PRESOL | A | Metal Direct Digital Manufacturing

FBO DAILY ISSUE OF SEPTEMBER 08, 2011 FBO #3575
SOLICITATION NOTICE

A -- Metal Direct Digital Manufacturing

Notice Date: 9/6/2011
Notice Type: Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
Contracting Office: US Army, Army Contracting Command, ACC New Jersey Contracting Center, Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey 07806-5000
ZIP Code: 07806-5000
Solicitation Number: W15QKN-11-R-D008
Response Due: 10/14/2011
Archive Date: 11/13/2011
Point of Contact: Lauren McDermott, Contract Specialist, 973-724-5089
E-Mail Address: Lauren McDermott
(lauren.a.mcdermott@us.army.mil)
Small Business Set-Aside: N/A
Description: U.S. Army Armaments Research, Development and Engineering Centers (ARDEC) Benet Laboratories (BL) BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT W15QKN-11-R-D008 FY 2011 ISSUED BY: U.S. Army Contracting Command (USACC) - Picatinny, Benet Laboratories Contracting Center (BLCC), Watervliet, NY Date of Issuance: September 2011 Table of ContentsOVERVIEW INFORMATION3I. RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION3II. AWARD INFORMATION5III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION8IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION9V.PROPOSAL REVIEW INFORMATION16VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION21VII. AGENCY CONTACTS:23 This publication constitutes a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) and sets forth basic research areas of interest in the area of Metal Direct Digital Manufacturing. This BAA is issued under the provisions of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.102(d)(2), the Department of Defense Grant and Agreement Regulations (DoDGARs) 22.315, and 10 USC 2358 Section 845 Other Transactions (OT) for Prototype Projects. Proposals submitted in response to this BAA and selected for award are considered to be the result of full and open competition and in full compliance with the provision of Public Law 98-369, "The Competition in Contracting Act of 1984" and subsequent amendments. OVERVIEW INFORMATION Agency Name: U.S. Army Armaments Research, Development and Engineering Centers (ARDEC) Benet Laboratories (BL) Issuing Acquisition Office: U.S. Army Contracting Command (USACC) - Picatinny, Benet Laboratories Contracting Center (BLCC), Watervliet, NY Research Opportunity Title: Basic and Applied Scientific Research for Metal Direct Digital Manufacturing for Industrial Base Innovation Fund (IBIF) Program Research Opportunity Number: W15QKN-11-R-D008 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number and Title: 12.431 Basic Scientific Research Announcement Type and Date: Initial Announcement September 2011 I. RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION BL together with the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) is soliciting proposals for basic and applied research to make advancements in technologies related to Metal Direct Digital Manufacturing that address defense (Aviation, Maritime, Land and Troop Support Supply Chains) industrial base shortfalls especially related to surge production requirements and diminishing sources of defense material. The goal of the IBIF program is to implement significant manufacturing improvements into these supply chains. Projects executed by and implemented in the lower tiers of the industrial base (i.e. component and material suppliers) are encouraged as they are viewed as more likely to achieve the IBIF goals. The vision for the IBIF Program is to continue to make investments in manufacturing research that address defense industrial base shortfalls, especially related to surge production requirements and diminishing sources of defense material. The objective is to ensure that the industrial base on which the Department of Defense (DoD) depends is reliable, cost-effective, and responsive to DoD requirements. The IBIF program addresses production issues from system development through transition to production. Investments are driven by defense-essential needs. The Program focuses on manufacturing-related needs that exist across industry sectors as they relate to the defense industrial base. The IBIF program is focusing on the transition of technology to the defense industrial base after the development cycle. The emphasis is on improving surge capability for near-term military operations and in areas that address defense industrial base shortfalls especially related to surge production requirements and diminishing sources of defense material. Area of Interest: The primary focus of IBIF is the defense industrial base. The areas of interest align with the DoD supply chains (Aviation, Land, Maritime, and Troop Support). Supply chains are not directly correlated to a Military Service (Army, Navy and Air Force). For example, all missiles are included in the Aviation supply chain. If there is a missile related proposal, it should identify the specific missile/weapon system and the proposal's position in the supply chain (prime, subcontractor, etc) to implement the IBIF proposal results. The technology thrusts of interest are related to Metal Direct Digital Manufacturing. The highest priority will be placed on investments made in areas that address defense industrial base shortfalls especially related to surge production requirements and diminishing sources of defense material. At lower tiers of the industrial base, it is understood that manufacturing technologies may cut across these Supply Chains or technologies; however, each offeror must identify a target implementation for the proposed technology. Proposals without a clearly identified target implementation of value to this area of interest in the BAA will not be considered for award. A target implementation must be expressed in terms of research on materials or processes for improved weapon systems, for example: F22 repairs, MRAP component life extension technology, or armor system materials development. All direct metal manufacturing processes and systems are eligible for consideration, including but not limited to, new/alternative materials of strategic interest to OSD ManTech; faster, higher quality unit processes; reduction in process variation through advanced process control systems; tighter coupling of the supply chain through advanced information technology; implementing dual use (capable for civil and military applications) manufacturing capability to be available to DoD during time when a surge in production is needed; and manufacturing research that addresses defense industrial base shortfalls especially related to surge production requirements and diminishing sources of defense material. Specific areas of interest include those that have a wide ranging impact to all services, to acquisition and depot part repair, coatings for improved surface finish, corrosion or wear resistance, life extension of weapon system components, and reduced cost processing of existing or developmental materials (e.g., functionally graded materials or adhesion of dissimilar materials for life extension or improved performance, improved deposition rates, process reliability). Processes should initially target low risk replacement parts and noncritical structural components and should