BAA 2.0 Solicitation 2-Step - Final MASS BAA.pdf

As of 26 Oct 2021

2-Step, Closed Broad Agency Announcement

Overview Information

NAICS Code: The NAICS Code for this acquisition is: 541715 (Research and Technology in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology), and the small business size standard is 1,000 employees.

Federal Agency Name: Air Force Research Laboratory, AFRL/RXCC, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Structural Materials Division

Broad Agency Announcement Title: Multitude of Attritable Composite Structures (MASS)

Broad Agency Announcement Type: This is the Initial Announcement

Broad Agency Announcement Number: FA8650-22-S-5011

THIS WILL BE A TWO-STEP SOLICITATION:

First Step: WHITE PAPER DUE DATE AND TIME: 04 Apr 2022 at 1700 Wright-Patterson AFB, OH EST. Only white papers are due at this time.

Second Step: PROPOSAL DUE DATE AND TIME: To be provided in the Requests for Proposals sent to offerors that submit White Papers considered to meet the needs of the Air Force.

NOTE: White Paper/proposal receipt after the due date and time shall be governed by the provisions of FAR 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.”

Furthermore, note that if offerors utilize commercial carriers in the delivery of proposals, they may not honor time-of-day delivery guarantees on military installations. Be advised, if the U.S. Postal Service is used, this building only receives U.S. Postal Mail twice a week and delivery by that means may not meet the proposal due date and time established herein. Early white paper submission is encouraged.

Submission: White Papers must be submitted to the Contracting Point of Contact (POC). Due to COVID 19, the AF requests electronic white papers be submitted using BOTH DoD SAFE (primary method) and email (backup method) to the following addresses:

candus.bullen@us.af.mil (primary Contracting POC email) robin.bartley@us.af.mil (secondary Contracting POC email)

The maximum email file size the Government can receive is 20 MB.

Solicitation Request: Air Force Research Laboratory, AFRL/RXC, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Wright Patterson Air Force Base is soliciting white papers on the research effort described below.

Type of Contract/Instrument: 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. It is anticipated that awards under this BAA will generally be Cost Plus Fixed Fee. Cost reimbursement contracts require successful offerors to have an accounting system considered adequate for tracking costs applicable to the contract.)

Estimated Program Cost: $5.05M

Anticipated Number of Awards: The Air Force anticipates awarding one (1) award for this announcement. However, the Air Force reserves the right to award zero, one, or more contracts for all, some or none of the solicited effort based on the offeror’s ability to perform desired work and funding fluctuations.

Brief Program Summary: Attritable vehicles are needed for future highly contested battlefields. These vehicles must be light-weight to meet range and loiter time requirements for far-reaching strike missions or time-intensive intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Also, for the success of these missions, they must be capable of carrying the required payloads. In order to minimize or completely avoid sustainment costs, the structural soundness of the attritable vehicle must be appropriate for its limited life. To provide the flexibility to counter emerging and changing threats, attritable vehicles must have the capability to be quickly designed, built, and fielded. Most importantly, these systems must be low cost to decrease mission costs, make losses acceptable, and create the potential to surge in numbers and bring the mass of swarms to the fight.

Additive printing of continuous fiber structural composites properties are approaching the mechanical performance of traditionally manufactured composites.

They are poised to enable new light-weight designs (including topology optimized and bio-inspired designs), low-cost (perhaps tool-less) manufacturing, rapid design changes for structural composites, and support the larger digital enterprise.

Traditional structural composite materials development would involve fixing manufacturing process parameters and then mechanical validation via a substantial number of test coupons in order to develop a set of “B-basis Allowables” (MIL-mailto:candus.bullen@us.af.mil mailto:robin.bartley@us.af.mil

HDBK-17-1F (Composite Materials Handbook-17)) and predict failure. An equivalency test matrix would be needed to be completed for changes in the material constituents or process. Both processes are expensive, time-consuming, inhibit agility, and represent a substantial barrier to transition of new composite materials and processes.

The digital enterprise seeks to create digital representations, or “digital twins”, of real world processes, microstructures, properties, vehicle structures, and integrated vehicles to better manage, improve, and exploit opportunities with increased mission effectiveness and decreased development and operational cost. Physics-based, Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) processing and performance tools have been developed under sponsorship by the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Materials and Manufacturing Directorate and seek to predict the responses to changes in the processing-structure-property relationships.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) tools for understanding and correlating additive manufacturing processes, microstructures, and properties are also being developed.

