A -- UNIVERSITY-BASED LASER TECHNOLOGIES FOR INFORMATION AND MATERIALS ADVANCEMENT (ULTIMA)

Notice Date

December 21, 2001

Contracting Office

Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, AFRL -- PL "Directed Energy Directorate", 2251 Maxwell Ave, Kirtland AFB, NM, 87117

ZIP Code

87117

Solicitation Number

BAA02-DE-01

Response Due

February 1, 2002

Point of Contact

Marialyn Achille-Argaez, Contract Specialist, Phone 505 846 6876, Fax 505 846 1546, Email Marialyn.Achille-Argaez@Kirtland.AF.MIL -- Barbara Steinbock, Contracting Officer, Phone 505 846 2246, Fax 505 846 1546, Email steinbob@plk.af.mil

Description

General Information Document Type:=09 Solicitation Number: Reference-Number-BAA 02-DE-01=20 Posted Date:=09 Response Date:=09 Classification Code: A -- Research & Development Contracting Office Address Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Directed Energy (DE) Directorate, 2251 Maxwell Ave, Kirtland AFB, NM 87117=20 A ? REQUIREMENT This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) requests proposals for University-based Laser Technologies for Information and Materials Advancement (ULTIMA). The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Phillips Research Site (PRS), Directed Energy Directorate (DEBS), Kirtland AFB, NM solicits proposals to develop research in advanced laser, electro-optical technologies, observatory instrumentation and applications, and potential dual-use scientific research that enhances AFRL, Air Force, DoD or National Scientific programs and requirements. The ULTIMA program is especially interested in pushing the state of the art in the following technical areas: 1. Laser Research. Research, analysis, development, and demonstration of technologies associated with laser sensing for applications such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), imaging, remote sensing, detection, and laser communications. Development of hardware and software such as eye-safe lasers for commercial and military applications, high-speed or high?resolution/fidelity sensors, wavefront control, pointing and tracking, ultra-lightweight mirrors or collectors, imaging algorithms, and discrimination algorithms. Concept and system operation developments for activities such as UAV or satellite-based laser sensing, active and passive satellite sensing and imaging (including geo-synchronous satellite imaging), and space-based relay mirror concepts, applications and technologies. 2. Observatory Potential Dual-Use Exploitation. Development of new areas of research, experimentation and instrumentation to augment national caliber observatories and facilities such as Magdelena Ridge Observatory, White Sands Missile Range, Apache Point/Sunspot, and Geo Light Imaging National Testbed (GLINT). Besides these particular facilities, this area includes proposals of field measurements at these or other proposed facilities as appropriate. This technology area also includes any ideas in instrumentation for general telescope facilities, whether it be for technology demonstration, observatory control, science measurements, or data analysis.=20 3. New Materials, Mining, and Manufacturing Technologies. The introduction and investigation of new uses or alternate technologies for 1) laser materials and devices, especially eye-safe lasers with potential dual military and commercial applications; 2) materials science, mining metrology and exploration techniques; 3) MEMS, liquid crystal, electronic or solid state materials; and, 4) flexible, membranous, or otherwise new optical materials. AFRL will not issue a separate solicitation. AFRL is distributing this BAA electronically through FedBizOps at http://www.eps.gov. Once there, offerors should enter "BAA 02-DE-01" into the search option to reach the posting. White papers are due 45 days from publication of this announcement. All white papers should be received by 1:30 p.m. Mountain Time on the due date. Late white paper submissions will be evaluated based upon the availability of funds. This is a restricted solicitation under NAICS code 54171. This BAA has been set-aside for historically black colleges and universities and minority institutions (HBCU/MI). Foreign-owned firms are advised to contact the Contracting Officer or Project Manager before submitting a proposal to determine whether there are restrictions on receiving an award. AFRL may make more than one award against this announcement. Further, AFRL reserves the right to award the instrument best suited to the nature of the research proposed, either a contract subject to the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), an assistance instrument (grant, cooperative agreement or other transaction for research) or an other transaction for prototype. If a non-FAR instrument is proposed, the offer shall complete and submit the certifications available with this announcement with its proposal. =20 B-ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: 1. Some testing may be performed at Kirtland AFB, Albuquerque, New Mexico and offerors should contact the technical POC to discuss assets and their availability. 