be developed in consideration of future scale-up to production of larger more complex components and repair in mind. Examples of technology areas may include, but are not limited to: Cold Spray, Electron Beam Melting, Laser Engineered Net Shape, Metal Matrix Composites, Selective Laser Sintering and Semi-Solid Freeform Fabrication. The aforementioned technologies are representative examples of the types of processes under consideration for this BAA. Offerors are encouraged to submit proposals related to these and similar technology areas. II. AWARD INFORMATION Awards made under this BAA may be in the form of contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, and Other Transactions and are subject to the availability of appropriations. Proposals should be written to include a base period of one year plus two one-year option periods. Projects must have clear goals for each year. Funding of the option years will be contingent upon satisfactory performance of the base period and the availability of funds. Most proposals will request funding in the range of $200,000.00 to $1,000,000.00 per year. Multiple awards under the BAA are anticipated. Offerors submitting proposals are cautioned that only a Contracting, Agreements, or Grants Officer may obligate the Government to any agreement involving expenditure of Government funds. Amendments to this BAA shall be posted to the web sites located in Section IV of the BAA when they occur. Interested parties are encouraged to periodically check these websites for updates and amendments. Types of Awards:The Government has the authority to award a variety of instruments and reserves the right to use the type of instrument most appropriate for the effort proposed. Offerors should familiarize themselves with these instrument types and the applicable regulations before submitting a proposal. Following are brief descriptions of the possible award instruments. 1. Contracts (Research & Development): A legal instrument which, consistent with 31 U.S.C. 6303, reflects a relationship between the Federal Government and a State, a local government, or other recipient when the principal purpose of the instrument is to acquire property or services for the direct benefit or use of the Federal Government. The primary purpose of contracted R&D programs is to advance scientific and technical knowledge and apply that knowledge to the extent necessary to achieve agency and national goals. Unlike contracts for supplies and services, most R&D contracts are directed toward objectives for which the work or methods cannot be precisely described in advance. 2.Grant A legal instrument that, consistent with 31 U.S.C. 6304, is used to enter into a relationship: a. The principal purpose of which is to transfer a thing of value to the recipient to carry out a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by a law or the United States, rather than to acquire property or services for the DoD's direct benefit or use. b. In which substantial involvement is not expected between the DOD and the recipient when carrying out the activity contemplated by the grant. c. No fee or profit is allowed for research entities. 3. Cooperative Agreement A legal instrument which, consistent with 31 U.S.C. 6305, is used to enter into the same kind of relationship as a grant (see definition "grant"), except that substantial involvement is expected between the DoD and the recipient when carrying out the activity contemplated by the cooperative agreement. The term does not include "cooperative research and development agreements" as defined in 15 U.S.C. 3710a. No fee or profit is allowed for research entities. Grants and cooperative agreements are governed by the following regulations:a. OMB Circular A-21, "Cost Principles for Educational Institutions"b. OMB Circular A-87, "Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian Tribal Governments"c. OMB Circular A-102, "Grants and Cooperative Agreements with State and Local Governments"d. OMB Circular A-110, "Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations"e. OMB Circular A-122, "Cost Principles for Non-Profit Organizations"f. OMB Circular A-133, "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations"g. DoD Grant and Agreement Regulations (DoDGARs), DoD 3210.6-R Copies of OMB regulations may be obtained from:Executive Office of the President Telephone: (202) 395-7332Publications Service FAX Requests: (202) 395-9068New Executive Office Building http://www.whitehouse.gov/OMB/grants 725 17th Street, N.W., Room 2200 Washington, DC 20503 An electronic copy of the DODGARs may be found at http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/html/32106r.htm NOTE: In accordance with DOD Directive 3210.6, the DODGARs may include rules that apply to other nonprocurement instruments, when specifically required in order to implement a statute, Executive Order, or Government wide rule that applies to other nonprocurement instruments, as well as to grants and cooperative agreements. 4. Other Transactions: a.Other Transaction for Research and/or Technology Investment Agreement (TIA) A legal instrument, consistent with 10 U.S.C. 2371 and/or 10 U.S.C. 2358, which may be used when the use of a contract, grant, or cooperative agreement is not feasible or appropriate for basic, applied, and advanced research projects. The research covered under another transaction shall not be duplicative of research being conducted under an existing DoD program. To the maximum extent practicable, other transactions for research/TIA shall provide for a 50/50 cost share between the government (as research conducted generally transitions into readily marketable technologies with the offeror seeing a near term return on investment (ROI)). No fee or profit is allowed on other transactions for research/TIAs for research entities. b.Other Transaction for Prototype Projects A legal instrument, consistent with 10 U.S.C. 2371 (as supplemented by Section 845 of Public Law 104-201 and Section 804 of Public Law 104-201), which may be used when the use of a contract, grant, or cooperative agreement is not feasible or appropriate for prototype projects directly relevant to weapons or weapon systems proposed to be acquired or developed by the DoD. Other Transactions for Prototype Projects are acquisition instruments that generally are not subject to the federal laws and regulations governing procurement contracts. As such, they are not required to comply with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), its supplements, or laws that are limited in applicability to procurement contracts. In accordance with statute, this authority may be used only when: (1) There is at least one nontraditional defense contractor participating to a significant extent in the prototype project; or (2) No nontraditional defense contractor is participating to a significant extent in the prototype project, but at least one of the following circumstances exists: (i) At least one third of the total cost of the prototype project is to be paid out of funds provided by the parties to the transaction other than the federal government. (ii) The senior procurement executive for the agency determines in writing that exceptional circumstances justify the use of a