DARPA-BAA-13-20.pdf

Broad Agency Announcement Defense Sciences Research and Technology

Defense Sciences Office

DARPA-BAA-13-20

MAY 2, 2013

PART II: FULL TEXT OF ANNOUNCEMENT

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

II. AWARD INFORMATION

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

B. PROCUREMENT INTEGRITY, STANDARDS OF CONDUCT, ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS,

AND ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

C. COST SHARING/MATCHING

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. ADDRESS TO REQUEST APPLICATION PACKAGE

B. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

1. Security and Proprietary Issues

2. White Paper Submission Information

3. Full Proposal Submission Information

4. White Paper Format

5. Full Proposal Format

a. Volume I, Technical and Management Proposal

b. Volume II, Cost Proposal – {No Page Limit}

6. Submission Dates and Times

a. White Paper Date

b. Full Proposal Date

7. Funding Restrictions

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. EVALUATION CRITERIA

B. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. SELECTION NOTICES

B. ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

1. Meeting and Travel Requirements

2. Human Subjects Research

3. Animal Use

4. Export Control

5. Subcontracting

6. Electronic and Information Technology

7. Employment Eligibility Verification

8. Additional Requirements and Responsibilities relating to Alleged Crimes by or against Contractor Personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan

9. System for Award Management (SAM) Registration and Universal Identifier Requirements

10. Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards

11. Updates of Information Regarding Responsibility Matters

12. Representation by Corporations Regarding Unpaid Delinquent Tax Liability or a Felony Conviction Under Any Federal Law

13. Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) Notices and Certification

14. Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) on Non-DoD Information Systems

C. REPORTING

D. ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS

1. Representations and Certifications

2. Wide Area Work Flow (WAWF)

3. i-Edison

VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

VIII. OTHER INFORMATION

A. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PROCUREMENT CONTRACT PROPOSERS

1. Noncommercial Items (Technical Data and Computer Software)

2. Commercial Items (Technical Data and Computer Software)

B. NON-PROCUREMENT CONTRACT PROPOSERS – NONCOMMERCIAL AND

COMMERCIAL ITEMS (TECHNICAL DATA AND COMPUTER SOFTWARE)

C. ALL PROPOSERS – PATENTS

D. ALL PROPOSERS – INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY REPRESENTATIONS

APPENDIX A

APPENDIX B

APPENDIX C

ATTACHMENT 1 – CHART SUMMARY

Part I: Overview Information

• Federal Agency Name – Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Defense Sciences Office (DSO)

• Funding Opportunity Title – Defense Sciences Research and Technology

• Announcement Type – Initial Announcement

• Funding Opportunity Number – Broad Agency Announcement (BAA)

DARPA-BAA-13-20

• Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers (CFDA) – 12.910

Research and Technology Development

• Dates o Posting Date: May 2, 2013 o White Papers are due by 4:00 PM ET, March 25, 2014 o Full Proposals are due by 4:00 PM ET, May 22, 2014

• Concise description of the funding opportunity – DARPA is soliciting innovative research proposals of interest to the Defense Sciences Office.

Proposed research should investigate innovative approaches that enable revolutionary advances in science and technology. Specifically excluded is research that results primarily in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of the art.

• Anticipated individual awards – Multiple awards are anticipated.

• Types of instruments that may be awarded - Procurement contract, grant, cooperative agreement or other transaction.

• Any cost sharing requirements – None.

• Agency contact

Point of Contact:

The BAA Administrator for this effort can be reached at:

E-mail: DARPA-BAA-13-20@darpa.mil

DARPA/DSO

ATTN: DARPA-BAA-13-20

675 North Randolph Street Arlington, VA 22203-2114

Solicitations can be viewed at:

http://www.darpa.mil/Opportunities/Solicitations/DSO_Solicitations.aspx mailto:DARPA-BAA-13-20@darpa.mil

Part II: Full Text of Announcement

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) often selects its research efforts through the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) process. This BAA is being issued, and any resultant selection will be made, using procedures under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 35.016 and the Department of Defense Grant and Agreement Regulatory System (DoDGARS) Part 22 for Grants and Cooperative Agreements. Any negotiations and/or awards will use procedures under FAR 15.4, Contract Pricing, as specified in the BAA (including DoDGARS Part 22 for Grants and Cooperative Agreements). Proposals received as a result of this BAA shall be evaluated in accordance with evaluation criteria specified herein through a scientific review process. The BAA will appear first on the FedBizOpps website, https://www.fbo.gov/, and the Grants.gov website http://www.grants.gov/. The following information is for those wishing to respond to the BAA.

