Loren Data's SAM Daily™

FBO DAILY ISSUE OF JULY 26, 2003 FBO #0604
SOLICITATION NOTICE

A -- BROAD AGENCY ANNOUCEMENT (BAA) COMMERCIAL OFF THE SHELF (COTS) SOFTWARE AND WEB-SERVICES EVALUATION AND NIAP/COE TESTING

Notice Date

7/24/2003
 

Notice Type

Solicitation Notice
 

Contracting Office

Electronic Systems Center, ESC/DIK, 5 Eglin Street, Hanscom AFB, MA 01731-2100
 

ZIP Code

01731-2100
 

Solicitation Number

F19628-03-R-0062
 

Response Due

8/27/2003
 

Archive Date

10/21/2003
 

Point of Contact

Mr. Michael Cunningham, buyer, (781) 377-0462, Michael.Cunningham@hanscom.af.mil
 

E-Mail Address

Email your questions to Click Here to E-mail the POC
(Michael.Cunningham@hanscom.af.mil)
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Description

COTS SW AND WEB-SERVICES EVALUATION AND NIAP/COE TESTING. This notice constitutes a BAA as contemplated by FAR 6.102(d)(2). TECHNICAL POC: Dr. Margaret Corasick (781) 377-9372. I. INTRODUCTION. The Air Force Electronic Systems Center (ESC) Software Infrastructure Program Area Directorate is soliciting proposals from Not For Profit Organizations or Non-profit Organizations to expand the knowledge of evolving software, software security, and software for research and development (R&D). This includes concepts and prototype implementation in the area of Web-Services, and Commercial Off the Shelf/Government off the Shelf (COTS/GOTS) SW testing and compliance evaluation. Concepts for testing and evaluation, lab implementations and organizational interfaces proposed may represent novel dedicated technologies and/or dual use of new emerging commercial SW technology. Significant work has been accomplished to date through the National Product Line Assessment Center (NPLACE) efforts, and the Government seeks to build and expand on this repository of COTS/GOTS knowledge, which will continue to be accessible to the public. II. Background. The purpose of NPLACE is to apply technical models for evaluating software products against COE and National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP) for evaluating Information Technology Security Products (NIST) criteria for software development and security. This evaluation venue is best provided by a not for profit organization or a non-profit organization with no financial interests in the software evaluation results. NPLACE tests evaluates COTS/GOTS and software products under various procedures and criteria to include utilizing Common Operating Environment (COE) compliance testing for Department of Defense (DoD) use and National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP) certification testing for information technology security products. Under this agreement, between the selected offeror and the Government, NPLACE will expand its expertise in four areas: First, suitability testing to minimize the confusion associated with using COTS software in a system environment by testing against pre-defined criteria and presenting appropriate decision-making information in an interactive web-based repository. Second, COE compliance testing to ensure a product provides the common software infrastructure, which the COE software, databases, and applications execute. Third, National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP) certification testing to determine if products meet the security testing, evaluation, and assessment needs of both information technology producers and consumers, will be a key evolving COTS/GOTS issue. Finally, web services implementations will be analyzed and prototyped. The decision to fund a full proposal will be based on funds availability, overall scientific and technical merit, and potential contribution to the Air Force, Defense Department agencies, and State and local Governments. The Government anticipates one award, but reserves the right to make no selection. The Proposal identified for funding may result in a contract, grant, cooperative agreement, or other transaction depending upon the complexity of the work proposed, the required degree of interaction between all parties, and other factors. Anticipated award will be 12 months. The award period may be extended an additional 48 months based upon proposed effort and availability of funding. Presently we anticipate funding to be $3-4 million/year. Any awards are subject to the continued availability of appropriations. There is no commitment by the Government to be responsible for any monies expended by the offeror before award. No request for proposal (RFP), solicitation, or other announcement of this opportunity will be made. III. Required Submittals. Submit Full Proposals in two (2) volumes: 1. VOLUME I TECHNICAL PROPOSAL, not exceed twenty-five (25) single sided pages (excluding graphs and charts) with no smaller than 10 font. Submit electronic copies to Mr. Cunningham in MS word format. The technical proposal should include the following three sections: Section 1 - Executive Summary: Provide a brief technical and business description of the contents of the proposal. The technical area should address the proposal's technical goals, approach, and expected results. The business area should address business and/or commercial applications of the proposed technology. Section 2 - Technical Issues: Detail the technical approach, objectives, staffing and resources relating to the development of the proposed technology for military and commercial (if applicable) use; discuss specifically in realistic terms the technical objectives of this proposed effort; a concise Statement of Work (SOW) and Contract Data Requirements List (CDRL) that discusses