transaction that provides for innovative business arrangements or structures that would not be feasible or appropriate under a procurement contract. As defined at 37 CFR 401.2(a), the intellectual property provisions of an Other Transaction can be negotiated to provide expanded protection to an offeror's intellectual property. An offeror's cost share may take the form of cash, independent research and development (IR&D), foregone intellectual property rights, equipment, or access to unique facilities, as well as others. The effort covered under an Other Transaction shall not be duplicative of effort being conducted under an existing DoD program.III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION A. Eligible Applicants: Proposals may be submitted by but not limited to, single researchers, degree-granting universities, nonprofit organizations, or industrial concerns. Proposals are encouraged from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (as determined by the Secretary of Education to meet requirements of Title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. 1061)) and from Minority Institutions defined as institutions whose enrollment of a single minority or a combination of minoritiesexceeds 50 percent of the total enrollment. [20 U.S.C. 1067k(3) and 10 U.S.C. 2323(a)(1)(C)]. In accordance with federal statutes, regulations, and Department of Defense and Army policies, no person on grounds of race, color, age, sex, national origin, or disability shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving financial assistance from the Army. Subcontracting:Pursuant to Section 8(d) of the Small Business Act [15 U.S.C. 637(d)], it is the policy of the Government to enable small business concerns to be considered fairly as subcontractors under all contracts awarded to prime Contractors. B. Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number andCentral Contractor Registration (CCR):Prospective offerors must be registered in Central Contractor Registration (CCR) prior to award. Verify the accuracy of your Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) registration at the D&B websitehttp://fedgov.dnb.com/webform before registering with the CCR at http://www.ccr.gov. The CCR obtains Legal Business Name, Doing Business Name (DBA), Physical Address, and Postal Code/ Zip+4 data fields from D&B: If corrections are required, registrants will not be able to enter/modify these fields in CCR; they will be pre-populated using D&B Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) record data. When D&B confirms the correction has been made, the registrant must then re-visit ccr.gov and 'accept' D&B's changes. Only at this point will the D&B data be accepted into the CCR record. Allow two (2) business days for D&B to send the modified data to CCR. C. Cost Sharing or Matching: To the maximum extent practicable (a minimum of 10% cost share is anticipated), the offeror will include cost sharing, matching, in-kind contributions and/or cost participation. Additionally, for research & development that will most likely result in the development of readily marketable technologies it is anticipated that cost share will be provided in the offerors proposal. Note: Cost share may be a requirement for award of an Other Transaction (to include Other Transactions for Prototype Agreements (10 USC 2371 845) & Technology Investment Agreements (10 USC 2358 and/or 10 USC 2371)). Unsuccessful Proposal Disposition: Unless noted in an offeror's proposal to the contrary, unsuccessful proposals will be retained for six (6) months and then properly destroyed.IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATIONThis BAA may be accessed from the FedBizOpps, Grants.gov and the USACC-Picatinny Procurement Network (PROCNET) at http://procnet.pica.army.mil/. Amendments to this BAA will be posted to these websites when they occur. Interested parties are encouraged to periodically check these websites for updates and amendments. A.The Application Process:The application process is in one stage as follows: Full Proposals Offerors should submit full proposals in accordance with the requirements set forth in this BAA. Full proposals will be submitted electronically through the Grants.gov portal (http://ww.grants.gov). Full proposals sent by email, courier, fax, or email will not be considered. B.Submission of Full Proposals: Full proposals must be submitted electronically through the Grants.gov portal (http://www.grants.gov). Full proposals sent by mail, courier, fax, or email will not be considered. C.Registration Requirements for Grants.gov (applies to all offerors): There are several one-time actions your organization must complete in order to submit applications through Grants.gov (e.g., obtain a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, register with the Central Contract Registry (CCR), register with the credential provider, register with Grants.gov and obtain approval for an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) to submit applications on behalf of the organization). Go to http://www.Grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp for further information. Use the Grants.gov Organization Registration Checklist, which may be accessed at http://www.Grants.gov/assets/OrganizationRegCheck.pdf to guide you through the process. Questions: Questions relating to the registration process, system requirements, how an application form works, or the submittal process should be directed to Grants.gov at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov. Note: In order to view, complete, and submit an application package, you may need to download the appropriate software packages. Go to http://www.Grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp for further information. D. Content and Format of Application: Application forms and instructions are available at Grants.gov. To access these materials, go to http://www.grants.gov, select Apply for Grants, and then select Download a Grant Application Package. Enter CFDA for Basic Scientific Research, 12.431, or the funding opportunity number, W15QKN-11-R-D0008. Follow the prompts to download the appropriate application package. 1. FORM: SF 424 (R&R) Application for Federal Assistance (Mandatory): Complete all required fields in accordance with the pop-up instructions on the form. Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) usernames and passwords serve as electronic signatures when your organization submits applications through Grants.gov. By using the SF 424 (R&R), proposers are providing the certification required by 32 CFR Part 28 regarding lobbying as contained in Section VI B. The following formatting rules apply for file attachments: Page Size 8.5 x 11 inches (when printed) Margins 1 inch Spacing single Font No smaller than Times New Roman, 12 point 2.FORM: Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile (Mandatory): Complete the requested information for the Principal Investigator (PI) and each key Co-investigator. Attach biographical sketch including relevant publications where indicated for the PI and Co-investigators. a. List up to 5 publications most closely related to the proposed project and up to 5 other significant publications, including those being printed. Patents, copyrights, or software systems developed may be substituted for publications. Do not include additional list of publications, invited lectures, etc. b. List of persons, other than those cited in the publication list, who have collaborated on a project or a book, article, report or paper within the last 4 years. Negative reports should be indicated. c. Names of graduate and post graduate advisors and advisees.