BAA_FINAL.pdf

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BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT OVERVIEW

BAA‐RVKV‐2015‐0002

ANNOUNCEMENT OVERVIEW

NAICS CODE: 541712

FEDERAL AGENCY NAME: Air Force Research Laboratory, Space Vehicles Directorate, Space Electronics Branch

BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT TITLE: Advanced Processing of Electronic Components for Space

(APECS)

BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Initial Announcement

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA) NUMBER(S): 12.800 Air Force Defense Research Sciences Program

PROPOSAL DUE DATE AND TIME: Proposals are due by 3:30 p.m., (Mountain Standard Time) 15 Dec 2015 delivered to AFRL Det 8/RVKVE, Attn: David Roux, 3550 Aberdeen Ave SE, Bldg. 424, Kirtland AFB, NM 87117‐5776. Proposals received after this due date and time shall be governed by Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) provision 52.215‐1(c)(3). It should be noted that this installation observes strict security procedures to enter the facility. These security procedures are NOT considered an interruption of normal Government processes, and proposals received after the above stated date and time as a result of security delays will be considered “late”. Note: If offerors use commercial carriers in for delivery of proposals, carriers may not honor time‐of‐day delivery guarantees on military installations. Early proposal submission is encouraged.

BRIEF PROGRAM SUMMARY:

This is a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) describing the research areas of interest for the Advanced Processing of Electronic Components for Space (APECS) program. The objectives of APECS is to conduct research and development (R&D) activities to explore the implementation of new monolithic devices to coalesce functionalities into a single chip or to enable to circuits and optoelectronic devices and interconnects based on the antimonides based material systems. One or more awards of contract(s) and/or assistance instrument(s) is anticipated with technical period(s) of performance of not to exceed 60 months plus 3 months for S&T reporting (CDRL A001). The full BAA announcement can be accessed at the following website https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=e216daedc59b782eda2a66e3ce91fd83&tab=core&_cview=0.

ESTIMATED PROGRAM COST: Anticipated funding for the program (not per contract or award): $7.5M‐‐ FY16: $1.5M; FY17: $1.5M; FY18: $1.5M; FY19: $1.5M; FY20: $1.5M. This funding profile is an estimate only and not a contractual obligation for funding. All funding is subject to change due to Government discretion and availability. Potential offerors should be aware that, due to unanticipated budget fluctuations, funding in any or all areas may change with little or no notice.

NOTICE TO OFFEROR(S): Funds are not presently available for this effort. No award will be made under this solicitation until funds are available. The Government reserves the right to cancel this solicitation, either before or after the closing date. In the event the Government cancels this solicitation, the Government has no obligation to reimburse an offeror for any costs

GENERAL INFORMATION: This acquisition is unrestricted. Small businesses are encouraged to propose on all or any part of this announcement. The NAICS Code for this acquisition is 541712 (for Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology), and the small business size standard is 1000 employees for Space Vehicles and Guided Missiles, their propulsion units, propulsion unit parts, and auxiliary equipment and parts. This BAA is issued under the provisions of FAR

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6.102(d)(2) that provides for the competitive selection of research proposals. Proposals submitted in response to this BAA that are selected for award are considered to be a result of full and open competition and in full compliance with the provisions of Public Law 98‐369, the Competition in Contracting Act of 1984. “Adequate price competition” as defined by FAR 15.403‐1(c)(1), is not anticipated. There will be no other announcement issued for this requirement. Offerors should be alert for any BAA amendments that may permit extensions to the proposal submission date or make other changes to the announcement.

TYPE OF CONTRACTS/INSTRUMENTS: The Air Force reserves the right to award the instrument best suited to the nature of research proposed. Accordingly, the Government may award any appropriate contract type under the FAR or Other Transaction (OT) for grant, cooperative agreement, or OT for Research. It is anticipated that awards under this BAA will generally be Cost‐Plus‐Fixed‐Fee (CPFF); cost reimbursement contracts require successful offerors to have an accounting system considered adequate for tracking costs applicable to the contract.

SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT (SAM): Unless exempted by 2 CFR 25.110 all offerors must (1) Be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) prior to award; (2) Maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application or proposal under consideration by an agency; and (3) Provide its Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number in each application or proposal it submits to the agency. On‐line registration instructions can be accessed from the SAM home page at http://www.sam.gov.

ELECTRONIC REPRESENATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS: Potential offerors are notified to be eligible for an award they must submit annual Electronic Representations and Certifications at http://www.sam.gov.

These FAR and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) level representations and certifications are required in addition to the representations and certifications specific to this acquisition. Before submitting the Electronic Representations and Certifications, contractors must be registered in SAM.

ANTICIPATED NUMBER OF AWARDS: The Air Force anticipates awarding one or more contract(s) or assistance instrument(s). However, the Air Force reserves the right to make a single award, more than one award, partial award(s), or no awards pursuant to this BAA.

