Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), Contracts Management Office (CMO), 3701 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1714

A -- RADIO FREQUENCY PHOTONICS SOL BAA95-39 DUE 122995 POC Dr. Brian M. Hendrickson, ARPA\MTO, FAX: (703) 696-2201. The Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) solicits preproposals, and subsequently, full proposals for innovative technical research and development in photonics - based radio frequency (RF) technology. Heretofore, research has focused on digital photonics and optoelectronics. This program seeks to develop analog RF photonics and optoelectronics technology to demonstrate high performance impact on military RF systems. Program Goals and Objectives: The overall goal of the RF Photonics program is to demonstrate and quantify by experimental hardware development how photonics technology will impact military RF systems. Offerors are required to propose specific Tasks, and / or Technology Studies, and / or Device Developments. The aim of the proposed Tasks must be to focus the technology to obtain realistic design and engineering against military RF system operation. The aim of the proposed Technology Studies (with experimental hardware for proof-of-concept if appropriate) is development of high payoff RF Photonics technology which could revolutionize military RF systems. The aim of the proposed Device Developments is to achieve potential breakthrough prototype devices that could have a major impact on system performance. Parameters for Tasks and Technology Studies: All Tasks and / or Technology Studies and / or Device Developments proposed must consider optimizing system performance from a spur free dynamic range (SFDR) and noise figure (NF) point of view. SFDR's of 130 dB per Hz to the 2/3 power and NR's less than 3 dB are considered desirable. Implementations at the .85 micron wavelength are not encouraged. The use of analog optical processing technologies to maximize the time in the optical domain (and attendant size / power impact) is encouraged but not mandated. Digital electronic or optoelectronic processing may be proposed, but the offeror must show how the introduction of digital processing judiciously mixes with an RF photonics implementation to assure optimum performance. Offerors are required to propose Tasks in two phases: Phase 1 (with a term of 12-18 months) will involve study, design and breadboarding of designs for in-depth evaluation and possible insertion of technology from parallel developments. Phase II (with a term of 24-36 months) must be proposed as an option and will involve fabrication of experimental or prototype hardware which is capable of quantification to assess performance impact on military RF systems. To minimize program risk, it is anticipated that both Technology Studies and Device Developments will be conducted over an 18-24 month duration, with performance terms overlaping both Phase I and Phase II of the Tasks awarded. Tasks, Studies and Devices of Interest: The following Types of Tasks are of interest, but not required: (T1) Multiband RF signal distribution operating from 1 to 100 GHz, demonstrating RF frequency independence, (T2) Tunable Optical Heterodyne Transmitter / Receiver operating from 1 - 100 GHz with incremental tuning capability of 1 GHz. Channelizers capable of operation in the 1- 100 GHz range with 1 GHz resolution are also of interest, (T3) Optical Null Steering Antenna Processor with wideband null steering implemented at the RF frequency. The goal here would be 50 dB with up to ten jammers and ten simultaneous beams as a design goal. For this type of task, frequency ranges of 1-20 GHz and EHF frequencies would be of interest, (T4) Reconfigurable Shared Aperture Transmit / Receive Phased Array to demonstrate operation at multiple frequency bands (e.g. C, Ku, EHF) with a common aperture. Up to four (4) simultaneous beams with beam forming accomplished optically are of interest, (T5) Wideband Optically Controlled Antennas / Conformal Phased Arrays / Processors to demonstrate remote control and beam forming of multiple sparse antennas and/or phased arrays. Tasks of this type may focus on Optical implementation of a Butler Matrix, monopulse beamforming, multi-aperture beam forming / direction finding. Frequencies of interest are 1-18 Ghz and EHF. The following Types of Technology Studies are of interest, but not required: (TS1) Optimized high SFDR / low NF RF photonic links that do not use any electronic amplifiers, (TS2) Signal / waveform detection / analyis using RF photonics technology, (TS3) Millimetric Wave Beam Forming for RF imaging. Frequencies of interest are 60 GHz, 94 GHz, 120 GHz, (TS4) All-photonic implementation with no electronics used for detection, down-conversion or processing, (TS5) Novel antenna systems made possible by RF photonics technology, (TS6) RF Photonics system analytical noise studies and modeling to accurately predict system performance. The following Types of Device Developments are of interest, but not required: (DD1) Optical Amplifiers, (DD2) Modulators / Detectors, (DD3) Switches, Sources, Interconnects. Offerors must emphasize how their proposed device developments would impact military sytem implementation and performance. Evaluation Criteria: Selection of one or more sources for contract award will be based on a scientific review of proposals submitted. The major purpose of the evaluation will be to determine the relative merit of the technical approach of each proposal. Business and contractual aspects, including proposed cost and cost realism, will also be considered as part of the evaluation. Selection of proposals for award will be based on the potential benefits to the Government weighed against the cost of the proposals, in view of the availability of funds. Specific evaluation criteria are as follows, listed in descending order of importance: (1) Degree to which new and creative solutions to technical issues important to ARPA's Radio Frequency