CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC)

NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH (NIOSH)

BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT (BAA)

RFP# 75D30127Q 79333

UNIVERSITY HEALTH AND SAFETY RESEARCH FOR THE MINING

INDUSTRY

Issuance Date: ................................................................... 11/05/2026

Proposal Q&A Deadline: .................................................. 11/30/2026 - 3:00 pm Eastern

Proposal Submission Date/Time: ...................................... 01/11/2027 - 3:00 pm Eastern

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION A – INTRODUCTION

Authority

Background and Funding Opportunity Description

Funding Information

Eligibility

SECTION B – NIOSH RESEARCH INTERESTS

Funding Opportunity Goals

Advanced Mining Safety and Health Research and Technologies

SECTION C – PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION

Submission Process

Proposal Questions and Communications

Proposal Format Requirements

Volume I: Technical Proposal Content

Volume II: Pricing Proposal

Volume III – Administrative Proposal

SECTION E – FULL PROPOSAL EVALUATION AND AWARD

Initial Review

Proposal Evaluation

Discussions, Proposal Revisions, and Partial Award(S)

Basis of Award

Applicable Clauses, Provisions, and CDC-Specific Terms

SECTION F- BAA SOLICITATION FORMS & ATTACHMENTS

SECTION A – INTRODUCTION

Authority

This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) is issued on behalf of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) pursuant to the authority of Radical FAR Overhaul (RFO) FAR 35.102 and RFO FAR 6.101(b)(3) which provide for the competitive selection of research proposals.

Contracts awarded based on responses to this BAA are considered the result of full and open competition and are therefore in full compliance with the requirements of PL 98-369, "The Competition in Contracting Act of 1984."

Within the meaning of RFO FAR 6.101 and 35.102, this announcement constitutes the Government’s only solicitation, and the Government will not issue any other formal solicitation for the requirement(s) outlined herein. Offerors are advised that solicitation amendments may be issued via www.sam.gov and that proposal submissions shall comply with the most current amended solicitation documents and/or attachments.

Background and Funding Opportunity Description

The Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006 (MINER Act) permanently established the Office of Mine Safety and Health Research (OMSHR) under the direction of an Associate Director, within the NIOSH. One purpose of this office is to enhance the development of new technology and technological applications and to ensure adequate capacity in engineering and science disciplines important to mine safety and health. The MINER Act grants the Office of Mine Safety and Health Research the authority to award competitive contracts and grants to institutions and private entities to improve mine safety and health in general, and specifically to encourage the development and manufacture of mine safety equipment and to award contracts to education institutions or private laboratories for the performance of product testing or related work with respect to new mine technology or equipment. This announcement is an opportunity for the award of contracts to universities in advanced health and safety mining systems.

The NIOSH OMSHR is seeking proposals from universities or colleges with ABET-accredited programs in mining engineering specifically focused on aspects of mining safety and health that addresses research, exploratory development, or testing of new innovations and technologies, and/or methods of evaluation of new and existing mining practices to improve mine health and/or safety.

The Government has issued similar solicitations previously in mine ventilation (2009-N-11093 and 2014-N- 15795), ground control (2011-N-13060 and 2016-N-17733), mine design (2019-75D301-19-R-67888), and Mining Systems (2023-75D301-24-R-72911). 41 contracts have been awarded as a result of previous solicitations, resulting in comprehensive contract reports, over 133 M.S. theses and 106 Ph.D. dissertations, and numerous publications (many peer-reviewed), each addressing critical health and safety topics within the mining industry.

Under this solicitation, NIOSH continues the expansion of this program to encompass research into broader topics related to advanced mining systems and other critical health and safety research areas including but not limited to mine ventilation and ground control.

The Government will award contracts to proposals that provide the greatest value, as determined by the established evaluation criteria. Participants are sought who can train next generation of mine safety and health professionals in development and demonstration of technologies necessary to achieve the objectives outlined in this announcement.

http://www.sam.gov/

Only a Contracting Officer (CO) may obligate the Government to contracts involving expenditure of funds. The Government is not responsible for costs incurred in developing the proposals and is not committed to funding any proposal. Submissions are strictly voluntary.

Funding Information

The period of performance for all awards shall consist of one base period of 12 months followed by three option periods of 12 months each.

Estimated total funding under this solicitation is $10,000,000, with approximately 5 to 10 awards anticipated.

Individual awards are limited to a maximum of $300,000 per year and $1,200,000 in total; proposals exceeding these amounts will not be evaluated.