The Structural Materials Division of the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Materials and Manufacturing Directorate (AFRL/RXCC) seeks to leverage and integrate current ICME tools, AI/ML tools, and continuous fiber additively printed composite capability to create a “digital twin” of a new composite material with substantial impact to attritable air vehicles. The same process and material will be evaluated by the traditional, empirically based “B-basis allowables” process and the two processes will be compared in terms of speed, cost, and accuracy to achieve digital-assisted and empirical “B-basis allowables” for a promising new material. The two processes will also be evaluated for their agility to changes in constituents and processing conditions. While firm B-basis allowables targets for attritable vehicles are yet to be established, a broad range of 75-90% of traditional structural composite materials’ allowables is anticipated.

Communication Between Prospective Offerors and Government Representatives: Dialogue between prospective offerors and Government representatives is encouraged until submission of proposals. Discussions with any of the points of contact (see below) 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.

Address technical questions to the Technical POC: Gerard (Klint) Simon, AFRL/RXCCM, complete address, 937-681-6335, gerard.simon.2@us.af.mil

Address contracting questions to the Contracting POC: Ms. Candus (Candy) Bullen (Contract Negotiator), AFRL/RXKMC, 2130 8th Street, Building 45, Wright- Patterson AFB, OH 45433-7541, candus.bullen@us.af.mil, or Ms. Robin Bartley mailto:candus.bullen@us.af.mil

(Contracting Officer), AFRL/RXKMC, 2130 8th Street, Building 45, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433-7541, robin.bartley@us.af.mil.

A Virtual Industry Day will be held on 21 Mar 2022 from 1300-1500. Please send inquiry (with name, email, and phone number) to the above technical and contracting leads if interested in attending by COB 14 Mar 2022.

mailto:robin.bartley@us.af.mil

Full Text Announcement

I. Program Description: Air Force Research Laboratory, AFRL/RXC Materials and Manufacturing Directorate is soliciting technical and cost proposals on the following research effort:

1. Statement of Objective/Description of Technical Area(s): Multitude of

Attritable Composite Structures (MASS)

2. Within Scope Modifications: Potential offerors are advised that due to the inherent uncertainty of research and development efforts, awards resulting from this announcement may be modified during performance to make within scope changes, to include but not limited to, modifications which increase overall contract ceiling amount.

3. Deliverable Items:

a. Data Items: A001 – Final Report, A002 – Funds and Man-hour Expenditure Report, A003 – Contract Funds and Status Report (CFSR), A004

– Spend Plan, A005 – Project Planning Chart, A006 – Status Report, A007 - Presentation Material, A008 – Test Plan, A009 – Test/Inspection Reports, A010 – Data Management Plan, and A011 – Material and Processing Digital Data Package (MPDDP).

b. Hardware: Finished research samples and residual test materials

4. Schedule:

a. Overall effort: 63 months (60 months for the technical period of performance plus 3 months for the final report)

b. Data Items: To be determined on contract award

c. Hardware: To be determined on contract award

5. Other Requirements:

a. This announcement incorporates FAR and supplement provisions and clauses by reference. The full text of provisions and clauses can be found at Acquisition.gov.

b. Program security classification: Unclassified

c. TEMPEST requirements: Not applicable

d. OPSEC: See attached Statement of Objectives (SOO) for OPSEC guidance

e. Export Control: Information involved in this research effort may be subject to Export Control (International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR) 22 CFR 120-131, or Export Administration Regulations (EAR) 15 CFR 710- 774). If effort may be subject to export control, then a Certified DD Form 2345, Militarily Critical Technical Data Agreement, will be required to be submitted with proposal.

f. Export-Controlled Items: This acquisition is expected to generate or require access to export controlled items. As prescribed by DFARS 225.7901-4, DFARS 252.225-7048, “Export-Controlled Item (JUN 2013)” is contained in this solicitation. This clause shall be contained in ALL resulting contracts.