DARPA is soliciting innovative research proposals of interest to defense and national security. Specifically excluded is research that results primarily in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of the art. The Defense Sciences Office (DSO) seeks unconventional approaches that are outside the mainstream, undertaking directions that challenge assumptions and have the potential to radically change established practice.

Information about ongoing DSO programs can be found at http://www.darpa.mil/Our_Work/DSO/Programs/.

Submission of white papers in advance of full proposals is strongly encouraged to ascertain interest from DSO and for quick feedback. For details on white paper submission, see Section IV B.

Areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Biomedical research

• Rapid response protective or therapeutic treatments for biological and chemical threats

• Preventing and countering effects of nuclear and radiological weapons

• WMD remediation and neutralization techniques

• Neuro-technology and neuroscience research, tools and applications

• Modeling of biological systems; biomimetic and bio-inspired technologies

• New ways to assess, optimize, and restore human performance

• Bioelectronic and biophotonic interfaces

• New methods for direct manipulation and control of biomaterials

• Combat casualty care techniques

• Advanced training technologies

• Robotic and autonomous technologies https://www.fbo.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.darpa.mil/Our_Work/DSO/Programs/

• Materials science research

• Quantum science and technologies

• Power and energy research

• Applied mathematics

• Advanced technologies for manufacturing

• Radically new ways of conducting scientific research

II. AWARD INFORMATION

Multiple awards are anticipated. The amount of resources made available under this BAA will depend on the quality of the proposals received and the availability of funds.

The Government reserves the right to select for negotiation all, some, one, or none of the proposals received in response to this solicitation, and to make awards without discussions with proposers. The Government also reserves the right to conduct discussions if it is later determined to be necessary. If warranted, portions of resulting awards may be segregated into pre-priced options. Additionally, DARPA reserves the right to accept proposals in their entirety or to select only portions of proposals for award.

In the event that DARPA desires to award only portions of a proposal, negotiations may be opened with that proposer. The Government reserves the right to fund proposals in phases with options for continued work at the end of one or more of the phases.

Awards under this BAA will be made to proposers on the basis of the evaluation criteria listed below (see section labeled “Application Review Information”, Sec. V.), and program balance to provide overall value to the Government. The Government reserves the right to request any additional, necessary documentation once it makes the award instrument determination. Such additional information may include but is not limited to Representations and Certifications. The Government reserves the right to remove proposers from award consideration should the parties fail to reach agreement on award terms, conditions and cost/price within a reasonable time or the proposer fails to timely provide requested additional information. Proposals identified for negotiation may result in a procurement contract, grant, cooperative agreement, or other transaction, depending upon the nature of the work proposed, the required degree of interaction between parties, whether or not the research is classified as Fundamental Research, and other factors.

In all cases, the Government contracting officer shall have sole discretion to select award instrument type and to negotiate all instrument terms and conditions with selectees.

Proposers are advised that if they propose grants or cooperative agreements, DARPA may select other award instruments, as it deems appropriate. DARPA will apply publication or other restrictions, as necessary, if it determines that the research resulting from the proposed effort will present a high likelihood of disclosing performance characteristics of military systems or manufacturing technologies that are unique and critical to defense. Any award resulting from such a determination will include a requirement for DARPA permission before publishing any information or results on the program. For more information on publication restrictions, see the section below on Fundamental Research.

Fundamental Research

It is DoD policy that the publication of products of fundamental research will remain unrestricted to the maximum extent possible. National Security Decision Directive (NSDD) 189 established the national policy for controlling the flow of scientific, technical, and engineering information produced in federally funded fundamental research at colleges, universities, and laboratories. The Directive defines fundamental research as follows:

Fundamental research' means basic and applied research in science and engineering, the results of which ordinarily are published and shared broadly within the scientific community, as distinguished from proprietary research and from industrial development, design, production, and product utilization, the results of which ordinarily are restricted for proprietary or national security reasons.

As of the date of publication of this BAA, the Government expects that program goals as described herein may be met by proposers intending to perform fundamental research.

The Government does not anticipate applying publication restrictions of any kind to individual awards for fundamental research that may result from this BAA.

