Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Contracts Management Office (CMO), 3701 N. Fairfax Dr., Arlington VA 22203-1714

A -- SMART MATERIALS AND ACTUATORS SOL RA96-28 DUE 083096 POC DRS C. Robert Crowe, Wallace A. Smith, William Coblenz, DARPA/DSO, fax(703) 696-3999. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Contracts Management Office (CMO), 3701 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1714. Research Announcement - Advanced Materials Partnerships: RA 96-28, POC's Drs. C. Robert Crowe, Wallace A. Smith, and William S. Coblenz, DARPA/DSO, FAX: (703) 696-3999. The processing and manufacturing of advanced materials and components is a crucial enabling factor for developing virtually all military systems. The use of induced strain actuators has experienced a great expansion in recent years, and with the emergence of smart and adaptive structures technology design in mechanical and aerospace systems, there is a need for improved materials and devices to produce large mechanical displacements with highly efficient electrical to mechanical energy conversion. Unique requirements of robustness, reliability, and high response rate will force DoD to depend heavily on advanced actuator materials and devices. Through the use of well architectured displacement amplification, induced strain actuators can potentially achieve dynamic output strokes similar to those of conventional hydraulic actuators. The key to achieving this is to develop higher performance actuation materials and demonstrate innovative, low cost production, forming, and fabrication technologies to produce both the active materials and the devices. Research areas of interest are: (a) high authority, high response rate induced strain solid state actuator materials, and (b) compact, lightweight actuator devices designed and fabricated from these materials. The development of mesoscale actuators for direct incorporation into smart structures as well as bulk actuator materials are of interest. A number of such innovations have demonstrated the feasibility of a variety of potentially pivotal processing improvements, which, if brought to maturity, will increase actuator performance and reduce costs sufficiently to create strong non-DoD demands. Low cost materials and innovative component fabrication processes (ex. rapid prototyping utilizing freeform fabrication) coupled with in-line process sensing, real time process control and/or improved process modeling, can be implemented to achieve high performance, quality, and significant cost reduction. It is expected that the goals of this activity will be accomplished by linking development of low cost materials processing technology, actuator design and prototype development activities. The Defense Sciences Office of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA/DSO) plans to initiate at least four advanced materials manufacturing ''partnerships'' with the private sector, institutions of higher education and state and local governments (See 10 U.S.C. 2353 and 2371) to develop high authority induced strain actuator materials and lightweight, compact actuator devices. Approximately twenty-two million dollars ($22 million) are budgeted for this activity. Successful proposals would result in development of materials and processes, and delivery of multiple components for market insertion of products. Programs should be vertically integrated with heavy involvement of materials suppliers, component fabricators, and potential users and draw on expertise at universities and government laboratories. End users are expected to take the lead on the development of design methodologies and on component test and evaluation tasks. Metrics for success include the potential number of components developed for insertion, reductions in manufacturing costs of components, and performance of components in applications. The proposed programs should leverage past and existing concepts and clearly indicate the path to production of products made from advanced actuator materials. Additionally, applications must include at least one component of military and one of commercial relevance, these may be coincident. Planning for service program support for component demonstrations and follow on insertion is also highly desirable. GENERAL INFORMATION: For the establishment of these partnerships, DARPA is seeking innovative and creative technical ideas and concepts which involve the active participation of large and small U.S. industrial firms, U.S. academic institutions of higher education, federal laboratories, and state and local governments. In most situations, a U.S. industrial firm should serve as the lead organization. All efforts must be cost shared. Funding requested will not exceed 50 percent of the total required resources, where practicable. Non-federal contributions can include the fair market value for the program utilization of equipment, services, materials, technology transfer activities, and other assets. However, cash contributions are preferred. A merit-based process will be used to select partnerships in this program. Evaluation criteria, listed in order of decreasing importance, include: (1) technical excellence and innovativeness of proposed ideas and approach, (2) extent to which the program advances and enhances the national security interests of the United States, and the potential effectiveness of the partnership to further develop widespread application of the products to be developed (pervasive impact), (3) commitment and ability of the partnership to productize the results of the proposed effort, (4) qualifications of the personnel proposed to participate and adequacy of facilities, and (5) financial commitments of the eligible institutions to the proposed partnership. It is anticipated that projects of up to two years in duration will be supported. Longer term options may be proposed. The merit of submitted proposals will be evaluated in relation to the proposed cost and availability of funds. Partnerships having the management and technical capabilities, facilities and experience necessary to conduct this program are invited to submit full proposals. Proposers are required to supply eight copies of the proposal. All proposals must be in the following ''page'' format: double-spaced, not greater than 8.5 by 11 inches, typed single-side with 1.25 inch minimum margins, with a font size not smaller than 12 pitch. Volume 1 of submitted proposals shall include a Title Page, an Abstract, Executive Summary, Technical Approach, Program Plan, Statement of Work, Milestone Chart, Facilities and Equipment Description, Relevant Prior Work, Management Plan, Cost Model, Business Plan for Productization, and Resumes of Key Individuals. The Title Page should include the title, the point of contact with phone and fax numbers, e-mail addresses, and a summary of the yearly cost and cost share offered. The page count of Volume 1 must be limited to a maximum of 50 pages, which includes all figures, tables, and charts. Volume 2 of submitted proposals shall contain a summary cost breakdown and a detailed cost breakdown. The summary breakdown should be shown to the level of major tasks and should indicate performing organizations, manpower levels of effort, equipment and supplies, travel, and miscellaneous expenses for the tasks, broken out by phases and time. Details of the cost sharing to be undertaken by the offerer must be included in the summary section of volume 2 of the proposal. The summary shall be no longer than 3 pages, but the detailed cost breakdown is not limited in page count. Within approximately seven (7) business days of receipt, DARPA will acknowledge receipt of the submission and assign a control number that should be used in all further correspondence regarding the proposal. The Government plans to make award decisions within approximately 45 days after receipt of full proposals, but awards will not be initiated until after the FY 97 funds become available. It is anticipated that in most cases the award instrument will be a DARPA ''other transaction'' (10 U.S.C. 2358/2371) rather than a procurement contract or grant. All proprietary material submitted should be clearly marked as such and will be held in strict confidence. All proposals must reference DARPA RA #96-28. No additional information is available nor will a formal RFP or other solicitation regarding this announcement be issued. Requests for same will be disregarded. The Government reserves the right to select for award all, some, or none of the proposals received in response to this announcement and to negotiate for less than the entire effort proposed. All responsible sources capable of satisfying the Government's needs may submit proposals which will be evaluated as received. No portion of this announcement will be set aside for Historically Black College and University (HBCU) and Minority Institute (MI) participation due to the impracticality of reserving discrete or severable areas of research for exclusive competition among these entities. HBCU's and MI's are encouraged to team with other proposers. DARPA expects the response to this announcement to be large. Therefore, telephone inquiries are strongly discouraged. All questions regarding this RA must be submitted in writing or via FAX: ((703) 696-3999) to the technical contact indicated. Bidders should submit proposals to: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Defense Sciences Office, 3701 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1714, REF: RA #96-28. DARPA points of contact are: Dr. C. Robert Crowe (bcrowe@darpa.mil), Dr. William S. Coblenz (wcoblenz@darpa.mil), and Dr. Wallace A. Smith (wsmith@darpa.mil). Proposals must be received by 4 pm EDT, 30 August 1996. (0155)

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