CONCEPTS IN COMPUTER VISION AND APPLICATIONS FOR SENSORS AND WEAPONS SYSTEMS SOL Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) N00019-00-R-CVAW TITLE COMPUTER VISION FOR AVIATION AND WEAPONS DUE Within one year of the date of CBD publication AGENCY NAVAIR AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND (NAVAIR) (Code 2.4.3.3.1), Bldg 441, Unit 7, 21983 Bundy Road, Patuxent River, MD 20670-1127 POC: Sue R. Wainwright, Contract Specialist, (301) 757-2609 Vicki Fuhrmann, Contracting Officer, (301) 757-2602 TECHNICAL POC: Charles Caposell (301) 342-2638/(703) 696-4814 This notice constitutes a BAA as contemplated by FAR 6.102(d)(2). This BAA is also listed at WWW.NAVAIR.NAVY.MIL (Business/Doing Business With Us/Open Solicitations). I. INTRODUCTION. The NAVAIR Team is soliciting proposals for research and development (R&D) concepts in computer vision and applications for sensors and weapon systems. Concepts proposed may represent novel dedicated technologies and/or dual use of new emerging commercial technology. II. BACKGROUND. The Navy is working jointly with the Marine Corps and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to advance the science and technology of computer vision for aviation and weapons. Computer vision addresses any system that processes data at the sensor in real-time and incorporates some mechanism of control at the sensor. The overall program objectives are to (A) explore new concepts through emerging computer vision technologies, (B) create adaptations to better suit the needs of the war-fighting community, (C) certify the sustainability and safety of candidate systems, and (D) promote those systems through the procurement process. The size, weight, and cost of the vision system are of particular concern. Historically, awards have been in the area of one-to-two million dollars; however, this does not preclude awards of a lower or higher dollar value. III. SPECIFIC AREAS OF INTEREST. Proposals are being solicited in three areas: A. New Operational Concepts for using computer vision including systems that can be integrated with sensors, weapons, UAVs and robots. Concepts should address possible ways to deploy and operate systems from Naval Aircraft or from sea-based platforms. Examples of the type of concepts that could be proposed are: 1. Image-based navigation systems that allow UAVs to travel through urban terrain and navigate by use of comparing features captured by video sensors to features stored in an image model. 2. Image-based control systems that use video sensors (possibly combined with inertial or other sensors) to determine aircraft or UAV motion, as well as determine the proximity of obstacles in order to perform avoidance maneuvers. 3. Groups of small, lightweight payloads (or "swarms") that can be deployed through existing delivery mechanisms (cluster munitions, chaff/flare dispensers, sonobuoy launchers, etc.) and guide themselves into a target region through optical flow or correlation of sensor data and reference imagery. 4. Relay concepts where groups of small robots are deployed through existing delivery mechanisms (cluster munitions, chaff/flare dispensers, sonobuoy launchers, etc.) and relay sensor data that is registered to geographic features to an airborne or shipboard control station. 5. Concepts that interpret SAR or acoustic data into mapping or imagery data for real-time human-in-the-loop control. B. Technologies that advance the state-of-the-art in performance and suitability of image-based models, optical flow, feature recognition, real-time image and feature rendering, image and feature correlation, hybrid navigation and control, for use in tactical environments. 1. Image-base rendering or hybrid image and model-based rendering concepts that lead to the creation of real-time systems. 2. Reconnaissance and surveillance network architectures that can merge data from large numbers of airborne or mobile imaging sensors simultaneously and condense multi-layered image data into a common reference. 3. Application specific hardware to support image processing, rendering, and hybrid motion systems. 4. Innovative tools that can quickly manipulate characteristics of entities in a geographic model depending on changing parameters (temperature, season, time of day, etc.), which may be used to create reference data for video georegistration. 5. High fidelity modeling tools which can be applied to collection of data in urban environments. 6. Small, ruggedized packaging concepts for integration of autonomous or semi-autonomous sensors in seekers, small bomblets, or chaff/flare size containers. C. Systems Integration and Demonstration Testing 1. Fires and targeting concepts which utilize a "forward pass" of a weapon, or group of loitering weapons, launched through existing delivery mechanisms and obtaining final control via a secondary mission planning or control station technology that enables sensor data fusion in real-time. 2. Networking and data links for transmittal of imagery and image reference data. New approaches for high-bandwidth, multiplexed, digital, LPI/LPD links as well as approaches for network management. 3. Control interfaces that address issues of autonomous or semi-autonomous guidance and control of unmanned and ground robots utilizing image-based motion estimating or hybrid systems. 