20200228_(U_FOUO)_BAA_Call_001_FINAL_Published.docx

The Air Force Lifecycle Management Center, Advanced Battle Management Systems (ABMS) Chief Architect Integration Office (CAIO) releases the Broad Agency Announcement Call 001 for Advanced Battle Management Systems (ABMS)

Announcement Number: BAA-AFLCMC_CAIO-2020-0001-001

Issue Date: 28 February 2020

SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION

The intent of this Call is to choose contractors to participate on the ABMS Multiple-Award Multi-Security Level ID/IQ contract. The AFLCMC Chief Architect Integration Office (AFLCMC/CAIO) invites innovative technical approach proposals addressing solutions for integration into the ABMS to address problems associated with getting the right information to the right platform/decision maker in the most efficient manner thereby reducing kill chain and Observe, Orient, Decide and Act (OODA) timelines and cycles. This BAA will focus on existing and emerging technologies and platforms across the Defense Department, the Intelligence Community, and the commercial world, to perform an integrated analysis of the capability of various options to contribute to the fight and prioritize investments over time.

This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Call is issued under the provisions of paragraph 6.102(d)(2) of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). Contracts awarded based on responses to this BAA are considered to be the result of full and open competition and in full compliance with the provisions of Public law 98-369, “The Competition in Contracting Act of 1984.”

This is Call #1 and utilizes the 1-Step process. Proposal submission does not assure that the submitting contractor will be awarded a subsequent contract.

Non-Government advisors will be used in the evaluation of proposals and have signed non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with the Government. Additional NDAs will not be required; instead, a response to this BAA will be considered an implicit acknowledgement and acceptance of the fact that non-Government advisors will be assisting the Government in this process. The Government understands that information provided in response to this BAA is presented in confidence and may contain trade secret, commercial or financial information, and it agrees to protect such information from unauthorized disclosure to the maximum extent permitted or required by-

a. 18 USC 1905 (Trade Secrets Act);

b. 18 USC 1831 et seq. (Economic Espionage Act);

c. 5 USC 552(b)(4) (Freedom of Information Act);

d. Executive Order 12600 (Pre-disclosure Notification Procedures for Confidential Commercial Information); and

e. Any other statute, regulation, or requirement applicable to Government employees.

Proposals should be submitted electronically, via the appropriate communication channels (NIPR, SIPR), to the contracting officers.

Electronic submissions are highly preferred. In the event electronic submission is not possible, proposals in response to this announcement shall be submitted to:

AFLCMC/CAIO

ATTN: Ms. Katie Rasmussen 2240 B St., Bldg 11, Rm 047 Wright-Patterson AFB 45433-7104

Proposals shall reference the above BAA number in the subject/title of the response. Submissions shall be either PDF files or Microsoft Word Documents. A contract that is initially awarded from the competitive selection of a proposal resulting from a BAA may contain a contract line item or contract option for the provision of advanced component development, prototype, or initial production of technology developed under the contract IAW with DFARS 234.005-1.

Please contact the Contracting Officer for submission of any potentially sensitive or classified material.

SECTION 2 - AREAS OF INTEREST

In order to effectively engage peer and near-peer adversaries, the U.S. Air Force needs to develop, acquire and operate systems as a unified force across all domains (air, land, sea, space, cyber, and electromagnetic spectrum (EMS)). The objective of the Chief Architect Integration Office is to adopt the best practices of open architectures and government owned waveforms to enable rapid proliferation of new and existing software and hardware. To manage the broad scope of ABMS, technical categories have been defined to organize concepts, technologies, etc. based upon their roles within the ABMS construct. This organization is not intended encourage a solution that spans all categories or to limit solutions to one category. Proposals are desired with small feature sets focused in one area but may span multiple categories when reasonable.

Proposals utilizing technology with a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 3 or higher are desired; justify TRL using DoD Technology Readiness Assessment (TRA) Guidance, April 2011. Proposed efforts are desired to be fully modeled in the environment prior to demonstration and test data collected will be fed back into the system for model improvement. When applicable, prototyping and fielding on a condensed timeline is desired.

