Q A_Round_7_(3-28-13).pdf

DARPA-BAA-13-19

VTOL X-Plane

Questions and Answers – Round 7 28 March 2013

VTOL X-Plane BAA-13-19 Questions & Answers – Round 7

IN THE EVENT OF ANY INCONSISTENCY BETWEEN THE ANSWERS PROVIDED

HEREIN AND THE BAA, THE BAA SHALL TAKE PRECEDENCE

Q70. For a Chinook T55 turbo shaft engine of latest specification we seek:

a) The outside diameter of output shaft

b) The maximum shaft speed r/m o A70. DARPA does not provide equipment specifications.

Q71. The Standardized Flight Profile Mission has no fuel reserves defined. Since the mission is defined only to demonstrate capabilities, should we assume total fuel exhaustion at shut down?

o A71. For the standardized flight profile mission, please assume a 20 minute fuel reserve at Vbr remaining at engine shutdown.

Q72. In your pre-last slide (Proposer’s Day PDF presentation), you introduced the idea of “teaming readjustments” during Phase II. Can you please confirm the following:

a) Can you confirm that such adjustments are only taking place during Phase II and that no adjustments will be requested by your organization during Phase I?

b) If such adjustments happen (in either phase), would it happen at the request of the Government or solely at the request of the proposers?

o A72. Only Phase I prime contractors will be solicited for Phase II/III proposals. At that time, the prime contractors may alter their team makeup if they choose in order to provide the best-proposed path forward.

o A72a. It is not DARPA’s intent to mandate changes to the teaming structure. DARPA does not, and will not, require adjustments of contractor teams at any time during the VTOL X-Plane program. At the beginning of Phase I, it is DARPA’s intent for the program teams to be identical, or as near identical as possible, to those put forward in the original proposal. FAR 35.009 states, “Since the selection of R&D contractors is substantially based on the best scientific and technological sources, it is important that the contractor not subcontract technical or scientific work without the contracting officer’s advance knowledge. During the negotiation of a cost-reimbursement R&D contract, the contracting officer shall obtain complete information concerning the contractor’s plans for subcontracting any portion of the experimental, research, or development effort.”

Accordingly, a “consent to subcontract” clause will be contained in each award. In the event that a major team member set forth in the contractor’s proposal does not participate in the effort for whatever reason, DARPA reserves the right not to make an award or to terminate an award.

o A72b. It is DARPA’s intent to get the best proposals possible, providing the greatest amount of value to the Government. If readjustment of the existing teaming arrangement is deemed necessary by the performer, then DARPA will consider the value of the resultant teams. (See A72a.) While it is not the intent at this time to alter teaming arrangements, DARPA may suggest alternative approaches and/or team members at any time during the program. DARPA will not however, dictate that any teaming changes be made.

Q73. The BAA is very clear in terms of the deliverables and the two flight demonstrators, but it doesn’t tell about the ownership, acquisition or transfer of Intellectual Properties:

a) Does DARPA also acquire the Intellectual Property or rights of the contracted vehicles?

b) In case of “team readjustments” and if these adjustments are called by the Government, does the Government provide also directions or instructions on how the intellectual property or technology rights are being shared (or transferred) between these teams?

o A73a. Information regarding Intellectual Property can be found on pages 31, 35, and 44- 46 of the BAA, which is posted at https://www.fbo.gov/spg/ODA/DARPA/CMO/DARPA-BAA-13-19/listing.html.

For reference:

Page 31 – 3.5 Intellectual Property {No Page Limit}: Proposers responding to this BAA must submit a separate list of all technical data or computer software that will be furnished to the Government with other than unlimited rights. The Government will assume unlimited rights if proposers fail to identify any intellectual property restrictions in their proposals. Include in this section all proprietary claims to results, prototypes, deliverables or systems supporting and/or necessary for the use of the research, results, prototypes and/or deliverables. If no restrictions are intended, then the proposer should state “NONE.” See also Section VIII.

Page 35 – In addition, the evaluation will take into consideration the extent to which the proposed intellectual property (IP) rights will potentially impact the Government’s ability to transition the technology to the research, industrial, and operational military communities.

Pages 44-46 – Section VIII. Other Information: Please see BAA for relevant text.

o A73b. How prime contractors negotiate their intellectual property policies with their sub-contractors is outside of DARPA’s purview.

Q74. Are you keeping all proposals confidential (so within DARPA) during the contracting period (June to September)? After the contracting period?

o A74. Yes, all proposals will be kept confidential. It is the policy of DARPA to treat all proposals as competitive information and to disclose their contents only for the purpose of evaluation. No proposals will be returned. After proposals have been evaluated and selections made, an electronic copy of each proposal received will be retained and all other copies will be destroyed.

Q75. Do you publicly disclose the list of the awarded teams (October)?

o A75. Yes, awarded contracts are public record and may be posted on www.fbo.gov.

Q76. Will you publicly disclose any of the content of the proposals that will be awarded for Phase I?

o A76. While DARPA does clear some program related information for public release, such as the Statement of Work (p. 30 of the BAA requires that a non-proprietary SOW be furnished with the proposal), no proprietary information contained within the proposal will be made available to the public.