SOLICITATION NOTICE
A -- Next Generation Software Defined Radio Frequency (SDRF++) Capability
- Notice Date
- 4/20/2015
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- 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/RIK - Rome, 26 Electronic Parkway, Rome, New York, 13441-4514, United States
- ZIP Code
- 13441-4514
- Solicitation Number
- BAA-AFRL-RIK-2015-0005
- Point of Contact
- Gail E. Marsh, Phone: 315-330-7518
- E-Mail Address
-
Gail.Marsh@us.af.mil
(Gail.Marsh@us.af.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- NAICS CODE: 541712 FEDERAL AGENCY NAME: Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, AFRL - Rome Research Site, AFRL/Information Directorate, 26 Electronic Parkway, Rome, NY, 13441-4514 TITLE: Next Generation Software Defined Radio Frequency (SDRF++) Capability ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Initial announcement FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: BAA-AFRL-RIK-2015-0005 I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION: The Air Force Research Laboratory - Information Directorate (AFRL/RI) is soliciting white papers under this Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for innovative research, development, evaluation, and experimentation to create and develop affordable, next generation Software Defined Radio Frequency (SDRF++) airborne capabilities that are more flexible, and dynamically adaptable to current and future Air Force missions. AFRL is interested in leveraging the latest research, development, and technology advances in SDRF hardware/software to build affordable SDRF++ capabilities tailored with resilient spectrum maneuverability over broad, noncontiguous RF bands to enable cyber-secure, on-demand quality of service, dynamically adjusted for mission conditions. These SDRF++ systems will be designed to support radio communications missions, and be reprogrammed or reconfigured to also support one or more of the following: radar, cyber/electromagnetic (EM) protection & effects, or EM signals detection & deconstruction. However, the SDRF++ design is not required to be multi-channel and not required to support multiple missions simultaneously. This program will develop an SDRF++ ecosystem that includes innovative hardware & software, waveforms and modular components, developer guides, reference designs, and automated tools to accelerate development and reduce costs. The guidelines of Better Buying Power (BBP) will be followed for affordability objectives (For more information on BBP, see http://bbp.dau.mil/bbp1focus.html ). An affordability goal is to reduce the cost of entry for Universities (Univ) and Small Businesses (SB). BBP affordability goals for SDRF++ laboratory prototypes are under $20k (objective-SB), and under $10k (objective-Univ). BBP affordability goals for the waveform development environment (WDE) tools are under $50k (objective-SB), and under $10k (objective-Univ). A schedule goal is to incrementally demonstrate new capability every 2-4 months. Technical objectives will be selected and tailored to fit the cost/schedule goals. Potential offerors should answer the question "How much technical capability can I provide within the cost/schedule targets?" Collaborative team approach: Individual awardees will become part of a Government-led team using agile development techniques to collaborate and cooperate among Government and other SDRF++ team members on waveform design, visualized waveform specification/design/simulation, lab prototype design, WDE process and tools, interoperability demonstrations, and other SDRF++ topics under this BAA. The team approach will promote adaptive planning, evolutionary development, early delivery, continuous improvement, and encourage rapid and flexible response to manage changes to meet affordability and schedule objectives. Potential offerors may propose specific areas of collaboration based on their technical expertise. Work is encouraged in, but not limited to, the following focus areas and fiscal year timeframes shown below: 1. Advanced Waveform Development Environment Ecosystem (AWDEE), FY16-FY17. Component-based rapid waveform development and visualization: a) Research and develop innovative software, waveforms and modular components, developer guides, reference designs and automated tools to accelerate the design flow, rapidly model and visualize waveforms, create executable specifications, and auto-generate code for target hardware. b) Develop multiple advanced hardware/software (HW/SW) components and incorporate into an affordable comprehensive SDRF++ ecosystem with a broad user base. c) Automate the design process of transforming written waveform (WF) specifications to multi-mission implementations. d) Evaluate the latest Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) HW/SW technology to select the best-value components for hardware-in-the-loop demonstrations, and benchmarking for a lab prototype SDRF++ system. e) Evaluate three defacto waveform development processes in use today: Mathworks Matlab/Simulink with Digital Signal Processor (DSP) and Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) code generators, National Instruments LabView with code generation libraries, and GNU Radio Companion with Open Source waveform examples for Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP). f) Research model-based Waveform Description Languages (WDLs) and develop a library of components (e.g. modulators/demodulators, filters, encoders/decoders, de/interleavers, etc.) from government/commercial/open waveform repositories to rapidly assemble and demonstrate waveforms. g) Develop waveform reference examples that are technically comparable to military or commercial waveforms but faster and simpler to implement into "fully assembled" starter kits to jumpstart waveform developers and provide technical benchmarks for evaluating SDRF++ hardware/software designs. 