6. Other Information:

a. Government Furnished Property (GFP): GFP is not anticipated to be made available under any resulting contract.

b. Base Support / Network Access: Base Support is not anticipated under any resulting contract.

c. Multiple awards subject to Fair Opportunity are not anticipated.

d. Data Rights Desired:

(1) Noncommercial Technical Data: Unlimited Rights

(2) Noncommercial Computer Software (NCS): Unlimited Rights

(3) NCS Documentation: Unlimited Rights

(4) Commercial Computer Software Rights: Customary Commercial License consistent with Federal statutes and regulations

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 noncommercial technical data and NCS developed or delivered under this contract are of significant concern to the Government. The Government will therefore evaluate any restrictions on the use of noncommercial 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 accordance with DFARS 252.227-7013(b)(1) and 252.227-7014(b)(1), the Government shall receive unlimited rights in all noncommercial technical data and computer software developed exclusively with Government funds.

In accordance with DFARS 252.227-7013(b)(2) and DFARS 252.227- 7014(b)(2), the Government shall receive Government Purpose Rights in all noncommercial technical data and computer software developed with mixed funding. “Developed with mixed funding” means, “development was accomplished partially with costs charged to indirect cost pools and/or costs not allocated to a government contract, and partially with costs charged directly to a government contract. Offerors that propose delivery of noncommercial technical data, NCS, or NCS documentation subject to Government Purpose Rights should fully explain how a portion of the data was developed at private expense. Specifically, offerors must explain what noncommercial 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.

Offerors that propose delivery of noncommercial technical data with Limited Rights, NCS with Restricted Rights, or NCS documentation with Limited Rights will be considered. Proposals should fully explain what noncommercial 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 and whether those portions or processes are segregable.

Offerors shall include the data rights assertions as required by DFARS 252.227-7017, Identification and Assertion of Restrictions on the Government’s Use, Release, or Disclosure of Technical Data or Computer Software. The assertions list is included in Section K and due at time of proposals. Assertions must be completed with specificity. Each assertion must identify the technical data or computer software to be delivered and the associated item, component, or process developed exclusively or partially at private expense to which it pertains. Nonconforming data rights assertion lists will not be accepted until submitted in accordance with DFARS 252.227-7017.

Terms used in this section are defined in the clauses at 252.227-7013, Rights in Technical Data-Noncommercial Items, and 252.227-7014, Rights in Noncommercial Computer Software and Noncommercial Computer Software Documentation.

THIRD PARTY SOFTWARE (COMMERCIAL AND NONCOMMERCIAL):

If any such software, noncommercial or commercial, is not reasonably identifiable at proposal submission, it must still be approved by the contracting officer prior to incorporation. This obligation to obtain pre-approval by the contracting officer, as described above, continues throughout contract administration.

Noncommercial Computer Software:

DFARS 252.227-7014(d) describes requirements for incorporation of third party noncommercial copyrighted computer software and computer software documentation and is incorporated as follows:

The Contractor shall not, without the written approval of the Contracting Officer, incorporate any copyrighted computer software or computer software documentation in the software or documentation to be delivered under this contract unless the Contractor is the copyright owner or has obtained for the Government the license rights necessary to perfect a license or licenses in the deliverable software or documentation of the appropriate scope set forth in DFARS 252.227- 7014(b), and prior to delivery of such—

(1) Computer software, has provided a statement of the license rights obtained in a form acceptable to the Contracting Officer;

or

(2) Computer software documentation, has affixed to the transmittal document a statement of the license rights obtained.

In addition, all noncommercial computer software will receive the appropriate level rights set forth in DFARS 252-7014(b), which could include: Unlimited rights, GPR, Restricted Rights, or specifically negotiated license.

Commercial Computer Software:

For commercial computer software, the Government will neither accept nor execute a DD Form 250 for such software deliverables until the Contractor obtains from all third party software suppliers and/or vendors (Licensor) licenses for any commercial computer software to be delivered that are consistent with Federal Statutes, Federal Case Law, and Federal Regulations.

II. Award Information

1. Anticipated Award Date: 05 Aug 2022

2. Anticipated funding FY22/$550K; FY23/$800K; FY24/$1.8M; FY25/$950K;

FY26/$950K; Total Program $5.05M

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.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Offeror: This is an unrestricted solicitation. Small businesses are encouraged to propose.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching: Cost Sharing is not required.

3. 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. 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 a solicitation. 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, AFRL 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.

4. Government Agencies: If a Government agency is interested in performing work, contact the Program Manager 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.

