Q A_Round_9_(4-5-13).pdf

DARPA-BAA-13-19

VTOL X-Plane

Questions and Answers – Round 9 05 April 2013

VTOL X-Plane BAA-13-19 Questions & Answers – Round 9

IN THE EVENT OF ANY INCONSISTENCY BETWEEN THE ANSWERS PROVIDED

HEREIN AND THE BAA, THE BAA SHALL TAKE PRECEDENCE

Q87. ORIGINAL: The standardized flight profile calls out a hover phase using 95% of maximum power. Available engines for the 10,000-12,000 lb demonstrators will most likely not have the exact match of power output to enable hover at 95% power. When exercising the standard flight profile, should 95% power for 15 minutes be assumed independent of the power level and fuel consumption required for a specific concept to maintain hover?

CLARIFICATION: We understand that we cannot perform the mid-mission hover segment at greater than 95% power. Is it allowable to perform the hover segment at less than 95% power? Is that segment intended to run the engine at 95% power for 15 minutes, or at the power level required for hover for 15 minutes with a not to exceed level of 95%?

o A87. DARPA recognizes that the VTOL X-Plane demonstrator may not have the optimal engine because of the restrictions specified in the BAA. DARPA wants to measure efficiency based on actual power consumed at the given flight conditions, not based on installed power. The intent of the standardized flight profile is to set the ground rules for proposers to exemplify the efficiencies of their concepts and the performance benefits that are enabled assuming they had an appropriately sized engine for the design. For the demonstrator aircraft, it is acceptable to perform the hover segment at less than 95% power, or at the power level required for hover for that duration, while maintaining sufficient power margin to maneuver.

Q88. Section II (Award Information) states that the SOW and ROM program cost for Phases II and III to be provided with Phase I proposals are understood to be preliminary in nature and reflect anticipated cost. Section 5.1 (Detailed Cost breakdown) specifically asks for “detailed cost estimates and traceability between the BOEs and the proposed costs across all elements and phases” of the offeror’s proposed program. Preliminary ROMs generally reflect a best estimate presented at a relatively higher level summary of anticipated cost. This typically includes an uncertainty factor (i.e. margin of error), a description of how the ROM was developed, what is included, and assumptions made in generating the estimate. Is that approach acceptable, or does the Government expect ROMs for Phase II and III to have significantly greater detail and reflect the estimate criteria of Section 5.1?

o A88. Detailed cost breakdowns, along with cost estimates and traceability between the BOEs and proposed costs, are required for the base period and option – Phase IA and Phase IB. For the remaining Phases II/III of the program, DARPA is seeking rough order of magnitude (ROM) estimates consistent with a work breakdown structure (WBS) to the first level. A description of how the ROM was developed and assumptions made in generating the estimate should be included. It is understood that the Phase II/III ROM is

DARPA-BAA-13-19

VTOL X-Plane

Questions and Answers – Round 9 05 April 2013 anticipatory, and may be revised at the time of Phase II/III proposal submittals. This section of the BAA has been amended to reflect this clarification.

Q89. Would the resulting IP produced (as a result of the implementation of a selected proposal) be wholly owned by the U.S. Government?

o A89. Please see Question 73 from Q&A (Round 7) as well as the excerpts from BAA-13- 19 below.

The Government obtains certain rights to Intellectual Property (IP) in return for providing Government funds that are used in the development of the IP. A contractor is free to commercialize IP developed under Government contracts (subject to certain constraints – for example, ITAR restrictions). In the recently revised version of the BAA (Amendment 3), information regarding Intellectual Property can be found on pages 30, 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.

Of particular relevance to your question are pages 44-46 (sample lists for complying with the request are provided on pages 45 and 46). See also the DoD Intellectual Property Guide available at http://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/docs/intelprop.pdf for additional information.

Q90. Would our company still be allowed to use the technology (that resulted from the implementation of a selected proposal) in commercial applications?

o A90. Please see the above question as well as Question 73 from Q&A (Round 7). Any commercial use of technology must follow ITAR restrictions as appropriate. Please see Section VI.B.5 of the BAA (pages 40-41) for further details on Export Control.