Notwithstanding this statement of expectation, the Government is not prohibited from considering and selecting research proposals that, while perhaps not qualifying as fundamental research under the foregoing definition, still meet the BAA criteria for submissions. If proposals are selected for award that offer a solution means other than fundamental research, the Government will either work with the proposer to modify the proposed statement of work to bring the research back into line with fundamental research or else the proposer will agree to restrictions in order to receive an award.

Proposers should indicate in their proposal whether they believe the scope of the research included in their proposal is fundamental or not. While proposers should clearly explain the intended results of their research, the Government shall have sole discretion to select award instrument type and to negotiate all instrument terms and conditions with selectees. Appropriate clauses will be included in resultant awards for non-fundamental research to prescribe publication requirements and other restrictions, as appropriate.

For certain research projects, it may be possible that although the research being performed by the prime contractor is restricted research, a subcontractor may be conducting contracted fundamental research. In those cases, it is the prime contractor’s responsibility to explain in their proposal why its subcontractor’s effort is contracted fundamental research.

The following statement or similar provision will be incorporated into any resultant non-fundamental research procurement contract or other transaction:

There shall be no dissemination or publication, except within and between the contractor and any subcontractors, of information developed under this contract or contained in the reports to be furnished pursuant to this contract without prior written approval of DARPA’s Public Release Center (DARPA/PRC). All technical reports will be given proper review by appropriate authority to determine which Distribution Statement is to be applied prior to the initial distribution of these reports by the contractor. With regard to subcontractor proposals for Contracted Fundamental Research, papers resulting from unclassified contracted fundamental research are exempt from prepublication controls and this review requirement, pursuant to DoD Instruction 5230.27 dated October 6, 1987.

When submitting material for written approval for open publication, the contractor/awardee must submit a request for public release to the PRC and include the following information: (1) Document Information: document title, document author, short plain-language description of technology discussed in the material (approx. 30 words), number of pages (or minutes of video) and document type (e.g., briefing, report, abstract, article, or paper); (2) Event Information: event type (conference, principal investigator meeting, article or paper), event date, desired date for DARPA's approval;

(3) DARPA Sponsor: DARPA Program Manager, DARPA office, and contract number;

and (4) Contractor/Awardee's Information: POC name, e-mail and phone. Allow four weeks for processing; due dates under four weeks require a justification. Unusual electronic file formats may require additional processing time. Requests may be sent either by e-mail to prc@darpa.mil, by U.S. mail to 675 North Randolph Street, Arlington VA 22203-2114, or by telephone (571) 218-4235. Refer to the following for link for information about DARPA’s public release process:

http://www.darpa.mil/NewsEvents/Public_Release_Center/Public_Release_Center.aspx.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants

All responsible sources capable of satisfying the Government's needs may submit a proposal that shall be considered by DARPA.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Small Businesses, Small Disadvantaged Businesses and Minority Institutions (MIs) are encouraged to submit proposals and join others in submitting proposals; however, no portion of this announcement will be set aside for these organizations’ participation due to the impracticality of reserving discrete or severable areas of this research for exclusive competition among these entities.

Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) and Government entities (e.g., Government/National laboratories, military educational institutions, etc.)

are subject to applicable direct competition limitations and cannot propose to this BAA in any capacity unless they meet the following conditions: (1) FFRDCs must clearly demonstrate that the proposed work is not otherwise available from the private sector.

(2) FFRDCs must provide a letter on official letterhead from their sponsoring mailto:prc@darpa.mil http://www.darpa.mil/NewsEvents/Public_Release_Center/Public_Release_Center.aspx organization citing the specific authority establishing their eligibility to propose to Government solicitations and compete with industry, and their compliance with the associated FFRDC sponsor agreement and terms and conditions. This information is required for FFRDCs proposing to be prime contractors or subcontractors. Government entities must clearly demonstrate that the work is not otherwise available from the private sector and provide written documentation citing the specific statutory authority and contractual authority, if relevant, establishing their ability to propose to Government solicitations. At the present time, DARPA does not consider 15 U.S.C. § 3710a to be sufficient legal authority to show eligibility. While 10 U.S.C.§ 2539b may be the appropriate statutory starting point for some entities, specific supporting regulatory guidance, together with evidence of agency approval, will still be required to fully establish eligibility. DARPA will consider FFRDC eligibility submissions on a case-by-case basis; however, the burden to prove eligibility for all team members rests solely with the proposer.

Non-U.S. organizations and/or individuals may participate to the extent that such participants comply with any necessary nondisclosure agreements, security regulations, export control laws, and other governing statutes applicable under the circumstances.

