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

A -- SOFTWARE ENABLED CONTROL SOL BAA00-51 DUE 100200 POC Dr. Helen Gill, DARPA/ITO; FAX: (703) 522-7161 SOFTWARE ENABLED CONTROL, SOL BAA 00-51, DUE: 10/02/00; POC: DR. HELEN GILL, DARPA/ITO; FAX: (703) 522-7161. This solicitation seeks innovative proposals to augment research already underway in the Software Enabled Control (SEC) program. Software offers the opportunity for enormously flexible and powerful control systems. This DARPA research program focuses on building new control software technology, for both run-time as well as for control systems design based on sound principles of control theory and software, to provide a foundation for the next generation of software control systems. A central element of the SEC program is the exploitation of hierarchical hybrid systems concepts, which enable scalability through abstraction over large-state spaces. The goal is to use software and computation to control entirely new ranges of system types and scales, including complex, closely-coordinated multi-vehicle systems that exhibit extremely large mode and state spaces. The SEC program is inherently inter-disciplinary, requiring approaches that address both control and computer science issues in tandem to make the required progress. The SEC program also includes a strong experimental component, and implementation of concepts is required. Research projects are expected to produce public domain reference implementations that can be incorporated into the SEC middleware and used experimentally. Proposals are solicited for revolutionary new ideas in the research areas below. Research has already begun in Research Areas 1 to 4, and proposals selected under this solicitation will complement current efforts. Research Area 5 is new, and highly innovative approaches are needed to shape and elaborate this technical area. This solicitation seeks proposals in the following technical topic areas: (1) Coordinated Multi-Modal Control; (2) Active State Models; (3) On-line Control Customization; (4) Open Control Platform; (5) High Confidence Hybrid Control; and (6) Other (Identify). PROGRAM SCOPE: The Software Enabled Control program is a 5-year program (FY00-04), with total budget of $67M. Research funded under this BAA will be executed over FY01-04. Information about the SEC program, research currently underway, and prior solicitations can be accessed from the SEC website: http://www.darpa.mil/ito/research/sec/index.html. Proposals for new research should complement existing work, and they must clearly explain the unique contribution that will be made. Technical impact in 1) hybrid computational control mechanisms for the Open Control Platform (OCP); and 2) Validation & Verification (V&V) of hybrid systems will receive highest priority under this BAA. Proposals must clearly state what the new capability would be, and how it might be integrated into the OCP, or support assurance of the OCP. 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: The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency/Information Technology Office (DARPA/ITO) requires completion of a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Cover Sheet Submission for each Proposal, by accessing the URL below: http://www.dyncorp-is.com/BAA/index.asp?BAAid=00-51 . After finalizing the BAA Cover Sheet Submission, the proposer must submit the BAA Confirmation Sheet that will automatically appear on the web page. Each proposer is responsible for printing the BAA Confirmation Sheet and submitting it attached to the "original" and each designated number of copies. The Confirmation Sheet should be the first page of your Proposal. Failure to comply with these submission procedures may result in the submission not being evaluated. Detailed information and instructions are outlined within the Proposer Information Pamphlet (PIP). Proposers must submit an original and 4 copies of the full proposal and 8 electronic copies (i.e., 8 separate disks) of the full proposal (in Microsoft Word '97 for IBM-compatible, PDF, Postscript, or ASCII format on one 3.5-inch floppy disk or one 100 MB Iomega Zip disk). Each disk must be clearly labeled with BAA 00-51, proposer organization, proposal title (short title recommended) and Copy ___ of 8). The full proposal (original and designated number of hard and electronic copies) must be submitted in time to reach DARPA by 4:00 PM (ET) Monday, October 2, 2000, inorder to be considered. Proposers must obtain the BAA 00-51 Proposer Information Pamphlet (PIP), 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, mail request to the administrative contact address given below, or at URL address http://www.darpa.mil/ito/Solicitations.html. Proposals not meeting the format described in the pamphlet may not be reviewed. This Commerce Business Daily (CBD) notice, in conjunction with the BAA 00-51 PIP and all references, 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 (HBCUs) and Minority Institutions (MIs) 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: The overall scientific and technical merit must be clearly identifiable. The technical concept should be clearly defined and developed. Emphasis should be placed on the technical value of the development and experimentation approach. (2) Innovative Technical Solution to the Problem: Proposed efforts should apply new or existing technology in a new way such as is advantageous to the objectives. The plan on how offeror intends to get developed technology and information to the user community should be considered. (3) Potential Contribution and Relevance to DARPA Mission: The offeror must clearly address how the proposed effort will meet the goals of the undertaking. The relevance is further indicated by the offeror's understanding of the operating environment of the capability to be developed. (4) Offeror's Capabilities and Related Experience: The qualifications, capabilities, and demonstrated achievements of the proposed principals and other key personnel for the primary and subcontractor organizations must be clearly shown. (5) Plans and Capability to Accomplish Technology Transition: The offeror should provide a clear explanation of how the technologies to be developed will be transitioned to capabilities for military forces. Technology transition should be a major consideration in the design of experiments, particularly considering the potential for involving potential transition organizations in the experimentation process. (6) Cost Realism: The overall estimated cost to accomplish the effort should be clearly shown as well as the substantiation of the costs for the technical complexity described. Evaluation will consider the value to Government of the research and the extent to which the proposed management plan will effectively allocate resources to achieve the capabilities proposed. All administrative correspondence and questions on this solicitation, including requests for information on how to submit a proposal to this BAA, must be received at one of the administrative addresses below by 4:00 PM (ET) Monday, September 25, 2000; e-mail or fax is preferred. DARPA intends to use electronic mail and fax for some of the correspondence regarding BAA 00-51. Proposals MUST NOT be submitted by fax or e-mail; any so sent will be disregarded. The administrative addresses for this BAA are: Fax: 703-522-7161. Addressed to: DARPA/ITO, BAA 00-51. Electronic Mail: baa00-51@darpa.mil. Electronic File Retrieval: http://www.darpa.mil/ito/Solicitations.html. Mail to:DARPA/ITO, ATTN: BAA 00-51, 3701 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1714. Posted 08/15/00 (W-SN486073). (0228)

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