SOLICITATION NOTICE
A -- Applying Information Technology to Command, Control, Communications, Computer and Intelligence (C4I) Systems
- Notice Date
- 3/27/2009
- Notice Type
- Modification/Amendment
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, AFRL - Rome Research Site, AFRL/Information Directorate 26 Electronic Parkway, Rome, NY, 13441-4514, UNITED STATES
- ZIP Code
- 13441-4514
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-BAA-05-06-IFKA
- Point of Contact
- Lynn G. White,, Phone: (315) 330-4996
- E-Mail Address
-
whitel@rl.af.mil
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The purpose of this modification is to republish the original announcement pursuant to FAR 35.016(c). This republishing also includes the following changes: (1) updates AFRL office symbols. Previous modifications are incorporated into this republishing. No other changes have been made. DATES: It is recommended that white papers be received by the following dates to maximize the possibility of award: FY06 between 01 Sep 05 and 30 Sep 05; FY07 by 01 May 06; FY08 by 01 May 07; FY09 by 01 May 08, and FY10 by 01 May 09. White papers will be accepted until 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time on 30 September 2010, but it is less likely that funding will be available in each respective fiscal year after the dates cited. FORMAL PROPOSALS ARE NOT BEING REQUESTED AT THIS TIME. See Section IV of this announcement for further details. I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION: The Information Directorate, Command and Control Engineering Branch of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Rome Research Site, is soliciting white papers under this announcement for innovative technologies to support Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I) applications. Of particular interest are technologies that can significantly reduce the time between information technology availability and its employment into the research and development programs that support legacy and new military electronic systems. Also of interest are commercial technologies that can improve the functionality, performance, reliability, longevity, and useability of these new and legacy military electronic systems. Access to Rome Research Site laboratories, including such legacy systems as Theater Battle Management Core System (TBMCS), Master Caution Panel (MCP), Joint Air & Space Management & Deconfliction (JASMAD), and others, will be provided as necessary. This effort will investigate the application and/or development of emerging and in-use commercial information technologies, products and standards as they relate to the following technical areas: (1) Legacy and evolving Air Force C4I systems: This area covers not only technological upgrades to the existing Air and Space Operations Center (AOC) command and control structure/functions, but also revolutionary concepts for future operations centers, such as the Advanced Technology Air and Space Operations Center (AT-AOC). Examples of the applicable technologies are advanced distributed architectures, publish/subscribe concepts and architectures, distributed computing environments, real-time processing, digital graphics, portable/wearable/mobile computational devices, and advanced displays/user interfaces. (2) Simulation and modeling technologies applicable to Air Force C4I systems: Simulation and modeling for this purpose represent the full range of applications from supporting the development of the individual components within an Air Force C4I system to developing course of action evaluation tools to facilitate the AOC planning function. Examples of these technologies include: model abstraction, multi-resolution modeling, model interoperability, real-time simulation systems, advanced simulation architectures, C4I concept evaluations, long haul networked simulations utilizing HLA and other standard protocols, and application of these, or other, technologies to the concepts of rehearsal, dynamic planning/execution, and dynamic battle management. (3) Technology for integration, test, and demonstration of Air Force C4I systems: systems integration and demonstration are used here to represent the spectrum of testing, evaluation, and demonstration that is typically conducted during the development, integration, and fielding phases of an Air Force C4I system and any of its component parts. Examples of these technologies are those that are involved with the integration, measurement, assessment, and demonstration of information, Command and Control, communications, and enterprise systems as they relate to, or are part of, legacy and developing Air Force C4I systems. (4) Development of appropriate information technology to enhance the capabilities of current and future Air Force C4I systems: This area encompasses all information technology that could potentially contribute to enhancing the functionality, performance, reliability, longevity, and usability of legacy or planned Air Force C4I systems/applications. Examples of these technologies are data retrieval/mining, data storage, software/system monitors, data visualization, data busses, publish/subscribe mechanisms, digital moving maps, and decision making techniques. (5) Development of technology to enhance and enable the use of collaborative environments in AF C4ISR systems and enterprises: This refers to development of individual collaboration tools, as well as the larger collaborative environment which results from networking the individual tools for simultaneous employment with multiple users that are widely dispersed. Examples of these technologies are collaborative engineering and virtual prototyping environments which enable the collaborative development and application of information, air planning, and enterprise technologies/applications. Additional topic area added 30 April 2008: The recommended date for white papers for this topic area is by 30 May 2008. The purpose of this modification is to seek white papers for applying Information Technology to improve Joint Space Operations Center (JSpOC) Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance Division (ISRD) intelligence (INTEL) functions