We are looking for solutions in the following categories (NOTE: These categories are not intended to be comprehensive, but rather a context. Categories may be created or removed as time progresses):

· Category 0: Digital Architecture, Standards and Concepts This category consists of various activities to analyze, mature, and document the foundational aspects of the development of the overall enterprise architecture. This includes digital modeling, simulation and analysis, trade studies, government owned standard development and maintenance, and potential concept development and refinement. Development of digital engineering architecture to include appropriate toolsets, licenses, data, etc at multiple levels of security and including services such as data management, configuration control, and security/access management. Other activities may include architecting the toolchains to support the linkage of digital engineering artifacts to modeling and simulation tools and operational analysis.

· Category 1: Sensor Integration The development, maturation, integration, demonstration, and proliferation of sensor hardware and software. A key interest of ABMS is the compatibility and interoperability capabilities through the use of open interfaces to enable improved control of systems and the processing of their data.

· Category 2: Data Data incorporates the cloud based data repositories across domains that are discoverable, enabling publish subscribe approaches servicing various consumers across the DoD. These repositories contain data that consists of structured and unstructured data and where possible, this data will be meta tagged for further analytics and as well as fusion purposes. One of the key element of this approach is this ability to analyze the data to develop machine learning and further enhance the artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to provide previously unrealized military utility in decision aides.

· Category 3: Secure Processing Secure Processing will leverage the Enterprise Information Technology as a Service (EITaaS) work at the unclassified and secret level to, expand this capability to all levels of security. A key feature of secure processing will be to develop a multi-level security (MLS) technology set that enables moving up and down in security level where feasible no matter the hardware device, transportation method, or environment. Lastly secure processing encompasses providing deployment, training, and support services for all of these capabilities worldwide.

· Category 4: Connectivity Development and fielding of networks to enable the timely processing and dissemination of data from any sensor to users at the tactical edge and/or strategic levels. Assets in any domain may be platforms-of-opportunity to serve as communications nodes enabled by omnidirectional and directional line-of-sight (LOS), and beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) capabilities. Attributes of interest include: increased data rates, reduced latency, improved anti-jam, LPI/LPD characteristics, scalability of nodes/connections, improved integration of dissimilar users, etc.

Category 5: Apps Applications encompasses the design, development and demonstration of open interface applications and/or open interface software development kits for distributed command and control decision-makers (e.g., machine-to-human, machine-to-machine) across multi-domain operations. Additionally, this category seeks solutions which demonstrate the ability to ingest and process cross domain, multi-sourced data feeds (intelligence, information, etc.) via fusion environments and/or fusion services.

· Category 6: Effects Integration Design, development, demonstration and integration of networked weapons engaged across complex (e.g. wide area mesh) environments. This includes, but is not limited to, smart munitions and low-cost autonomous platforms capable of supporting C2 de-confliction and synchronization of multi-domain assets. Incorporation of techniques and/or technologies are also sought to enable near-real time mission feedback loops and reduce processing time between system/mission data updates.

SECTION 3 – GUIDELINES FOR PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS

1. The cost of preparing responses to this BAA is not considered an allowable direct charge to any contract.

1. Unnecessarily elaborate brochures or proposals are not desired.

1. Proposals should be created using 8.5 x 11 inch portrait format pages with single spaced Times New Roman 12 point font with 1” margins. Landscape is acceptable for charts and graphs only. All text, including text in tables and charts, must adhere to all font size and line spacing requirements listed herein. Font and line spacing requirements do not have to be followed for illustrations, flowcharts, drawings, and diagrams. These exceptions shall not be used to circumvent formatting requirements and page count limitations by including lengthy narratives in such items.

1. Use of a diagram(s) or figure(s) to depict the essence of the proposed solution is strongly encouraged.

1. Multiple technical volumes addressing different categories may be submitted by the same organization.

1. On the title page of the submission, identify if you or a proposed subcontractor are a small business such as 8(a), small disadvantaged business, woman-owned business, HUBZone small business, Veteran-owned business, service disabled veteran owned business, historically black college or university and minority institution.