Awards will generally be made as firm-fixed-price (FFP) contracts, although the CO may negotiate a fixed price Other Transaction (OT) Agreement under the authority of 42 U.S.C. 242c when determined to be in the Government’s best interest. Grants and cooperative agreements will not be issued under this solicitation.

Eligibility

Eligible Offerors are U.S. academic institutions with an ABET-accredited undergraduate program in mining engineering based on the ABET Mining Engineering Program Criteria and graduate programs offering both master’s and doctoral-level education in mining engineering (or under other names supporting the objectives of this BAA).

The proposed Principal Investigator (PI) shall hold a full-time academic appointment at the rank of Assistant/Associate/or Full Professor and shall demonstrate relevant teaching, research, or professional experience in mining safety and health, mining engineering, or another field directly related to the proposed research. There is no limit on the number of proposals that an eligible institution may submit under this BAA.

The Government strongly encourages, but does not require, collaboration with mining companies, academic institutions, academic departments, technology developers, research organizations, and other relevant partners.

Collaborative efforts may include sharing faculty expertise, students, facilities, datasets, field sites, specialized equipment, or other resources that strengthen the research and graduate educational experience.

Participation of faculty, researchers, and graduate students from disciplines outside mining engineering is encouraged when their expertise strengthens the proposed research and expands multidisciplinary capabilities in mine safety and health. Relevant disciplines may include, but are not limited to, computer science, electrical and mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, occupational health and industrial hygiene, public health, materials science, geology, geotechnical engineering, medicine, and other relevant engineering, science, and health fields. Consistent with the capacity-building objectives of this BAA, all graduate students supported under an award shall conduct research directly related to the funded research topic and shall develop their M.S. thesis or Ph.D. dissertation from that research. Graduate students enrolled in non-thesis programs are not eligible for support under this award.

Proposals involving multidisciplinary or interdepartmental collaboration should clearly describe the roles and contributions of participating departments or organizations and explain how the collaboration will strengthen both the proposed research and graduate workforce development.

Collaboration is not a prerequisite for award and proposals will not receive preference solely because they include collaborative arrangements. Proposals will be evaluated based on the applicable evaluation criteria and the overall merit of the proposed research and capacity-building effort.

SECTION B – NIOSH RESEARCH INTERESTS

Funding Opportunity Goals

The goal of this funding opportunity is to strengthen and sustain the nation’s advanced technical workforce and academic capacity in mining safety and health by supporting graduate education and research addressing contemporary and emerging challenges facing the U.S. mining industry. NIOSH seeks to develop the next generation of highly qualified researchers, engineers, scientists, faculty, and safety and health professionals while simultaneously advancing scientific knowledge and practical solutions that protect mine workers.

A central objective is to support the education and graduation of M.S. and Ph.D. students with specialized expertise in mine safety and health. Students are expected to conduct substantive research related to the priority areas of this solicitation, while developing both advanced technological capabilities and the fundamental engineering and scientific competence necessary to independently investigate and solve complex mining problems. Research may incorporate multidisciplinary expertise and emerging technologies but shall maintain a strong connection to mining applications and worker safety and health.

This funding opportunity emphasizes that future mining professionals must be capable of understanding physical mechanisms, applying first-principles reasoning, critically evaluating data and modeling assumptions, validating results against experimental and field observations, recognizing limitations and uncertainty, and developing defensible alternative solutions when existing technologies or computational methods are insufficient. These capabilities are particularly important for maintaining effective human oversight of increasingly complex and automated mining technologies.

Accordingly, proposed graduate education and research should provide meaningful opportunities for first-principles analysis, laboratory and/or field investigation, experimental measurement, model and technology validation, critical interpretation of results, and mentorship by experienced researchers and mining practitioners.

Students should develop the ability to question unsupported conclusions, recognize limitations in analytical and computational approaches, and independently formulate and evaluate alternative solutions.

An additional workforce-development objective is to strengthen graduate students’ scientific communication, publication, and research dissemination skills. Students should receive substantive experience in preparing manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals, responding to scientific peer review, developing technical reports, preparing theses and dissertations, and presenting research findings at professional and scientific conferences.

Students should learn to communicate complex research methods, results, limitations, and implications clearly and rigorously to both scientific and mining-industry audiences. Active student authorship and presentation of research generated under the funded effort are strongly encouraged as integral components of graduate training and professional development.

Through graduate education, rigorous research, scientific communication and publication training, multidisciplinary and industry collaboration, field and laboratory experience, mentorship, and dissemination of research results, this funding opportunity is intended to build long-term academic and professional capacity and a continuing pipeline of technically independent, highly trained professionals capable of addressing current and future mine safety and health challenges.