TECHNICAL POINTS OF CONTACT:

Primary ‐ Jesse Mee PhD; jesse.mee@us.af.mil, phone# 505‐846‐3749 Alternate ‐ Ashwani Sharma PhD; ashwani.sharma@us.af.mil, phone# 505‐846‐0165

CONTRACTING POINTS OF CONTACT:

Contract Specialist, David Roux; david.roux.1@us.af.mil, phone# 505‐853‐3359 Contracting Officer, Rita A. Varley; rita.varley@us.af.mil, phone# 505‐846‐4398

BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT

BAA‐RVKV‐2015‐0002

FULL TEXT ANNOUNCEMENT

NAICS CODE: 541712

FEDERAL AGENCY NAME: Air Force Research Laboratory, Space Vehicles Directorate, Space Electronics Branch

BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT TITLE: Advanced Processing of Electronic Components for Space (APECS)

BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Initial Announcement

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA) NUMBER(S): 12.800 Air Force Defense Research Sciences Program

PROPOSAL DUE DATE AND TIME: Proposals are due by 3:30 p.m., (Mountain Standard Time) 15 Dec 2015 delivered to AFRL Det 8/RVKVE, Attn: David Roux, 3550 Aberdeen Ave SE, Bldg. 424, Kirtland AFB, NM 87117‐5776. Proposals received after this due date and time shall be governed by Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) provision 52.215‐01(c)(3). It should be noted that this installation observes strict security procedures to enter the facility. These security procedures are NOT considered an interruption of normal Government processes, and proposals received after the above stated date and time as a result of security delays will be considered “late”. NOTE: If offerors use commercial carriers for delivery of proposals, carriers may not honor time‐of‐day delivery guarantees on military installations. Early proposal submission is encouraged.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION. Offerors MUST monitor FedBizOpps.gov or Grants.gov in the event this announcement is amended. Offerors must monitor these systems to ensure they receive the maximum proposal preparation time for subsequent amendments as these are the official notification websites to request proposals.

I. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Space Vehicles Directorate Space Electronics Branch is soliciting technical and cost proposals on the following research effort:

A. Statement of Objective/Needs:

Satellite based missions, from bus to payload, depend on various types of electronic systems that must perform their function efficiently and persist in the harsh environment of space.

These two requirements, along with the risk adverse culture of satellite system designers, have slowed technology progression of advanced satellite systems. Conversely, the volume of data generated from telecommunication systems has not slowed and threatens to outstrip the capacity of electronics systems. AFRL Space Electronics Branch, is taking a bottom up approach to improve electronic circuits recognizing that opportunities exist to couple new material systems and geometries that could have inherent long device lifetimes and tolerance to radiation damage in terms of both ionizing radiation and high energy particles while dramatically improving performance. The Space Electronics Branch is interested in investigating technology development from ideas to working prototypes using new semiconductor material systems if necessary to develop monolithic circuits that will enhance the performance, longevity, efficiency, and environmental tolerance advanced space based missions. Companies with the necessary fabrication characterization tools are sought to develop and test materials, prototypes and devices, to enable new types of processors, memories non‐volatile and cache memories, optical interconnects, opto‐electronic based circuits and processors, and integrated smart sensors.

B. Deliverable Items: Contract Data Requirements List (CDRL), DD Form 1423

Data Item Description

DID

http://quicksearch.dla.mil/ Frequency

A001 Scientific & Technical Report IAW ANSI/NISO Standard Z39‐18‐2005 http://www.kirtland.af.mil/prs/

DI‐MISC‐80711A At technical completion

A002 Status Report DI‐MGMT‐80368A Quarterly

A003 Presentation Materials DI‐ADMN‐81373 ASREQ

A004 Report, Record of Meeting/ Minutes

DI‐ADMN‐81505 ASREQ

C. Schedule:

1. Technical effort: Not‐to‐exceed 60 months plus 3 months for S&T reporting (CDRL A001).

2. Data Item A001 “Scientific & Technical Report”: 3 months after end of technical effort

3. Data Items (A002‐A004): As specified

D. Other Requirements:

1. Program security classification: Unclassified.

2. TEMPEST requirements: Not applicable

3. Export Control: Information involved in this research effort is not anticipated to be subject to Export Control (International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR) 22 CFR 120‐ 131, or Export Administration Regulations (EAR) 15 CFR 710‐774).

As prescribed by DFARS 225.7901‐4, DFARS clause 252.225‐7048 EXPORT‐ CONTROLLED ITEM is contained in this announcement (as shown below). This clause shall be contained in ALL announcements and resulting contracts.

DFARS 252.225‐7048 EXPORT‐CONTROLLED ITEMS (JUN 2013)

(a) Definition. “Export‐controlled items,” as used in this clause, means items subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) (15 CFR Parts 730‐774) or the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) (22 CFR Parts 120‐130). The term includes:

(1) “Defense items,” defined in the Arms Export Control Act, 22 U.S.C. 2778(j)(4)(A), as defense articles, defense services, and related technical data, and further defined in the ITAR, 22 CFR Part 120.

(2) “Items,” defined in the EAR as “commodities”, “software”, and “technology,” terms that are also defined in the EAR, 15 CFR 772.1.

(b) The Contractor shall comply with all applicable laws and regulations regarding export‐controlled items, including, but not limited to, the requirement for contractors to register with the Department of State in accordance with the ITAR.

The Contractor shall consult with the Department of State regarding any questions relating to compliance with the ITAR and shall consult with the Department of Commerce regarding any questions relating to compliance with the EAR.

(c) The Contractor's responsibility to comply with all applicable laws and regulations regarding export‐controlled items exists independent of, and is not established or limited by, the information provided by this clause.