B. Procurement Integrity, Standards of Conduct, Ethical Considerations, and

Organizational Conflicts of Interest

Current federal employees are prohibited from participating in particular matters involving conflicting financial, employment, and representational interests (18 U.S.C. §§ 203, 205, and 208). Once the proposals have been received, and prior to the start of proposal evaluations, the Government will assess potential conflicts of interest and will promptly notify the proposer if any appear to exist. The Government assessment does NOT affect, offset, or mitigate the proposer’s responsibility to give full notice and planned mitigation for all potential organizational conflicts, as discussed below.

Without prior approval or a waiver from the DARPA Director, in accordance with FAR 9.503, a contractor cannot simultaneously provide scientific, engineering, technical assistance (SETA) or similar support and also be a technical performer. As part of the proposal submission, all members of the proposed team (prime proposers, proposed subcontractors, and consultants) must affirm whether they (their organizations and individual team members) are providing SETA or similar support to any DARPA technical office(s) through an active contract or subcontract. All affirmations must state which office(s) the proposer, subcontractor, consultant, or individual supports and identify the prime contract number(s). All facts relevant to the existence or potential existence of organizational conflicts of interest (FAR 9.5) must be disclosed. The disclosure must include a description of the action the proposer has taken or proposes to take to avoid, neutralize, or mitigate such conflict. If in the sole opinion of the Government after full consideration of the circumstances, a proposal fails to fully disclose potential conflicts of interest and/or any identified conflict situation cannot be effectively mitigated, the proposal will be rejected without technical evaluation and withdrawn from further consideration for award.

If a prospective proposer believes a conflict of interest exists or may exist (whether organizational or otherwise) or has questions on what constitutes a conflict of interest, the proposer should send his/her contact information and a summary of the potential conflict to DARPA-BAA-13-20@darpa.mil before time and effort are expended in preparing a proposal and mitigation plan.

C. Cost Sharing/Matching

Cost sharing is not required; however, it will be carefully considered where there is an applicable statutory condition relating to the selected funding instrument (e.g., for any Other Transactions under the authority of 10 U.S.C. § 2371). Cost sharing is encouraged where there is a reasonable probability of a potential commercial application related to the proposed research and development effort.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Address to Request Application Package

This solicitation contains all information required to submit a proposal. No additional forms, kits, or other materials are needed. This notice constitutes the total solicitation.

No additional information is available, except as provided at https://www.FBO.gov or http://www.grants.gov, nor will a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) or additional solicitation regarding this announcement be issued. Requests for the same will be disregarded.

B. Content and Form of Application Submission

1. Security and Proprietary Issues

NOTE: If proposals are classified, the proposals must indicate the classification level of not only the proposal itself, but also the anticipated award document classification level.

The Government anticipates proposals submitted under this BAA will be unclassified.

However, if a proposal is submitted as “Classified National Security Information” as defined by Executive Order 13526, then the information must be marked and protected as though classified at the appropriate classification level and then submitted to DARPA for a final classification determination.

Security classification guidance via a DD Form 254, “DoD Contract Security Classification Specification,” will not be provided at this time, since DARPA is soliciting ideas only. After reviewing the incoming proposals, if a determination is made that the award instrument may result in access to classified information, a DD Form 254 will be issued and attached as part of the award.

https://www.fbo.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/

Proposers choosing to submit a classified proposal from other classified sources must first receive permission from the respective Original Classification Authority in order to use their information in replying to this BAA. Applicable classification guide(s) should also be submitted to ensure the proposal is protected at the appropriate classification level.

Classified submissions shall be appropriately and conspicuously marked with the proposed classification level and declassification date. Submissions requiring DARPA to make a final classification determination shall be marked as follows:

CLASSIFICATION DETERMINATION PENDING. Protect as though classified (insert the recommended classification level: (e.g., Top Secret, Secret or Confidential)

Classified submissions shall be in accordance with the following guidance:

Confidential and Secret Collateral Information: Use classification and marking guidance provided by previously issued security classification guides, the DoD Information Security Manual (DoDM 5200.01, Volumes 1 - 4), and the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (DoD 5220.22-M) when marking and transmitting information previously classified by another Original Classification Authority. Classified information at the Confidential and Secret level may be submitted via ONE of the two following methods:

1. Hand-carried by an appropriately cleared and authorized courier to the DARPA CDR. Prior to traveling, the courier shall contact the DARPA CDR at 703-526-4052 to coordinate arrival and delivery.