1) The term "fully assembled" is synonymous to "shrink-wrapped" and defined to include all software, hardware, documentation, configuration files, and WDE information needed for a developer to get started in 3-5 days to execute the waveform example(s) on target hardware and begin new development. 2) Waveform examples may be co-developed with the Government team. Examples will include frequency hopping (FH) at initial rates from 10's to 100's of hops per second (hps) on COTS hardware, and a goal of 1K's to 10K's hps, fixed rate and variable rate, single mode and multi-mode, on COTS, Government-off-the-shelf (GOTS) or custom hardware. h) Determine the critical parameters, level of precision, and challenge areas needed to specify waveform technical requirement benchmarks for communications and radar waveform missions, and other RF missions; e.g. timing, synchronization, control, frequency & phase accuracy, receiver bandwidth & sensitivity, etc. i) Enhance the waveform reference examples into full-featured waveforms in collaboration with the Government SDRF++ team. j) Investigate and propose affordable approaches to incorporate cyber protection and information assurance (IA) best practices into the SDRF++ design process. k) Investigate embedded interprocess communication (IPC) for SDRF++ software components in heterogeneous system architectures which may include general purpose processors (GPPs), graphics processor units (GPUs), accelerated processing units (APUs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs), or other processing elements. 2. Multi-mission Agile RF Capability (MARC), FY17-FY19. Affordable cyber-secure SDRF++ systems with multi-mission RF capability: a) Create an affordable open SDRF hardware design approach that is cyber-secure with multi-mission RF capability, and that supports a continuum of hardware instantiations from low-end COTS Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP), to mid-range signal-processing hardware, to high-end mission-ready SDRF++ products with embedded crypto. b) Building from the work under AWDEE, design and develop new SDRF++ hardware from the latest technology available using a componentized building-block approach for an open, modular upgradable design that integrates the AWDEE toolset for rapid waveform development of multi-mission RF capability. c) Since National Security Agency (NSA) review and certification is a critical long-lead item for validation and transition of SDRF++ designs, investigate affordable technologies and design approaches that simplify and reduce the Information Assurance (IA) accreditation process (e.g., investigate use of Commercial Solutions for Classified (CSfC), referenced at https://www.nsa.gov/ia/programs/csfc_program/ ). d) Investigate agile RF capabilities to coordinate, synchronize, and distribute control across multiple mission modes while avoiding self-interference and countering real-time interference. e) Investigate affordable RF Transceiver Front Ends (power amplifiers, low noise amplifiers, antenna interface units, filters, etc.) for SDRF++ that can support field demonstrations at AFRL/RI test sites, Newport & Stockbridge, or equivalent test sites, with line of sight (LOS) distances up to 20 miles, and a growth path to support longer ranges. f) Provide recommendations on how to incorporate and transition new MARC SDRF++ systems into the Joint Aerial Layer Network (JALN). ADDITIONAL INFORMATION : The goal of a WDE is to provide a system-level tool suite for visualized executable waveform definition, development, and auto generation from specifications into high performance, affordable implementations in software/firmware on target hardware. A goal of the WDL research is to standardize waveform specifications to reduce design errors and ambiguity, enhance interoperability, and thereby decrease development costs and schedules. A WDL will provide details, references, templates, and style guides for how to construct unambiguous waveform specifications, i.e. accurate, verifiable, syntactically correct, and understandable. To achieve affordability goals, the WDE and WDL approaches should leverage and draw from current and emerging technology ecosystems that have a broad user base and industry support to maximize reuse of software/hardware components and intellectual property. WDE & WDL options may draw from existing defacto standard tool ecosystems, such as Simulink, LabView, or GNU Radio Companion (GRC). A notional example is selecting tools and software to leverage Advanced Processing Units (APUs) with multi-cores and Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) that replace DSPs in legacy designs. However, Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA)-based approaches are not recommended or encouraged to be among the options for investigation under this BAA. II. AWARD INFORMATION: 1. FUNDING: Total funding for this BAA is approximately $24.8M. The anticipated funding to be obligated under this BAA is broken out by fiscal year as follows: FY 16 - $3.3M; FY 17 - $5.1M; FY 18 - $7.9M; and FY19 - $8.5M. Individual awards will not normally exceed 36 months with dollar amounts normally ranging between $300k to $1.8M per year. There is also the potential to make awards up to any dollar value. The Government reserves the right to select all, part, or none of the proposals received, subject to the availability of funds. All potential Offerors should be aware that due to unanticipated budget fluctuations, funding in any or all areas may change with little or no notice. 2. FORM: Awards of efforts as a result of this announcement will be in the form of contracts. 3. BAA TYPE: This is a two-step open broad agency announcement. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation. As STEP ONE - The Government is only soliciting white papers at this time. DO NOT SUBMIT A FORMAL PROPOSAL. 