Advanced Mining Safety and Health Research and Technologies

The continued evolution of U.S. mining, including the expansion and development of critical-minerals production, creates a need for a highly trained workforce capable of addressing both longstanding and emerging mine safety and health challenges. Fundamental mining safety and health issues—including mine ventilation and environmental control, ground stability and ground control, mining equipment and transportation hazards, occupational exposure to respirable dust and crystalline silica, mine fires and explosions, emergency preparedness and evacuation, worker-equipment interactions, and prevention and response to mining disasters—remain important areas for research, workforce education, and technology development.

NIOSH is interested in strengthening research and graduate workforce capacity across these and other areas of mining safety and health. The objective is to educate and train M.S. and Ph.D. students with strong foundations in mining engineering, science, and occupational safety and health, while advancing knowledge, methods, and technologies that prevent injuries and illnesses and improve the safety and resilience of mining operations.

Research may address surface or underground mining, different commodities and mining methods, and the unique challenges associated with deeper, more complex, and increasingly technology-intensive mining operations.

Research topics may include, but are not limited to, mine ventilation, airflow and contaminant control; respirable dust, crystalline silica, diesel particulate matter, heat, noise, and other occupational exposures; ground control, rock mechanics, mine stability, roof and rib hazards, and highwall safety; mining equipment and haulage accidents; collision and proximity hazards; mine fires, explosions, and battery safety; emergency preparedness, escape, evacuation, refuge, search and rescue, and disaster response; mine communications and underground localization; equipment reliability and maintenance; ergonomics and human factors; and mine planning, design, and operational practices that reduce worker exposure to hazards.

Advances in automation, robotics, advanced sensing, computer vision, data analytics, simulation, and digital technologies provide new tools for addressing these mining safety and health problems. Research is encouraged that appropriately applies these technologies to improve hazard recognition and prediction, exposure assessment, engineering controls, situational awareness, decision-making, equipment safety, emergency response, and the ability to remove workers from hazardous environments. Potential approaches may include autonomous and remotely operated equipment, robotic inspection, multimodal sensing, intelligent ventilation and environmental monitoring, digital twins and mine simulation, predictive maintenance, advanced ground-monitoring systems, real-time exposure monitoring, and intelligent emergency and evacuation systems.

The emphasis, however, is on solving significant mining safety and health problems rather than advancing AI/SI or automation for its own sake. Graduate students should develop the fundamental mining, engineering, and scientific expertise necessary to understand the physical mechanisms underlying mine hazards, evaluate the limitations of emerging technologies, validate computational and automated systems against field and experimental observations, and determine when and how such technologies can be safely and effectively applied.

The next generation of mining engineers and safety and health professionals will increasingly be responsible for developing, evaluating, implementing, and providing human oversight of intelligent and automated mining systems. Research under this area should therefore prepare graduate students to combine strong foundational expertise in mining safety and health with competency in emerging technologies. Multidisciplinary collaboration with computer science, robotics, electrical and mechanical engineering, geotechnical engineering, medicine, occupational health and industrial hygiene, human factors, data science, and related disciplines is encouraged where it strengthens mining-focused research and graduate education.

SECTION C – PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION

Submission Process

Offerors shall submit the proposal containing all required technical, pricing, administrative, and supporting information in accordance with the requirements of this solicitation electronically via email to the CO Jennifer Gartzke, at xuy7@cdc.gov no later than the date and time specified on the cover page of this solicitation.

Proposals received after the submission deadline will not be considered by the Government.

The email subject line shall be formatted as follows: “PROPOSAL Submission for NIOSH BAA RFP# [75D30127Q79333]”. Proposal files shall be named using the PI’s last name followed by the name of the offering institution or organization, with additional identifiers added as necessary to distinguish separate proposal volumes or attachments.

Offerors are responsible for all costs associated with preparing and submitting proposals, and the Government will not reimburse such costs. The Government reserves the right to make no award or to cancel the requirement at any time without liability for proposal preparation or submission costs.

Proposal Questions and Communications

Offerors shall direct all communications concerning any aspect of this solicitation exclusively to the CO via email to Jennifer Gartzke, at xuy7@cdc.gov by the question submission deadline specified in the solicitation. The Government intends to respond to questions received by the specified deadline no later than seven business days after the Q&A period has ended. Questions received after the question submission deadline, but before the proposal submission deadline, may be answered at the discretion of the CO. Offerors should not contact any other Government personnel regarding this solicitation unless expressly authorized by the CO.