(The information in B. and C. is used to help identify potential conflicts or bias in the selection of reviewers.) Attach statement of current and pending support where indicated for the PI and Co-investigators. The statement should include the project title and brief description, source of support, award amount, period of performance, and breakdown of the time required of the PI and other senior personnel. The recommended form to be used for Current and Pending Support can be found on the U.S. Army Research Laboratory website at the following link: http://www.arl.army.mil/www/pages/218/supportf.pdf. 3.FORM: Research & Related Other Project Information (Mandatory): Complete questions 1 through 6 and attach files. Files must comply with the following instructions: Project Summary/Abstract (Field 7) (200 words or less): Provide a concise description of the proposed research. The Project Abstract shall include a statement of objectives, methods to be employed, and the significance of the proposed activity to the advancement of knowledge or education. Avoid use of the first person to complete this summary. The abstract should be suitable for release under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552, as amended. Project Narrative (Field 8) (not to exceed 15 pages): Describe innovative research to implement significant manufacturing improvements in order to meet the goal of the IBIF program described under Part I Research Opportunity Description. Introduce the problem to be addressed, survey related work, identify key obstacles, describe how the proposed research improves current state-of-the-art, outline the proposed solution and well-defined objective, detail the yearly research plan with milestones, and analyze the impact if successful. Offerors should not feel compelled to use the entire page allotment. All pages should be numbered consecutively. Bibliography & References Cited (Field 9) (no page limitation): Provide a bibliography of pertinent literature. Citations must be complete including full name of author(s), title, and location in literature. Facilities and Other Resources (Field 10) (no page limitation): Describe facilities available for performing the proposed research and any additional facilities or equipment the organization proposes to acquire at its own expense. Equipment (Field 11) (no page limitation): Provide a rationale for each item of equipment requested in the budget and how this equipment will contribute to the goals of the proposal. Other Attachments (Field 12) (no page limitation): Attach Forms 52 or 52A (See Section 6, paragraph 1) Protection of Proprietary Information During Evaluation, and After Award/Statement of Disclosure Preference. Dependant on whether you are an industrial contractor (Form 52) or an Educational Institute/Non-Profit Organization (Form 52A) the following are the links to the appropriate forms: Form 52 - http://www.arl.army.mil/www/pages/218/aro52v7.pdf Form 52A - http://www.arl.army.mil/www/pages/shared/documents/form52af.pdf 4.FORM: Research & Related Budget (Mandatory): Complete Sections A through J and attach a budget justification at Section K. The estimated project costs must be shown in total as well as broken down to show cost elements for each year of the program. The budget justification should provide additional data (not included in Sections A through J) by element of cost, sufficient to meet the guidance provided below and ensure meaningful evaluation. Salary Costs (Sections A and B) - For all employees/labor categories, indicate the amount of time being charged to the proposed project and show resulting costs based on current or projected salary and fringe benefits. Show the current and projected salary amounts in terms of man-hours, man-months, or annual salary to be charged by the principal investigator(s), faculty, research associates, postdoctoral associates, graduate and undergraduate students, secretarial, clerical, and other technical personnel either by personnel or position. State the number of man-hours used to calculate a man-month or man-year. For proposals from universities, research during the academic term is deemed part of regular academic duties, not an extra function for which additional compensation or compensation at a higher rate is warranted. Consequently, academic term salaries shall not be augmented either in rate or in total amount for research performed during the academic term. Rates of compensation for research conducted during non-academic (summer) terms shall not exceed the rate for the academic terms. When part or all of a person's services are to be charged as project costs, it is expected that the person will be relieved of an equal part or all of his or her regular teaching or other obligations. For each person or position, provide the following information:a. The basis for the direct labor hours or percentage of effort (e.g., historical hours or estimates).b. The basis for the direct labor rates or salaries. Labor costs should be predicted upon current labor rates or salaries. These rates may be adjusted upward for forecast salary or wage cost-of-living increases that will occur during the agreement period. The cost proposal should separately identify the rationale applied to base salary/wage for cost-of living adjustments and merit increases. Each must be fully explained.c. The portion of time to be devoted to the proposed research, divided between academic and non-academic (summer) terms, when applicable.d. The total annual salary charged to the research project.e. Any details that may affect the salary during the project, such as plans for leave and/or remuneration while on leave. Fringe Benefits and Indirect Costs (Overhead, General and Administrative, and Other): The most recent rates, dates of negotiation, the base(s) and periods to which the rates apply must be disclosed and a statement included identifying whether the proposed rates are provisional or fixed. If the rates have been negotiated by a Government agency, state when and by which agency. A copy of the negotiation memorandum should be provided. If negotiated forecast rates do not exist, offerors must provide sufficient detail to enable a determination to be made that the costs included in the forecast rate are allocable according to applicable OMB Circulars or FAR/DFARS provisions. Offerors' disclosure should be sufficient to permit a full understanding of the content of the rate(s) and how it was established. As a minimum, the submission should identify:a. All individual cost elements included in the forecast rate(s);b. Base(s) used to prorate indirect expenses to cost pools, if any;c. How the rate(s) was calculated;d. Distribution basis of the developed rate(s);e. Basis on which the overhead rate is calculated, such as "salaries and wages" or "total