(d) Nothing in the terms of this contract adds, changes, supersedes, or waives any of the requirements of applicable Federal laws, Executive orders, and regulations, including but not limited to—

(1) The Export Administration Act of 1979, as amended (50 U.S.C. App. 2401, et seq.);

(2) The Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751, et seq.);

(3) The International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701, et seq.);

(4) The Export Administration Regulations (15 CFR Parts 730‐774);

(5) The International Traffic in Arms Regulations (22 CFR Parts 120‐130); and

(6) Executive Order 13222, as extended.

(e) The Contractor shall include the substance of this clause, including this paragraph.

(End of clause)

E. Other Information:

1. Government Furnished Property (GFP) availability: None anticipated

For Cost Reimbursement contracts, the following clauses will apply:

a. FAR 52.245‐01 GOVERNMENT PROPERTY (APR 2012) (or FAR 52.245‐01, ALTERNATE II (APR 2012) if the resulting contract is for basic or applied research at a nonprofit institution of higher education or at a nonprofit whose primary purpose is the conduct of scientific research);

b. FAR 52.245‐09 USE AND CHARGES (APR 2012);

c. DFARS 252.211‐7007 REPORTING OF GOVERNMENT‐FURNISHED PROPERTY

(AUG 2012);

d. DFARS 252.245‐7001 TAGGING, LABELING, AND MARKING OF GOVERNMENT‐

FURNISHED PROPERTY (APR 2012);

e. DFARS 252.245‐7002 REPORTING LOSS OF GOVERNMENT PROPERTY (APR 2012);

f. DFARS 252.245‐7003 CONTRACTOR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION (APR 2012); and

g. DFARS 252.245‐7004 REPORTING, REUTILIZATION, AND DISPOSAL (MAR 2015).

2. Base Support/ Network Access: None anticipated.

3. Data Rights Desired:

a. Technical Data: Government Purpose Rights.

b. Non‐Commercial Software (NCS): None anticipated.

c. NCS Documentation: None anticipated.

d. Commercial Computer Software Rights: None anticipated.

The Air Force Research Laboratory is engaged in the discovery, development, and integration of warfighting technologies for our air, space, and cyberspace forces. As such, rights in technical data and NCS developed or delivered under this contract are of significant concern to the Government. The Government will therefore carefully consider any restrictions on the use of technical data, NCS, and NCS documentation which could result in transition difficulty or less‐than full and open competition for subsequent development of this technology.

In exchange for paying for development of the data, the Government expects technical data, NCS, and NCS documentation developed entirely at Government expense to be delivered with Unlimited Rights.

Technical data, NCS, and NCS documentation developed with mixed funding are expected to be delivered with at least Government Purpose Rights. Offers that propose delivery of technical data, NCS, or NCS documentation subject to Government Purpose Rights should fully explain what technical data, NCS, or NCS documentation developed with costs charged to indirect cost pools and/or costs not allocated to a Government contract will be incorporated, how the incorporation will benefit the program, and address whether those portions or processes are segregable. The Government expects that delivery of technical data, NCS, and NCS documentation subject to Government Purpose Rights will fully meet program needs.

Offers that propose delivery of technical data, NCS, or NCS documentation subject to Limited Rights, Restricted Rights, or Specifically Negotiated License Rights will be considered. Proposals should fully explain what technical data, NCS, or NCS documentation developed with costs charged to indirect cost pools and/or costs not allocated to a Government contract will be incorporated and how the incorporation will benefit the program.

Offerors are reminded that the Identification and Assertion of Restrictions on the Government’s Use, Release, or Disclosure of Technical Data or Computer Software (the assertions list), required under DFARS clause 252.227‐7013 and DFARS clause 252.227‐7014, is included in Attachment B and due at time of proposals. Assertions must be completed with specificity with regard to each item, component, or process listed. Nonconforming assertions lists will be rejected.

Note that DFARS clause 252.227‐7014(d) describes requirements for incorporation of third party computer software (commercial and noncommercial). Any commercial software to be incorporated into a deliverable must be clearly identified in the proposal. Because many commercial software licenses are not transferrable or may not be acceptable to the Government, commercial software licenses proposed for delivery to the Government must be approved by the contracting officer prior to award.

As used in this subparagraph, the terms Unlimited Rights, Government Purpose Rights, Specifically Negotiated License Rights, and Limited Rights in technical data are as defined in DFARS clause 252.227‐7013. The terms Unlimited Rights, Government Purpose Rights, Specifically Negotiated License Rights, and Restricted Rights in noncommercial computer software and noncommercial software documentation are as defined in DFARS clause 252.227‐7014. The term Commercial Computer Software is as defined in DFARS clause 252.227‐7014.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. Anticipated Funding: Anticipated funding for the program (not per contract or award):

$7.5M‐‐FY16: $1.5M; FY17: $1.5M; FY18: $1.5M; FY19: $1.5M; FY20: $1.5M. This funding profile is an estimate only and not a contractual obligation for funding. All funding is subject to change due to Government discretion and availability. Potential offerors should be aware that due to unanticipated budget fluctuations funding in any or all areas may change with little or no notice.

B. Notice to Offeror(s): Funds are not presently available for this effort. No award will be made under this solicitation until funds are available. The Government reserves the right to cancel this solicitation, either before or after the closing date. In the event the Government cancels this solicitation, the Government has no obligation to reimburse an offeror for any costs

C. Anticipated Number of Awards: The Air Force anticipates awarding one or more contract(s) or assistance instrument(s). However, the Air Force reserves the right to make a single award, more than one award, partial award(s), or no awards pursuant to this BAA.