the specific tasks to be accomplished, tied to the specific approach and goals of expanding the COTS/GOTS knowledge base and responsive to the SOO provided; discuss deliverable items such as software test plans, descriptions and other essential documentation; discuss methods of disseminating this knowledge; provide resumes for Principal Investigator(s) and other key research personnel; describe the current and planned facilities and equipment to accomplish the research objectives; and, give a description of past performance on similar efforts within the last 3 years (including references); discussion interface with other non profit and not for profit organizations, educational institutions. Section 3 - Business Issues: Discuss the business issues relating to the commercial applications of the proposed development and its impact on the market; detail benefits to the Department of Defense (DoD). Section 4 - A roadmap that expands on the efforts to date and present a clear and concise plan to further COTS/GOTS SW evaluations to aid government and industry. 2. VOLUME II - COST/FUNDING PROPOSAL. Cost/funding proposals are not restricted in length, have no specific page layout requirements, and should address funding periods of performance. Formal work breakdown structures and certified cost or pricing data are neither required nor desired, however, ESC reserves the right the request this information for proposals using FAR/DFARS type contracts. Organize Cost/Funding proposals in the following order: Total Project Cost: This section will give a detailed breakdown of costs of the project. Cost should also be broken for each task appearing in the proposed Statement of Work and, if applicable, cost shared by the offeror including In-Kind costs from the non profit or not for profit organization, State and local agencies or affiliated small businesses. Present the following information for each phase of the effort: total cost of the particular project phase; total offeror cost share, if applicable; funding requested from the Government; and elements of cost (labor categories and applicable rates, direct materials, travel, other direct costs, equipment, software, patents, royalties, indirect costs, and cost of money). Sufficient information should be provided in supporting documents to allow the Government to evaluate the reasonableness of these proposed costs, including salaries, overhead, subcontractor proposals/quotes, equipment purchases, fair market rental value of leased items, and the method used for making such valuations. Full proposals will be considered to be either selectable or non-selectable based on their evaluation in accordance with the criteria as follows. Offerors will be promptly notified of the evaluation results. Evaluation of proposals will be performed using the following criteria: 1) The technical merits of the proposed processes, with the ability to accomplish COE and NIAP efforts; 2) The potential to broaden the existing technology base; 3) Accessibility and contacts with software providers and users; 4) The qualifications, capabilities, experience, past performance, and present accomplishments of the key personnel who are responsible for the project; 5) The proposed infrastructure (experimental, computers, administrative) to accomplish the objectives of the proposals; and 6) Budget realism and reasonableness of cost; 7) The impact to HUB zone; 8) Affiliation with minority businesses, large businesses, educational institutions and interactions with State and local Governments; 9) Cost realism and reasonableness of the initial award; 10) Cost reasonableness for cost plan associated with the Roadmap. IV. Notification and Required Certifications. Interested persons must identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement within five work days (5) days from the date of this announcement, to Mr. Kinal/Mr. Cunningham. Offerors must submit their proposal within twenty-one (21) days of this announcement. Evidence must be provided of entity's non-profit status, at least three years of experience in performing COE compliance testing, and its ability to provide the required services. Additionally, interested organizations must be NIAP certified or be able to demonstrated that certification from NIAP will occur within three months of the date of this announcement. All potential offerors should contact Mr. Michael Cunningham, the buyer, (ex. (781) 377-0462), Michael.Cunningham@hanscom.af.mil Electronic Systems Center, for additional information and/or to communicate concerns, if any, concerning this action. All respondents shall specify with their proposals if they are considered a not for profit organization or non-profit organization. Respondents shall also indicate if they are a U.S. or foreign-owned entity. These documents will be in Microsoft Office Suite (Word 6.0, Excel 5.0, or PowerPoint 4.0) format and will reside on a World Wide Web (WWW) server, which may be accessed using a WWW browser application. The Internet site, or URL, for the ESC's Business opportunities page is It is the offeror's responsibility to monitor the Internet site for the release of the solicitation and amendment (if any). Potential offerors will be responsible for downloading their own copy of the solicitation and amendment (if any).
 

Web Link

ESC Business Opportunities Web Page
(http://www.herbb.hanscom.af.mil)
 

Place of Performance

Address: N/A

Zip Code: N/A

Country: USA
 

Record

SN00381916-W 20030726/030724214655 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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