70RSAT22RB00000001 SaS BAA.pdf

Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate

OFFICE OF MISSION AND CAPABILITY SUPPORT

OPEN BROAD AGENCY

ANNOUNCEMENT (BAA)

Screening at Speed Program (SaS)

70RSAT22RB00000001

Table of Contents

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Program Mission and Objectives

1.3 Foreign Government Participation

1.4 Agency Name

1.5 Research Opportunity Title

1.6 Program Name

1.7 Research Opportunity Number

1.8 Response Dates

1.9 Government Representatives

1.10 Inquiries

2. RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

2.1 Anticipated Topic Areas (TAs)

2.2. Type Classifications

3. TESTING AND EVALUATION FACILITIES

4. AWARD INFORMATION

4.1 Anticipated Funding for the Program

4.2 Anticipated Number of Awards

4.3 Anticipated Award Types

4.4 Expected Amount of Individual Awards

4.5 Anticipated Period of Performance for Individual Awards

5. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

6. DOWNLOAD OF THIS BAA

7. REGISTRATION IN DHS S&T BAA PORTAL (Must be completed prior to uploading any submissions.)

8. PHASE I SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

8.1 White Paper Submission Requirements

8.2 Other Phase I Procedures

9. PHASE II PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

9.1 Submission Requirements

9.2 Submission Dates and Times

9.3 No Classified Documents

9.4 Multiple Proposals

9.5 Proposal Format

Assertions Table

9.6 Non-compliant Proposals

10. PROCEDURES FOR SUBMITTING WHITE PAPERS AND PROPOSALS IN DHS

S&T BAA PORTAL

10.1 Company/Organization Registration

10.2 White Paper and Proposal Registration

10.3 DHS S&T BAA Portal Help Desk

11. EVALUATION OF WHITE PAPERS AND PROPOSALS

11.1 General

11.2 Evaluation Criteria

11.3 Basis for Phase I and Phase II Selection

11.4 Evaluation Panel

11.5 Notification to Offerors of Evaluation Findings

12. OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS

12.1 NAICS

12.2 System for Award Management (SAM)

12.3 Information for Respondents

12.4 Organizational Conflict of Interest

12.5 Export Control

12.6 Intellectual Property

12.7 Publication of Research Results and Award Information

12.8 Adequate Accounting System for Cost Reimbursement Type Contracts

12.9 Certificate of Current Cost or Pricing Data

12.10 Applicable Provisions and Contract Clauses

12.11 Government Property, Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) and Facilities

12.12 SAFETY Act

12.13 Security Classification

12.14 Subcontracting Plan

12.15 Additional Deliverables

12.16 Types of Changes That May Occur to Awards Under This BAA

12.17 Reporting

Appendix A. Company to Company Agreement

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1 Introduction.

This solicitation is a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) as contemplated in Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) 6.102(d)(2) and 35.016. A formal Request for Proposal (RFP) will not be issued in this matter. This announcement does not request any proposals at this time.

Solicitations (or Calls) requesting white papers or proposals will be accomplished via amendments to this BAA. This BAA is issued in support of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) targeted research and development (R&D) projects.

This Screening at Speed (SaS) BAA will be open for five years from the date publicized on the Government’s Point of Entry (GPE), SAM.gov website (SAM). The strategy for a five-year BAA with the ability to make Calls throughout the life of the BAA will allow for quick and efficient delivery of practical R&D services to generate potential solutions for each Topic Area.

Periodically during the five years, individual Calls for white papers or proposals responding to the specified SaS program capability need will be solicited on SAM against this BAA. Each Call will (1) identify specific details regarding the Call Topic Area, (2) identify submission instructions in addition to those outlined in this BAA, and (3) contain a common cutoff date for submissions. The Call details will be such that interested and capable contractors can tailor a response and provide a submission in response to the Call.

1.2 Program Mission and Objectives.

Evolving threats have created a need for technological improvements to securely screen the growing number of people who pass through security checkpoints each year. The aviation security threat environment is constantly evolving and the DHS and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) must work diligently to overcome novel threats. To meet this challenge, DHS and TSA must invest in emerging technologies with the potential to transform the airport security landscape. The SaS program was developed by DHS S&T to investigate, develop, and efficiently deploy transformational technologies to bolster aviation security while creating a more seamless passenger experience. SaS is developing traditional security checkpoints into a “system of systems” to enable a more efficient and secure holistic threat assessment of passengers and property. This applies to many law enforcement and security agencies at the federal, state, local, tribal and territorial level. As an example, before 9/11, the average aviation checkpoint processed 350 passengers per hour. Today, increased security measures have reduced that number below 150. Limitations in current technology require people to divest, and later collect, some categories of their accessible property (references to carry-on items, personal electronics, and carry-on baggage, here after referred to as “accessible property”) prior to transiting the checkpoint. The divestiture and collection process can take significant time (35 seconds and 40 seconds per passenger, respectively), heavily burden TSA resources, and pose a major inconvenience to the traveling public. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) forecasts a steady annual increase in passenger volume over the next 20 years, indicating that technology must quickly become more efficient as it becomes more secure.