2. AFRL intends to award incrementally funded instruments. AFRL reserves the right to make no award, a single award, or the possibility of making more than one award within a given topic area. 3. The total duration of the awards(s) is expected to be 36 months beginning in the second (2nd) quarter calendar year (CY) of 2002. 4. The budget for this BAA is $4.85 million. PLEASE REALIZE THIS FUNDING PROFILE IS AN ESTIMATE ONLY, IS NOT A PROMISE FOR FUNDING, AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE DUE TO GOVERNMENT DISCRETION AND AVAILABILITY. 5. Offerors may obtain a copy of the AFRL Guide entitled "BAA/PRDA GUIDE", dated 29 Jun 98, from the Internet. This guide will help offerors understand the BAA process. To see the guide, go to http://extra.afrl.af.mil/policy-guides.htm. From there, click on "BAA Guide". Points Of Contact (POCs): Contractual/Business issues: Marialyn Achille-Argaez, Det 8 AFRL/PKDB (Directorate of Contracting), 2251 Maxwell Ave SE, Kirtland AFB, NM 87117-5773. Phone 505-846-6876, fax 505-846-1546. The Grants/Contracting Officer is Barbara Steinbock, phone 505-846-2246, fax 505-846-1546. C-WHITE PAPER PROCESS: 1. An offeror may propose on any or all objective areas or any portion of any objective area. However, offerors are limited to two-page white papers per topic area describing the work to be undertaken with a rough order or magnitude of cost. Attach the resume of the Principal Investigator or of key personnel to the white paper. Resumes or University prospectuses or other generic publications will not count against the two-page limit. White papers will be evaluated according to the criterion in section F below, during peer review. All offerors will be notified in writing of the results. AFRL will attempt to make notification within 30 days from receipt of white papers. 2. Only those offerors whose white papers meet the criterion will be requested to submit full proposals, however, any offeror who submitted a white paper may elect to submit a full proposal. Proposals will then be evaluated according to the criteria in section G below. After AFRL evaluates the proposals and performs an affordability review of the cost/budget proposal(s), it will decide which proposals will be given an award and which will not. 3. Any unsuccessful offeror may request a debriefing. 4. A copy of an awardee's final report under any resultant instrument(s) will be available, subject to national disclosure policy and regulations. 5. Offerors shall submit their white paper and/or proposal to Marialyn Achille-Argaez at the following address (if mailed): Det 8 AFRL/PKDB (Directorate of Contracting), 2251 Maxwell Ave SE, Kirtland AFB NM 87117-5773; or (if hand-carried) Building 499, Room 127, Kirtland AFB NM. White papers may also be faxed to (505) 846-1546. The technical point of contact is Dr. John Gonglewski, (505) 846-4405. =20 D-WHITE PAPER PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS: All white papers shall be no more than two pages in length including the rough order of magnitude of costs. Allow one-inch margins all around. Use elite type size or equivalent (not smaller than 10 point vertical character height and not more than 12 characters per inch). A ten point proportional serif font is acceptable, in which case characters per inch measurement does not apply. Typesetting or other techniques to reduce character size or spacing are not permitted. A cover page should be included with each white paper which clearly identifies the offeror with name address and telephone/fax number, and the objective area covered by the document. The cover page shall not count against the total page limits. =20 E-PROPOSAL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS: 1. For full proposals, the technical volume shall be limited to 10 pages per objective area but there is no page limit on resumes of key personnel. Cost and administrative volumes shall be separate from the technical volume. If proposing on more than one area, then both cost and technical volumes must be received for each area. A cover page should be included with each proposal which clearly identifies the offeror with name address and telephone/fax number, and the objective area covered by the document. The cover page will not be counted toward the page limits. Submit 5 copies and one original of both the technical and cost volumes. Submit only one original and one copy of the administrative volume. 