D. Anticipated Award Date: Five (5) months after receipt of proposal(s).

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Offeror/Applicants: This is an unrestricted (full and open) announcement. Small businesses are encouraged to propose on all or any part of this announcement.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching: Cost sharing is not a requirement.

C. Federally Funded Research and Development Centers: The following guidance is provided for Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) contemplating submitting a proposal, as either a prime or subcontractor, against this BAA. FAR 35.017‐ 1(c)(4) prohibits an FFRDC from competing with any non‐FFRDC concern in response to a Federal agency request for proposal for other than the operation of an FFRDC (with exceptions stated in DFARS 235.017‐1(c)(4)). There is no regulation prohibiting an FFRDC from responding to an announcement. However, the FFRDC’s sponsoring agency must first make a determination that the effort being proposed falls within the purpose, mission, general scope of effort, or special competency of the FFRDC, and that determination must be included in the FFRDC’s proposal. In addition, the non‐sponsoring agency must make a determination that the work proposed would not place the FFRDC in direct competition with domestic private industry. Only after these determinations are made would a determination be made concerning the FFRDC’s eligibility to receive an award.

D. Government Agencies: If a Government agency is interested in performing work, contact the Program Office identified in the BAA. If those discussions result in a mutual interest to pursue your agency's participation, the effort will be pursued independent of this announcement.

E. Other:

1. Foreign participation: TBD

Notice to Foreign‐Owned Firms: Such firms are asked to immediately notify the Contracting POC cited in Section VII.B. before deciding to respond to this announcement.

Foreign contractors should be aware that restrictions might apply which could preclude their participation in this acquisition.

2. To the extent practical, the recipient should use the technical information resources of the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) and other Government or private facilities to investigate recent and on‐going research and avoid needless duplication of scientific and engineering effort. Contact the U.S./Canada Joint Certification Office, DLA Logistics Information Services – VBA, Federal Center, 74 Washington Ave North, Battle Creek, MI 49037‐3084 (1‐800‐352‐3572 or jpc‐admin@dla.mil) for further information on the certification process.

3. There are no limits to the number of proposals an offeror may submit.

4. You may be ineligible for award if all requirements of this announcement and any amendments are not met on the proposal due date as identified above.

IV. PROPOSAL/APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION:

A. Application Package:

Proposals submitted shall be in accordance with this announcement. There will be no other announcement issued in regard to this requirement. The Government intends to evaluate proposals and award all, part, or none of the proposals received without negotiation/discussion; however, the Government reserves to right to negotiate with those offeror(s) whose proposal is selected for funding.

Offerors should be alert for any BAA amendments that may permit extensions to the proposal submission date or make other changes. There is no additional information to be provided.

For additional information, a copy of the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Guide for Industry issued Mar 2015 at http://www.wpafb.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD‐150518‐026.pdf.

Please Note: If you intend to propose a grant or assistance instrument, Section IV.B. below discusses how to find the grant opportunity, prepare the cover page, and complete the certification. This section also describes the process for electronic submission of proposals for grants and cooperative agreements. If, however, you intend to propose a contract, proceed directly to Section IV.C. below—“Content and Form of Submission for Full Proposals.”

B. Proposals for Grants and Cooperative Agreements

1. Grant Opportunity: Go to http://Grants.Gov to find the grant opportunity (See “Find Grant Opportunities” section. The initial screen will provide the synopsis for that specific grant opportunity. To view the entire opportunity open the “Full Announcement” box in the upper center of the synopsis page and select from the documents available under “Announcement Group.” NOTE: http://Grants.Gov has tools and guiding documents in the left margin under “Applicant Resources” to help you find and apply for grant opportunities.

2. Proposal Cover Page – SF 424 (R&R) Form: All proposals for grants or assistance, whether submitted electronically or in hard copy must include an SF 424 (R&R) as the cover page. The SF 424 (R&R) should be downloaded from the “Application” box in the upper right hand corner of the synopsis page. Click on “download” under the column “Instructions and Application.” Select “Download Application Package” and complete the

SF 424 (R&R).

3. Certifications: To access the requisite Certifications, select the “Application” box in upper right hand corner of the synopsis page. Click on “Instructions and Application” and select “Download Application Instructions” to view the Certifications. To complete the Certifications you must check Block 18 of the SF 424 (R&R), and by signing it (either by pressing the “submit” button for Grants.gov or by hand if submitting it in hard copy), you are certifying that you have read and agree to abide by the terms in the Certifications.

You do not need to submit any additional documentation unless you have lobbying activities to disclose on an SF–LLL.

4. Proposals for Grants or Assistance Instruments: Proposals for grants or assistance instruments may be submitted either (1) directly with a hard copy to the AFRL contracting POC listed in this announcement or (2) electronically through the Grants.gov

Government‐wide electronic portal. You must notify your contracting POC before the stated proposal due date and time of this notice if you decide to submit your proposal electronically or your proposal will not be considered.

5. For Hard Copy Submission: The original proposal and the number of copies specified in this announcement must be delivered directly to the contracting POC in AFRL at the time and date specified in this announcement.

