A -- POWER AWARE COMPUTING AND COMMUNICATIONS (PAC/C)

Notice Date

July 30, 2001

Contracting Office

Other Defense Agencies, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Contracts Management Office, 3701 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA, 22203-1714

ZIP Code

22203-1714

Solicitation Number

BAA01-40

Response Due

October 30, 2001

Point of Contact

Robert Graybill, DARPA PM, Phone 703-696-4534, Fax 703-696-4534, Email rgraybill@darpa.mil

Description

POWER AWARE COMPUTING AND COMMUNICATIONS (PAC/C), SOL BAA 01-40, DUE: 10/30/01; POC: MR. ROBERT GRAYBILL, DARPA/ITO; FAX: (703) 522-7161. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting proposals for the second phase of the Power Aware Computing and Communication (PAC/C) program. The PAC/C program's overall research goal is to define, develop, and accelerate the adoption of a new class of computing and communication systems composed of power aware elements able to dynamically respond to the changing energy resources encountered in power constrained systems. Power and energy are treated as independent system level variables throughout system trade-off analyses as required to support a diverse set of applications ranging from hand held devices to medium scale systems such as UAVs. PAC/C goals are to provide an integrated software/hardware technology suite with the potential to reduce power requirements by two to three orders of magnitude (100X -- 1000X) as measured by energy delay or performance/watt or performance per watt metrics. The PAC/C Phase 1 research was initiated in FY00 under DARPA BAA99-37. Active Phase 1 research efforts include promising new areas such as a) power aware algorithm designs/libraries, b) power aware compilation, c) power aware operating systems, d) power aware middleware, and the exploitation of emerging technologies such as e) voltage/frequency scaling, f) clock gating, g) architectural features and innovative circuit design and h) CAD tools. The goal of the Phase 1 effort was to provide individual power aware technologies that provided 10x power reductions. A summary of the most recent research projects and applications funded under Phase 1 are available on http://www.darpa.mil/ito/research/pacc/meetings.html. A key focus of the PAC/C Phase 2 efforts will be to integrate the more promising Phase 1 individual power aware technologies from all levels to create mission-responsive system level power aware solutions to pursue the PAC/C's aggressive goal of 100 -- 1000X power reductions for selected applications. In addition, selected long-term technology research addressing critical PAC/C areas will be pursued. Research is sought in the following technical areas consistent with PAC/C program Phase 2 goals. 1) Sub-Scale System Experiments. Integrated technologies from PAC/C Phase 1 will be incorporated and leveraged into subscale system power aware experiments. In particular, subscale power aware experiments leveraging the Integrated Application Teams (IATs) mission areas established in Phase 1 are encouraged. For maximum impact, the research, development and integration of selected technologies developed in Phase 1 of the PAC/C program will be continued within the experimental effort but focused on a specific DoD mission/application and representative sub-scale system experiments. Power aware techniques at all levels (for example, power aware devices, architectures, software, operating systems, algorithms, and development tools and environments) will be integrated and demonstrated. 2) Technical transitions and Industry Product Development. The technologies pursued and developed in Phase 1 of the PAC/C program will be transitioned and incorporated into commercially available products. Technical developments such as power aware architectures, compilers, tools, operating systems, and software will be transitioned and developed into industrial products. The result will be early industrial products available for a broad range of DoD and commercial applications and incorporating power aware capabilities. 3) Long-Term Technology Research. Innovative and unique power aware technologies, revolutionary development not evolutionary research, will be pursued. These activities will address innovative power aware techniques and technologies not addressed in Phase 1 of the PAC/C program and that represent high payoff chip through system power aware opportunities. Unique power aware areas or new and novel power aware ideas will be addressed and advanced. PROGRAM SCOPE: The Phase 2 efforts envisioned under this BAA will be 30-month activities, with the anticipation that contracted activities would be initiated in the third quarter of FY2002. Proposers may bid all three task areas, but the proposed efforts must be separable by task area in the submitted proposal or submitted as individual proposals. The anticipated break out of contract activities will be: Task 1 -- fund up to five major sub-scale experiment activities, drawing from the Phase 1 applications areas or possibly other high impact DoD application areas; Task 2 -- fund up to 3 activities, with a strong emphasis on commercial involvement and investment; Task 3 -- fund up to six smaller, novel power aware technology efforts. Proposed research should pursue and enable revolutionary advances in the state-of-the-art. Proposals are not limited to the specific strategies listed above, and alternative visions will be considered. However, proposals should be for research that substantially contributes towards the development and advancement of power aware capabilities at an integrated, system level. Specifically excluded is research that primarily results in evolutionary improvement to the existing state of practice or focuses on an extremely narrow or limited specific system or solution. Integrated solution sets embodying significant technological advances are strongly encouraged over narrowly defined endeavors. PROGRAM MANAGEMENT: Task 1 is perceived as a joint industry/university/DoD partnership with clearly defined responsibilities and collaborations to provide parallel research and technology integration activities. The ultimate goal is to demonstrate the value of collective power aware technologies and the association/integrated effect of power aware technologies and