A -- MODIFICATION TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ON BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT FOR JOINT TECHNOLOGY OFFICE HIGH ENERGY LASER PROGRAM

Notice Date

November 14, 2001

Contracting Office

Defense Threat Reduction Agency (AM), DTRA Annex, 8725 John J. Kingman Road, MSC 6201, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6201

ZIP Code

22060-6201

Solicitation Number

BAA

Response Due

November 19, 2001

Point of Contact

janet thodos, 703-767-7894, FAX 703-767-4691

E-Mail Address

Defense Threat Reduction Agency (AM) (janet.thodos@dtra.mil)

Description

This modification is issued for the purpose of answering questions received in response to a Broad Agency Announcement for the Joint Technology Office High Energy Laser Program. Questions and answers are as follows: 1. QUESTION: What is the BAA number? ANSWER: DTRA01-02-BAA-ALO1 2. QUESTION: The BAA states that each proposal shall reflect the potential for commercial application and the benefits to accrue from this commercialization. Will the white papers and proposals be evaluated on the potential for commercial application and /or the offeror's technology plans for the commercial sector and if so, how? ANSWER: Because of limited pages, the white paper submission does not have to address commercial application. However, the full proposal must address commercialization which will be evaluated on both commercialization potential and the offeror's plan for commercialization. 3. QUESTION: In regards to sending proprietary data via email, will the Government allow encryption or some other method such as use of a password with emailed submissions? ANSWER: Yes, either encryption or password protected submissions are acceptable. 4. QUESTION: If an offeror is proposing an approach that addresses two topic areas, is it necessary to submit two separate but otherwise identical white papers for each topic area or can a single white paper be submitted listing the two topic areas on the cover page? ANSWER: Proposals against each topic area must be submitted separately. 5. QUESTION: Under special considerations in the BAA it states that data rights, except for those patented prior to initiation of the contracted project, shall belong to the Government. This statement seems to be inconsistent with DFARS Rights in Techni cal Data. Is it correct that offerors should assert its rights to technical data as normal when submitting white papers/proposals and identify the data delivered with restrictions on use, release, or disclosure? ANSWER: Yes, the offeror should assert its rights to technical data. 6. QUESTION: The solicitation states that the white papers will be evaluated but gives no specific date by which the results will be disseminated. Does DTRA have an available timeline to indicate when such responses will be made available? ANSWER: Anti cipate providing responses around 3 December. For efficiency purposes, responses will be sent via email. 7. QUESTION: Is this BAA specifically targeting industry offerors? ANSWER: Yes 8. QUESTION: Would university based research be appropriate in response to this solicitation? ANSWER: Universities are not prohibited from responding to this BAA. 9. QUESTION: Our company is interested in responding to one of the topic areas. Is it possible to obtain a technical point of contact in that area prior to submitting a white paper or proposal? ANSWER: No. All contacts must be made through the point o f contact listed in the BAA. 10. QUESTION: We are a Federal Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC). Are we eligible to respond to the BAA as either a prime contractor or a subcontractor? ANSWER: FAR 35.017-1 prohibits FFRDC's from competing with any non-FFRDC concern in re sponse to a federal agency request for proposal for other than the operation of an FFRDC. 11. QUESTION: Is it correct that only one award will go to a small business? ANSWER: No. Our goal is to award at least one contract to a small business but is not limited to only one. If there is more than one small business proposal which is evaluated to be the highly rated in the evaluation of technical proposals and the technical/cost tradeoff process, then awards could be made to more than one small business. 12. QUESTION: Several of the topics specifically include tactical applications in their descriptions. It appears that emphasis is implied for the entire BAA. Is this a correct interpretation? ANSWER: No 13. QUESTION: Does the BAA emcompass work in these same topics for ABL, relay m irror, GBL, SBL, and other HEL concepts? ANSWER: Yes 14. QUESTION: What is the purpose of the white paper from the point of view of the offeror? ANSWER: From the offeror's prespective, it provides them an indication as to if their proposal is on the right track or if spending further time and effort devel oping a full proposal may be warranted. 15. QUESTION: Will we receive feedback on the white paper evaluation? ANSWER: Yes 16. QUESTION: Will proposals be eliminated based on the white paper evaluation? ANSWER: No. 17. QUESTION: Will proposals be selected for funding based on the white paper evaluation? ANSWER: No 18. QUESTION: If an offeror does submit a white paper should they also submit full proposals? ANSWER: YES, full proposals are required in order to be considered for award. 19. QUESTION: Are the funding guidelines of approximately $1 million or less for 1 year the same for full proposals as for the white paper submittals? ANSWER: Yes 20. QUESTION: Will the contracts resulting from the BAA be fixed price or cost plus? ANSWER: Contracts resulting from the BAA may be either Fixed Price or Cost type contracts. Offeror shall state proposed contract type in cost proposal. 21. QUESTION: Does the one year period of performance mean 12 months from award or will be performance be for the Government fiscal year? ANSWER: The period of performance means 12 months from award. 22. QUESTION: What is the anticipated total funding for all contracts, taken together,to be awarded under this BAA? ANSWER: $18M 23. QUESTION: By stating -- proposals less than 1 year will be favorably considered, do you mean that you prefer such short periods, or that you simply won't disqualify them? ANSWER: It means that if research can be performed in a shorter period of less t han 1 year, it is desirable. 24 QUESTION: Do you have a preferred proportion of shorter contracts among the total awarded? ANSWER: No 25. The cut off for Questions regarding the white paper is on or before 1:00PM EST on 15 November 2001. The cut off date for Questions regarding full proposals is on or before 1:00PM EST on 17 December 2001. All questions and answers received prior to th e cutoff date and time will be posted to the CBDNET and Fedbizopps site. Companies are encouraged to request an email copy of the questions and answers. 26. No changes are made to the BAA announcement. The dates for submission of the white papers and full proposals are unchanged.

Web Link

Army Single Face to Industry (http://acquisition.army.mil)

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20011116/ASOL009.HTM (D-318 SN5129A8)