6. For Electronic Submission:

a. Advance Preparation – Electronic proposals must be submitted through Grants.gov. There are several one‐time actions your organization must have completed. Long before the proposal submission deadline, you should verify that the persons authorized to submit proposals for your organization have completed these actions. If not, it may take them up to 21 days to complete the actions before they will be able to submit proposals.

b. Electronic Submission Process: The process your organization must complete includes obtaining a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number (http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform) and registering with SAM (http://www.sam.gov).

For more details, go to http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization‐registration.html.

c. Your organization’s E‐Business POC, identified during SAM registration, must authorize someone to become an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR).

This safeguards your organization from individuals who may attempt to submit proposals without permission. Note: In some organizations, a person may serve as both an E‐ Business POC and an AOR.

d. The Grants.gov Organization Registration Checklist is located at http://www.grants.gov/documents/19/18243/GrantsgovOrganizationRegistrationGuide.pdf/be70525 d‐59aa‐45ee‐b196‐5e8951faca0a to guide you through the process.

e. Grants.gov supports Adobe Reader version 9.0.0. Learn more about Adobe software compatibility with Grants.gov and ensure that your version of Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat can be used to download, complete, and submit grant applications. Follow the following link for instructions on how to obtain a free version of the software http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe‐software‐ compatibility.html.

f. Should you have questions relating to the registration process, system requirements, how an application form works or the submittal process, call Grants.gov at 1‐800‐518‐4726 or support@grants.gov.

7. Submitting the Electronic Proposal:

a. Application forms and instructions are available at Grants.gov. To access these materials, go to http://Grants.Gov . Select “Apply for Grant”, and then select “Download Application Package”. Enter the CFDA number (typically 12.800). You should also enter the BAA number, and then follow the prompts to download the application package.

b. The applicant will receive a confirmation page upon completing the submission to Grants.gov. This confirmation page is a record of the time and date stamp that is used to determine whether the proposal was submitted by the deadline. A proposal received after the deadline is “late” and will not be considered for an award.

8. Section IV.C below “Content and Form of Submission of Full Proposals” applies to grants and cooperative agreement (in hard copy) and contract proposals.

C. Content and Form of Submission for Full Proposals: The paragraphs below identify proposal format and content. Proposals should be addressed and delivered as specified in this announcement.

1. General Instructions: Offerors should apply the restrictive notice prescribed in FAR provision 52.215‐01(e) Instructions to Offerors—Competitive Acquisition. Offerors should consider proposal instructions contained in the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Guide for Industry issued Mar 2015, which can be accessed on line at http://www.wpafb.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD‐150518‐026.pdf. This guide is specifically designed to assist the offeror in understanding the BAA proposal process.

Technical/management and cost volumes should be submitted in separate volumes, and must be valid for 180 days. Proposals must reference the BAA announcement number.

2. Offerors are advised that only contracting officers are legally authorized to contractually bind or otherwise commit the Government. The cost of preparing proposals in response to this BAA is not considered an allowable direct charge to any resulting or any other contract; however, it may be an allowable expense to the normal bid and proposal indirect cost as specified in FAR 31.205‐18.

3. Offerors must submit an original and one hard copy of each proposal along with a CD‐ROM* with the Microsoft Word version of the Technical/Management Proposal. All versions submitted must be identical in content and format. *CD‐ROM (CD‐R) is the only acceptable media for submittal; CD‐RWs and USB drives are not acceptable.

4. Technical/Management Proposal:

a. Page Limitation: The technical proposal including a non‐proprietary Contractor Statement Of Work (C‐SOW) shall be limited to 20 pages single spaced, double‐ sided, 8.5 by 11‐inch pages. Select an easy to read font no smaller than 12 pitch fixed or proportional font size 10 or larger. Smaller type may be used in figures and tables as long as it is clearly legible. The page limitation includes all information i.e., indices, photographs, foldouts (2 page), appendices, attachments, resumes, C‐SOW, etc. Each printed side counts as one page. Blank pages, title pages, tables of content, lists, tabs or cover sheets, Representations and Certifications, and the Air Force Proposal Adequacy Checklist are not included in the page count. The Government will not consider pages in excess of this limitation. Please note: The Government will check the proposal and C‐SOW for conformance to the stated requirements. Any pages in excess of the stated page limitation after the format check will not be considered.

b. The proposal shall include a discussion of the nature and scope of the research and the technical approach. Additional information on prior work in this area, descriptions of available equipment, data and facilities and resumes of personnel who will be participating in this effort should also be included as attachments to the technical proposal. This volume shall include a C‐SOW detailing the technical tasks proposed to be accomplished under the proposed effort and suitable for contract incorporation. Do not include any proprietary information in the C‐SOW. Refer to the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Guide issued Mar 2015, which can be accessed on line at http://www.wpafb.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD‐150518‐026.pdf to assist in C‐SOW preparation. If Government Furnished Property is requested you are required to submit the following information with your offer—

(1) A list or description of all Government property that the offeror or its subcontractors propose to use. The list shall identify the accountable contract under which the property is held and the authorization for its use (from the contracting officer having cognizance of the property);

(2) The dates during which the property will be required for use (including the first, last, and all intervening months) and, for any property that will be used concurrently in performing two or more contracts, the amounts of the respective uses in sufficient detail to support prorating the rent;

(3) The amount of rent that would otherwise be charged in accordance with FAR clause 52.245‐09 USE AND CHARGES; and

(4) The voluntary consensus standard or industry leading practices and standards to be used in the management of Government property, or existing property management plans, methods, practices, or procedures for accounting for property.

c. Any questions concerning the technical/management proposal or C‐SOW preparation shall be referred to the Technical POC cited in Section VII.A.