OR

2. Mailed via appropriate U.S. Postal Service methods (e.g., (USPS)

Registered Mail or USPS Express Mail). All classified information will be enclosed in opaque inner and outer covers and double wrapped. The inner envelope shall be sealed and plainly marked with the assigned classification and addresses of both sender and addressee.

The inner envelope shall be addressed to:

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency

ATTN: DSO

Reference: DARPA-BAA-13-20 675 North Randolph Street Arlington, VA 22203-2114

The outer envelope shall be sealed with no identification as to the classification of its contents and addressed to:

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Security & Intelligence Directorate, Attn: CDR

All Top Secret materials: Top Secret information should be hand carried by an appropriately cleared and authorized courier to the DARPA CDR. Prior to traveling, the courier shall contact the DARPA CDR at 703-526-4052 to coordinate arrival and delivery.

Special Access Program (SAP) Information: SAP information must be transmitted via approved methods. Prior to transmitting SAP information, contact the DARPA SAPCO at 703-526-4052 for instructions.

Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI): SCI must be transmitted via approved methods. Prior to transmitting SCI, contact the DARPA Special Security Office (SSO) at 703-526-4052 for instructions.

Proprietary Data: All proposals containing proprietary data should have the cover page and each page containing proprietary data clearly marked as containing proprietary data. It is the proposer’s responsibility to clearly define to the Government what is considered proprietary data.

Proposers must have existing and in-place prior to execution of an award, approved capabilities (personnel and facilities) to perform research and development at the classification level they propose. It is the policy of DARPA to treat all proposals as competitive information, and to disclose their contents only for the purpose of evaluation. Proposals will not be returned. The original of each proposal received will be retained at DARPA and all other non-required copies destroyed. A certification of destruction may be requested, provided the formal request is received at this office within 5 days after unsuccessful notification.

2. White Paper Submission Information

Proposers who choose to use white papers are strongly encouraged to submit a white paper in advance of a full proposal. This procedure is intended to minimize unnecessary effort in proposal preparation and review. The time and date for submission of white papers is specified in Section 6.a. below. DARPA will acknowledge receipt of the submission and assign a control number that should be used in all further correspondence regarding the white paper. White papers may not be submitted by fax or e-mail; any so sent will be disregarded.

For White Papers Being Submitted as Hard Copies/On CD-ROM:

Proposers must submit an original hardcopy and one (1) electronic copy of the white paper in PDF (preferred) on a CD-ROM to the mailing address listed in Part I. Each copy must be clearly labeled with DARPA-BAA-13-20, proposer organization, technical point of contact, and proposal title (short title recommended).

For Proposers Submitting White Papers to a DARPA-approved Proposal Submission Website (Not Submitting Hard Copies/CD-ROM):

White Papers sent in response to DARPA-BAA-13-20 may be submitted via DSO’s BAA Website (https://dsobaa.darpa.mil). Visit the website to register for an account (via the “Register your Organization” link along the left side of the homepage), view submission instructions, and upload/finalize the white paper. All submissions must be compressed and encrypted as described below. Proposers using the DSO BAA Website may encounter heavy traffic on the submission deadline date; it is highly advised that submission process be started as early as possible.

All white papers submitted electronically through a DARPA-approved proposal submission website (not including Grants.gov) must be encrypted using WinZip 'compatible' 256-bit key AES ZIP format. Only one zipped/encrypted file will be accepted per white paper and white papers not zipped/encrypted will be rejected by DARPA. An encryption password form must be completed and e-mailed to DARPA-BAA-13-20@darpa.mil at the time of proposal submission. See https://dsobaa.darpa.mil for the encryption password form.

Note the word “PASSWORD” must appear in the subject line of the above e-mail and there are minimum security requirements for establishing the encryption password.

Failure to provide the encryption password will result in the proposal not being evaluated. For further information and instructions on how to zip and encrypt White Paper files, see https://dsobaa.darpa.mil. Technical support for DSO’s BAA Website may be reached at dsobaahelp@darpa.mil, and is typically available during regular business hours, Monday – Friday.