Proposal Format Requirements

The proposal shall consist of, at a minimum, three mandatory volumes: (I) Technical Proposal, (II) Pricing Proposal, and (III) Administrative Proposal. Volume II shall consist of two components: Volume II-1, Pricing Proposal Narrative, and Volume II-2, Pricing Proposal Supporting Spreadsheet. Additional supporting documents identified in this solicitation, such as résumés or curricula vitae of key personnel, any quotations or invoices, subcontractor documentation, and letters of collaboration or partnership support, may be submitted as a combined single supplemental PDF attachment, named “Supplemental Documents” as applicable. Adding bookmarks or a table of contents is recommended for the Supplemental Documents file.

Technical Proposal (Volume I) of the proposal shall be limited to a maximum of 20 pages in total and shall comply with the formatting requirements specified below. There will be no page limit for pricing/administrative proposals or supplemental documents.

Offerors shall submit proposal documents in Microsoft Word and PDF format, using 8.5 × 11-inch letter-size pages, 1-inch margins on all sides, Aptos, 11-point font, and 1.15 line spacing. Text within tables, figures, charts, and graphics may deviate from the specified font size and spacing requirements, when necessary, provided that all content remains clearly legible. Offerors are responsible for ensuring that the proposal contains all information required by this solicitation. The Government will redact and remove all pages that exceed the page limitation and will not review the excess pages.

The SOW section of the technical proposal shall not include commercial product advertising or promotional materials and shall be unclassified and suitable for incorporation into any resulting award contract. Accordingly, the SOW shall not contain proprietary, confidential, or otherwise restricted information, data, legends, or markings. If proprietary information is necessary to support the technical proposal, it may be provided in a mailto:xuy7@cdc.gov mailto:xuy7@cdc.gov separate appendix as supplemental information, with each page containing proprietary drawings, data, or other information appropriately identified and marked. The appendix will count toward the total page limitation.

The Government reserves the right to revise or refine the proposed SOW, as appropriate, based on clarifications or discussions with the Offeror prior to award, and any agreed-upon revisions may be incorporated into the resulting award.

Volume I: Technical Proposal Content

Technical proposal shall be limited to a maximum of 20 pages, including all sections, and shall comply with the structure specified below.

Section 1: Cover Page Offerors shall prepare the cover page clearly labeled “Technical Proposal” in the first line. The cover page shall include, at a minimum, the following information:

a) Solicitation title and number;

b) Proposing company/institution/organization, and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) registered in SAM.gov;

c) Proposed project title;

d) Administrative and technical points of contact information, including title, telephone number, address, and email;

e) Total proposed price; and

f) Proposed period of performance, including the proposed overall project duration and, base and option periods.

g) Offeror representative name, title, and signature.

Section 2: Statement of Work (SOW) The SOW section of the technical proposal must start on a new page. This section will be incorporated into a resulting award, it shall be written as a clear, complete, and executable description of the work to be performed.

The SOW shall be structured to include, at a minimum, the following information:

A. Proposed Project Title Provide a descriptive title that reflects the proposed effort.

B. Synopsis Provide a concise synopsis of the proposed effort that defines the mine safety or health problem or research area, summarize the current state of knowledge, identify significant scientific or technical gaps, and explain how the proposed graduate research will advance knowledge, methods, or workforce capacities relevant to mine worker safety and health. The synopsis shall summarize the proposed research methodology and identify the anticipated outcomes, including the number and degree level (M.S. and Ph.D.) of graduate students to be supported;

anticipated theses, dissertations, peer-reviewed publications, and other intellectual products; and any expected software, hardware, datasets, databases, models, or other research products.

The Offeror shall also identify the place(s) of performance, including the primary research location and any additional laboratories, test facilities, mine sites, field locations, subcontractor or collaborator facilities, or other locations where significant project activities will occur. The main activities anticipated at each location shall be briefly described.

The proposed period of performance shall be four years, consisting of a 12-month base period (Year 1) and three successive 12-month option periods (Years 2–4). Offerors shall structure the proposed research, graduate student activities, milestones, deliverables, schedule, and pricing accordingly and clearly identify the anticipated start and end dates for the base period and each option period. All proposals shall include the three option periods.

Inclusion or evaluation of an option does not obligate the Government to exercise or fund that option.

C. Scope of Work, Tasks, and Schedule Describe the steps required to accomplish the project objectives including key milestones and decision points.

Organize the proposed effort into clearly defined milestones, tasks and, where appropriate, subtasks. Each task shall be numbered and assigned a concise, descriptive title that clearly reflects the work to be performed. Task titles shall be expressed in terms of services, activities, or technical work and shall not be stated as labor categories, personnel assignments, milestones, or deliverables. Scope of Work shall provide sufficient detail for each task to clearly establish what work will be performed, how the activities relate to the overall technical approach, and how completion of the proposed tasks will lead to the anticipated project outcome. For each task, identify the principal activities to be performed, anticipated results or deliverables, and estimated period of performance for each task. Tasks should be logically sequenced, and significant dependencies or relationships among tasks should be clearly identified.