5. Cost/Business Proposal:

a. Separate the proposal into a cost section and business section. The business section should contain all business aspects to the proposed contract, such as type of contractual instrument, any exceptions to terms and conditions of the announcement, any information not technically related, etc. Provide rationale for exceptions. Identify any technical data that will be delivered with less than unlimited rights. Cost proposals have no page limitations; however, offerors are requested to keep cost proposals under 50 pages as a goal. The proposal shall be furnished with supporting schedules and shall contain a labor hour breakdown per task. Refer to Attachment C for detailed proposal instructions.

b. Subcontracting plans, for efforts anticipated to exceed $700,000, shall be submitted along with the technical and cost proposals. Reference FAR 19.704, DFARS 219.704, and Air Force Federal Regulation Supplement (AFFARS) 5319.704(a)(1) for subcontracting plan requirements. Small businesses are exempt from this requirement.

6. Proposal Content Summary: You may be ineligible for award if all requirements of this announcement are not met on the proposal due date. See Section VIII.O. for a checklist of the requirements.

D. Proposal Submission Dates and Times: Proposals are due by 3:30 p.m., (Mountain Standard Time) 15 Dec 2015. Proposals received after this due date and time shall be governed by FAR provision 52.215‐01(c)(3). It should be noted that this installation observes strict security procedures to enter the facility. These security procedures are NOT considered an interruption of normal Government processes, and proposals received after the above stated date and time as a result of security delays will be considered “late”. Note: If offerors use commercial carriers in for delivery of proposals, carriers may not honor time‐of‐day delivery guarantees on military installations. Early proposal submission is encouraged.

E. Funding Restrictions: The cost of preparing proposals in response to this announcement is not considered an allowable direct charge to any resulting contract or any other contract, but may be an allowable expense to the normal bid and proposal indirect cost specified in FAR 31.205‐18. Incurring pre‐award costs for ASSISTANCE INSTRUMENTS ONLY is regulated by 2 CFR Part §200.458.

V. PROPOSAL/APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION:

A. Evaluation Criteria: The following criteria, which are listed in descending order of importance, will be used to determine whether one or more sources will be selected for award. The Government reserves the right to select all, part, or none of the proposals received in response to this announcement.

1. Technical,

2. Importance to agency programs, and

3. Funds availability.

No further evaluation criteria will be used. Individual proposal evaluations will be performed using these evaluation criteria without regard to other proposals submitted under this BAA. Cost realism and reasonableness shall also be considered to the extent appropriate.

B. Review and Selection Process: The technical/management and cost/business proposals will be evaluated utilizing a peer or scientific review and categorized as follows:

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Proposals are recommended for acceptance if sufficient funding is available, and normally are displaced only by other Highly Recommended proposals.

SELECTABLE: Proposals are recommended for acceptance if sufficient funding is available, but at a lower priority than Highly Recommended proposals. May require additional development. To ensure a diversity of approaches, a Selectable proposal may be prioritized over a Highly Recommended proposal if the Selectable proposal presents a unique approach unlike any of the Highly Recommended proposals.

NOT SELECTABLE: Proposal does not demonstrate technical merit, does not meet Air Force needs, or sufficient funding is not available.

NOTE: The Government reserves the right to make a single award, more than one award, partial award(s), or no awards pursuant to this BAA. When the Government elects to award only part of a proposal, the selected part may be categorized as Highly Recommended or Selectable, though the proposal as a whole may not merit such a categorization.

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION:

A. Award Notices: Offerors will be notified whether their proposal is recommended for award, by letter or e‐mail, on or about five (5) months after receipt of proposal(s). The notification is not to be construed to mean the award of a contract is assured, as availability of funds and successful negotiations are prerequisites to any award.

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements:

Federal statutes or Executive Orders that apply to Federal or DoD assistance awards include, but are not limited to:

1. Nondiscrimination (e.g, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, EO 11246, 42 USC 4151);

2. Debarment and Suspension (Subpart C of the OMB guidance in 2 CFR part 180);

3. Environmental Standards (e.g.,42 USC 7401, Clean Air Act and 33 USC 1251 Clean Water Act, EO 11738 and EPA rules as Subparts J of 40 CFR part 32);

4. Drug Free Workplace (Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988);

5. Officials Not to Benefit (41 USC 22);

6. Preference for US Flag Carriers (49 USC 41102 and 49 USC 40118);

7. Military Recruiters (32 CFR 22.520)

8. Unpaid Delinquent Tax Liability Or A Felony Conviction (Sections 744 and 745 of Division E, Title VII, of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (Pub. L. 113‐235))

9. Prohibition On Contracting With Entities That Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements (Section 743 of Division E, Title VII, of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Resolution Appropriations Act, 2015 (Pub. L. 113-235))

VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

A. Questions of a technical nature shall be directed to the technical points of contact, as specified below:

Jesse Mee, PhD

AFRL/RVSE

3550 Aberdeen Ave SE Kirtland AFB, NM 87117‐5776 Telephone: 505‐846‐3749 Email: jesse.mee@us.af.mil

Ashwani Sharma, PhD

AFRL/RVSE

3550 Aberdeen Ave SE Kirtland AFB, NM 87117‐5776 Telephone: 505‐846‐0165 Email: ashwani.sharma@us.af.mil

B. Questions of a contractual/business nature shall be directed to the Contract Specialist with a copy to the Contracting Officer, as specified below:

David Roux, Contract Specialist AFRL Det 8/RVKVE 3550 Aberdeen Ave SE Kirtland AFB, NM 87117‐5776 Telephone: 505‐853‐3359 Email: david.roux.1@us.af.mil

Rita A. Varley, Contracting Officer AFRL Det 8/RVKVE 3550 Aberdeen Ave SE

Kirtland AFB, NM 87117‐5776 Telephone: 505‐846‐4398 Email: rita.varley@us.af.mil

Any correspondence must reference the BAA title and number.

C. Ombudsman: AFFARS clause 5352.201‐9101 OMBUDSMAN (APR 2014) will be contained in any contracts or agreements resulting from this Announcement. The AFRL Ombudsman is Barbara G. Gehrs, Director of Contracting, AFRL/PK, 1864 4th Street, Bldg 15, Room 225, Wright‐Patterson AFB, OH, 45433‐7130, (937) 904‐4407, email: barbara.gehrs@us.af.mil.

VIII. OTHER INFORMATION

A. Acquisition of Commercial Items: Based upon market research, the Government is not using the policies contained in FAR 12, Acquisition of Commercial Items, in its announcement for the described supplies or services. However, interested persons may identify to the contracting officer their interest and capability to satisfy the Government’s requirement with a commercial item within 15 days of this notice.

B. Support Contractors: Only Government employees will evaluate the proposals for selection. Offerors are advised that employees of commercial firms under contract to the Government may be used to administratively process proposals, monitor contract performance, or perform other administrative duties requiring access to other contractors' proprietary information. These support contracts include nondisclosure agreements prohibiting their contractor employees from disclosing any information submitted by other contractors or using such information for any purpose other than that for which it was furnished. Any objection to administrative access must be in writing to the Contracting Officer and shall include a detailed statement of the basis for the objection.

C. Communication: Dialogue between prospective offerors and Government representatives is encouraged until submission of proposals. Discussions with any of the points of contact shall not constitute a commitment by the Government to subsequently fund or award any proposed effort. Only Contracting Officers are legally authorized to commit the Government.

D. Debriefings: When requested, a debriefing will be provided. The debriefing process will follow the time guidelines set out in FAR 15.505 and 15.506, but the debriefing content may vary to be consistent with the procedures that govern BAAs (FAR 35.016).

E. Wide Area Work Flow Notice: Any contract award resulting from this announcement will contain DFARS clause 252.232‐7003 ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF PAYMENT REQUESTS AND RECEIVING REPORTS (JUN 2012), which requires electronic submission of all payment requests. The clause cites three possible electronic formats through which to submit electronic payment requests. Pursuant to the clause, the Department of Defense uses Wide Area Work Flow‐ Receipt and Acceptance (WAWF‐RA), as the electronic format for submission of electronic payment requests. Any contract resulting from this announcement will establish a requirement to use WAWF‐RA for invoicing and receipt/acceptance, and provide coding instructions applicable to this contract. Contractors are encouraged to take advantage of available training (both web‐ based and through your cognizant DCMA office), and to register in the WAWF‐RA system. Information regarding WAWF‐RA, including the web‐ based training and registration, can be found at https://wawf.eb.mil/. Note: WAWF‐RA requirement does not apply to Universities that are audited by an agency other than DCAA.

F. Item Identification and Valuation: Any contract award resulting from this announcement may contain DFARS clause 252.211‐7003 ITEM UNIQUE IDENTIFICATION AND VALUATION (DEC 2013), which requires unique item identification and valuation of any deliverable item for which the Government’s unit acquisition cost is $5,000 or more;

subassemblies, components, and parts embedded within an item valued at $5,000 or more;

or items for which the Government’s unit acquisition cost is less than $5,000 when determined necessary by the requiring activity for serially managed, mission essential, or controlled inventory. Also included are any DoD serially managed subassembly, component, or part embedded within a delivered item and the parent item that contains the embedded subassembly, component, or part. Per DFARS 211.274‐3 Policy for Valuation, it is DoD policy that contractors shall be required to identify the Government’s unit acquisition cost for all items delivered, even if none of the criteria for placing a unique item identification mark applies. Therefore, your proposal must clearly break out the unit acquisition cost for any deliverable items. Per DFARS 211.274‐3 Policy for Valuation, “the Government’s unit acquisition cost is the contractor’s estimated fully burdened unit cost at time of delivery to the Government for cost type or undefinitized line, subline, or exhibit line items” (per DoD, “fully burdened unit costs” to the Government would include all direct, indirect, G&A costs, and an appropriate portion of fee.). If you have questions regarding the unique item identification requirements, please contact the contracting point of contact listed above. For more information, see the following website: http://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/pdi/uid/index.html. The contract will also include DFARS clause 252.211‐7007 REPORTING OF GOVERNMENT‐

FURNISHED PROPERTY (AUG 2012).