costs," andf. The period of the offeror's fiscal year. Equipment (Section C) - If facilities or equipment are required, a justification why this property should be furnished by the Government must be submitted. State the organization's inability or unwillingness to furnish the facilities or equipment. Offerors must provide an itemized list of permanent equipment showing the cost for each item. Permanent equipment is any article or tangible nonexpendable property having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per unit. The basis for the cost of each item of permanent equipment included in the budget must be disclosed, such as:a. Vendor Quote: Show name of vendor, number of quotes received and justification, if intended award is to other than lowest bidder.b. Historical Cost: Identify vendor, date of purchase, and whether or not cost represents lowest bid. Include reason(s) for not soliciting current quotes.c. Engineering Estimate: Include rationale for quote and reason for not soliciting current quotes. If applicable, the following additional information shall be disclosed in the offeror's cost proposal:d. Special test equipment to be fabricated by the awardee for specific research purposes and its cost.e. Standard equipment to be acquired and modified to meet specific requirements, including acquisition and modification costs, listed separately.f. Existing equipment to be modified to meet specific research requirements, including modification costs. Do not include equipment the organization will purchase with its funds if the equipment will be capitalized for Federal income tax purposes. Proposed permanent equipment purchases during the final year of an award shall be limited and fully justified.g. Grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts may convey title to an institution for equipment purchased with project funds. At the discretion of the contracting/grants officer, the agreement may provide for retention of the title by the Government or may impose conditions governing the equipment conveyed to the organization. The Government will not convey title to commercial contractors. Exempt property authority is contained in the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act (31 U.S.C. 6306).h. It is the policy of the DoD that all commercial and nonprofit contractors provide the equipment needed to support proposed research. In those rare cases where specific additional equipment is approved for commercial and nonprofit organizations, such approved cost elements shall be "nonfee-bearing. Travel (Section D)- Estimate the required amount of travel and state its relationship to the research. List the proposed destinations and basis of cost estimates. Forecasts of travel expenditures (domestic and foreign) that identify the destination and the various cost elements (airfare, mileage, per diem rates, etc.) must be submitted. The costs should be in sufficient detail to determine the reasonableness of such costs. Allowance for air travel normally will not exceed the cost of round-trip, economy air accommodations. Specify the type of travel and its relationship to the research project. Requests for domestic travel must not exceed $5,000 per year per principal investigator. Separate, prior approval by BL is required for all foreign travel (i.e., travel outside the continental U.S., its possessions and Canada). Foreign travel requests must not exceed $3,000 each per year per principal investigator. Special justification will be required for travel requests in excess of the amounts stated above and for travel by individuals other than the principal investigator(s). Individuals other than the principal investigator(s) are considered postdoctoral associates, research associates, graduate and undergraduate students, secretarial, clerical, and other technical personnel. Additional travel may be requested for travel to Army laboratories and facilities to enhance agreement objectives and to achieve technology transfer. Participant/Trainee Support Costs (Section E)- Estimate tuition/fees/health insurance for students. This budget category also refers to costs of transportation, per diem, stipends, and other related costs. Generally, indirect costs are not allowed on participant support costs. The number of participants to be supported should be entered in the parentheses on the budget form. These costs should also be justified in the budget justification page(s) attached to the cost proposal. Other Direct Costs (Section F): Materials and Supplies and Consumables: Estimate costs of materials and supplies. List types of materials needed and costs. The basis for developing the cost estimate (vendor quotes, invoice prices, engineering estimate, purchase order history, etc.) must be included. Publication Documentation, and Dissemination Costs: The budget may request funds for the costs of preparing, publishing, or otherwise making available to others the findings and products of the work conducted under an agreement, including costs of reports, reprints, page charges, or other journal costs (except costs for prior or early publication); necessary illustrations, cleanup, documentation, storage, and indexing of data and databases; and development, documentation, and debugging of software: Estimate the costs of publishing and reporting research results. Consultant Services: Offerors normally are expected to utilize the services of their own staff to the maximum extent possible in managing and performing the project's effort. If the need for consultant services is anticipated, the nature of proposed consultant services should be justified and included in the technical proposal narrative. The cost proposal should include the names of consultant(s), primary organizational affiliation, each individual's expertise, daily compensation rate, number of days of expected service, and estimated travel and per diem costs. Subaward Costs: Support the estimate of subaward work by indicating the specific items or portion of the work to be subawarded, type of subaward anticipated, name of subawardee, and a detailed budget for each. Budgets should contain the same level of detail as required of the Prime (See Section IV, D). Subaward budgets must be in PDF format and attached to the R&R Subaward Budget Attachment(s) Form. Equipment Rental User Fees: Estimate anticipated direct costs such as rental for computers or other equipment and facility usage fees. Unusual or expensive items should be fully justified. Indirect Costs (Section H): This section should include Overhead, General and Administrative, and Other indirect costs incurred. Provide the most recent rates, dates of negotiations, the base(s) and period to which the rates apply, and a statement identifying whether the proposed rates are provisional or fixed. If the rates have been negotiated by a Government agency, state when and by which agency. Include a copy of any current indirect rate agreement or provide a URL if this document is available from the Internet. Fee (Section J): State the fixed fee, if any, which a commercial organization proposes to assess the research project. Budget Justification (Section K): Using the detailed information in each of the above Sections, A through J, you must provide a Narrative explanation of how you came to each of the estimates provided. 