5. Other:

a. Foreign participation: Participation at prime level is prohibited.

b. This acquisition involves data that are subject to export control laws and regulations. Only contractors who are registered and certified with the Defense Logistics Agency and have a legitimate business purpose may participate in this solicitation. Contact the U.S./Canada Joint Certification Program Office, Defense Logistics Agency, Logistics Information Services J34, HDI Federal Center, 74 Washington Avenue N., Battle Creek, Michigan 49037-3084, (1-800-352-3572) or the Joint Certification Program Office (JCO) at JCP-Helpdesk@dla.mil for further information on the certification process. You must submit a copy of your approved DD Form 2345, Militarily Critical Technical Data Agreement, with your proposal.

c. There are no limits on the number of proposals an offeror may submit.

d. You may be ineligible for award if all requirements of this solicitation are not met on the proposal due date as identified above.

IV. White Paper / Proposal and Submission Information

1. Overview: This Announcement consists of a Two-Step Process described in detail below. White Papers/Proposals submitted shall be in accordance with this https://www.dla.mil/HQ/LogisticsOperations/Services/JCP/SpecificDD2345Instructions.aspx mailto:JCP-Helpdesk@dla.mil announcement. There will be no other solicitation issued in regard to this requirement. The Government intends to review white papers/proposals and award some, all, or none of the proposals received without negotiation/discussion; however, the Government reserves the right to negotiate with those offeror(s) whose proposal is selected for funding.

ONLY WHITE PAPERS ARE BEING SOLICITED AT THIS TIME.

Offerors should be alert for any BAA amendments that may permit extensions to the white paper submission date.

For additional information, a copy of the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Guide for Industry is located at https://www.afrl.af.mil/Portals/90/Documents/HQ/BAA%20Ind%20Guide%2 02020.pdf?ver=7AivkWvoUoptKgypgCuIvw%3d%3d

2. First Step (White Paper) Instructions:

a. General: The FIRST STEP requests a white paper and a rough order of magnitude (ROM) cost. The white paper shall include a discussion of the nature and scope of the research and the offeror’s proposed technical approach. The Government will review the white papers in accordance with the FIRST STEP Peer or Scientific Review criteria, set forth in Section V below. Based on this review, the Government will determine which of them have the potential to best meet the Air Force’s needs. Offerors will be notified of the disposition of their white paper. It is anticipated that Government review of the white papers submitted will take 10 working days. Those offerors submitting white papers assessed as meeting Air Force needs will be asked to submit a technical and cost proposal. Those offerors not requested to submit a technical and cost proposal will be notified. An offeror submitting a proposal without first submitting a white paper will not be eligible for an award. The cost of preparing white papers in response to this Solicitation 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.

b. Page Limitation: The White Paper shall be limited to 5 pages, prepared and submitted in Word format. Font shall be standard 10-point business font Arial. Character spacing must be “normal,” not condensed in any manner. Pages shall be double-spaced (must use standard double-space function in Microsoft Word), double-sided (each side counts as one page),

8.5 by 11 inches, with at least one-inch margins on both sides, top and bottom. All text, including text in tables and charts, must adhere to all font size and line spacing requirements listed herein. Font and line spacing requirements do not have to be followed for illustrations, flowcharts, drawings, and diagrams. These exceptions shall not be used to circumvent formatting requirements and page count limitations by https://www.afrl.af.mil/Portals/90/Documents/HQ/BAA%20Ind%20Guide%202020.pdf?ver=7AivkWvoUoptKgypgCuIvw%3d%253 https://www.afrl.af.mil/Portals/90/Documents/HQ/BAA%20Ind%20Guide%202020.pdf?ver=7AivkWvoUoptKgypgCuIvw%3d%253 including lengthy narratives in such items. Pages shall be numbered starting with the cover page being Page 1, and the last page being no greater than Page 6. The page limitation covers all information including indices, photographs, foldouts (counted as 1 page for each 8.5 by 11 portion) tables, charts, appendices, attachments, resumes, etc. The Government will not consider pages in excess of these limitations. Due to COVID 19, the AF requests electronic white papers be submitted using BOTH DoD SAFE (primary method) and email (backup method) to the Contracting POC, identified in the Overview Information.

c. Format: The white paper will be formatted as follows:

(1) Section A: BAA Number, Title of Program, Name of Company, Business Size, Company’s Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) number, Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, Contracting POC and Technical POC with appropriate telephone numbers, fax numbers, and email addresses for the POCs.