2. The full proposal shall consist of a 1) a technical volume which shall include an executive summary, program description, program plan, milestone chart, facilities and equipment description, description of relevant prior work, resumes of the Principal Investigator and other key personnel, and shall speak to a development strategy to help create a unique national program implementing the proposed technologies; 2) a cost/budget volume for each proposal area prepared in accordance with instructions under "Additional Information" at FedBizOpps, www.eps.gov; and, 3) an administrative volume which shall reference the above BAA number and include a unique proposal identification number. Additionally, it should include contracting points of contact, technical points of contacts, completed Certifications (if an assistance instrument is proposed) which are posted to "Additional Information" at FedBizOpps, www.eps.gov. 3. All proposals shall be valid for 180 days from date of submission and a statement indicating the validity date of the submission shall be included into the administrative volume. 4. The cover page should contain the proprietary data disclosure statement, if applicable. This is found in the AFMC Pamphlet 64-101, 09 Nov 2000, Unsolicited Proposal Guide, which may be obtained from the Defense Acquisition Deskbook located at http://web2.deskbook.osd.mil. =20 F-WHITE PAPER EVALUATION CRITERIA: White papers will be evaluated on the following criterion: Well conceived, scientifically and technically sound white paper pertinent to program goals and objectives.=20 G-PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA: 1. Proposals will be evaluated by a peer or scientific review process which outlined in AFMC FARS 5335.016-90 or 5335.90, as appropriate, using the following evaluation criteria, listed in descending order of importance. (1) The overall scientific and technical merits of the proposal, including capabilities and related experience, facilities, techniques or unique combinations of these which are integral factor for achieving proposal objectives; and (2) importance to AFRL/DEBS programs; and (3) availability of funds. No further evaluation factors will be used in selecting proposals. AFRL reserves the right to select for award any, all, part or none of the proposals received in response to this announcement, subject to the availability of funds. 2. Affordability will be evaluated using the factors of reasonableness and realism. 3. This evaluation will lead to a categorization of proposals as Category 1, Category II, or Category III. 4. Proposal categories are as follows: (i) Category I: Well conceived, scientifically and technically sound proposals pertinent to program goals and objectives, and offered by a responsible contractor with the competent scientific and technical staff and supporting resources needed to ensure satisfactory program results. Proposals in Category I are recommended for acceptance and normally are displaced only by other Category I proposals; (ii) Category II: Scientifically or technically sound proposals requiring further development and are recommended for acceptance, but are at a lower priority than Category I; (iii) Category III: Proposals not technically sound or do not meet agency needs. H- MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION: 1. This BAA does not commit the Government to pay for any proposal preparation costs. The cost of preparing proposals in response to this BAA is not considered an allowable direct charge to any resulting contract. 2. An Ombudsman has been appointed to mediate concerns from offerors or potential offerors during the pre-proposal phase of competitive, negotiated acquisitions. The Ombudsman does not participate in proposal evaluation or contractor selection. The Ombudsman can work with responsible acquisition officials to respond to concerns, but will not detract from the authority of the Project Manager or Grants/Contracting Officer. When requested, the Ombudsman will maintain the confidentiality of sources. The Ombudsman at Phillips Research Site is Mr. Eugene DeWall, Director of Contracting, Det 8 AFRL/PK, 2251 Maxwell Ave SE, Kirtland AFB, NM 87117-5773; (505) 846-4979. Before contacting the Ombudsman, potential offerors should first refer contracting concerns to the Grants/Contracting Officer, Barbara Steinbock at 505-846-2246. All technical questions can be faxed to Marialyn Achille-Argaez at 505-846-1546. =20

Web Link

Visit this URL for the latest information about this (http://www.eps.gov/spg/USAF/AFMC/AFRLPLDED/BAA02-DE-01/listing.html)

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20011226/ASOL002.HTM (D-355 SN5158G5)