System limitations also lead to false alarms, requiring additional time and resources to resolve. As the threat environment continues to evolve, current technology and procedures are limited in their ability to adapt rapidly. Advanced threats have compelled TSA to institute regulations (e.g., ‘3-1- 1’ quantity restrictions on liquids/aerosols/gels (LAGs), shoe removal, electronics divestiture) which force people to surrender benign items (such as drinks and cosmetics) and increase the number of discrete items that must be screened. Finally, the Automated Target Recognition (ATR) capability of currently deployed screening systems requires the development of state-of-the-art Machine Learning (ML) algorithms capable of handling high threat levels (lower masses, different form factors, etc.). This is an opportunity for the TSA to leverage an emerging transformational technology to significantly enhance passenger and accessible property screening capabilities.

The primary DHS Component driving requirements for SaS is TSA. However, S&T will work closely with other DHS operational organizations such as United States Secret Service (USSS) and Federal Protective Service (FPS) to identify and incorporate their requirements as funding and time allows. SaS also hopes to develop dual-use technologies that can meet multiple Component requirements as a single capability or a family of related capabilities.

The end goal of the SaS is to develop and demonstrate faster and more robust passenger and personal item / accessible property screening technologies. For the TSA example, technologies are expected to have the following capabilities:

• Detect threats at TSA’s highest standards

• Screen 300+ people per lane per hour as well as their accessible property by:

o Screening people without the divestiture of outerwear, shoes, belts, or headwear o Screening LAGs and Powders without removal from accessible property o Lifting restrictions on the quantity and size of LAGs and Powders in accessible property o Screening personal electronics without removal from accessible property o Significantly reducing false alarms

• Integrate future third-party capability upgrades as they become available

• Intuitive operations enabling positive Transportation Security Officer (TSO) and passenger experiences

Other DHS stakeholders’ requirements will be similarly centered on throughput of people per hour, characteristics of threats to be detected and systems with which to be integrated.

Additional target items that are not directly in the TSA mission space (e.g., narcotics) may also be considered under this BAA.

1.3 Foreign Government Participation.

Security is a global concern and DHS has collaborative activities with several countries. As a result, this BAA intends to have foreign government participation, to include access to white papers and proposal submissions for determining joint-funding, as well as joint participation in overseeing projects throughout the contract period of performance. Foreign government participation will be determined by Topic Area for each Call based on DHS collaboration and may include any of the following international partners: (a) the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; (b) the Government of Australia; (c) the Government of Canada;

(d) the Kingdom of the Netherlands; (e) the European Union; (f) the Government of Germany;

(g) the Government of Israel; (h) the Kingdom of Sweden; (i) the Government of New Zealand;

and (j) the Government of Singapore.

In addition, foreign government personnel from any one of the aforementioned countries may participate in the evaluation process as technical reviewers of submitted white papers and/or proposals if their respective nation has been identified in the individual Call made under this BAA. Should foreign government personnel participate in the evaluation process, DHS will share white papers and proposals subject to the provisions for handling both “Controlled Unclassified Information” and “Business Confidential Information,” as stated in each country’s international agreement with the DHS or the U.S. Government. In addition, foreign government personnel are not permitted to release any information to third parties, including others in their organization. By the act of submitting any material in response to this BAA, offerors are therewith consenting to allowing access to financial, confidential, proprietary, and/or trade secret marked information, and any other material contained therein to foreign government personnel.

Intellectual Property Implications: Offerors should note that, in individual Calls where a foreign government is a participant, the technical annex or other governing document may require that the foreign government acquire the same rights as the United States.

1.4 Agency Name.

Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology Directorate Washington, DC 20528

1.5 Research Opportunity Title.

Screening at Speed Research and Development.

1.6 Program Name.

Screening at Speed.

1.7 Research Opportunity Number.

The number on the cover page of this BAA.

1.8 Response Dates.

This announcement does not request any white papers or proposals at this time. Individual Calls will be made against this BAA via solicitations posted on SAM at http://www.sam.gov/.

Each individual Call will identify submission requirements for white papers or proposals.

1.9 Government Representatives.

Program Office:

John Fortune Screening at Speed Program Manager Office of Mission Capability and Support DHS Science & Technology 245 Murray Lane, #0200 Washington DC, 20528 http://www.sam.gov/

Business:

Carolyn Lethert Contracting Officer Department of Homeland Security Office of Procurement Operations Science & Technology Acquisitions Division, Mailstop 0115 301 7th Street, SW, RM 3051 Washington, DC 20528-0115

Jennifer K. Koons Contract Specialist Department of Homeland Security Office of Procurement Operations Science & Technology Acquisitions Division, Mailstop 0115 301 7th Street, SW, RM 3051 Washington, DC 20528-0115

1.10 Inquiries.

All contractual or technical inquiries to this BAA must be submitted to the BAA Contracting Officer and Contract Specialist. The program and technical staff will not acknowledge, forward, or respond to any inquiries received in any other manner concerning this BAA or Calls issued against this BAA. Contractual questions and answers will be posted periodically in www.sam.gov under the announcement for this BAA. All inquiries must be in writing and will not be answered verbally.