4. Tools and manipulators that provide new capabilities for insertion of robotic elements, payload launching and retrieval mechanisms, and additional functionality to existing delivery systems. 5. Complete autonomous, or semi-autonomous vehicles including "morphing" bomblets that transition to a UAV after release, or a chaff size payload that transitions to a mobile robot after reaching the ground. 6. Mobile sensors which provide real-time mapping of a surf zones or riverine environments. IV. CONTRACT/AGREEMENT TYPE. NAVAIR is willing to consider various types of acquisition vehicles including, but not limited to, traditional FAR/DFARS type contracts and/or non-procurement agreements (e.g. Cooperative Agreements and Other Transactions). Other Transactions will be entered into under the authority of 10 U.S.C. 2371 (Congressional direction requires that at least 50 percent of the cost of a project under this initiative be provided by industry) and Section 845, Authority to Carry Out Certain Prototype Projects. Information concerning Other Transactions can be found at http://www.darpa.mil/cmo/pages/other_trans.html and http://www.acq.osd.mil/ddre/research, or by contacting Sue R. Wainwright at (301) 757-2609 or by e-mail at wainwrightSR@navair.navy.mil. Final decision on acquisition type (contract/agreement) will be made by the government. NOTE: Typically, research findings result in the need for additional services/supplies, which are not possible to anticipate or project. Contract modifications may be executed to satisfy these requirements; thereby providing for flexibility in technology assessment (with technology transition the ultimate goal). In the event that this is required, it shall be considered to be within the scope of this BAA and the resulting contract, and therefore will have met the requirements of the FAR/DFARS and the Competition in Contracting Act. V. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION. No request for proposal (RFP), solicitation or other announcement of this opportunity will be made. Submit proposals in two (2) phases. A. PHASE I -- Proposal Abstracts Submit Proposal Abstract, not to exceed fifteen pages, any time during the above stated open period. The Proposal Abstracts will be evaluated quarterly commencing March 31, 2000. All proprietary portions of the abstract shall be clearly identified and will be treated in the strictest confidence. Abstracts shall identify the following: (1) BAA Number;N00019-00-R-CVAW; (2) Organization Name; (3) Other Team Members and type of business for each; (4) Technical Points of contact (including phone, fax, and e-mail information); (5) Administrative Point of Contact; (6) Overview of the Proposed Work to include: A summary of proposed concept (including commercial applications), an estimated timeframe for project completion, a brief description of the facilities involved, and a brief resume of the principle investigator(s); and, (7) A rough order of cost magnitude with type of acquisition vehicle (contract/agreement) being proposed, and, if applicable, the anticipated sharing arrangement. BRIEFING: The Government may request the contractor to present a technical briefing on the proposed effort(s) at NAVAIR/Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division facilities, Patuxent River, MD. Although discussions with the government are permitted prior to submission of abstracts, these technical briefings are desired following the formal submission of an abstract. The Government is not liable for any costs associated with this brief. The abstract cover letter should discuss the contractor's willingness to provide a technical brief. Submit an original with four (4) additional copies, of the abstract proposal to the following address: Naval Air Systems Command, Code: AIR-2.4.3.3.1, Attn: Sue R. Wainwright -N00019-00-R-CVAW, BLDG 441, UNIT 7, 21983 BUNDY ROAD, PATUXENT RIVER, MD 20670-1127. Contents of Proposal Abstracts may also be submitted electronically to wainwrightSR@navair.navy.mil. Confirmation of receipt is recommended for electronic submission. Upon review, the Navy will provide written feedback of the proposal abstract. IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PROSPECTIVE CONTRACTORS: Registration in the DoD's Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database will be a prerequisite for receiving an award resulting from this BAA. For more information please contact the CCR Assistance Center at 1-888-227-2423. B. PHASE II Full Proposal General Information: Only Offerors whose Phase I -- Proposal Abstract is considered capable of meeting Program requirements will be asked to submit Phase II -- Full Proposals. REQUEST FOR SUBMISSION OF A FULL PROPOSAL DOES NOT GUARANTEE AWARD SELECTION. See listing for (BAA) N00019-00-R-CVAW at WWW.NAVAIR.NAVY.MIL (Business/Doing Business With Us/Open Solicitations) for instruction on how to submit Phase II-Full Proposal. WEB: NAVAIR HOME PAGE (Click Business/Doing Business With, http://www.navair.navy.mil. E-MAIL: Click here to contact the contract specialist via, wainwrightSR@navair.navy.mil. Posted 03/17/00 (W-SN435514).

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