5.FORM: Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL) (Mandatory): If applicable, this form must be completed. This form is applicable if any funds other than Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with the application for replace an award under this BAA. Failure to provide the requested information or exceed page limits may render the proposal non-responsive, and the proposal may not be evaluated. Separate attachments, such as institutional brochures or reprints, cannot be considered. E.Proposal Submission Dates and Times: Proposals must be received no later than 4:00 PM Eastern Time on Friday October 14, 2011. F. Proposal Receipt Notices: After a proposal is submitted to Grants.gov, the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) will receive a confirmation screen as well as three e-mails from Grants.gov. The first two e-mails should be received within 24 to 48 hours after submission. The first e-mail will confirm receipt of the application by the Grants.gov system, and the second will indicate that the application has either been successfully validated by the system prior to transmission to the grantor agency or has been rejected due to errors. A third e-mail should be received once the agency has confirmed receipt of the proposal. The document, Tracking Your Application Package, located at http://www.grants.gov/assets/TrackingYourApplicationPackage.pdf explains this process. It is highly recommended that grant applications be submitted 24-48 hours prior to the due date and time to avoid delays due, for example, to high system usage immediately prior to the due date and time and to allow time to ensure successful validation. G.Late Submission of Proposals: Any proposal submitted through Grants.gov where the date and time of submission (as recorded in the first e-mail from Grants.gov) is after the specified deadline for proposal submission, will be considered late and will not be evaluated unless the Grants.gov website was not operational on the due date and was unable to receive the proposal submission. If this occurs, the time specified for the receipt of proposals through Grants.gov will be extended to the same time of day specified in this BAA on the first workday on which the Grants.gov website is operational.V.PROPOSAL REVIEW INFORMATIONEvaluation Factors:The Government reserves the right to select for award all, some or none of the proposals received. Proposals will not be evaluated against each other since they are not submitted in accordance with a common work statement. Evaluation of proposals shall be accomplished through a detailed review of each proposal, using the following five factors listed in descending order of relative importance. Detailed evaluation factors must be addressed in the Research & Related Other Project Information (Mandatory) Form, Grants.gov, except for the Cost Realism/Probable Cost factor, which is to be addressed in the Research & Related Budget (Mandatory) Form, Grants.gov: 1. Scope, metrics for measuring success, time frame for implementation and expected benefits of project implementation. Explain how the project addresses defense industrial base shortfalls especially related to surge production requirements and/or diminishing sources of defense material. Address the target implementation of the technology Explain how the proposed technology will transition to the industrial base Address how the proposal will meet short term needs of DoD Define and describe the metrics for measuring project success Detail the expected benefits to the target implementation and applications beyond the initial target implementation. Offeror's proposal shall explicitly show how its manufacturing research project will target a specific weapon system, weapon system component or other militarily significant materiel. For the primary target implementation a point of contact (POC) must be identified in the proposal. The POC information must include name, phone number, email, and organization code and relationship to the target implementation e.g. program manager. The Contracting Officer or his/her representative reserve the option of contacting the POC to confirm implementation assertions contained in the proposal. Implementations that would benefit a single weapon system are the responsibility of system program managers and are not appropriate for IBIF funding. If offeror's proposal designates a single system or item of military materiel for the initial implementation it must also provide a specific path for implementation on other weapon systems/military materiel. For example, the BAA response may be for an implementation on the F-18, but it would also have to clearly show a path for implementation on the F-22, F-35, or other weapon system platform. Proposals shall identify the tier of the industrial base which will implement the IBIF improvement and the timeframe for implementation. Prime contractors or R&D service providers, must specifically identify the project commitment, participation, and involvement by the lower tier DoD supplier. Component and material suppliers must specifically identify the project commitment, participation, and involvement by the Prime contractor and, if applicable, the Military Service Engineering Support Activity. Proposals must include POC information for organizations referenced in the proposal (see POC info above). Proposals shall identify the metrics of success for the proposal and the timeframe for putting the technology into production in the target implementation. Metrics should be quantifiable and include baseline, threshold, and objective value estimates. The proposal should address how the manufacturing technology will address short term needs of the DoD and the expected benefits. Address any impediments to implementing the technology and how those impediments will be overcome by the proposed effort. Offerors are cautioned that statements regarding the ability to implement manufacturing technology projects may be validated with Government engineering activities. For example, if an advanced material substitution is proposed the Offeror must demonstrate an understanding of the issues associated with and a schedule for getting the proposed substitution approved or qualified by the Cognizant Engineering Authority. Proposal shall address how the proposed technology will transition to the industrial base. The requirement is for a clearly written assessment of the need for the technology within the industrial base, the specific sectors where it will be implemented, and the expected benefits of that implementation in terms of surge production requirements and/or diminishing sources of defense material. 