by application of advanced algorithms and software tools for: automated aggregation of multiple foundational INTEL sources (OSINT, HUMINT, SIGINT, IMINT) and data fusion of INTEL data for the space domain. White Papers are being sought that provide automated indications and warning (I&W) and predictive modeling of adversarial counterspace threats to US space assets (both on-orbit and terrestrial); and automated all-source space INTEL analyst decision support capabilities to help INTEL analysts provide timely and highly accurate space threat assessments. The objective of this modification is to overcome current limited Space Situation Awareness capabilities to detect, identify, anticipate, and assess adversarial counterspace threats to US space assets by rapidly developing software tools and automated techniques to provide timely, accurate, relevant, aggregate, anticipatory threat assessments and confidence levels; this novel capability will enable INTEL analysts to easily and rapidly understand adversarial counterspace intentions and actions in time for effective defensive counterspace actions to be achieved. Additional topic area added 10 July 2008: Recommended date for white papers for this topic area is 4 September 2008. White papers are being sought that provide automated decision aids for better course of action analysis and selection, dynamic resource management, timely feedback to assess effectiveness of on-going operations and agile C2 enterprise management system approaches to allow more adaptable and resilient operations. Space Superiority can be defined as integrating space situational awareness (SSA) and command and control (C2) in order to more effectively task space control capabilities. Space C2 functions enable commanders to plan, direct, coordinate, synchronize and control operations of assigned forces. Technologies to improve Joint Space Operations Center (JSpOC) and associated entities planning, execution and assessment capabilities associated with the space tasking cycle starting with commander's intent and ending with combat assessment are needed. II. AWARD INFORMATION: Total funding for this BAA is approximately $49.9M and the anticipated awards will start approximately the beginning of FY06. The anticipated funding to be obligated under this BAA is broken out by fiscal year as follows: FY06 -$10.0M; FY07 - $10.0M; FY08 - $10.0 M; FY09 - $10.0M; and FY10 - $9.9M. Individual awards will not normally exceed 24 months with dollar amounts ranging between $100K to $500K per year. Awards of efforts as a result of this announcement will be in the form of contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, or other transactions depending upon the nature of the work proposed. III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION: 1. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS: All potential applicants are eligible. Foreign or foreign-owned offerors are advised that their participation is subject to foreign disclosure review procedures. Foreign or foreign-owned offerors should immediately contact the contracting office focal point, Lynn G. White, Contracting Officer, telephone (315) 330-4996 or e-mail Lynn.White@rl.af.mil for information if they contemplate responding. The e-mail must reference the title and BAA 05-06-IFKA. 2. COST SHARING OR MATCHING: Cost sharing is not a requirement. IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION: 1. APPLICATION PACKAGE: THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION. WE ARE SOLICITATING WHITE PAPERS ONLY. DO NOT SUBMIT A FORMAL PROPOSAL AT THIS TIME. Those white papers found to be consistent with the intent of this BAA may be invited to submit a technical and cost proposal. See Section VI of this announcement for further details. For additional information, a copy of the AFRL/Rome Research Sites "Broad Agency Announcement (BAA): A Guide for Industry," April 2007, may be accessed at: http://www.fbo.gov/spg/USAF/AFMC/AFRLRRS/Reference%2DNumber%2DBAAGUIDE/listing.html 2. CONTENT AND FORM OF SUBMISSION: Offerors are required to submit 3 copies of a 2 to 3 page white paper summarizing their proposed approach/solution. The purpose of the white paper is to preclude unwarranted effort on the part of an offeror whose proposed work is not of interest to the Government. The white paper will be formatted as follows: Section A: Title, Period of Performance, Cost of Task, Name of Company; Section B: Task Objective; and Section C: Technical Summary. Multiple white papers within the purview of this announcement may be submitted by each offeror. If the offeror wishes to restrict its white papers/proposals, they must be marked with the restrictive language stated in FAR 15.609(a) and (b). All white papers/proposals shall be double spaced with a font no smaller than 12 pitch. In addition, respondents are requested to provide their Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) number, a fax number, and an e-mail address with their submission. All responses to this announcement must be addressed to the technical POC, as discussed in paragraph five of this section. 3. SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES: It is recommended that white papers be received by the following dates to maximize the possibility of award: FY06 should be submitted between 01 Sep 05 and 30 Sep 05; FY07 by 01 May 06; FY08 by 01 May 07; FY09 by 01 May 08 and, FY10 by 01 May 09. White papers will be accepted until 2pm Eastern time on 30 Sep 10, but it is less likely that funding will be available in each respective fiscal year after the dates cited. Submission of white papers will be regulated in accordance with FAR 15.208. 4. FUNDING RESTRICTIONS: The cost of preparing white papers/proposals in response to this announcement is not considered an allowable direct charge to any resulting contract or any other contract, but may be an allowable expense to the normal bid and proposal indirect cost specified in FAR 31.205-18. Incurring pre-award costs for ASSISTANCE INSTRUMENTS ONLY, are regulated by the DoD Grant and Agreements Regulations (DODGARS). 