The proposed schedule shall be realistic, achievable, and consistent with the technical approach, available resources, and overall period of performance. Where project progression depends on successful completion of technical milestones, testing, validation, or other decision criteria, the Offeror shall identify these decision points and describe how the results will inform subsequent phases of the work. Where applicable, the schedule should also identify significant prototype development, laboratory testing, field evaluation, demonstration, regulatory or permissibility activities, and other major project events.

A Gantt chart is required and shall provide a graphical representation of the proposed schedule for the entire period of performance broken down to a month. At a minimum, the Gantt chart shall identify all major tasks and subtasks, their anticipated start and completion periods, significant milestones and decision points, and schedule of major deliverables. The Gantt chart shall be consistent with the task descriptions and period of performance presented elsewhere in the proposal. Options shall be clearly identified and visually distinguished from the core/base effort of year 1 in both the narrative Scope of Work and the Gantt chart.

D. Graduate Research Approach The proposal shall describe how graduate students will participate in and contribute to each task and overall goals of the project. Offerors shall identify the anticipated M.S. and Ph.D. students to be supported, their proposed thesis or dissertation research areas, and the technical and professional competencies they are expected to develop. Non-thesis graduate programs or other graduate education that do not require completion of a research-based thesis or dissertation are not eligible for support under this solicitation. All supported M.S. and Ph.D.

students shall complete a thesis or dissertation based on research conducted under or directly related to the funded topics.

The proposal shall describe how students will develop the ability to independently formulate research questions, understand underlying physical mechanisms, design and conduct investigations, analyze and interpret data, assess uncertainty, critically evaluate assumptions, validate results, and develop defensible engineering or scientific conclusions. Where computational methods, data analytics, automation, or modeling are employed, students shall develop the underlying scientific and engineering fundamentals necessary to understand the assumptions, methodology, limitations, and appropriate application of these tools and, where appropriate, validate results using experimental, field, analytical, or other independent evidence.

The proposal shall also describe the planned approach to faculty mentorship and professional development, including opportunities for interaction with mining industry professionals, NIOSH researchers, technology developers, and other subject-matter experts, as appropriate.

Scientific Communication and Professional Development: Supported graduate students shall receive substantive training and experience in scientific writing, publication, peer review, technical reporting, and professional presentation. Students should actively participate in preparing peer-reviewed manuscripts, theses and dissertations, technical reports, conference papers, and presentations resulting from their research. The proposal shall describe how students will demonstrate continuing scholarly engagement throughout the period of support, including appropriate annual participation in scientific or professional publications and conferences. Students are expected to serve as authors and presenters of research resulting from their work. Research findings shall be disseminated in a timely manner, consistent with applicable publication, data-rights, proprietary-information, and contract requirements.

Research and Industry Engagement: Offerors are encouraged to establish meaningful relationships with mining companies, equipment manufacturers, technology developers, other academic disciplines or institutions, and relevant research organizations when such engagement strengthens the research or graduate educational experience. Industry engagement may include access to mine sites, operational data, samples, equipment, technical expertise, field-testing opportunities, validation of research findings, or evaluation of potential applications in mining operations. The proposal shall explain how practical and collaborative experiences will be gained by the graduate students involved in the project. Note: Although collaboration is encouraged but is not required unless justified and necessary to accomplish the proposed research.

Performance Measures and Outcomes: The proposal shall establish measurable research and workforce-development milestones and outcomes. Relevant measures may include achievement of research milestones; M.S.

and Ph.D. students supported and graduated; theses and dissertations completed or in progress; peer-reviewed manuscripts submitted or published; conference papers and presentations; laboratory and field investigations completed; datasets, models, methods, or technologies developed; and advancement of knowledge relevant to mine safety and health. The Contractor shall track supported students throughout the period of performance, including degree pursued, research topic, thesis or dissertation title, level of contract support, anticipated or actual graduation date, publications and presentations, and, when available, post-graduation employment or professional placement.