2. Overall scientific and technical merit: Soundness of the technical concept Understanding the scope of technical effort needed Offerors shall propose a manufacturing research project that includes: (a) The improved Defense manufacturing capability to be established, expressed in terms of outcomes that are important to the Warfighter, Systems Program Office and/or Logistics Support Organization; (b) Statement of Work (SOW) written in plain English detailing the scope of the effort and citing specific tasks to be performed and specific contractor performance requirements; (c) Detailed technical approach, rationale, and strategy for accomplishing technical goals in support of innovative claims and deliverables; (d) Deliverables associated with the proposed research including a clear description of the results, products, and transferable technology should be provided. (e) Realism of the schedule and milestones for each task in the proposed efforts. Include all proprietary claims to results, prototypes, or systems supporting and/or necessary for the use of the research, results, and/or prototypes. If there are no proprietary claims, this should be stated. 3. Past performance and scientific/ manufacturing/ technical experience: Provide evidence of technical expertise, experience with the technologies included in the proposed approach Offerors shall provide information pertaining to prior significant and related work experience or expertise in any of the listed areas of interest, and how that expertise shall be beneficial to this program and their track record in implementing manufacturing research projects. Offerors shall provide the five largest accounts/contracts/projects within the last three years for which they have provided services and/or supplies of a nature consistent with this program. Offerors shall include at least (2) points of contact and a telephone number for each account/contract, a description of the service or supply which was provided, as well as a brief performance history on each of those accounts/contracts. Where related work was performed with teaming partners, provide points of contact of teaming members to include company name, individuals and phone numbers. If no past performance related to manufacturing is available, offerors shall describe their track record in dealing with their comparable major customers and shall include supplemental information similar to that requested above. Offerors are cautioned that the government reserves the right to evaluate relevant past performance not included in the technical proposal. 4. Organizational and Project Management Show how the contract shall be managed Show that its organizational structure can ensure performance stability and reliable customer service Offerors shall provide evidence of how the contract shall be managed and show that its organizational structure shall ensure performance stability, reliable customer service and commitment to DoD and IBIF for the duration of the contract performance period. Specifically, offerors shall identify key personnel including the Project Coordinator permanently assigned to the contract; and other personnel with relevant qualifications and experience. The proposal must demonstrate scientific and technical expertise in the proposed area. Proposals must provide information on past performance, which reflects related efforts and/or achievements, technological aptitude, management support, and potential contribution and relevance to the DoD mission. 5. Cost Realism/Probable Cost. Evaluation of the reasonableness and realism of proposed costs provided in the Research and Related Budget Form. Ratings: It is the Government's intention to award contracts based upon proposals that demonstrate knowledge, experience, and expertise in the technical areas of interest identified in this BAA. The proposal must demonstrate scientific and technical expertise in the proposed area. Proposals must provide information on past performance, which reflects related efforts and/or achievements, technological aptitude, management support, and potential contribution and relevance to the DoD mission. The offerors responses to each evaluation factor (except for Cost Realism and Probable Cost) will receive one of the following adjectival ratings along with the narrative: Exceptional (E) Offeror's response contains significant strengths that demonstrate an outstanding approach to advancing manufacturing capability in one or more current systems or troop support items, especially in an identified area of interest (metals, composites and electronics). No weaknesses in the response are identified. No deficiencies are inherent in the response. Highly Acceptable (HA) Offeror's response contains strengths that demonstrate the ability of the offeror to meet or exceed an approach to advancing manufacturing capability in one or more current systems or troop support items, especially in an identified area of interest (metals, composites and electronics). Weaknesses of the offeror's response, as identified, are not substantial enough to adversely impact the respondent's strengths. Weaknesses may be correctable through negotiations or clarifications. No deficiencies are inherent in the response. Acceptable (A) Offeror's response addresses the minimal level of an approach to advancing manufacturing capability in one or more current systems or troop support items, especially in an identified area of interest (metals, composites and electronics). Offeror's response may contain strengths, weaknesses. Weaknesses of the offeror's response, where and if applicable, are not substantial enough to adversely impact respondent's strengths. Weaknesses identified may be corrected through negotiations or clarifications. Marginally Acceptable (MA) Offeror's response addresses the minimal level of information requested in the BAA. The offeror's response demonstrates limited understanding of the BAA and ability to meet applicable program objectives and/or performance parameters. Identification of weaknesses and/or deficiencies determined as having an adverse impact to successful achieving program outcomes. Unacceptable (UA) Offeror's response does not address even the minimal level of information requested in the BAA. The offeror's response does not demonstrate an understanding of the BAA and ability to meet applicable program objectives and/or performance parameters. It is unlikely that the weaknesses and/or deficiencies identified can be corrected throughnegotiations or clarifications. For Past Performance only will be rated as follows in addition to a narrative: Past Performance Relevancy Ratings Rating Definition Very Relevant Present/past performance effort involved essentially the sameScope and magnitude of effort and complexities this solicitationrequires. Relevanteffort involved similar scope and magnitude of effort and complexities this BAA requires. Somewhat Relevant effort involved some of the scope and magnitude of effort and complexities this BAA requires. Not Relevant effort involved little or none of the scope and magnitude of effort and complexities this BAA requires. Cost Realism/Probable Cost will not receive a merit rating. Evaluation of the probable cost to the Government will be in narrative form. The reasonableness and realism of proposed costs, any fee, and any proposed cost sharing arrangements. Definitions: Deficiency is a material failure of a proposal to meet a Government requirement or a combination of significant weaknesses in a proposal that increases the risk of unsuccessful contract performance to an unacceptable level. Weakness means a flaw in the proposal that increases the risk of unsuccessful contract performance. A significant weakness in the proposal is a flaw that appreciably