of Key Individuals. The technical proposal shall also include a Statement of Work detailing the technical tasks to be accomplished under the proposed effort and be suitable for contract incorporation. The Statement of Work shall include specific requirements, if applicable, that the deliverable product will be year 2000 compliant per FAR Part 39. The technical proposal shall be limited to seventy five (75), (12-pitch or larger type) single spaced, single-sided, 8.5 x 11 inch pages. The page limitation includes all information i.e, covers, indices, photographs, appendices, attachments, resumes, etc. Each printed side counts as one page. (Caution: The Government will not review more than the page limitation). (2) Cost Proposal: There is no page limitation on the Cost Proposal. The Cost Proposal should be valid for no less than 180 days and be broken out by cost element and Government fiscal year. The Government encourages submission of innovative and creative proposal to solve any one, all or a combination of the problems discussed herein. Forward six (6) copies of each proposal to ESC/PKR (Attn: Dr. Gino F. Cascieri), Bldg. 1520, 3rd Floor, 104 Barksdale St., Hanscom AFB, MA 01731-1806. The Space Hazards Branch (AFRL/VSBS) has been assigned overall responsibility for providing the necessary acquisition/technical management for this program. Responses should reference PRDA #AFRL/VSB 00-01. QUESTIONS of a TECHNICAL NATURE may be referred to Janet C. Johnston, 781-377-2138 (email: JohnstonJ@plh.af.mil). CONTRACTUAL and COST QUESTIONS should be referred to the CONTRACT SPECIALIST, Dr. Gino F. Cascieri, 781-377-2623 (email: gino.cascieri@hanscom.af.mil). Government estimate in total for these contractual efforts is approximately 35 manyears, period ofperformance not to exceed sixty (60) months plus three (3) months for final report per effort. Work is anticipated to begin in the March 2000 time frame. Each contract will be incrementally funded. The cost of preparing a proposal to a PRDA is not considered an allowable direct charge to the resulting contract or any other contract. It is, however, an allowable expense to the normal bid and proposal indirect cost specified in FAR 31.205.18. Proposals received in response to this announcement will be deemed in accordance with the Competition in Contracting Act of 1984. Every effort will be made to protect the confidentiality of the proposals. In order that the proposals are afforded proper handling, offerors must mark their proposals with restrictive language stated in FAR 15.509(a). Offerors are cautioned that only Government Contracting Officers are legally authorized to commit the Government. Firms responding should indicate if they are qualified as a Small Business, HUBZone Small Business, a Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Business, an 8(a) Qualified Business or a Woman-Owned Business. Foreign or foreign-owned offeror are not eligible to participate in this announcement. Offerors are requested to provide a name and telephone number of point of contact. An Ombudsman has been appointed to hear concerns from offerors or potential offerors during the proposal development phase of this acquisition. The Ombudsman should only be contacted with issues or problems that have been previously been brought to the attention of the program manager and/or the contracting officer and could not be satisfactorily resolved at that level. The Ombudsman does not participate in the evaluation of proposals or in the source selection process. The Ombudsman is Col Steven Sheldon, ESC/CX, 781-377-5106. Closing date for submission of proposals is thirty (30) days from the publication of this notice, the date of publication being day one (1). In the event this date for receipt of offers falls on either a Saturday, Sunday, or Federal holiday, the date of receipt of offers is automatically extended to the immediate following Tuesday. See Numbered Note (s): 26. Posted 12/08/99 (D-SN406984). (0342)

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