1. The technical and cost information will be evaluated at the same time during the evaluation process. No further evaluation criteria will be issued in order to award a contract under this BAA.

1. Foreign-Owned businesses may be a submitted alone or through some form of teaming arrangement with one or more United States-owned businesses. The ability to obtain a contract based upon a submittal may depend upon whether the foreign-owned business requires access to Government information in order to perform under the contract (1) necessitates clearance of the business under a Special Security Agreement and (2) necessitates approval of a National Interest Determination (see 10 U.S.C. 2536(b)(1)(A), DoD 5220.22-M, and AFI 31-601) that release of proscribed information to the foreign-owned business shall not harm the national security interests of the United States. Failure to obtain the clearance or denial by the cognizant authority of release of the proscribed information to the foreign-owned business would preclude award of a contract.

1. Security Requirements: The submittal process under this BAA is intended to be as streamlined as possible to allow the Government to leverage the latest technology advances. Every precaution must be taken to protect potentially sensitive or classified material. No classified technical proposals or cost volumes are expected. Offerors are encouraged to keep all elements of the proposal package unclassified. In the rare case where an offeror has a need to submit a classified appendix, such material shall not be transmitted across open-source media like public phone, fax, internet, or e-mail. If a submitter has any reason to believe their concept may reference ideas or operations that require special protection, the submitter should immediately contact the Contracting Officer for further instruction. Submitters who are supported by an accredited security office may be bound by specific law and regulations directing the proper methods for transmission of classified responses.

1. In order to maximize cost efficiencies for the ABMS, submissions shall include a “data management approach” including a description as to how the Offeror plans to satisfy the Government’s desire to obtain the necessary license rights and delivery of technical data and computer software (to include computer software documentation) to allow third party sustainment/maintenance. The Government is particularly sensitive to assertions that may be made for technical data and/or software relating to critical system modules and components; as well as to any assertions for information associated with key components and hardware and/or software interfaces, which may affect the planned strategy.

1. Offerors should consider proposal instructions contained in the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Guide for Industry, which can be accessed on line at http://www.wpafb.af.mil/Portals/60/documents/afrl/AFRL-broad-agency-announcement-guide.pdf. This guide is specifically designed to assist the offeror in understanding the BAA proposal process.

1. Please Note: The Government will check the proposal for conformance to the stated requirements. Any pages in excess of the stated page limitation after the format check will not be considered for review purposes.

1. Associate Contractor Agreements: Associate Contractor Agreements (ACAs) are agreements between contractors working on Government contracts that require them to share information, data, technical knowledge, expertise, or resources. The contracting officer may require ACAs when contractors working on separate Government contracts must cooperate, share resources or otherwise jointly participate in working on contracts or projects. Prime contractor to subcontractor relationships do not constitute ACAs. For each award, the contracting officer will identify associate contractors with whom agreements are required.

1. Identify any technical data or computer software that will be delivered with less than unlimited rights.

1. Questions regarding the objectives or preparation of the proposal should be addressed to the Contracting Officer.

PROPOSAL PREPARATION

1. Title Page (does not count against page limit)

Company Name, CAGE Number (if applicable), Title, Offeror, Date, E-Mail Address, Phone, Fax, Organization/Office symbol, and Address. Identify if you or a proposed sub-contractor are a small business such as 8(a), small disadvantaged business, woman-owned business, HUBZone small business, Veteran-owned business, service disabled veteran owned business, historically black college or university and minority institution. Identification of potential sponsor(s) organizations.

1. Each proposal submitted should consist of two volumes: Volume 1 is the technical proposal and Volume 2 is the price/past experience portions of the proposal.

1. Proposals containing data that is not to be disclosed to the public for any purpose or used by the Government except for evaluation purposes shall include the following sentences in accordance with FAR 52.215-1(e)(1) and (2) on the cover page:

“This proposal includes data that shall not be disclosed outside the Government and shall not be duplicated, used, or disclosed -- in whole or in part -- for any purpose other than to evaluate this proposal. If, however, a contract is awarded to this offeror as a result of -- or in connection with -- the submission of this data, the Government shall have the right to duplicate, use, or disclose the data to the extent provided in the resulting contract. This restriction does not limit the Government's right to use information contained in this data if it is obtained from another source without restriction. The data subject to this restriction are contained in sheets [insert numbers or other identification of sheets]”

Each restricted data sheet should be marked as follows:

“Use or disclosure of data contained on this sheet is subject to the restriction on the title page of this proposal.”