3. Full Proposal Submission Information

The typical proposal should express a consolidated effort in support of one or more related technical concepts or ideas. Disjointed efforts should not be included into a single proposal. Full proposals may not be submitted by fax or e-mail; any so sent will be disregarded. Full Proposals not meeting the format described in the BAA may not be reviewed.

https://dsobaa.darpa.mil/ https://dsobaa.darpa.mil/ mailto:dsobaahelp@darpa.mil

For Proposers Submitting Full Proposals as Hard Copies/ On CD-ROM:

Proposers must submit an original hardcopy and one (1) electronic copy of the full proposal [in PDF format (preferred)] on a CD-ROM to the mailing address listed in Part I. Each copy must be clearly labeled with DARPA-BAA-13-20, proposer organization, proposal title (short title recommended).

For Proposers Requesting Grants or Cooperative Agreements:

Proposers requesting grants or cooperative agreements may submit proposals through one of the following methods: (1) hard copy mailed directly to DARPA; or (2) electronic upload per the instructions at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp.

Grant or cooperative agreement proposals may not be submitted through any other means (including https://dsobaa.darpa.mil and other comparable systems). If proposers intend to use Grants.gov as their means of submission, then they must submit their entire proposal through Grants.gov; applications cannot be submitted in part to Grants.gov and in part as a hard-copy. Proposers using Grants.gov do not submit hardcopy proposals in addition to Grants.gov electronic submission.

Grants.gov requires proposers to complete a one-time registration process before a proposal can be electronically submitted. If proposers have not previously registered, this process can take between three business days and four weeks. See the Grants.gov registration checklist at http://www.grants.gov/assets/organizationregcheck_092112.pdf for registration requirements and instructions.

Once Grants.gov has received a proposal submission, Grants.gov will send two e-mail messages to advise proposers as to whether or not their proposals have been validated or rejected by the system; IT MAY TAKE UP TO TWO DAYS TO RECEIVE THESE E-MAILS. The first e-mail will confirm receipt of the proposal by the Grants.gov system; this e-mail only confirms receipt, not acceptance, of the proposal. The second will indicate that the application has been successfully validated by the system prior to transmission to the grantor agency or has been rejected due to errors. If the proposal is validated, then the proposer has successfully submitted their proposal. If the proposal is rejected, the proposal must be corrected and resubmitted before DARPA can retrieve it.

If the solicitation is no longer open, the rejected proposal cannot be resubmitted. Once the proposal is retrieved by DARPA, the proposer will receive a third e-mail from Grants.gov. To avoid missing deadlines, proposers should submit their proposals in advance of the final proposal due date with sufficient time to receive confirmations and correct any errors in the submission process through Grants.gov. For more information on submitting proposals to Grants.gov, visit the Grants.gov submissions page at:

http://grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp.

Upload two separate documents, Volume I, Technical and Management Proposal and Volume II, the Cost Proposal as attachments to the application package. No other Grants.gov forms are required. Please note that Grants.gov does not accept zipped or http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp https://dsobaa.darpa.mil/ http://www.grants.gov/assets/organizationregcheck_092112.pdf http://grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp encrypted proposals. More detailed instructions for using Grants.gov can be found on the Grants.gov website.

Proposers electing to submit grant or cooperative agreement proposals as hard copies must complete the SF 424 R&R form (Application for Federal Assistance, Research and Related) available on the Grants.gov website http://www07.grants.gov/agencies/forms_instruction_information.jsp. Technical support for Grants.gov submissions may be reached at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov.

Please note that due to DARPA security policies, submitters to Grants.gov will still need to visit https://dsobaa.darpa.mil to register their organization concurrently and are also required to send in a password form via e-mail to the address listed in Part I to ensure the DSO BAA office can verify the security of their submission.

For Proposers Submitting Full Proposals to a DARPA-approved Proposal Submission Website (Not Submitting Hard Copies/CD-ROM):

Full proposals sent in response to DARPA-BAA-13-20 may be submitted via DSO’s BAA Website (https://dsobaa.darpa.mil). Visit the website to register for an account (via the “Register your Organization” link along the left side of the homepage), view submission instructions, and upload/finalize the proposal. All submissions must be compressed and encrypted as described below. Proposers using the DSO BAA Website may encounter heavy traffic on the submission deadline date; it is highly advised that submission process be started as early as possible. Classified submissions and proposals requesting assistance instruments (grants or cooperative agreements) should NOT be submitted through DSO’s BAA Website (https://dsobaa.darpa.mil), though proposers will likely still need to visit https://dsobaa.darpa.mil to register their organization (or verify an existing registration) and are also required to send in a password form via e-mail to the address listed in Part I to ensure the DSO BAA office can verify the security of their submission.

