A -- PROGRAM DESCRIPTION AND CALL FOR CONCEPT PAPERS (ANNOUNCEMENT #98-02):-COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS AND SUPPORT SAVINGS INITIATIVE (COSSI) THIS IS A PROGRAM DESCRIPTION AND CALL FOR CONCEPT PAPERS NOT A SOLICITATION FOR PROPOSALS. The Commercial Operations and Support Savings Initiative (COSSI) is a joint program of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, and is administered by the a joint program office. This announcement seeks 5 page concept papers from firms with an idea they might want to propose to COSSI. COSSI's mission is to develop and test a method for reducing Department of Defense (DoD) Operations and Support (O&S) costs by routinely inserting commercial items into fielded military systems. The insertion of commercial items is expected to reduce O&S cost by reducing the costs of parts and maintenance, reducing need for specialized equipment, increasing reliability, and increasing the efficiency of subsystems. COSSI is a two stage program. The first stage is the cost-shared adaptation, development and testing of a kit based on a commercial item. The second stage is the acquisition and installation of the kits on a fielded military system. Concept papers should be a clear, succinct summary of your COSSI idea -- what you intend to do and how it will save the DoD money -- and provide enough information to give you accurate feedback. Previous submission of a Concept Paper is not required to respond to the eventual solicitation; the Concept Paper process is intended only to provide feedback for the benefit of potential proposers. Concept Papers are due by 4:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, February 17, 1998. Complete program information is included in a document entitled, "Program Description and Call for Concept Papers for the Commercial Operations & Support (O&S) Savings Initiative, Announcement No. 98-02," dated December 16, 1997. You are strongly encouraged to obtain the document in order to understand the program and submit a meaningful Concept Paper. You may download this document from the INTERNET (www.jdupo.darpa.mil/jdupo/index.html) or request this document by phone: 1-800-382-5873, fax (703) 807-0678, addressed to: COSSI, PA #98-02, electronic mail: Internet address: cossi@acq.osd.mil. PLANNED FY1999 SOLICITATIONS: A solicitation for the 1999 COSSI Initiative is planned to be released in August 1998. WEB: http://www.jdupo.darpa.mil/jdupo/index.html, http://www.jdupo.darpa.mil/jdupo/index.html. E-MAIL: cossi@acq.osd.mil, cossi@acq.osd.mil.

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