Volume 1, Technical Proposal

Propose a Technical Approach by ABMS Category (page limit is 3 pages per category; e.g. Offeror proposes to be added to the pool of ID/IQ vendors for 2 categories, the page limit for the technical proposal is 3 pages * 2 categories or 6 pages total)

A reasonably complete discussion stating the background and objectives of the proposed work, the approaches to be considered, and the resources to be employed. Include the nature and extent of the anticipated results. Include ancillary and operational issues such as certifications, algorithms, and any engineering/software development methodologies to be used. Provide a detailed project schedule that outlines the various phases of work to be accomplished by month.

Government Support Required

Identify the type of support, if any, the offeror requests of the Government in general such as facilities, equipment, data, and information or materials.

Volume 2, Cost/Past Experience Proposal

Cost Page Limit (1 page total for all categories)

Proposal pricing is limited to a Firm-Fixed Price for a kick off meeting to present the proposed technical approach face-to-face in Dayton, OH to the Government. If chosen as a contractor on the IDIQ, the first delivery order will be this kick off meeting. Limit is up to an 8 hour brief (total for all categories) but should be proposed as the minimum amount of time necessary to convey the information and address any questions. Pricing should include the following activities and deliverables for the kick off meeting:

a) Price for and identification of the number of hours proposed for the brief,

b) Price for and description of any discrete travel, and

c) Price for preparation and delivery of the presentation material (five hard copies and electronic copy in pdf format) to be presented at the kick off meeting.

NOTE: The Government will provide a model contract to those offerors recommended for award of an IDIQ contract. Any additions or deletions to the model contract will be negotiated with the offeror prior to award.

Past Experience Page Limit (1 page total for all categories)

A concise description of previous experience related to the proposed work. If available and shareable, customer details and dollar amounts should be provided as well.

PAGE COUNT LIMITATION SUMMARY

Category

Technical Volume Page Limitation

Cost Proposal Page Limitation

Past Experience Page Limitation

TOTAL Page Count Limitation

BASIS FOR PROPOSAL EVALUATION

Proposals will be evaluated as they are received through a peer review process as well as through a scientific review process. Individual proposal evaluations will be based on acceptability or non-acceptability without regard to other submissions received under this announcement. Proposals will be evaluated under the following criteria listed:

1. The technical approach is sufficiently described to determine that the solution identified creates or enhances new or existing features in one or more Advanced Battle Management System categories; allowing integration, use of data and/or software to support future Government needs.

1. Price associated with the up to 8 hour face to face meeting to present the innovative approach(es) by ABMS category is reasonable and realistic. Price is a substantial factor, but ranked as the second order of priority.

1. Past experience is relevant to the ABMS categories. Past experience is ranked as the third order of priority.

1. Government funds availability.

PROPOSAL DUE DATES: Staggered due dates are detailed below to support establishment of the ABMS ID/IQ in an incremental approach along with supporting the ABMS exercises. Proposals submitted after the stated due dates will still be considered:

· 20 March 2020

· 13 April 2020

· 31 August 2020

PROPOSAL VALIDITY: Proposals should be valid for up to 180 days.

AWARD NOTICES: Offerors will be notified whether their proposal is recommended for award on or about 60 days after submission. The notification is not to be construed to mean that any contract or assistance award is assured, as availability of funds and successful negotiations are prerequisites to any award. A Contracting Officer is the only authorized person with the authority to enter into, administer, modify, or terminate a Government contract in accordance with FAR 1.602-1.

SECTION 4: OTHER INFORMATION

If a debriefing is requested in accordance with the time guidelines set out in FAR 15.505 and 15.506, a debriefing will be provided, but the debriefing content may vary to be consistent with the procedures that govern BAAs (FAR 35.016).