Photonics program are proposed, (2) Feasibility and the offeror's understanding of the proposed approach and technical objectives, (3) Offeror's ability to implement the proposed approach as demonstrated by specific accomplishments, availability of qualified personnel and availability of appropriate facilities and equipment, (4) Degree to which technical data and / or computer software developed under the proposed contract are to be delivered to the Government with unrestricted rights, (5) The availability of funds, proposed cost and cost realism. Proposal Submission: The Broad Agency Announcement will remain open until 29 December 1995. Proposals may be submitted any time on or before 4:00 p.m. local time 29 December 1995 to the ARPA address listed below. However, to be considered for FY'96 funding, offerors are required to submit eight (8) copies of a preproposal which must be received by 4:00 p.m. local time on 15 September, 1995 at the ARPA address listed below. Full proposals are due 45 days after the date on the letter from ARPA stating the disposition of the pre-proposal. Initial screening of preproposals will minimize unnecessary effort and expense in proposal preparation and review. Each paragraph within the preproposal or full proposal containing proprietary information shall be clearly marked and will be held in strict confidence. No classified proposals will be accepted. Acknowledgement of receipt of preproposals or full proposals will not be made and submissions will not be returned. ARPA will recommend that those offerors with promising preproposals submit full technical and cost proposals. Preproposals and full proposals may not be submitted by telefax or electronic mail, any so sent will be disregarded. Pre-Proposals: Pre-proposals are strictly limited to 15 pages on single-sided, double-spaced pages, page size not larger than 8 1/2 x 11 inches, font not smaller than 12 point, one-inch left / right margins, 1.25 inch top margins, 1/2 inch bottom margins on all sheets. The 15-page pre-proposal limit includes all figures, charts and tables. Attached letters or statements of commitment from proposed subcontractors do not count against the 15-page limit. The pre-proposal must briefly address all key issues described below under the full proposal format, and must contain a table summarizing a breakdown of the estimated cost per task, per year. Options must be clearly segregated in the cost estimate. Full Proposals: Full proposals shall be formatted in two volumes. Volume 1 shall contain no cost information and include the following sections: (A) Cover Sheet, with reference to BAA # 95-39 including proposal title and date, name(s) of principal investigator or primary offeror, company address, telephone number, facsimile number and e-mail address, (B) Executive Summary, (C) Statement of the Problem: this section clearly identifies the key technical hurdles and goals being addressed in the proposal, (D) Technical Approach: this section must describe how the key technical goals will be met . Offerors must include a discussion of the innovative aspects of the solution and a description of how the proposed approach is superior to current state-of-the-art, (E) Program Plan: this section includes the Statement of Work, Key Milestones, Schedule, Deliverables, (F) Management Plan: includes management control plan, organization, subcontractor arrangements, resumes of Key Personnel, clear delineation of developer / implementor roles and relationships, methodology for establishing and achieving technical milestones, (G) Facilities and Equipment description and related experience. Volume 1 is strictly limited to 50 pages on single-sided, double-spaced pages with margins the same as required for pre-proposal submissions. The 50-page count includes all tables, charts, figures with the exception of table of contents and any attached letters or statements of participant or subcontractor commitment. Volume 2, the cost proposal, shall contain all cost / price information with supporting cost schedules consistent with the offeror's cost accounting system. Offerors are required to provide exhibits as necessary to substantiate cost elements. Proposals must clearly link costs to program schedules and technical milestones. Cost breakdowns for Options (with supporting exhibits) must be clearly segregated and identified. General Information: No formal RFP or other solicitation with regard to this requirement will be issued and requests for same will be disregarded. No portion of this BAA will be set aside for Historically Black Colleges or Universities or Miniority Institution participation due to the impracticality of reserving discrete or severable tasks relating to RF photonics research and development. However, appropriate small business and university participation is encouraged, and all responsible sources capable of satisfying the Government's needs may submit a proposal which will be considered by ARPA. This BAA is soliciting goods and services for the direct benefit of the Government, therefore, ARPA anticipates that Contracts (not Grants, not Cooperative Agreements or Other Transactions) will be the resulting award instrument. Restrictive notices notwithstanding, proposals will be handled for administrative purposes by a support contractor Booz, Allen and Hamilton, whose employees will execute nondisclosure statements. Due to anticipated large response, telephone inquiries are discouraged. This BAA is an expression of interest only and does not commit the government to pay any preproposal or proposal costs. ARPA reserves the right to select for negotiation and / or award all, some or none of the proposals received. Eight (8) copies of each preproposal and / or full proposal shall be submitted and must reference BAA #95-39. All submissions shall be mailed to ARPA/MTO, Attention: Brian M. Hendrickson, 3701 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1714. (0199)

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