Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Contracts Management Office (CMO), 3701 N. Fairfax Dr., Arlington, VA 22203-1714

A -- SONOELECTRONICS SOL BAA 97-33 DUE 103197 POC E. Brown, DARPA/ETO, FAX (703) 696-2206 WEB: http://www.darpa.mil, http://www.darpa.mil/. E-MAIL: BAA97-33@darpa.mil, BAA97-33@darpa.mil. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES AND DESCRIPTION: The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting research and development proposals in sonoelectronics, a comprehensive three-year technology thrust aimed at creating new capability for acoustic imaging under water. A candidate technology approach is surface-micromachined ultrasonic transducer or amplifier arrays with integrated silicon read-out electronics. Novel concepts in micromachined acoustic lenses and coupling structures are also solicited. A goal of the program is the demonstration of large passive or quasi-passive imaging sensors having unprecedented sensitivity, uniformity, and signal processing capability. Proposed research should investigate innovative approaches that enable revolutionary advances in science, devices or systems. Specifically excluded is research which primarily results in evolutionary improvement to the existing state of practice. DARPA seeks innovative proposals in the following areas: (I) Transducers or Amplifiers, and Background Noise Suppression, (II) Acoustic Lenses and Coupling Structures, (III) Electronic Read-Out and Illumination Technology, and (IV) Packaging and Demonstration. Additional information on these technology areas is provided in the Areas of Interest section of the BAA 97-33 Proposer Information Pamphlet referenced below. PROGRAM SCOPE: Awards totaling approximately $22M over three years are expected to be made during the first quarter of calendar year 1998. Multiple awards are anticipated. Individual efforts of over $3M should provide exceptional technical quality in at least three of the four sonoelectronics focus areas. Collaborative efforts/teaming and cost sharing are highly encouraged. The technical POC for this effort is Elliott R. Brown, fax: (703) 696-2206, electronic mail: erbrown@darpa.mil. GENERAL INFORMATION: Proposers must obtain a pamphlet entitled BAA 97-33, Sonoelectronics, Proposer Information Pamphlet which provides further information on the areas of interest, the submission, evaluation, and funding processes, proposal abstract formats, proposal formats, and other general information. This pamphlet may be obtained by fax, electronic mail, or mail request to the administrative contact address given below. Proposals not meeting the format described in the pamphlet may not be reviewed. In order to minimize unnecessary effort in proposal preparation and review, proposers are strongly encouraged to submit proposal abstracts in advance of full proposals. An original and nine (9) copies of the proposal abstract must be submitted to DARPA/ETO, 3701 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1714 (ATTN.: BAA 97-33) on or before 4:00 P.M., Friday, August 29, 1997. Proposal abstracts received after this time and date may not be reviewed. Upon review, DARPA will provide written feedback on the likelihood of a full proposal being selected and the time and date for submission of a full proposal. Proposers not submitting proposal abstracts must submit an original and nine (9) copies of the full proposalto DARPA/ETO, 3701 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1714 (ATTN.: BAA 97-33) on or before 4:00 P.M., Friday, October 31, 1997, in order to be considered. This notice, in conjunction with the BAA 97-33 Proposer Information Pamphlet, constitutes the total BAA. No additional information is available, nor will a formal RFP or other solicitation regarding this announcement be issued. Requests for the 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 which 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 impracticability of reserving discrete or severable areas of research in sonoelectronics. All administrative correspondence and questions on this solicitation, including requests for information on how to submit a proposal abstract or full proposal to this BAA, should be directed to one of the administrative addresses below; e-mail or fax is preferred. DARPA intends to use electronic mail and fax for correspondence regarding BAA 97-33. Proposals and proposal abstracts may not be submitted by fax or e-mail; any so sent will be disregarded. DARPA encourages use of the World Wide Web (WWW) for retrieving the Program Information Package and any other related information that may subsequently be provided. EVALUATION CRITERIA: Evaluation of proposal abstracts and full proposals will be accomplished through a technical review of each proposal using the following criteria, which are listed in descending order of relative importance: (l) overall scientific and technical merit; (2) potential contribution and relevance to DARPA s mission; (3) offeror's capabilities and related experience; (4) manufacturability and plans and capability to accomplish technology transition; and (5) cost realism. Note: cost realism will only be significant in proposals which have significantly under or over-estimated the cost to complete their effort. The administrative addresses for this BAA are: Fax: (703) 696-2206 (Addressed to: DARPA/ETO, BAA 97-33), Electronic Mail: BAA97-33@darpa.mil, Mail: DARPA/ETO, ATTN: BAA 97-33, 3701 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1714. This announcement and the Proposer Information Pamphlet may be retrieved via the WWW at URL http://www.darpa.mil/ in the solicitations area. (0191)

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