For inquiries regarding use of the DHS S&T Office of Industry Partnerships (OIP) portal, refer to paragraph 10.3 below for information on contacting the portal Help Desk.

2. RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

2.1 Anticipated Topic Areas (TAs).

The following TAs are representative only.

• Passenger Analysis o Video Analytics o Integrated Sensing / Data Fusion o Risk-Based Security o Identity Verification / Credential Authentication

• Passenger Screening o Millimeter Wave (Active or Passive) o Terahertz Wave o Enhanced Metal Detection o Automatic Threat Recognition o Radio Frequency (RF) Material Characterization

• Property Screening o Computed Tomography (CT) X-ray o Phase Contrast Imaging o X-ray Diffraction o CT Reconstruction o Prohibited Items Detection Algorithms o Explosive Detection Algorithms o Non-X-ray Sensors (e.g., Neutron Imaging)

• System Architecture and Integration o Open Interfaces and Algorithms o Curb-to-gate Sensing o Network Interconnects and Data Topology o Data Storage and Curation o Data Fusion Algorithms o Seamless Concepts of Operations, Passenger Self-Screening o Image Processing and Human Systems

• Enabling Capabilities o Trace Explosives Detection (Contact or Non-Contact) o Bulk Explosives Detection o User Interfaces Including Augmented/Virtual Reality o Synthetic Data Generation o Rapid Response / Emerging Threat Mitigation o Process Optimization and Officer Evaluation

• Test & Evaluation o Explainable Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning o Automated Testbeds

The above TAs are provided to help interested offerors understand the potential SaS program technical areas. Specific TAs will be identified in each Call.

2.2. Type Classifications.

Calls may include Type Classifications which may specify more specific requirements for a proposed solution under a Call. Type Classifications will depend on the specific program objectives at the Call level. In general, requirements under this BAA may include one or more of the development strategies depending on the maturity of solutions available, end-user requirements, transition strategies and available funding. Offerors submitting responses will be required to identify which of the Type Classifications, as defined in the Call, align with their submission. DHS S&T may use a phased or stepped approach on Calls, as needed, for various technology levels. Some development strategy examples include:

Development Strategy TRL (Start) TRL (Finish) Novel Major Requirements 3 7 Technology Adaptation 5 7 Core R&D 3 6 Transition R&D 4 6 Novel Concept Maturation 3 5

Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) for this BAA roughly correspond to the NASA TRL Definitions:

https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/458490main_TRL_Definitions.pdf

3. TESTING AND EVALUATION FACILITIES.

Performers for SaS will be required to test and evaluate their technologies with respect to project goals. DHS uses test results from several different venues to assess program capability and maturity:

• Vendor in-house testing to determine status of development and risk mitigation

• Transportation Security Laboratory (TSL) for three levels of Developmental Test and Evaluation (DT&E) for most explosive and threat types

• Tyndall Reactive Materials Group (TRMG) for DT&E of certain explosive types/quantities

• TSA Systems Integration Facility (TSIF) for integration testing, concept of operations development, and Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E)

Offerors should consider the specific test and evaluation requirements of the proposed technical solutions, identify in the proposal the primary test environment to be used to conduct testing and evaluation, and include a description of the test and evaluation methodology appropriate for the proposal.

4. AWARD INFORMATION

4.1 Anticipated Funding for the Program.

Subject to official fiscal appropriations, it is anticipated that SaS will have a total of $99M over the next 5 years to support this BAA. The estimated value is not a promise of assured funding in that amount. Funding is uncertain and is subject to change. Government discretion may result in changes in funding availability.

Depending on interest in particular submissions, individual awards may be jointly funded from any of the foreign countries identified in paragraph 1.3 above.

4.2 Anticipated Number of Awards.

https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/458490main_TRL_Definitions.pdf

The total number of awards under this solicitation is unknown. However, one or more awards may be made from each Call issued during the 5-year open period of this BAA.

4.3 Anticipated Award Types.

It is anticipated that awards made for each Call issued against this BAA will be in the form of cost reimbursement type contracts. However, the Government reserves the right to award firm fixed price, time and materials, or labor hour contracts, cooperative agreements, Other Transactions (OTs) (if authorized by law at time of award), Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), or interagency agreements to appropriate parties should the situation warrant.

In the event an offeror or subcontractor is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC), Department of Energy National Laboratory, or other Federally funded entity, DHS S&T will work with the appropriate sponsoring agency to issue an interagency agreement pursuant to the Economy Act (31 U.S.C. 1535) or other appropriate authority.

4.4 Expected Amount of Individual Awards.

Individual award amounts will vary per Call. Therefore, any specified award per Type Classification will be identified on a Call-by-Call basis.

4.5 Anticipated Period of Performance for Individual Awards.

Individual Calls will specify period of performance requirements. No individual award made under any Call may exceed five (5) years.

5. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

This BAA is open to ALL responsible sources, domestic or foreign. Foreign or foreign-owned offerors are advised that their participation is subject to the foreign disclosure review procedures, applicable export control laws, and other applicable federal laws, regulations, and policies pertaining to foreign entities. It is the intent of R&D contracting to obtain a broad base of the best contractor resources from the scientific and industrial community, to include small businesses. As a result, no portion of this BAA will be set aside pursuant to FAR Part 19.502-2.

Offerors may include (but are not limited to):

• Single entities or teams from private-sector organizations;

• Government laboratories;

• FFRDCs, including Department of Energy National Laboratories and Centers, individually or as a team member of an eligible principal Offeror, so long as they are permitted under a sponsoring agreement between the Government and the specific

FFRDC.

• Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs);

• Minority Institutions (MIs);

• Small & Small Disadvantaged Business concerns, including Women-Owned Small Business concerns, Veteran-Owned Small Business concerns, Service-Disabled Veteran- Owned Small Business concerns, and Historically Underutilized Business Zone

(HUBZone) Small Business concerns; and Any academic institutions or non-profit organizations not included in the above categories.

6. DOWNLOAD OF THIS BAA

This BAA should be read in its entirety by any entity considering a submission in response to any Call issued against this BAA. This BAA can be downloaded in its entirety from the SAM website at http://www.sam.gov. The BAA will also be available on the DHS S&T Office of Industry Partnerships (OIP) Portal.

7. REGISTRATION IN DHS S&T OIP PORTAL (Must be completed prior to uploading any submissions.)

Registration in an S&T electronic interface may be required prior to submission. Instructions for such registration will be provided on the individual Calls.

8. PHASE I SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The Government may choose to utilize a multi-step evaluation process which may include one or more phases. Submission instructions and the evaluation process will be determined by individual Calls. The first phase of a Call may include White Papers or another evaluation process. General information on White Paper submissions, if used, is included below.

8.1 White Paper Submission Requirements

8.1.1 Calls May Request White Papers.

Calls issued against this BAA may request the submission of white papers. Submission requirements for white papers, when requested, shall be in accordance with this announcement, unless otherwise amended in the individual Call. Offerors should be alert for any amendments to individual Calls that may permit extensions to the submission date or modify the terms and conditions identified in that Call.

8.1.2 Submission Dates and Times.

Submission dates and times will be identified in each Call. White papers WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED after the established due date. There will be no exceptions to the time and date on which responses are due, unless otherwise determined by the Government.

8.1.3 No Classified Documents.

No classified white papers will be accepted.

8.1.4 No Proposal Submission Authorized Without White Paper Submission.

If a Call requests a white paper submission, offerors must submit an evaluable white paper to be considered for participation in proposal submissions. Offerors are not eligible to submit a proposal for any white paper rejected as non-compliant. For more information regarding non-compliant white paper submissions, refer to Section 8.1.8 below.

8.1.5 Multiple White Papers.

Multiple white papers per Call may be submitted. Each submitted white paper must comply with the terms outlined herein.

8.1.6 White Paper Format.

White paper format will be specified in the individual Calls. White papers may include narrative, pictures, figures, tables, and charts in a legible size, and must be accompanied by a one-page quad chart.

8.1.7 Company to Company Agreement with Noblis, Inc (or successor Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance (SETA) contractor).

This Agreement shall be included in accordance with paragraph 11.4 and does not count against the white paper page count.

8.1.8 Non-compliant White Papers.

White papers submitted that do not comply with the white paper submission requirements outlined in this BAA, as well as any additional submission requirements outlined in the respective Call under which the white paper is being submitted, may result in the white paper being determined non-compliant and rejected without evaluation. Examples of non-compliant white papers include, but are not limited to:

• Total contract value proposed in the white paper is greater than the boundaries identified in the respective Call;

• Total number of pages submitted does not comply with the page count limitations identified in the respective Call; or

• Pages within the white paper do not comply with the requirements for font sizes and margins identified in the respective Call; or

• Submission requirements are not met, such as the one-page limitation for the cover page and the quad chart (as required by 8.1.6 above) is exceeded, etc., or the Company to Company Agreement is not submitted.

8.2 Other Phase I Procedures

8.2.1 The Government may identify other Phase I procedures for a multi-step evaluation process. These will be identified at the Call level and may include such procedures as:

• Technical demonstrations

• Oral/virtual presentations

• Written application

• Survey of past experience

• Written quad charts

9. PHASE II PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The Government anticipates full proposal submission to be a requirement for each individual Call, whether or not a multi-phased approach is used. However, the Government may use its discretion to use alternate submission requirements as determined by individual Calls.

9.1 Submission Requirements.

Submission requirements for proposals shall be in accordance with this announcement unless otherwise amended in the individual Call. Offerors should be alert for any amendments to individual Calls that may permit extensions to the submission date or modify terms and conditions identified in the Call.

9.2 Submission Dates and Times.

Submission dates and times will be identified in each Call. Proposals WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED after the established due date. There will be no exceptions to the time and date on which responses are due, unless otherwise determined by the Government.

