Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, AFRL -- Rome Research Site, AFRL/Information Directorate, 26 Electronic Parkway, Rome, NY, 13441-4514

A -- ADAPTIVE RADAR APPLICATIONS SOL Reference-Number-BAA-00-07-IFKPA POC Joetta Bernhard, Contracting Officer, Phone (315) 330-2308, Fax (315) 330-7790, Email bernhard@rl.af.mil WEB: Visit this URL for the latest information about this, http://www.eps.gov/cgi-bin/WebObjects/EPS?ACode=P&ProjID=Reference-Number-BAA-00-07-IFKPA&LocID=1142. E-MAIL: Joetta Bernhard, bernhard@rl.af.mil. POC: Paul Antonik P.E., Program Manager, 315-330-7057; (Paul.Antonik@rl.af.mil); Braham Himed, PhD, Program Manager, 315-330-2551; (Braham.Himed@rl.af.mil); and Joetta A. Bernhard, Contracting Officer, 315-330-2308; (Joetta.Bernhard@rl.af.mil). AFRL Rome Research Site is soliciting white papers for innovative approaches in the following two topic areas. 1) WAVEFORM DIVERSITY FOR AMTI/GMTI/IMAGING APPLICATIONS. The objective of this task is to develop and demonstrate spatially and temporally adaptive RF sensor technology for application to air, space, and ground systems operating in isolation or in concert with other sensor systems. Environmental awareness is critical to the process of spatial and temporal adaptivity via transmit waveform diversity. Any sensor incorporating this technology must be capable of sensing sources of electromagnetic radiation such as other sensor systems, communications and navigation signals, and selecting regions of the spectrum best suited to the mission(s), given the surveillance region, coverage and revisit requirements, as well as the EM environment. Appropriate waveforms and parameters are selected accordingly. Spatial-temporal adaptivity adds several unique features to radar systems. Namely, it provides the ability to deny a coherent sidelobe reference signal to an off-mainlobe enemy receiver desiring to operate in a non-cooperative bistatic mode of operation or attempting to intercept communications signals. The integration of joint adaptivity on transmit and receive provides spatial-temporal modulation. This allows the radiation of signals with different information content in various directions and full adaptivity on receive. This is fundamental to advance multi-mission sensor concepts. This includes a formed mainlobe for radar applications in one (or more) direction while simultaneously communicating with field units, fighting forces, and field commanders in other directions. Spatial adaptivity methods will be investigated and evaluated for monostatic and bistatic applications to radar AMTI, GMTI and imaging applications. Spatial adaptivity will be investigated in the context of combining radar operation at selected angles with the embedding of communications or navigation signals at other angles. Finally, the adaptive radar signal processing algorithm(s) must work in conjunction with the added spatial-temporal adaptivity. Appropriate algorithms shall be developed to work in concert with waveform diverse radars. (POC: Mr. Paul Antonik, AFRL/SNRT, 315-330-7057; Paul.Antonik@rl.af.mil.) A related topic area is: 2) COMMONALITY AMONG MULTI-MISSION ADAPTIVE RADAR ALGORITHMS. The objective of this task is to establish a set of parameters, which describes the various modes of operation in emerging airborne/space borne radar technologies. Additionally, focus on the detection of advanced threats, or threats under cover, will be emphasized. There is a growing need to improve interference (clutter and jamming) rejection not just in the angle-Doppler sidelobes, but in the mainlobe as well. Improved target (air and ground) detection will also be achieved under this effort. This leads to polarization as a natural discriminant in the development and demonstration of these adaptive radar signal-processing algorithms. Furthermore, the integration of polarimetric processing with multi-channel adaptive processing (STAP) offers an opportunity to optimize degrees of freedom selection and processing domain (element space versus beamspace, multi-channel feed reflector systems versus fully populated and adaptive phased arrays, etc). Additionally, compatibility of the filtering process (STAP) with the (CFAR) detection process (as well as discrimination) is essential in this effort. In the initial stage, parametric analysis will be used to optimize performance. For different radar configurations and geometries, variation in coherent dwell, degrees of freedom, and waveform parameters, are essential segments in signal processing optimization. Specifically, the focus of this effort shall be on multiple modes of operations for air targets, ground targets, imaging and SIGINT missions. The need to interleave waveforms modes further compounds problems in the signal/data processor, since one unit will have to perform all functions under all modes of operation. As such, adaptive algorithms are to be included in the suite of algorithms under consideration. Finally, the algorithm suite developed under this effort must be applicable to space radar systems designed to operate in either multi-sensor or single sensor configurations. (POC: Dr. Braham Himed, AFRL/SNRT, 315-330-2551; Braham.Himed@rl.af.mil.) Demonstrations utilizing the AFRL Surveillance Facility are permitted and encouraged under this BAA. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ENTIRE SOLICITATION. DO NOT SUBMIT A FORMAL PROPOSAL AT THIS TIME. Offerors are required to submit five (5) copies of a three (3) to four (4) page white paper with a cover letter indicating whether the offeror is a large, small, woman-owned, small business, Historically Black College or University, or Minority Institution. Small business should only send one (1) copy of the cover letter only (1st Class Mail, Unclassified Only) to ATTN: Ms Janis Norelli, Director of Small Business, AFRL/IFB, 26 Electronic Parkway, Rome, NY 13441-4514. The white paper will be formatted as follows: Section A: Title, Period of Performance, Cost of Task, Name of Company; Section B: Task Objective; Section C: Technical Summary. Offerors must mark their white papers/proposals with the restrictive language stated in FAR 15.609. All responses to this announcement must be addressed to ATTN: Braham Himed, PhD. Reference BAA-00-07-IFKPA, AFRL/SNRT, 26 Electronic Parkway, Rome, NY 13441-4514. Multiple white papers may be submitted in different areas of technology. White papers will be accepted until September 30, 2005. The purpose of the white paper is to preclude unwarranted effort on the part of an offeror whose proposed work is not of interest under this BAA. Those white papers found to be consistent with the intent of this BAA may be invited to submit a technical and cost proposal. Such invitation does not assure that the submitting organization will be awarded a subsequent award. Proposals submitted will be evaluated as they are received. Individual proposal evaluations will be based on acceptability or non-acceptability without regard to other proposals submitted under the announcement. Evaluation of proposals will be performed using the following criteria: a) The overall scientific and/or technical merits of the proposal, b) The innovativeness of the proposed approach and/or techniques, c) The reasonableness and realism of proposed costs and fees, and d) The Government will consider other factors, such as past and present performance on recent Government contracts and the capacity and capability to perform the requirements of the effort. The criteria used to evaluate proposals will also be used to determine whether white papers submitted are consistent with the intent of this BAA and of interest to the Government. Only (a), (b), and (c) above will apply to white papers. Options are discouraged and unpriced options will not be considered for award. Principal funding of this BAA and the anticipated award of contracts will start in FY-00 Individual awards will not normally range from 6 months to 36 months with dollar amounts ranging from $25,000 to $250,000 per year. Total funding for this BAA is approximately $4.8M. Awards of efforts as a result of this BAA will be in the form of contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, or other transactions depending upon the nature of the work proposed. Complete instructions for proposal preparation will be forwarded with the invitation for proposal submissions. All responsible firms may submit a white paper, which shall be considered. Responders are requested to provide their Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) number with their submission as well as a fax number, and an e-mail address. Foreign or foreign-owned offerors are advised that their participation is subject to foreign disclosure review procedures. Foreign or foreign-owned offerors should immediately contact the contracting focal point, Joetta A. Bernhard, for information if they contemplate responding. Export-controlled technical data may be involved; only firms on the Certified Contractor Access List (CCAL) will be allowed to access such data. For further information on CCAL, contact the Defense Logistic Service Center at 1-800-352-3572. Selected offerors may be required to review classified material up to the Secret level, therefore personnel identified for assignment to the proposed effort must be cleared for, or access to Secret information. The cost of preparing proposals in response this announcement is not considered an allowable direct charge to any resulting contract or any other contract. An ombudsman has been appointed to hear significant concerns from offerors or potential offerors during the proposal development phase of this acquisition. Routine questions are not considered to be "significant concerns" and should be communicated directly to the contracting officer, Joetta A. Bernhard, 315-330-2308. The purpose of the ombudsman is not to diminish the authority of the contracting officer or program manager, but to communicate contractor concerns, issues, disagreements and recommendations to the appropriate government personnel. The Ombudsman for this acquisition is Vincent Palmiero, Deputy Chief, Contracting Division, at 315-330-7747. When requested, the ombudsman would maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern. The ombudsman does not participate in the evaluation of proposals or in the selection process. It is recommended that white papers be received by the following dates to maximize the possibility of award: FY-00-30Aug00; FY-01-30Jul01; FY-02-30Jul02; FY-03-30Jul03. White papers will be accepted at any time, but it is less likely that funding will be available in each Fiscal Year after the dates cited. This BAA is open and effective until September 30, 2005. To receive a copy of the Rome "BAA & PRDA: A Guide for Industry," Sep 1996 (Rev), write to AFRL/IFK, ATTN: Debbie Cutler, 26 Electronic Parkway, Rome, NY 13441-4514, or FAX her at 315-330-4728; the Guide may also be accessed here: http://www.if.afrl.af.mil/div/IFK/bp-guide.html. All responsible organizations may submit a white paper, which shall be considered. Proposers are warned that only Contracting Officers are legally authorized to commit the Government. Posted 07/19/00 (D-SN476557). (0201)

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