E. Deliverables and Reporting Schedule The Offeror shall provide a list and schedule of all proposed deliverables and reporting requirements, aligned with the tasks, milestones, and schedule identified in the Scope of Work (SOW). For each deliverable, identify the associated task or subtask, description, due date or frequency, and delivery format. Where applicable, the Offeror shall also address delivery, disposition, and ownership of prototypes, hardware, software, data, and other products developed under the contract. At a minimum, deliverables shall include, as applicable:

a) Quarterly and Annual Progress Reports: Reports shall summarize work performed, progress toward objectives and milestones, research material and methods, results, schedule status, technical issues or risks, and planned activities. Annual reports shall also provide an updated list of theses/dissertations, publications, and presentations resulting from the contract as well as full copies of all theses and dissertations, publications, and presentation materials resulting from or directly related to the funded research shall be provided, together with a current comprehensive listing of these products.

b) Student and Workforce Development Reporting: Quarterly, annual, and final reports shall document graduate students supported by or contributing to the contract, including, as applicable, percentage of contract support, degree pursued or earned (M.S. or Ph.D.), thesis or dissertation title, actual or anticipated graduation date, and employment status. Student graduations and withdrawals shall also be reported.

c) Milestone and Task-Specific Deliverables: Provide deliverables associated with individual SOW tasks and milestones, including, as applicable, technical reports, designs, test results, datasets, analysis protocols, software, models, prototypes, or demonstration systems. Each deliverable shall be traceable to the corresponding SOW task and project schedule.

d) Draft Final and Final Technical Reports: The Draft Final Report shall summarize the work, methods, results, conclusions, and accomplishments of the entire project. The project schedule shall allow approximately 30 calendar days for Government review before submission of the Final Technical Report.

The Final Report shall incorporate applicable Government comments and include a comprehensive record of research products and student outcomes generated under the contract.

At minimum, the final technical report shall be submitted electronically in Microsoft Word and PDF formats and comply with applicable Section 508 accessibility requirements (refer to the note at the end of this section). If the report contains proprietary information, the Contractor shall also provide a separate version suitable for public release. The applicable HHS Section 508 Checklist and accessibility self-check results shall accompany the Final Report.

F. Bibliography Identify reference materials necessary to support or clarify the requirements of the SOW. References may include technical reports, studies, publications, standards, specifications, field memoranda, datasets, or other relevant documents. Each reference shall be clearly identified and, where appropriate, cross-referenced to the applicable SOW section or task. Provide an electronic link or other means of access when available. For materials that are not publicly available or readily accessible, identify how, when, and where the Offeror may obtain or review the referenced material. If no reference materials are applicable, omit this section.

G. Definitions If applicable, provide definitions for specialized terms, acronyms, or terminology necessary to interpret the SOW.

If no definitions are required, omit this section in its entirety.

H. Special Considerations This section can be used to describe any relevant considerations that do not logically fall within other sections of the SOW. Furthermore, Offerors shall identify, in this section, any special approvals, clearances, reviews, permits, certifications, or other requirements that are known or reasonably anticipated to apply to the proposed effort.

Offerors are not expected to identify all Government requirements that may ultimately apply; however, known requirements that could affect project scope, schedule, cost, testing, data collection, or implementation should be identified. If any of the considerations below is not applicable, the Offeror shall state “Not Applicable.”

Government-Furnished Property: If applicable, identify all Government-Furnished Property (GFP) required for performance of the proposed effort and expected to be provided to the Contractor. The Offeror shall provide sufficient information to identify each item and its intended use in accordance with applicable requirements of RFO FAR 45.201. For each item of proposed GFP, identify, to the extent known, the property description, quantity, required configuration or specifications, intended use, location, and the date or project phase by which the property is required. The Offeror shall also explain why Government-furnished property is necessary for performance and identify any impact to cost, schedule, or technical performance if the requested property is unavailable or not provided by the anticipated date. Offerors should not assume that Government equipment, facilities, instrumentation, data, software, or other property will be available unless specifically identified and authorized by the Government. If no Government-Furnished Property is required, the Offeror shall state:

“Government-Furnished Property is not required for performance of this effort.”

Assertion of Data Rights: Include a summary of any proprietary rights to preexisting results, prototypes, or systems supporting and/or necessary for the use of the research, results, and/or prototype. Any rights made in other parts of the proposal that would impact the rights in this section must be cross-referenced. If there are proprietary rights, the Offeror must explain how these affect its ability to deliver subsystems and toolkits for integration. Additionally, Offerors must explain how the program goals are achievable in light of these proprietary and/or restrictive limitations.

Information Security and Privacy: Identify any anticipated collection, access, storage, transmission, or processing of sensitive information or data and describe applicable information security, cybersecurity, privacy, or data-protection requirements. Identify any systems, software, connected devices, or information resources that may require Government security or privacy review.

Human Subjects Protections in Research: Identify whether the proposed effort is expected to involve human subjects, human-subject data, interaction or intervention with individuals, or other activities that may require Institutional Review Board (IRB) review or other human-subject protections. Describe any anticipated approvals and their potential effect on the project schedule.

Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA): Identify any proposed surveys, questionnaires, interviews, forms, or other information collections that may require review or approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act. Where applicable, describe the anticipated information collection and account for necessary review and approval activities in the proposed schedule.

Notice: Section 508 Compliance, Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d), as amended by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board Electronic and Information (EIT) Accessibility Standards (36 CFR part 1194), require that when Federal agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology, Federal employees with disabilities have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to the access and use by Federal employees who are not individuals with disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency. Section 508 also requires that individuals with disabilities, who are members of the public seeking information or services from a Federal agency, have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to that provided to the public who are not individuals with disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency.

Accordingly, any offeror responding to this solicitation must comply with established HHS EIT accessibility standards. Information about Section 508 is available at http://www.hhs.gov/web/508. The complete text of the Section 508 Final Provisions can be accessed at http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/standards.htm. The Section 508 accessibility standards applicable to this contract are:

In order to facilitate the Government's determination whether proposed EIT supplies meet applicable Section 508 accessibility standards, offerors must submit an HHS Section 508 Product Assessment Template, in accordance with its completion instructions. The purpose of the template is to assist HHS acquisition and program officials in determining whether proposed EIT supplies conform to applicable Section 508 accessibility standards. The template allows offerors or developers to self-evaluate their supplies and documentation detail - whether they conform to a specific Section 508 accessibility standard, and any underway remediation efforts addressing conformance issues. Instructions for preparing the HHS Section 508 Evaluation Template are available under Section 508 policy on the HHS Web site http://hhs.gov/web/508.

Respondents to this solicitation must identify any exception to Section 508 requirements. If an offeror claims its supplies or services meet applicable Section 508 accessibility standards, and it is later determined by the Government, i.e., after award of a contract or order, that supplies or services delivered do not conform to the http://www.hhs.gov/web/508 http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/standards.htm http://hhs.gov/web/508 accessibility standards, remediation of the supplies or services to the level of conformance specified in the contract will be the responsibility of the Contractor at its expense.

Electronic content must be accessible to HHS acceptance criteria. Checklist for various formats is available at http://508.hhs.gov/, or from the Section 508 Coordinator listed at https://www.hhs.gov/web/section- 508/additional-resources/section-508-contacts/index.html. Materials that are final items for delivery should be accompanied by the appropriate checklist, except upon approval of the Contracting Officer or Representative.

Section 3: Appendices Any proprietary information necessary to support the Technical Proposal may be included in this section. All proprietary information shall be clearly identified and appropriately marked as proprietary, including each page, figure, table, drawing, or other material containing such information. If no appendices are required, omit this section in its entirety.

Section 5: Contractor Qualifications Provide a concise summary of the Principal Investigator and other key personnel of the proposed project including relevant experience, prior major accomplishments, and capabilities in the proposed research and development technology area or closely related fields to demonstrate their ability to successfully perform the proposed effort. The Offeror shall identify all current, prior, and pending funding, grants, contracts, agreements, or in-kind supports related to the proposed effort or closely related work for all key personnel, including the source, period of support, and relevance to the proposed project and clearly identify all potential overlaps.

Complete résumés or curricula vitae for all key personnel shall be submitted in the Supplemental Documents attachment to the proposal package and will not count toward the applicable proposal page limitations.

All key personnel and other personnel necessary to initiate and perform the proposed work shall be available and in place within one to two months following contract award.

Section 6: Management Approach A discussion of the overall approach to the management of this effort, including brief discussions of the total organization, use of personnel, project/function/subcontractor relationships, government research interfaces, and planning, scheduling and control practice. Identify which personnel, collaborators, and subcontractors (if any) will be involved. Include a description of the facilities that are required for the proposed effort with a description of any government furnished equipment, hardware, software, or information required, by version and/or configuration. Identify any planned collaborations with mining industry partners, including the nature of the collaboration.

Volume II: Pricing Proposal

This volume shall be submitted separately from the technical proposal and shall consist of two distinct files: a narrative document in MS Word and PDF formats and a supporting pricing spreadsheet.

Volume II-1 – Pricing Proposal Document The pricing proposal shall include, at a minimum, the cost elements identified below and shall be prepared in accordance with Attachment A. The narrative shall provide sufficient information to explain the basis of the proposed costs and their relationship to the proposed technical effort.