9.3 No Classified Documents.

No classified proposals will be accepted.

9.4 Multiple Proposals.

If only proposals (no white papers) have been requested by the individual Call, then multiple proposals may be submitted. When white papers are requested by the individual Call, then offerors must submit a white paper to be considered for participation in the submission of proposals. Each submitted proposal must comply with the terms outlined herein.

9.5 Proposal Format.

Proposal submission formatting will be identified in the individual Calls.

• Assertion of Data Rights.

o The Assertions Table completed in accordance with this section does not count against the page count for Volume 1 - Technical Proposals.

o It is anticipated that the proposed Assertion of Data Rights will be incorporated in the resultant award instrument. To this end, proposals must include a severable Assertion of Data Rights (i.e., it will begin on a new page and the following section shall begin on a new page) without any proprietary restrictions, which can be removed from the proposal and attached to the contract or agreement award.

After proposal submission, any changes to this information requested by an offeror may cause a proposal to be re-evaluated or deemed not selectable at the Government’s discretion. The format for this section is as follows:

Assertions Table

Identify in the table below each deliverable included in the offeror’s proposal. For each deliverable listed in the below table, identify any assertion of restriction on the Government’s use, release or disclosure of technical data or computer software.

Deliverable

Technical Data or Computer Software to be Furnished With Restrictions*

Basis for Assertion**

Asserted Rights Category***

Name of Person Asserting

Restrictions****

*For technical data (other than computer software documentation) pertaining to items, components, or processes developed at private expense, identify both the deliverable technical data and each such item, component, or process. For computer software or computer software documentation, identify the software or documentation.

**Generally, development at private expense, either exclusively or partially, is the only basis for asserting restrictions. For technical data, other than computer software documentation, development refers to development of the item, component, or process to which the data pertain.

The Government's rights in computer software documentation generally may not be restricted.

For computer software, development refers to the software. Indicate whether development was accomplished exclusively or partially at private expense. If development was not accomplished at private expense, enter the specific basis for asserting restrictions.

***Enter asserted rights category (e.g., government purpose rights, limited rights, restricted rights , or specially negotiated licenses).

****Corporation, individual, or other person, as appropriate, or enter “none” when all data or software will be submitted without restrictions.

Completed by:

Signature Date Printed Name and Title

• Patents. All offerors must include documentation proving ownership or possession of appropriate licensing rights to all patented inventions to be used for the proposed project.

If a patent application has been filed for an invention, but it includes proprietary information and is not publicly available, an offeror must provide documentation that includes: the patent number, inventor name(s), assignee names (if any), filing date, filing date of any related provisional application, and summary of the patent title, with either:

(1) a representation of invention ownership, or (2) proof of possession of appropriate licensing rights in the invention (i.e., an agreement from the owner of the patent granting license to the offeror).

• Company to Company Agreement with Noblis, Inc. (or successor SETA contractor). If white papers were not submitted for the Call, this Agreement shall be included in accordance with paragraph 11.4 and does not count against the proposal page count.

Price/Cost Proposal. Price/Cost Proposal will typically consist of a cover page and two parts, Part 1 and Part 2, and cover the following information:

• Cover Page. The words “Price/Cost Proposal” should appear on the cover page in addition to the following information:

o Respective BAA Call number;

o DHS S&T OIP Portal Assigned Proposal Number o Title of proposal;

o Name of offeror’s organization and offeror’s administrative and technical points of contact, including name, address, telephone and facsimile numbers, and email addresses;

o Whether offeror is U.S. or foreign owned entity;

o Identity of prime offeror and complete list of subcontractors or consultants, if applicable, otherwise indicate that there are no subcontractors or consultants;

o Duration of effort. Separately identify the base effort and any options;

o In accordance with FAR 4.1201, prospective offerors for contracts and for OTs involving prototypes shall state the certifications in SAM database at https://www.sam.gov have been completed and shall provide the certification validity period; and o The signature and title of an authorized representative of the entity submitting the proposal.

• Part 1. As stated above in paragraph 4.5, submissions must propose periods of performance in line with the requirements of the BAA Call, not to exceed five (5) years in total. Therefore, Part 1 shall consist of a detailed breakdown of all costs by cost category identified by period of performance in which the costs are expected to occur (e.g., base period, option period 1, etc.). All contractor and subcontractor costs must be provided in United States Dollars (USD). Other currencies may be present in the cost proposal information, however conversion to USD must be included to show the rate of exchange. Cost categories include, at a minimum, the following:

• Direct Labor. Labor hours and unburdened direct labor rates for each person proposed.

• Indirect Costs Breakdown. Fringe Benefits, Overhead, General & Administrative (G&A), Cost of Money, etc.; must show amount and rate for each element.

• Travel. Number of trips, destinations, durations, etc.

• Materials. Materials should be specifically itemized with costs or estimated costs. Where possible, indicate basis of estimate, (e.g., recent purchase of same or similar item, vendor quote, catalog price, engineering estimate, market survey, etc.).