(2) Section B: Period of Performance and Task Objectives;

(3) Section C: Technical Summary and Proposed Deliverables; and

(4) Section D: Cost of Task (Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM)).

d. Technical Portion: The technical portion of the white paper shall include a discussion of the nature and scope of the research and the offeror’s proposed technical approach/solution. It may also include any proposed deliverables. Resumes, descriptions of facilities and equipment, a proposed Statement of Work are not required at this point.

e. Cost Portion: The cost portion of the white paper shall include a ROM cost estimate. No detailed price or cost support information should be forwarded; only a time-phased bottom line figure should be provided.

f. Other Information: Multiple white papers within the purview of this announcement may be submitted by each offeror. If the offeror wishes to restrict its white papers, they must be marked with the restrictive language stated in FAR 52.215-1(e).

g. White Paper/Proposal Content Summary: You may be ineligible for award if all requirements of this solicitation are not met on the proposal due date.

3. Second Step (Proposal) Instructions:

a. General Instructions:

(1) The SECOND STEP consists of offerors submitting a technical and cost proposal within 20 working days of the proposal request. After receipt, proposals will be reviewed in accordance with the award criteria in Section V. below. Proposals will be categorized and subsequently selected for negotiations.

(2) Offerors should apply the restrictive notice prescribed in FAR 52.215- 1(e) Instructions to Offerors—Competitive Acquisition. Offerors should consider proposal instructions contained in the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Guide for Industry, which can be accessed on line at https://www.afrl.af.mil/Portals/90/Documents/HQ/BAA%20Ind%20G uide%202020.pdf?ver=7AivkWvoUoptKgypgCuIvw%3d%3d. This guide is specifically designed to assist the offeror in understanding the BAA proposal process.

(3) Technical/management and cost/business volumes should be submitted in separate volumes and must be valid for 180 days.

(4) Proposals must reference the announcement number FA8650-22-S- 5011.

(5) Offerors are advised that only Contracting Officers are legally authorized to contractually bind or otherwise commit the Government.

(6) 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.

(7) No classified technical proposals or cost volumes are expected.

Offerors are encouraged to keep all elements of the proposal package unclassified. In the rare case where an offeror has a need to submit a classified appendix, please contact the technical POC for delivery instructions.

b. Technical/Management Proposal:

(1) Page Limitations: The following describes proposal page limitations:

a) The Technical/Management Proposal shall be limited to 25 pages.

Technical/Management proposals and Statements of Work must be provided in Microsoft Word. Signed pages may be submitted in Adobe.

b) Font shall be standard 10-point business font Arial.

c) Character spacing must be “normal,” not condensed in any manner.

d) Pages shall be double-spaced (must use standard double-space function in Microsoft Word), double sided (each side counts as one page), 8.5 by 11 inches, with at least one-inch margins on both sides, top and bottom.

e) All text, including text in tables and charts, must adhere to all font size and line spacing requirements listed herein. Font and line spacing requirements do not have to be followed for illustrations, flowcharts, drawings, and diagrams. These exceptions shall not be used to circumvent formatting requirements and page count limitations by including lengthy narratives in such items.

f) Pages shall be numbered starting with the cover page being Page 1, and the last page being no greater than Page 26. The page limitation covers all information including indices, photographs, https://www.afrl.af.mil/Portals/90/Documents/HQ/BAA%20Ind%20Guide%202020.pdf?ver=7AivkWvoUoptKgypgCuIvw%3d%3d https://www.afrl.af.mil/Portals/90/Documents/HQ/BAA%20Ind%20Guide%202020.pdf?ver=7AivkWvoUoptKgypgCuIvw%3d%3d foldouts (counted as 1 page for each 8.5 by 11 portion) tables, charts, appendices, attachments, resumes, etc.

g) The proposal page limit does not include the offeror’s proposed Statement of Work (SOW); however, the same formatting rules apply to the SOW, which is limited to 10 pages.

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

(2) The Technical/Management proposal(s) 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, use of base support (if desired), 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/These) volume(s) shall include a SOW(s) 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 SOW. Refer to the BAA Guide for Industry referenced above to assist in SOW preparation. In addition to the contractor proposed SOW, a Government generated SOW attachment containing additional contracting requirements will be included in any resulting contracts.