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 regarding the proposal. III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION: All qualified offerors who meet the requirements of this BAA may apply. This BAA is closed to foreign participation at the Prime Contractor level. Foreign Ownership, Control or Influence (FOCI) companies who have mitigated FOCI may inquire as to eligibility by contacting the contracting office focal point, Gail E. Marsh, Contracting Officer, telephone (315) 330-7518 or e-mail Gail.Marsh@us.af.mil for verification prior to submitting a white paper. Please reference BAA-AFRL-RIK-2015-0005. IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION: All responses to this announcement must be addressed to the Technical point of contact (POC) listed in SECTION VII. DO NOT send white papers to the Contracting Officer. 1. SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES: It is recommended that white papers be received by the following dates to maximize the possibility of award: FY 16 should be submitted by 17 Jul 2015 ; FY 17 by 18 Jul 2016 ; FY 18 by 18 Jul 2017 and; FY 19 by 18 Jul 2018. White papers will be accepted until 2pm Eastern time on 15 Jan 2019, but it is less likely that funding will be available in each respective fiscal year after the dates cited. This BAA will close on 15 Aug 2019. All offerors submitting white papers will be contacted by the technical POC, referenced in Section VII of this announcement. Offerors can email the technical POC for status of their white paper/proposal no earlier than 45 days after submission. 2. CONTENT AND FORMAT: Offerors are required to submit 3 copies of a 3 to 5 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: a. Section A : Title, Period of Performance, Estimated Cost, Name/Address of Company, Technical and Contracting Points of Contact (phone, fax and email)(this section is NOT included in the page count); b. Section B : Task Objective; and c. Section C : Technical Summary and Proposed Deliverables. All white papers/proposals shall be double spaced with a font no smaller than 12 point. In addition, respondents are requested to provide their Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) number, their Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, a fax number, an e-mail address, and reference BAA-AFRL-RIK-2015-0005 with their submission. 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). 3. HANDLING AND MAILING INSTRUCTIONS: a. CLASSIFICATION GUIDANCE. All Proposers should review the NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL SECURITY PROGRAM OPERATING MANUAL, (NISPOM), dated February 2006 Incorporating Change 1 March 28, 2013, as it provides baseline standards for the protection of classified information and prescribes the requirements concerning Contractor Developed Information under paragraph 4-105. Defense Security Service (DSS) Site for the NISPOM is: http://www.dss.mil/. In the event of a possible or actual compromise of classified information in the submission of your white paper or proposal, immediately but no later than 24 hours, bring this to the attention of your cognizant security authority and AFRL Rome Research Site Information Protection Office (IPO): Vincent Guza 315-330-4048, 0730-1630, Monday-Friday 315-330-2961, Evenings and Weekends Email: vincent.guza@us.af.mil b. CLASSIFIED SUBMISSIONS. AFRL/RITE will accept classified responses to this BAA when the classification is mandated by classification guidance provided by an Original Classification Authority of the U.S. Government, or when the offeror believes the work, if successful, would merit classification. Security classification guidance in the form of a DD Form 254 (DoD Contract Security Classification Specification) will not be provided at this time since AFRL is soliciting ideas only. Offerors that intend to include classified information or data in their white paper submission or who are unsure about the appropriate classification of their white papers should contact the technical point of contact listed in Section VII for guidance and direction in advance of preparation. c. MAILING INSTRUCTIONS. All mailed responses, unclassified/classified, to this announcement must be sent U.S. Postal Service, registered mail and addressed to AFRL/RITE, 525 Brooks Road, Rome NY 13441-4505, and reference BAA-AFRL-RIK-2015-0005. When mailing follow the directions regarding the number of copies required. Electronic submission is NOT authorized. Questions can be directed to the cognizant technical point of contact listed in Section VII. Offerors are responsible to confirm receipt with the technical POC listed in Section VII. AFRL is not responsible for undelivered documents. 4. OTHER SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS/CONSIDERATIONS: a. COST SHARING OR MATCHING: Cost sharing is not a requirement. b. SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT (SAM). Offerors must be registered in the SAM database to receive a contract award, and remain registered during performance and through final payment of any contract or agreement. Processing time for registration in SAM, which normally takes forty-eight hours, should be taken into consideration when registering. Offerors who are not already registered should consider applying for registration before submitting a proposal. The provision at FAR 52.204-7, System for Award Management (Jul 2013) applies. c. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION AND FIRST-TIER SUBCONTRACT AWARDS: Any contract award resulting from this announcement may contain the clause at FAR 52.204-10 - Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards. d. ALLOWABLE CHARGES: 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. e. GOVERNMENT APPROVED ACCOUNTING SYSTEM: An offeror must have a government approved accounting system prior to award of a cost-reimbursement contract per limitations set forth in FAR 16.301-3(a) to ensure the system is adequate for determining costs applicable to the contract. The acceptability of an accounting system is determined based upon an audit performed by the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA). IMPORTANT: If you do not have a DCAA approved accounting system access the following link for instructions: https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=1cffad228f48b58057072a6c9113799d&tab= core&_cview=1 V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION: 1. CRITERIA: The following criteria, which are listed in descending 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) Overall Scientific and Technical Merit -- The soundness of approach for the development and/or enhancement of the proposed technology, (2) Affordability - the extent to which the offeror's approach accelerates development and reduces recurring and non-recurring development costs, (3) Openness of Solution - The extent to which existing capabilities and standards are leveraged to promote an open non-proprietary design, (4) Related Experience - The extent to which the offeror demonstrates relevant technology and domain knowledge, and (5) Reasonableness and realism of proposed costs and fees (if any). No further evaluation criteria will be used in selecting white papers/proposals. White papers and proposals submitted will be evaluated as they are received. 2. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS: Only Government employees will evaluate 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, and 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. 3. ADEQUATE PRICE COMPETITION: The Government may simultaneously evaluate proposals received under this BAA with a common cutoff date for multiple offerors. In this case, the Government may make award based on adequate price competition, and offerors must be aware that there is a possibility of non-selection due to a proposal of similar but higher-priced technical approach as compared to another offeror. VI. STEP TWO INFORMATION - REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL & AWARD: 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 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. For additional information, a copy of the AFRL "Broad Agency Announcement (BAA): Guide for Industry," May 2012, and Proposal Preparation Instructions, Aug 2013, may be accessed at: https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=1cffad228f48b58057072a6c9113799d&tab=core &_cview=1 2. ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS: Depending on the work to be performed, the offeror may require a SECRET or TOP SECRET facility clearance and safeguarding capability; therefore, personnel identified for assignment to a classified effort must be cleared for access to SECRET or TOP SECRET/SCI 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. This acquisition may involve data that is subject to export control laws and regulations. Only contractors who are registered and certified with the Defense Logistics Information Service (DLIS) at http://www.dlis.dla.mil/jcp/ and have a legitimate business purpose may participate in this solicitation. For questions, contact DLIS on-line at http://www.dlis.dla.mil/jcp or at the DLA Logistics Information Service, 74 Washington Avenue North, Battle Creek, Michigan 49037-3084, and telephone number 1-800-352-3572. You must submit a copy of your approved DD Form 2345, Militarily Critical Technical Data Agreement, with your white paper/proposal. 3. DATA RIGHTS: a. SBIR RIGHTS. The potential for inclusion of Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or data rights other than unlimited on awards is recognized. In accordance with (IAW) the Small Business Administration (SBA) SBIR Policy Directive, Section 8(b), SBIR data rights clauses are non-negotiable and must not be the subject of negotiations pertaining to an award, or diminished or removed during award administration. Issuance of an award will not be made conditional based on forfeit of data rights. If the SBIR awardee wishes to transfer its SBIR data rights to the Air Force or to a third party, it must do so in writing under a separate agreement. A decision by the awardee to relinquish, transfer, or modify in any way its SBIR data rights must be made without pressure or coercion by the agency or any other party. b. NON-SBIR RIGHTS. Non-SBIR data rights less than unlimited will be evaluated and negotiated on a case-by-case basis. Government Purpose Rights are anticipated for data developed with DoD-reimbursed Independent Research and Development (IR&D) funding. 4. REPORTING: Once a proposal has been selected for award, offerors will be given complete instructions on the submission process for the reports. 5. SUPPLY CHAIN RISK: The provision at DFARS 252.239-7017, Notice of Supply Chain Risk (Nov 2013) applies. VII. AGENCY CONTACTS: All white paper and proposal submissions and any questions of a technical nature shall be directed to the cognizant technical point of contact as specified below (unless otherwise specified in the technical area): Paul Oleski, AFRL/RITE 525 Brooks Road, Rome NY 13441-4505 Telephone: (315) 330-4744 Email: paul.oleski@us.af.mil Questions of a contractual/business nature shall be directed to the cognizant contracting officer, as specified below (email requests are preferred): Gail Marsh Telephone (315) 330-7518 Email: Gail.Marsh@us.af.mil Emails must reference the solicitation (BAA) number and title of the acquisition. In accordance with AFFARS 5301.91, 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 (Apr 2014) will be incorporated into all contracts awarded under this BAA. The AFRL Ombudsman is as follows: Ms. Barbara Gehrs AFRL/PK 1864 4th Street Building 15, Room 225 Wright-Patterson AFB OH 45433-7130 FAX: (937) 656-7321; Comm: (937) 904-4407 Email: barbara.gehrs@us.af.mil All responsible organizations may submit a white paper which shall be considered.
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