• Other Directs Costs (ODCs). ODCs, particularly any proposed items of equipment or facilities. Equipment and facilities generally must be furnished by the contractor/recipient. Justifications must be provided when Government funding for such items is sought.

Subcontract(s). A cost proposal not less detailed than the Offeror’s cost proposal will be required to be submitted by the subcontractor. Costs should be clearly marked as “prime” or “subcontractor” costs. If the subcontractor costs cannot be included with the above detailed cost breakdown, then the prime contractor must stipulate on the detailed cost breakdown that the costs presented only represent those from the prime and the subcontractor’s costs are provided separately as an attachment to an e-mail sent to [location to be identified in each individual Call]. The subject line of the email shall say “Separate Subcontractor Cost Submission – [insert the white paper or proposal number assigned from the DHS S&T OIP Portal.” The body of the email shall contain the following:

The prime entity’s name which should be the same entity that is registered in the DHS S&T OIP Portal;

A POC (name and phone number) from the prime entity; and For each subcontractor proposal attached, include:

• The name of the subcontractor for the subcontractor proposal attached; and

• A POC (name and phone number) from the subcontractor whose proposal is attached.

The separate subcontractor cost proposal must be not less detailed than the offeror’s cost proposal and must be received at the location designated in the individual Call no later than the closing date and time specified by the Call. Note that email transmission time may vary depending on the file size of the attachment(s) included in the email.

Therefore, ensure there is adequate time for receipt of the email and any accompanying attachments of the subcontractor(s) cost proposal(s) by the required closing date and time. Acceptance of the email submission is dependent upon the actual date and time the e-mail and any accompanying attachment(s) is RECEIVED at the location designated in the Call. NO SEPARATE SUBCONTRACTOR COST PROPOSALS

RECEIVED WILL BE ACCEPTED IF RECEIVED AFTER THE

CLOSING DATE AND TIME SPECIFIED IN EACH INDIVIDUAL

CALL.

• Consultant(s). Provide a consultant agreement or other document which verifies the proposed loaded daily/hourly rate.

• Fee/Profit. Identify amount and percentage of Fee/Profit, if proposed.

• Part 2. Part 2 shall consist of the cost breakdown by task/sub-task using the same task numbers in the Statement of Work (SOW). In addition, the task/sub-task breakdown must be identified by period of performance in which it is expected the costs/tasks/sub-tasks to occur (e.g., base period, option period 1, etc.).

9.6 Non-compliant Proposals.

Proposals submitted that do not comply with the proposal submission requirements outlined in this BAA and any additional submission requirements outlined in the Call the proposal is responding to may result in the proposal being determined non-compliant and rejected without evaluation.

Examples of non-compliant proposals include, but are not limited to:

• Total contract value proposed in the proposal is greater than the boundaries identified in the respective Call;

• Total number of pages submitted does not comply with the page count limitations identified in the respective Call; or

• Pages within the proposal do not comply with the requirements for font sizes and margins identified in the respective Call; or

• Submission requirements are not met, such as the one-page limitation for the cover page, the transmittal letter, or the quad chart is exceeded, or no separate assertions table is provided, etc.

10. PROCEDURES FOR SUBMITTING WHITE PAPERS AND PROPOSALS IN

THE DHS S&T Office of Industry Partnerships (OIP) Portal

10.1 Company/Organization Registration.

• IMPORTANT: Before submitting a white paper or proposal for the first time, you must first register your company/organization in the OIP Portal. Note, this registration takes some time; therefore, it is prudent to ensure company registration is completed well before the closing time for either white paper or proposals submissions. It is recommended that the Business Official or an authorized representative designated by the Business Official be the first person to register for your company. Your company’s Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), country and state it is registered in are required during registration. (If your company is registered, other new users may register and associate their information with the company’s existing record.) When registration is completed, users can submit and manage their white papers and proposals.

• After the company/organization is registered, new users must register by associating their information with the company/organization’s existing record.

• When registration is complete, users can submit and manage white papers and proposals.

• To access the log in/registration page of the DHS S&T OIP Portal:

o Go to the DHS S&T OIP Portal at https://oip.dhs.gov/ o Click on the Profile Login icon in the top right corner of the OIP program portal landing page o To begin the registration process, check the box to agree to the Terms of

Service and DHS Privacy Notice and then click New User? Register as a public user here icon at the top of the page.

• For additional step-by-step information regarding registration, on the OIP program home page in the top navigation bar on the far right, click on Resources. On the next page, you can review FAQs or download a copy of the Portal Registration and LRBAA Submission Guide and review Section 2.

10.2 White Paper and Proposal Submissions.

• Each white paper, if requested, and proposal to be uploaded in the DHS S&T OIP Portal will be assigned a white paper and/or proposal number in the portal.

• To upload a white paper or proposal, after logging into the portal, click on the Funding menu in the navigation bar and select Open Funding Opportunities. On the following search page, click on the TBAA tab, locate the open topic of interest and click on Apply.