The SOW attachment is included as Attachment 5 to this BAA.

(3) Any questions concerning the technical proposal or SOW preparation shall be referred to the Technical POC.

c. Cost/Business Proposal:

(1) Separate the proposal into a business section and cost section.

Adequate price competition is anticipated.

a) See Attachment 1 for the Model Contract. Note that the document awarded may include contract line items (CLINs)/clauses/articles in addition to those in the model, and/or some of the CLIN/clauses/articles in the model may be deleted, depending on the specific circumstances of the individual award. Any additions or deletions will be negotiated with the offeror prior to award.

b) The business section should contain all business aspects to the proposed contract, such as type of contract, any exceptions to terms and conditions of the announcement including the model contract, any information not technically related, etc. Provide rationale for exceptions.

c) Identify any technical data that will be delivered with less than unlimited rights.

http://www.afrl.af.mil/contract/default.htm

d) Subcontracting Plans: For efforts to exceed $750,000, Subcontracting Plans shall be submitted in the cost/business proposal. Reference FAR 19.704 and DFARS 219.704 for subcontracting plan requirements. Small business concerns are exempt from this requirement. If an IDIQ contract arrangement is anticipated, the basis for the subcontracting plan should reflect the entire IDIQ ceiling amount.

e) Limitations on Pass-Through Charges: As prescribed in FAR 15.408(n)(1) & 15.408(n)(2), provisions 52.215-22, “Limitations on Pass Through Charges- Identification of Subcontract Effort (Oct 2009),” apply.

f) Completed Certifications and Representations (Section K) are due with the proposal. Certifications and Representations (Section K) can be found at Attachment 2. Offerors may also be required to submit updated or supplemental Certifications and Representations based on the specifics of their proposal.

g) If an offeror proposes the use of Government Furnished Property (GFP), other than GFP identified in the BAA, the offer must specifically identify each piece of GFP in the Cost/Business Proposal and propose and substantiate a rental cost for evaluation purposes in accordance with FAR 45.202. Include the following information in the proposal:

(i) A list describing all Government property that the offeror or its subcontractors propose to use on a rent-free basis. 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);

(ii) The dates during which the property will be used 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;

(iii) The amount of rent that would otherwise be charged in accordance with FAR 52.245-9, Use and Charges; and

(iv) 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.

(2) Cost Element Breakdown: Clear, concise, and accurate cost proposals reflect the offeror's financial plan for accomplishing the effort contained in the technical proposal. As a part of its cost proposal, the offeror shall submit the information outlined below, together with supporting breakdowns. All direct costs (labor, material, travel, computer, etc.) as well as labor and overhead rates should be provided by contractor fiscal year (CFY). Detailed cost element breakdowns by Government Fiscal Year or calendar year are not required. The supporting schedules may include summary level estimating rationale used to generate the proposed costs. The cost element breakdown(s) should include the following if applicable.

a) Direct Labor: Direct labor should be detailed by number of labor hours by category of labor.

b) Labor and Overhead Rates: Direct labor hours, with their applicable rates, must be broken out and the bases used clearly identified. The source of labor and overhead rates and all pricing factors should be identified. For instance, if a Forward Pricing Rate Agreement (FPRA) is in existence, that should be noted, along with the Administrative Contracting Officer’s (ACO's) name and telephone number. If the rates are based on current experience in your organization, provide the historical base used and clearly identify all escalation, by year, applied to derive the proposed rates. If computer usage is determined by a rate, identify the basis used and rationale used to derive the rate.

c) Material/Equipment: List all material/equipment items by type and kind with associated costs and advise if the costs are based on vendor quotes, data and/or engineering estimates;

provide copies of vendor quotes and/or catalog pricing data.

d) Subcontractor Costs: Submit all subcontractor proposals and analyses with your cost proposal (See FAR 15.404-3(b)). If the subcontractor will not submit cost and pricing information to the offeror, this information must be submitted directly to the Government for analysis. On all subcontracts and interdivisional transfers, provide the method of selection used to determine the subcontractor and the proposed contract type of each subcontract. An explanation shall be provided if the offeror proposes a different amount than that quoted by the subcontractor. The offeror’s proposal must:

(i) Identify principal items/services to be subcontracted.