G. Forward Pricing Rate Agreements: Offerors who have forward pricing rate agreements (FPRA’s) and forward pricing rate recommendations (FPRR’s) should submit them with their proposal.

H. Limitations on Pass‐Through Charges: As prescribed in FAR 15.408(n)(1) & 15.408(n)(2), FAR provision 52.215‐22 LIMITATIONS ON PASS THROUGH CHARGES – IDENTIFICATION OF SUBCONTRACT EFFORT (OCT 2009) is applicable to this announcement. Any contract valued greater than the threshold for cost or pricing data threshold, except fixed price contracts awarded on the basis of adequate price competition, resulting from this announcement, shall contain the FAR clause 52.215‐23 LIMITATIONS ON PASS‐THROUGH CHARGES (OCT 2009) (or with its ALTERNATE I).

I. Post‐Award Small Business Program Rerepresentation: As prescribed in FAR 19.309(c), FAR clause 52.219‐28 POST‐AWARD SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM REREPRESENTATION (JUL 2013) is incorporated by reference in this announcement. This clause will be contained in any contracts resulting from this announcement. This clause requires a contractor to rerepresent its size status when certain conditions apply. The clause provides detail on when the rerepresentation must be complete and what the contractor must do when a rerepresentation is required.

J. Employment Eligibility Verification: As prescribed by FAR 22.1803, FAR clause 52.222‐ 54, EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION (OCT 2015) is hereby incorporated by reference in this announcement. Any contract awarded as a result of this BAA that is above the Simplified Acquisition Threshold, and contains a period of performance greater than 120 days, shall include this clause. This clause provides the requirement of contractors to enroll as a Federal Contractor in the E‐ Verify program within 30 days after contract award.

K. Reporting Executive Compensation and First‐Tier Sub‐contract/Sub‐recipient Awards:

As prescribed by FAR 4.1403(a), FAR clause 52.204‐10 REPORTING EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION AND FIRST‐TIER SUBCONTRACT AWARDS (OCT 2015) is hereby incorporated by reference in this announcement. Any contract valued at $30,000 or more, excluding classified contracts or contractors with individuals, must contain this clause. Any grant or agreement award resulting from this announcement may contain the award term set forth in 2 CFR, Appendix A to Part 25 http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR‐2012‐title2‐vol1/pdf/CFR‐2012‐title2‐ vol1‐part25‐appA.pdf.

L. Safeguarding Covered Defense Information and Cyber Incident Reporting: As prescribed by DFARS 204.7304(a) OSD DEVIATION 2016‐O0001, DFARS provision 252.204‐

7008, COMPLIANCE WITH SAFEGUARDING COVERED DEFENSE INFORMATION (DEVIATION

2016‐O0001) (OCT 2015) is hereby incorporated by reference in this announcement. Any contract awarded as a result of this BAA shall include DFARS clause 252.204‐7012, SAFEGUARDING COVERED DEFENSE INFORMATION AND CYBER INCIDENT REPORTING

(DEVIATION 2016‐O0001) (OCT 2015).

M. Updates of Publicly Available Information Regarding Responsibility Matters: Any contract or assistance award that exceeds $500,000; and when an offeror checked “has” in paragraph (b) of FAR provision 52.209‐07, shall contain FAR clause 52.209‐09 UPDATES OF

PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION REGARDING RESPONSIBILITY MATTERS (JUL 2013).

N. Contractor Business Systems: DFARS clause 252.242‐7005, CONTRACTOR BUSINESS SYSTEMS (FEB 2012), is hereby incorporated by reference.

O. Proposal Content Checklist: You may be ineligible for award if all requirements of this announcement are not met on the proposal due date.

1. Proposals are due to the specified point of contact. See Section VII.B.

2. Proposals are due no later than the due date and time specified in this announcement. See Section IV.D.

3. Proposal page limits are strictly enforced. See Section IV.C.4.a.

4. Completed Representations and Certifications. See Attachment B.

5. The Technical Proposal must be submitted in the format specified. See Section

IV.C.4.

6. The Cost/Business Proposal must contain all information described in the Content and Form of Submission for Full Proposals. See Section IV.C.5. and Attachment C.

7. For any subcontracts proposed, the Cost/Business Proposal must contain a subcontractor analysis IAW FAR 15.404‐3(b).

8. The Cost/Business Proposal must contain any exceptions to the sample Model Contract Terms and Conditions. See Attachment A for model contract/grant. However, be advised that the document awarded may include contract line items (CLINs)/clauses/articles in addition to those in the models, and/or some of the CLIN/clauses/articles in the models may be deleted, depending on the specific circumstances of the individual program. Any additions or deletions will be discussed with the offeror prior to award of the document. In the interest of streamlining and in order to be in position to award within days of completion of the technical evaluation, it is imperative that you review the model contract appropriate for your business type and provide with your proposal any exceptions to terms and conditions.

9. Small Business Subcontracting Plan. See Section IV.C.5.b.

10. Forward Pricing Rate Agreements (FPRAs)/Forward Pricing Rate Recommendations (FPRRs). See Section VIII.G.

IX. ATTACHMENTS

A ‐ Model Contract/Grant B ‐ Representations and Certifications C ‐ Det 8 Air Force Research Laboratory AFRL‐ RVK Cost/Budget Proposal Instructions