increases the risk of unsuccessful contract performance. Strength is a significant, outstanding, or exceptional aspect of a vendors proposal that exceeds the evaluation standard. It provides a useful capability that will be included in the Performance Work Statement or is inherent in the vendors process. The adjectival ratings are Exceptional, Highly Acceptable, Acceptable, Minimally Acceptable, Unacceptable (see attached evaluation sheets) or Neutral for Past Performance Upon receipt of a proposal, the Government will perform an initial review of its scientific merit and potential contribution to the OSD mission and also determine if funds are expected to be available for the effort. Proposals not considered having sufficient scientific merit or relevance to the OSDs needs or those in areas for which funds are not expected to be available may be declined without further review. All proposals are treated as privileged information prior to award and the contents are disclosed only for the purpose of evaluation. Proposals not declined as a result of an initial review will be subject to a peer review by highly qualified scientists. While the offeror may restrict the evaluation to scientists from within the government, to do so may prevent review of the proposal by those most qualified in the field of research covered by the proposal. The offeror must indicate in the proposal any limitation to be placed on disclosure of information contained in the proposal. Each proposal will be evaluated based on the scientific merit and military relevance of the specific research proposed as it relates to the overall OSD program rather than against other proposals for research in the same general area. Not all Research Proposals deemed selectable will be funded. Decisions to fund selectable proposals shall be based on funds availability. VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION A. Award Notices: Offerors whose proposals are recommended for award will be contacted by a Contract/Grant Specialist to discuss additional information required for award. This may include representations and certifications, revised budgets or budget explanations, certificate of current cost or pricing data, small business subcontracting plan, and other information as applicable to the proposed award. The award start date will be determined at this time. A contract or grant document signed by the Government Contracting/Grants Officer is the only authorizing award document. Offerors whose proposals are accepted for funding shall be contacted before award to provide additional information required for award. The required information is normally limited to updating direct and indirect rates as applied to the budget/cost proposal, clarifying budget explanations, representations, and certifications. B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: Certification Required for Grant Awards (see Section IV, D, 5): The certification at Appendix A to 32 CFR Part 28 regarding lobbying is the only certification required at the time of proposal submission for a grant award. The certification is as follows: By signing and submitting a proposal that may result in the award of a grant exceeding $100,000.00, the prospective awardee is certifying, to the best of his or her knowledge and belief, that: (a) No Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid, by or on behalf of the undersigned, to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of an agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with the awarding of any Federal contract, the making of any Federal grant, the making of any Federal loan, the entering into of any cooperative agreement, and the extension, continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification of any Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement. (b) If any funds other than Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with this Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement, the undersigned shall complete and submit Standard Form-LLL, Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying, in accordance with its instructions. (c) The undersigned shall require that the language of this certification be included in the award documents for all subawards at all tiers (including subcontracts, and subgrants, and contracts under grants, and loans, or cooperative agreements) and that all subrecipients shall certify and disclose accordingly. This certification is a material representation of fact upon which reliance was placed when this transaction was made or entered into. Submission of this certification is a prerequisite for making or entering into this transaction imposed by section 1352, title 31, U.S. Code. Any person who fails to file the required certification shall be subject to a civil penalty or not less than $10,000 and not more than $100,000.00 for each such failure. Certifications Required for Contract Awards: Certifications and representations shall be completed by successful offerors prior to award. Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and DoD FAR Supplement (DFARS) Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA) are at website http://orca.bpn.gov. Export Control: The contractor shall comply with all U.S. export control laws and regulations that may apply in the course of the research. D. Security: Classified proposals are not expected. However, in an unusual circumstance where an offeror believes a proposal has the potential to be classified, the ARDEC Security Officer shall be contacted on (973) 724-4055 prior to the proposal's submission. E. Security Requirements: While non-classified work is relevant, research at ARDEC often leads to military applications and development or use of data that can be classified. This is not always known ahead of time, and when it does the applicant must be prepared to deal with classified information. Possession of a SECRET facility clearance is recommended. F. Technology Protection Plan: Increasingly, the US Government relies on sophisticated technology in its systems. Technology is todays and will be tomorrows force multiplier, and technology improves the warfighter and civil responders ability to survive and perform their mission. It is prudent and practical to protect technologies deemed so critical that their exploitation will diminish or neutralize a US defense systems effectiveness. Offerors may be required to develop a Technology Protection Plan in order to protect critical research technology (CRT) or critical program information (CPI).VII. AGENCY CONTACTS: The technical point of contact is Mr. Eric Brown, U.S. Army, Armament Research, Development and Engineering Command (ARDEC), Benet Laboratories, email: eric.brown31@us.army.mil. The administrative point of contact is Ms. Lauren McDermott, US Army Contracting Command (USACC)-Picatinny, Benet Laboratories Contracting Center, phone: (518) 266-5089, e-mail: lauren.a.mcdermott@us.army.mil. Comments or questions submitted should be concise and reference the relevant part and paragraph of the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). Comments or questions should reference BAA # W15QKN-11-R-D008 in the email subject line.
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