SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- This notice is a program description and a call for proposals under the OSD Defense Challenge Program.
- Notice Date
- 3/17/2003
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- Contracting Office
- Defense Contracting Command-Washington(DCC-W), ATTN: Policy and Compliance, 5200 Army Pentagon, Room 1D245, Washington, DC 20310-5200
- ZIP Code
- 20310-5200
- Solicitation Number
- DASW01-CHALLENGE
- Archive Date
- 5/31/2003
- Point of Contact
- Robert Lavelle, 703-614-4578
- E-Mail Address
-
Email your questions to Defense Contracting Command-Washington(DCC-W)
(lavelrj@hqda.army.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- NA OSD Defense Challenge Program has been established to provide opportunities for the increased introduction of innovative and cost-saving technologies, products, or processes into existing Department of Defense (DOD) acquisition programs. The Defense Chall enge Program provides any person, organization, or government activity within or outside the DOD the opportunity to propose: alternative technologies, product improvements, or enhanced processes. Opportunities proposed, known as Challenge Proposals, at th e component, subsystem, or system level of an existing DOD acquisition program, will be evaluated for resulting improvements in performance, affordability, manufacturability, or operational capability of that acquisition program. Challenge Proposals will be evaluated under the guidelines outlined in Title 10 USC Section 2359b Defense Acquisition Challenge Program. This Broad Area Announcement (BAA) is open to any technology, product, or process that demonstrates a near-term (12-18 months after project inc eption) potential to improve existing acquisitions for any DoD activity. The evaluation of Challenge Proposals will be conducted in two phases: (1) In the FIRST PHASE, persons, organizations, and government activities interested in participating will subm it a document called a Defense Acquisition Challenge Program (DACP) Summary Proposal. A DACP Summary Proposal is a three- to five-page abstract or summary of the proposed project. It will include: 1) a description of the technology, product, or process t o be evaluated, 2) a summary of its capabilities and the potential benefit(s) to the program of inserting the technology/product/process, 3) identification of the DOD Acquisition Category (ACAT) designation of the program that the capabilities will be alig ned and/or incorporated against, 4) a cost estimate, including methodology, for the test article acquisition or proposed technology or process improvement, and 5) current maturity state of proposed project, including estimated test phases for evaluation ap proach. A Quad Chart is required and the format can be retrieved on the DCAP Bids website (www.bids.acqcenter.com/dacp). Although not required, a letter of interest from the DOD Program Management Office or Program Executive Office responsible for the AC AT program is strongly encouraged and will be considered in evaluating the proposal. All Summary Proposals received will be subjected to peer and scientific review. Evaluation criteria for project selection at the Summary Proposal Phase are: (A) whether the proposal has merit; (B) whether the proposal is likely to result in improvements in performance, affordability, manufacturability, or operational capability at the component, subsystem, or system level of an acquisition program; (C) whether the proposa l could be implemented in the acquisition program rapidly, at an acceptable cost, and without unacceptable disruption to the acquisition program. Summary proposals that meet the requirements as outlined above, and show the greatest potential in providing innovative and cost-saving technologies, products, or processes into existing Department of Defense (DOD) acquisition programs will be forwarded to the acquisition program identified in the proposal. The DoD Program Manager, in collaboration with the prim e system contractor carrying out the program, will decide whether to sponsor the proposal. (2) In the SECOND PHASE, persons, organizations, and government activities submitting DACP Summary Proposals that meet the requirements as outlined above and are ad opted by the acquisition program, will be extended an invitation to work with the DoD sponsor to submit a complete technical and cost Defense Acquisition Challenge Program Final Proposal for the planned project. The DACP Final Proposal will include: key p erformance parameters (those the technology/product/process must meet); test concept and schedule for the test planning, administration, and data analysis; a pl an for integration (to include cost and schedule) of the technology/product/process into the acquisition program; cost product test article acquisition or lease, technology or process; a cost profile for the test and evaluation of the technology/product/pr ocess for the intended application. The integration plan must include all applicable certifications (safety, flight worthiness, insensitive munitions, operational utility, etc.) required to insert the product/technology/process into the acquisition progra m. During the second phase a Government-led evaluation team will review all Final Challenge Proposals and assess each against the evaluation criteria set forth in Title 10, USC Section 2359b. The Government review of the Challenge Proposals at the second and final phase will include all criteria listed above as well as: (A) an assessment of the cost, ease, and likelihood of adopting the challenge proposal and implementing it in the acquisition program; and (B) consideration of any intellectual property is sues associated with the challenge proposal. Proposals will be selected for funding, based on assessment, DOD ACAT Program test and evaluation, and the availability of Government funding. Approximately $12 million is available for all FY2003 projects; th us, funding for participation is highly competitive, and cost of proposed technology/product/process should be considered. The final number of projects and respective funds allocated will be determined once all final proposals have been received and evalu ated. Those projects that are not funded in FY03 but are considered viable will automatically be reviewed during the FY04 process that begins in May 2003. Every attempt will be made to ensure that all submitters are notified in all cases. Information an d Summary Proposal submittal is available on the DACP website at: www.bids.acqcenter.com/dacp. This website has further information on the Quad Chart, Summary Challenge Proposal format, Final Challenge Proposal format, submission instructions, and other i nformation as required. Summary Challenge Proposals must be received/submitted via the DACP website no later than 1500 hours local time (3:00PM EST) on 1 April 2003. Notification of rejections will be emailed to the submitter. In general, debriefings of the summary proposals are not anticipated. It should be generally assumed; that the reason a proposal was not considered for further review was due to funding availability or it did not meet the requirements for Defense Challenge. Proposals will be evalu ated on a first-come-first served basis. This announcement must not be construed as a commitment by the Government and any information submitted by industry will not constitute an offer that could be accepted by the Government to create a binding contract . The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this Request for Information or otherwise pay for the information solicited. Procedures for Classified Information: If a submittal contains classified information, the offeror must firs t obtain a submittal number through BIDS for tracking purposes and identify in the comments section why the submittal cannot be uploaded and submitted via the automated system. The BIDS tracking number must be clearly identified on the mailed submittal. Classified responses (up to SECRET) must be appropriately marked, sealed and mailed in accordance with classified handling procedures. All classified documents must be packaged and shipped in accordance with regulations and instructions pertaining to the level of classification. For classified submittals, send an email to defensechallege@osd.mil. Mailing instructions will be provided at that time. Classified documents must be mailed and must be received by the applicable due date and time. Classificati on does not in any way eliminate the offeror?s requirement to comply with all instructions in the BAA. Issuing Office Address: OSD Comparative Testing Office, 1931 Jefferson Davis Highway, Crystal Mall #3, Suite 101, Arlington VA 22202. Original Point of Contact: Adele Ratcliff, Phone (703) 602-3740, Fax (703) 602-3748; Email defensechallenge@osd.mil. Alternate Point of Contact: Paul Frichtl, Phone (703) 60 2-3739; Fax (703) 602-3748; Email defensechallenge@osd.mil.
- Place of Performance
- Address: OSD Comparative Testing Office 1931 Jefferson Davis Highway; Crystal Mall #3, Suite 101 Arlington VA
- Zip Code: 22202
- Country: US
- Zip Code: 22202
- Record
- SN00281146-W 20030319/030317213641 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
| FSG Index | This Issue's Index | Today's FBO Daily Index Page |