1. Direct Labor: The Offeror shall identify the proposed labor categories, fully burdened hourly rates, and estimated level of effort (hours) required to perform the proposed work. Pricing shall be provided for each applicable line item, together with totals for the proposed periods of performance and a grand total for the entire contract. Direct labor includes all salaries and benefits of the principal and co-principal, other technical support, and graduate students. Graduate student salaries are expected to make up at least 80% http://508.hhs.gov/ https://www.hhs.gov/web/section-508/additional-resources/section-508-contacts/index.html https://www.hhs.gov/web/section-508/additional-resources/section-508-contacts/index.html of the direct costs (including student tuition and fees but excluding Facilities and Administrative costs).

2. Contractor-Acquired Equipment: All equipment proposed for acquisition under the contract, including computer hardware, instrumentation, test equipment, and other equipment necessary to perform the work, shall be separately identified and itemized with estimated costs. The Offeror shall describe the equipment nomenclature, configuration, intended use, basis of estimate, proposed procurement method, and whether the equipment will be incorporated into or delivered as part of a contract deliverable. Equipment not included in a deliverable will be evaluated for allowability on a case-by-case basis. The Offeror should also identify the anticipated residual value and proposed disposition of acquired equipment at contract completion, including whether it will be delivered to the Government or retained by the Contractor. Any proposed Contractor retention shall be adequately justified based on factors such as obsolescence, condition, remaining value, modification, or prohibitive removal or transportation costs.

3. Direct Materials and Supplies: Materials and supplies required to perform the proposed work shall be itemized with estimated costs. The Offeror shall provide the basis for the estimates, including relevant assumptions and methodology, in Volume II-2.

4. Other Direct Costs: The Offeror shall identify and itemize other direct costs not included in the preceding categories, including travel and other project-specific expenses, and provide the basis for each estimate.

At minimum a travel to SME annual meeting for the principal investigator and the full-time students should be considered.

5. Indirect Costs: All applicable indirect costs, including Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs, shall be separately identified. The Offeror shall provide the applicable indirect cost rate(s), allocation base(s), and resulting amounts and identify the basis or agreement supporting the proposed rate(s), as applicable.

6. Subcontractor Costs: Each proposed subcontractor shall prepare its cost information using the same general cost categories required for the prime Offeror. The leading Offeror shall separately identify the proposed total cost for each subcontractor and include those amounts in the overall proposed contract price. The Offeror shall also provide its analysis supporting the reasonableness of each subcontractor’s proposed price.

Additionally, the Offeror shall provide a table for cost breakdown by task and, where applicable, subtask, using the same task numbering and titles identified in the SOW. For each task/subtask, the cost breakdown shall identify included cost elements, to permit the Government to evaluate the level of effort and reasonableness of the proposed costs. Other applicable direct, indirect, equipment, material, travel, and subcontractor costs shall also be allocated to the appropriate task/subtask. Any optional tasks, phases, or periods shall be clearly distinguished from the base effort and separately priced using the corresponding SOW task/subtask numbers.

Lastly, the Offeror shall propose a payment schedule primarily aligned with the level and timing of graduate student support throughout the period of performance. Payments may be proposed on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis, as appropriate to the project structure. The payment schedule shall, where applicable, align each payment with the corresponding SOW task or subtask, project milestone, deliverable, and associated cost. The cumulative value of all scheduled payments shall reconcile with the total proposed contract price, with the base and each option period separately identified.

Volume II-2 – Pricing Proposal Supporting Spreadsheet The pricing proposal supporting spreadsheet shall include all applicable cost elements and line items used to calculate the Offeror’s proposed price. A separate supporting spreadsheet shall be prepared for each subcontractor, and each subcontractor’s total proposed cost shall be incorporated into the prime Offeror’s spreadsheet.

Pricing summary worksheet will be automatically populated based on the cost element inputs on cost details worksheet. All formulas, calculations, assumptions, and worksheet/workbook links used to develop the proposed price shall remain visible, intact, and functional. Spreadsheets containing values only, flattened worksheets, or print/image versions are not acceptable. Dollar amounts shall be reported to no more than two decimal places;

other numerical values shall generally be reported as whole numbers unless decimals are necessary to accurately represent the proposed information.

Costs shall be clearly allocated among the base period and applicable option periods, task, or phase, as required by Attachment A. The base effort (Year 1) and all other options shall constitute a complete, standalone effort that provides value to the Government independent of each other. All option periods, tasks, or phases shall be clearly identified and separately priced.

The spreadsheet and accompanying documentation shall provide sufficient information to substantiate proposed costs for labor, equipment, materials and supplies, other direct costs, indirect costs, and subcontracted efforts.

Supporting evidence may include supplier quotations, invoices, published or online pricing, historical costs, indirect cost rate agreements, or other appropriate documentation.