(ii) Identify prospective subcontractors and the basis on which they were selected. If non-competitive, provide selected source justification

(iii) Identify the type of contractual business arrangement contemplated for the subcontract and provide rationale

(iv) Identify the basis for the subcontract costs (e.g., firm quote or engineering estimate, etc.).

(v) Identify the cost or pricing data submitted by the subcontractor.

(vi) Provide an analysis of the proposed subcontract in accordance with FAR 15.404-3(b). Provide an analysis concerning the reasonableness, realism and completeness of each subcontractor’s proposal. If the analysis is based on comparison with prior prices, identify the basis on which the prior prices were determined to be reasonable. The analysis should include, but not be limited to, an analysis of: materials, labor, travel, other direct costs and proposed profit or fee rates.

e) Special Tooling or Test Equipment: When special tooling, and/or test equipment is proposed, attach a brief description of items and indicate if they are solely for the performance of this particular contract or project and if they are or are not already available in the offeror's existing facilities. Indicate quantities, unit prices, whether items are to be purchased or fabricated, whether items are of a severable nature and the basis of the price. These items may be included under Direct Material in the summary format.

f) Consultants: When consultants are proposed to be used in the performance of the contract, indicate the specific project or area in which such services are to be used. Identify each consultant, number of hours or days to be used and the consultant's rate per hour or day. State the basis of said rate and give your analysis of the acceptability of the consultant's rate.

g) Travel: Travel costs must be justified and related to the needs of the project. Identify the number of trips, the destination and purpose. Travel costs should be broken out by trip with number of travelers, airfare, per diem, lodging, etc.

h) Computer Use: Detail the amount and kind of computer usage, the cost, and how the costs were derived.

i) Facilities Capital Cost of Money: If Facilities Capital Cost of Money is proposed, a properly executed DD Form 1861 is required.

j) Project Funding Profile: Offerors should include a project funding profile by Government Fiscal Year (GFY) (1 Oct through 30 Sept) for budgetary purposes. This will enable the Government to easily identify program funding needs by GFY.

k) If an offeror takes exceptions to the requirements called out in the announcement (e.g., base support, Government-furnished property (GFP), CDRLs), the exceptions should be clearly stated in the cost proposal.

l) 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.

m) Cost/Business proposals have no page limitations.

d. Proposal Content Summary: You may be ineligible for award if all requirements of this solicitation are not met on the proposal due date.

(3) Funding Restrictions: The type of funds anticipated for this effort are 6.1, 6.2, and/or 6.3.

V. White Paper / Proposal Review Information

1. FIRST STEP – White Paper Peer or Scientific Review Criteria: The Government will review White Papers to determine which of them have the potential to best meet the Air Force’s needs based on the following criteria, which are listed in descending order of importance:

a. Unique and innovative approach proposed to accomplish the technical objectives. New and creative solutions and/or advances in knowledge, understanding, technology, and the state of the art.

b. The offeror’s understanding of the scope of the technical effort.

c. Soundness of the offeror’s technical approach.

d. Affordability (Proposed ROM Cost Estimate).

2. SECOND STEP – Proposal Peer or Scientific Review Criteria:

Proposals will be reviewed using the criteria listed below. The technical aspect, which is ranked as the first order of priority, shall be reviewed based on the following criteria that are of descending order of importance.

a. Technical:

(1) Unique and innovative approach proposed to accomplish the technical objectives. New and creative solutions and/or advances in knowledge, understanding, technology, and the state of the art.

(2) The offeror’s understanding of the scope of the technical effort.

(3) Soundness of the offeror’s technical approach including whether the proposal identifies major technical risks, clearly defines feasible mitigation efforts, and demonstrates related experience and qualifications of technical personnel.

(4) The potential to transition the research and development deliverables to future Government needs. Any proposed restriction on technical data or computer software will be considered.

b. Cost/Price: The cost/price criterion includes the realism of the proposed cost. Cost/Price is a substantial factor, but ranked as the second order of priority. (If an offeror proposes the use of GFP other than any GFP identified in this BAA, and that proposed GFP provides the offeror an unfair competitive advantage, then FAR 45.202 requires rental equivalent be applied to the Cost Factor for evaluation purposes only).