10.3 DHS S&T OIP Portal Technical Support.

For any technical assistance with the DHS S&T OIP Portal, you can contact the DHS S&T OIP Portal Technical Support at OIPPortalHelpDesk@hq.dhs.gov or by phone at (571) 446-4869.

Support hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00AM to 5:00PM.

11. EVALUATION OF WHITE PAPERS AND PROPOSALS

11.1 General.

Any submitted white papers and proposals that do not comply with the requirements of this BAA and the individual Call issued under the BAA may be rejected as non-compliant.

The evaluation of all white papers and proposals received that are compliant with the requirements of this BAA and the respective Call issued under this BAA will be accomplished through a technical review panel using the evaluation criteria specified below.

11.2 Evaluation Criteria.

The evaluation criteria anticipated to be used for the technical review of both white papers and proposals received in response to each Call issued under this BAA are identified below in descending order of importance. These evaluation criteria will be used unless a Call modifies or changes them.

Criterion I: Quality and Technical Merit: Presentation of a sound technical and managerial approach to the proposed work that demonstrates a clear, reasonable, and responsive path to provide a solution to the problem presented by each Topic Area associated with the planned 5-year BAA. DHS will assess the soundness of the Offeror’s technical and managerial approach to the proposed work and whether the approach demonstrated is reasonable and responsive to the program requirements; demonstrates an understanding of the problem; clearly identifies all risks and associated mitigation approaches; and presents a clear plan and schedule to provide a mailto:OIPPortalHelpDesk@hq.dhs.gov solution to the problem presented by each Topic Area associated with the planned 5-year

BAA.

Criterion II: Capabilities and Experience: Demonstration of the qualifications, capabilities and experience needed to achieve the proposal objectives. DHS will assess the Offeror’s qualifications, capabilities, and experience to determine if the proposed team has sufficient expertise to perform the proposed work, manage the project cost, and complete the project within the proposed schedule to achieve the proposed objectives.

Criterion III: Cost Reasonableness1:

• White Papers. The cost evaluation factor for white papers, when requested, is as follows:

“Cost. White papers will be evaluated on the reasonableness and affordability of proposed technical work.”

Proposals. Offerors must present accurate, well-founded estimates of all costs related to performance of the proposed effort. Costs of the proposal must be reasonable and provide a high value to the Government. The proposed costs are reasonable (i.e., reflect a sufficient understanding of the technical goals and objectives of the Topic Area, and are consistent with the Offeror's technical/management approach, to include the proposed SOW), and are based on reasonable assumptions. An assessment will be made of the offeror’s proposed costs as to whether they are reasonable for the solution proposed.

11.3 Basis for Phase I and Phase II Selection.

• The primary basis for identifying Phase I submissions as encouraged to submit Phase II responses, and for selecting responses for award shall be the evaluation criteria listed in

11.2 and funding availability. Cost reasonableness and completeness shall also be considered to the extent appropriate.

• DHS S&T reserves the right to select for award and to fund all, some, or none of the proposals received in response to any Calls issued against this BAA.

11.4 Confidence Ratings.

Unless otherwise identified in a BAA Call, awards will be evaluated using the following confidence ratings:

Confidence Ratings Rating Definition High The Government has high confidence that the Quoter understands the requirement, proposes a sound approach, and will be successful in performing the contract with little or no Government intervention.

Some The Government has some confidence that the Quoter understands the requirement, proposes a sound approach, and will be successful in performing the contract with some Government intervention.

1 The Government will evaluate Cost Realism prior to making any cost type awards.

Low The Government has low confidence that the Quoter understands the requirement, proposes a sound approach, and will be successful in performing the contract even with Government intervention.

11.5 Evaluation Panel.

All properly submitted Phase I and Phase II submissions that conform to the BAA requirements will be evaluated by a review panel comprised of Government technical experts drawn from staff within DHS S&T and other federal agencies. All Government personnel are bound by public law to protect proprietary information.

Important Note: DHS intends to use Noblis, Inc. (or successor SETA contractor) for routine administrative and/or technical support during the evaluation process of both Phase I and Phase II.

All Offerors, Prime Contractors only (this applies to all offerors, whether or not the offeror is a company), must submit an executed Company to Company Agreement with Noblis, Inc., found in Appendix A, along with their Phase I submission (or with their proposal submission if white papers are not required). The Agreement found in Appendix A shall not be altered. Submissions that do not include an executed Agreement will be considered non-responsive and will not be considered. To get the Noblis, Inc. Point of Contact information, Offerors are to send an email to the BAA Call Contracting Officer and Contract Specialist and indicate “NDA” in the Subject line. Offerors are encouraged to allow sufficient time to permit agreement execution.

• Offerors are advised that employees of Noblis, Inc. may serve as administrative and/or technical support to Source Selection Evaluation Board (SSEB) members in the source selection process. These individuals will be authorized access to only those portions of proposal data and discussions that are necessary to enable them to perform their respective duties. Noblis Inc. is expressly prohibited from competing on the subject acquisition and from scoring or rating white papers and proposals or recommending the selection of a proposal for funding. Contractor personnel will not provide subject matter expertise to the SSEB unless the OPO HCA signs a D&F allowing for this support.