techniques. The sub-scale system experiments should be tightly coupled and synchronized with DoD applications and actual missions. Technology transitions and industry product development, Task 2 of this BAA, should insert combined PAC/C Phase 1 and/or 2 technologies directly into early industry products. The development of long term technology research, Task 3 of this BAA, will investigate innovative and unique power aware technologies and techniques. The goal of the PAC/C program is to provide a complete and viable power aware solution set for both DoD and commercial industry. The ultimate long-term transition plan is to impact DoD applications while incorporating PAC/C capabilities within commercial products assessible for DoD applications. Proposed efforts should result in prototype hardware and/or software demonstrating integrated concepts and approaches. GENERAL INFORMATION: The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency/Information Technology Office (DARPA/ITO) requires completion of a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Cover Sheet Submission for each Abstract/Proposal, by accessing the URL below: http://www.dyncorp-is.com/BAA/index.asp?BAAid=3D01-40. After finalizing the BAA Cover Sheet Submission, the proposer must submit the BAA Confirmation Sheet that will automatically appear on the web page. Each proposer is responsible for printing the BAA Confirmation Sheet and submitting it attached to the "original" and each designated number of copies. The Confirmation Sheet should be the first page of your Abstract/Proposal. Failure to comply with these submission procedures may result in the submission not being evaluated. NEW REQUIREMENTS/PROCEDURES: The Award Document for each proposal selected and funded will contain a mandatory requirement for submission of DARPA/ITO Quarterly Status Reports and an Annual Project Summary Report. These reports will be electronically submitted via the DARPA/ITO Web-Based Information Tool, utilizing the government furnished Uniform Resource Locator (URL) on the World Wide Web (WWW). Details in Proposer Information Pamphlet (PIP). ABSTRACT FORMAT: In order to minimize unnecessary effort in proposal preparation and review, proposers are strongly encouraged to submit brief proposal abstracts in advance of full proposals. An original and 4 copies of the proposal abstract and 2 electronic copies (i.e., 2 separate disks) of the abstract (in Microsoft Word '97 for IBM-compatible, PDF, Postscript, or ASCII format on one 3.5-inch floppy disk or one 100 MB Iomega Zip disk). Each disk must be clearly labeled with BAA 01-40, proposer organization, proposal title (short title recommended) and Copy (Number) of 2. The proposal abstract (original and designated number of hard and electronic copies) must be submitted to DARPA/ITO, ATTN: BAA 01-40, 3701 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1714, in time to reach DARPA by 4:00 PM (ET) Thursday, August 30, 2001, to guarantee review. Upon review, DARPA will make a recommendation to offerors either encouraging or discouraging submission of full proposals. PROPOSAL FORMAT: Proposers must submit an original and 4 copies of the full proposal and 2 electronic copies (i.e., 2 separate disks) of the full proposal (in Microsoft Word '97 for IBM-compatible, PDF, Postscript, or ASCII format on one 3.5-inch floppy disk or one 100 MB Iomega Zip disk). Each disk must be clearly labeled with BAA 01-40, proposer organization, proposal title (short title recommended) and Copy (Number) of 2. The full proposal (original and designated number of hard and electronic copies) must be submitted in time to reach DARPA by 4:00 PM (ET) Tuesday, October 30, 2001, in order to be considered. Proposers must obtain the BAA 01-40 Proposer Information Pamphlet (PIP), which provides further information on the areas of interest, submission, evaluation, funding processes, proposal abstracts, and full proposal formats. This pamphlet may be obtained by fax, electronic mail, mail request to the administrative contact address given below, or at URL address http://www.darpa.mil/ito/Solicitations.html. Proposals not meeting the format described in the pamphlet may not be reviewed. This notice, in conjunction with the BAA 01-40 PIP and all references, constitutes the total BAA. 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. All responsible sources capable of satisfying the Government's needs may submit a proposal that shall be considered by DARPA. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Institutions (MIs) are encouraged to submit proposals and join others in submitting proposals. However, no portion of this BAA will be set aside for HBCU and MI participation due to the impracticality of reserving discrete or severable areas of this research for exclusive competition among these entities. Evaluation of proposals will be accomplished through a scientific review of each proposal, using the following criteria, which are explained in detail in the PIP and listed below in descending order of relative importance: (1) Overall Scientific and Technical Merit. (2) Innovative Technical Solution to the Problem. (3) Potential Contribution and Relevance to DARPA Mission. (4) Offeror's Capabilities and Related Experience. (5) Plans and Capability to Accomplish Technology Transition. (6) Cost Realism. All administrative correspondence and questions on this solicitation, including requests for information on how to submit a proposal abstract or proposal to this BAA, must be received at one of the administrative addresses below by 4:00 PM (ET) Tuesday, October 23, 2001; e-mail or fax is preferred. DARPA intends to use electronic mail and fax for some of the correspondence regarding BAA 01-40. Proposals and proposal abstracts MUST NOT be submitted by fax or e-mail; any so sent will be disregarded. The administrative addresses for this BAA are: Fax: 703-522-7161, Addressed to: DARPA/ITO, BAA 01-40; Electronic Mail: baa01-40@darpa.mil; Electronic File Retrieval: http://www.darpa.mil/ito/Solicitations.html; Mail to: DARPA/ITO, ATTN: BAA 01-40, 3701 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1714.

Web Link

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Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010801/ASOL002.HTM (D-211 SN50T3M3)