3. SECOND STEP/PROPOSAL - Review and Selection Process

a. Categories: Based on the Peer or Scientific Review, proposals will be categorized as Selectable or Not Selectable (see definitions below). The selection of one or more sources for award will be based on the Peer or Scientific Review, as well as importance to agency programs and funding availability.

i. Selectable: Proposals are recommended for acceptance if sufficient funding is available.

ii. Not Selectable: Even if sufficient funding existed, the proposal should not be funded.

Note: The Government reserves the right to award some, all, or none of proposals. When the Government elects to award only a part of a proposal, the selected part may be categorized as Selectable, though the proposal as a whole may not merit such a categorization.

b. No other criteria will be used.

c. Prior to award of a potentially successful offer, the Contracting Officer will make a determination regarding price reasonableness.

VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices: Offerors will be notified whether their white paper is recommended to move forward with a Letter RFP on or about 19 Apr 2022.

The notification is not to be construed to mean that any contract award is assured, as availability of funds and successful negotiations are prerequisites to any award.

Administrative and National Policy Requirements: See Section I.

2. Reporting: See paragraph I.3.a and b.

VII. Other Information

1. Acquisition of Commercial Items: Based upon market research, the Government is not using the policies contained in Part 12, Acquisition of Commercial Items, in this solicitation. However, interested offerors 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.

2. Support Contractors: Only Government employees will participate in Peer or Scientific Reviews. 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.

3. Feedback Sessions:

a. Contracts: When requested, a Feedback Session will be provided with content consistent with the procedures that govern BAAs (FAR 35.016).

The process will follow the time guidelines outlined in the award notice described in Paragraph VI.1.

4. Item Unique Identification and Valuation. It is DoD policy that contractors shall be required to identify the Government’s unit acquisition cost for all deliverable end items for which Item Unique Identification applies.

Therefore, proposals must clearly break out the unit acquisition cost for any deliverable items. See DFARS 211.274-3, Policy for Valuation, for more information. (Per DoD, “fully burdened unit costs” to the Government would include all direct, indirect, G&A costs, and an appropriate portion of fee). For more information, see the following website:

http://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/pdi/uid/index.html.

5. Pre-Award Clearance: Pursuant to FAR 22.805, a preaward clearance must be obtained from the U.S. Department Of Labor, Employment Standards Administration, Office Of Federal Contract Compliance Program’s (OFCCP) prior to award of a contract (or subcontract) of $10,000,000 or more unless the contractor is listed in OFCCP’s National Preaward Registry https://ofccp.dol-esa.gov/preaward/pa_reg.html. Award may be delayed if you are not currently listed in the registry and the contracting officer must request a preaward clearance from the OFCCP.

6. Updates of Publicly Available Information Regarding Responsibility Matters: Any contract or assistance award that exceeds $600,000; and when offeror checked “has” in paragraph (b) of the provision FAR 52.209-7, shall contain the clause/article, FAR 52.209-9 “Updates of Publicly Available Information Regarding Responsibility Matters.”

7. White Paper/Proposal Reminders: You may be ineligible for award if all requirements of this solicitation are not met on the proposal due date.

a. Step One: White Papers are due to the Contracting POC.

http://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/pdi/uid/index.html https://ofccp.dol-esa.gov/preaward/pa_reg.html

b. Step One: White Papers are due no later than the due date and time specified in this announcement.

c. Step One and Step Two: White Paper and Proposal page limits are strictly enforced.

d. Step One and Step Two: White Papers and Proposals must be submitted in the format specified.

e. Step Two: Proposals are due to the Contracting POC.

f. Step Two: The Cost/Business Proposal must contain all information described in the Cost/Business Proposal Submission Section.

g. Step Two: Offerors other than small businesses must include a subcontracting plan.

h. Step Two: Offerors who have Forward Pricing Rate Agreements (FPRA’s) or Forward Pricing Rate Recommendations (FPRR’s) should submit them with their proposal.

i. Step Two: If a DD254 is applicable, offerors must verify their Cognizant Security Office information is current with Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) at www.dcsa.mil.

j. Step Two: If effort is subject to export control, offerors must submit a Certified DD Form 2345, Militarily Critical Technical Data Agreement, with proposal.

http://www.dcsa.mil/

ATTACHMENTS

List of Attachments:

1. Model Contract (Section K- Representations and Certifications included)

2. CDRLs

3. Statement of Objectives (SOO) with attachment

4. Statement of Work (SOW) Supplemental Requirements