5. OTHER SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: DO NOT send white papers to the Contracting Officer. All white papers must be addressed to ATTN: Randall McIntyre, Reference BAA 05-06-IFKA, AFRL/RISE, 525 Brooks Road, Rome NY 13441-4505. Respondents are required to provide their Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number with their submittal and reference BAA 05-06-IFKA. Electronic submissions to: Randall.McIntyre@rl.af.mil will also be accepted. V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION: 1. CRITERIA: The following criteria, which are listed in equal order of importance, will be used to determine whether white papers and proposals submitted are consistent with the intent of this BAA and of interest to the Government: (1) the overall scientific and technical merits of the proposal, (2) the innovativeness of the proposed approach and technologies, (3) the applicability of the proposed technologies to proposed and legacy military electronic systems, and (4) Reasonableness and realism of proposed costs and fees (if any). No further evaluation criteria will be used in selecting white papers/proposals. Individual white paper/proposal evaluations will be evaluated against the evaluation criteria without regard to other white papers and proposals submitted under this BAA. White papers and proposals submitted will be evaluated as they are received. Cost sharing will not be considered in the evaluation. 2. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS: Only Government employees will review the white papers/proposals for selection. The Air Force Research Laboratory's Information Directorate has contracted for various business and staff support services, some of which require contractors to obtain administrative access to proprietary information submitted by other contractors. Administrative access is defined as "handling or having physical control over information for the sole purpose of accomplishing the administrative functions specified in the administrative support contract, which do not require the review, reading, or comprehension of the content of the information on the part of non-technical professionals assigned to accomplish the specified administrative tasks." These contractors have signed general non-disclosure agreements and organizational conflict of interest statements. The required administrative access will be granted to non-technical professionals. Examples of the administrative tasks performed include: a. assembling and organizing information for R&D case files; b. accessing library files for use by government personnel; and c. handling and administration of proposals, contracts, contract funding and queries. Any objection to administrative access must be in writing to the Contracting Officer and shall include a detailed statement of the basis for the objection. VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION: 1. AWARD NOTICES: Those white papers found to be consistent with the intent of this BAA may be invited to submit a technical and cost proposal. Notification by email or letter will be sent by the technical/program manager POC. Such invitation does not assure that the submitting organization will be awarded a contract. Those white papers not selected to submit a proposal will be notified in the same manner. Prospective offerors are advised that only Contracting Officers are legally authorized to commit the Government. All offerors submitting white papers will be contacted by the technical/program manager POC, referenced in Section VII of this announcement. Offerors can email the technical/program manager POC for status of their white paper/proposal no earlier than 45 days after proposal submission. White papers previously submitted under BAA 03-02-IFKA will be considered for funding under this announcement and need not be resubmitted. 2. ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS: Depending on the work to be performed, the offeror may require a SECRET facility clearance and safeguarding capability; therefore, personnel identified for assignment to a classified effort must be cleared for access to SECRET information at the time of award. In addition, the offeror may be required to have, or have access to, a certified and Government-approved facility to support work under this BAA. Data subject to export control constraints may be involved and only firms holding certification under the US/Canada Joint Certification Program (JCP) (www.dlis.dla.mil/jcp) are allowed access to such data. 3. REPORTING: Once a proposal has been selected for award, offeror's will be required to submit their reporting requirement through one of our web-based, reporting systems known as JIFFY or TFIMS. Prior to award, the offeror will be notified which reporting system they are to use, and will be given complete instructions regarding its use. VII. AGENCY CONTACTS: Questions of a technical nature shall be directed to the cognizant technical or program manager point of contact, as specified below: AFRL/RIS Technical Advisor Telephone: (315) 330-4175 Email: ris@rl.af.mil Program Manager: Mr. Randall McIntyre AFRL/RISE Telephone: (315) 330-2544 Email: Randall.McIntyre@rl.af.mil Questions of a contractual/business nature shall be directed to the cognizant contracting officer, as specified below: Lynn White AFRL/RIKA Telephone (315) 330-4996 Email: Lynn.White@rl.af.mil The email must reference the solicitation (BAA) number and title of the acquisition. In accordance with AFFARS 5315.90, an Ombudsman has been appointed to hear and facilitate the resolution of concerns from offerors, potential offerors, and others for this acquisition announcement. Before consulting with an ombudsman, interested parties must first address their concerns, issues, disagreements, and/or recommendations to the contracting officer for resolution. AFFARS Clause 5352.201-9101 Ombudsman (Aug 2005) will be incorporated into all contracts awarded under this BAA. The AFRL Ombudsman is as follows: Susan Hunter Building 15, Room 225 1864 Fourth Street Wright-Patterson AFB OH 45433-7130 FAX: (937) 225-5036; Comm: (937) 255-7754 All responsible organizations may submit a white paper which shall be considered.
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