• In accomplishing their duties related to the source selection process, Noblis, Inc.

employees may require access to proprietary information contained in the offerors’ white papers and proposals. Therefore, pursuant to FAR 9.505-4, Noblis, Inc. must execute an agreement with each offeror that states that they will (1) protect the offeror’s information from unauthorized use or disclosure for as long as it remains proprietary, and (2) refrain from using the information for any purpose other than that for which it was furnished. To expedite the evaluation process, each offeror must contact Noblis, Inc. to effect execution of an Agreement prior to submission of white papers. Each offeror shall submit copies of the Agreement with its white paper.

• The Noblis, Inc. POC will only address questions relevant to the Company to Company Agreement.

Foreign Government Participation. As stated in paragraph 1.3 above, DHS S&T intends to have foreign government participation in the selection process as technical reviewers of submitted white papers and/or proposals, foreign government access to white papers and proposals for purposes of determining joint-funding, and joint participation (U.S. and foreign government) in overseeing projects throughout the contract period of performance. The following foreign government participation may include the following international partners: (a) the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; (b) the Government of Australia; (c) the Government of Canada; (d) the Kingdom of the Netherlands; (e) the European Union; (f) the Government of Germany; (g) the Government of Israel; (h) the Kingdom of Sweden; (i) the Government of New Zealand; and (j) the Government of Singapore.

11.6 Notification to Offerors of Evaluation Findings.

Once the Phase I technical review process is complete, offerors will be notified via e- mail or in writing, whether the offeror is “encouraged” or “not encouraged” to move to Phase II. Offerors not encouraged to move to Phase II are not prohibited from Phase II. All timely Phase II submissions received will be included in the technical review process.

11.6.1 Once the Phase II technical review process is complete, offerors will be notified via e-mail or in writing that its proposal has been selected, selected but not funded, or not selected for award.

For those proposals that are selected but are on hold for funding, offerors will be so advised and asked to confirm that their proposals remain valid for funding for a time specified in the notification letter.

11.6.2 Offerors Feedback. Offerors not selected for an award may request feedback regarding the technical review findings of submitted proposals. A written request to the Contracting Officer must be received within three calendar days of notification of non-selection. Feedback will not be provided on submitted white papers, or proposals that have been selected or selected but not funded for award.

12. OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS

12.1 NAICS.

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this announcement and any Calls issued against this BAA is 541715, with a small business size standard of 1,000 employees.

12.2 System for Award Management (SAM).

Successful offerors not already registered in the SAM will be required to register in the SAM prior to award of any contract, cooperative agreement, or OT, if authorized by law at time of award.

Information regarding SAM registration is available at https://www.sam.gov.

12.3 Information for Respondents.

This BAA is for planning purposes only. It will not be construed as an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services.

No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as https://w/ a result of submission of responses to any Calls issued against this BAA and the Government’s use of such information. Respondents to any Calls issued against this BAA may be requested to provide additional information based on their submittals. Unnecessarily elaborate responses containing extensive marketing materials are not desired.

Technical and cost proposals, or any other material, submitted in response to any Calls issued against this BAA will not be returned.

12.4 Organizational Conflict of Interest.

Offerors who have existing or pending contract(s) to provide scientific, engineering, technical and/or administrative support directly to DHS S&T may be considered to have actual or potential conflict of interest, resulting in one or more offerors with the potential to attain an unfair competitive advantage.

If any such conflict of interest is found to exist, the Contracting Officer may (1) disqualify the offeror, or (2) determine that it is otherwise in the best interest of the United States to contract with the offeror and include the appropriate provisions to mitigate or avoid such conflict in the contract awarded. After discussion with the offeror, the Contracting Officer may determine that the actual conflict cannot be avoided, neutralized, mitigated, or otherwise resolved to the satisfaction of the Government, and the offeror may be found ineligible for award.

Disclosure. Each offeror will be required to represent, as part of its proposal and to the best of its knowledge that: (1) It is not aware of any facts which create any actual or potential organizational conflicts of interest relating to the award of this contract; or (2) It has included information in its proposal, providing all current information bearing on the existence of any actual or potential organizational conflicts of interest, and has included the mitigation plan in accordance with the paragraph below, titled: Mitigation/Waiver.

Mitigation/Waiver. If an offeror with a potential or actual conflict of interest or unfair competitive advantage believes it can be mitigated, neutralized, or avoided, the offeror shall submit a mitigation plan to the Contracting Officer for review. Award of a contract where an actual or potential conflict of interest exists shall not occur before Government approval of the mitigation plan.

Other Relevant Information. In addition to the mitigation plan, the Contracting Officer may require further relevant information from the offeror. The Contracting Officer will use all information submitted by the offeror, and any other relevant information known to DHS, to determine whether an award to the offeror may take place, and whether the mitigation plan adequately neutralizes or mitigates the conflict.

Corporation Change. The successful offeror shall inform…