All proposals submitted electronically through a DARPA-approved proposal submission web site (not including Grants.gov) must be encrypted using WinZip 'compatible' 256-bit key AES ZIP format. Only one zipped/encrypted file will be accepted per proposal and proposals not zipped/encrypted will be rejected by DARPA. An encryption password form must be completed and e-mailed to DARPA-BAA-13-20@darpa.mil at the time of proposal submission. See https://dsobaa.darpa.mil for the encryption password form.

Note the word “PASSWORD” must appear in the subject line of the above e-mail and there are minimum security requirements for establishing the encryption password.

Failure to provide the encryption password will result in the proposal not being evaluated. For further information and instructions on how to zip and encrypt proposal files, see https://dsobaa.darpa.mil. Technical support for DSO’s BAA Website may be reached at dsobaahelp@darpa.mil, and is typically available during regular business hours (9:00 AM – 5:00 PM ET, Monday – Friday).

http://www07.grants.gov/agencies/forms_instruction_information.jsp mailto:support@grants.gov https://dsobaa.darpa.mil/ https://dsobaa.darpa.mil/ https://dsobaa.darpa.mil/ https://dsobaa.darpa.mil/ mailto:DARPA-BAA-13-20@darpa.mil https://dsobaa.darpa.mil/ mailto:dsobaahelp@darpa.mil

For All:

All administrative correspondence and questions on this solicitation, including requests for information on how to submit a white papers or full proposal to this BAA, should be directed to one of the administrative addresses below; e-mail is preferred.

BAA Administrator

ATTN: DARPA-BAA-13-20

DARPA intends to use electronic mail for correspondence regarding DARPA-BAA-13-20. White papers and full proposals may not be submitted by fax or e-mail; any so sent will be disregarded. DARPA encourages use of the Internet for retrieving the BAA and any other related information that may subsequently be provided.

4. White Paper Format

White Papers are encouraged in advance of full proposals in order to provide potential proposers with a rapid response to minimize unnecessary effort. White Papers need only include Sections I and II of the Proposal Format as stated below. No formal transmittal letter is required for white papers. A white paper should also include one summary slide (ATTACHMENT 1). Additional slides (maximum of 12) are strongly encouraged to further illustrate the need for the proposed research, technical approach, comparison to alternative approaches, and quantitative benefits. The cover sheet should be clearly marked “WHITE PAPER” and the total length should not exceed 6 pages, excluding cover page and slides. All pages shall be printed on 8-1/2 by 11 inch paper with type not smaller than 12 point. Smaller font may be used for figures, tables and charts. All white papers must be written in English.

DARPA will respond to white papers with a statement as to whether DARPA is interested in the idea. DARPA will attempt to reply to white papers in writing within thirty (30) calendar days of receipt. If DARPA does not recommend the proposer submit a full proposal, DARPA will provide detailed feedback to the proposer regarding the rationale for this decision. Regardless of DARPA’s response to an white papers, proposers may submit a full proposal. DARPA will review all full proposals submitted using the published evaluation criteria and without regard to any comments resulting from the review of a white paper.

5. Full Proposal Format

All full proposals must be in the format given below. Nonconforming proposals may be rejected without review. Proposals shall consist of two volumes. All pages shall be printed on 8-1/2 by 11 inch paper with type not smaller than 12 point. Smaller font may be used for figures, tables and charts. The page limitation for full proposals includes all figures, tables, and charts. Volume I, Technical and Management Proposal, may include an attached bibliography of relevant technical papers or research notes (published and unpublished) which document the technical ideas and approach upon which the proposal is based. Copies of not more than three (3) relevant papers may be included with the submission. The bibliography and attached papers are not included in the page counts given below. The submission of other supporting materials along with the proposals is strongly discouraged and will not be considered for review. Volume I, Technical and Management Proposal, shall not exceed 30 pages. All full proposals must be written in English.

a. Volume I, Technical and Management Proposal

Section I. Administrative

A. Cover sheet to include:

(1) BAA number (DARPA-BAA-13-20);

(2) Technical area;

(3) Lead Organization submitting proposal;

(4) Type of business, selected among the following categories: “LARGE

BUSINESS”, “SMALL DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS”, “OTHER SMALL

BUSINESS”, “HBCU”, “MI”, “EDUCATIONAL”, “NON PROFIT” OR “NOT-

FOR-PROFIT”;

(5) Proposer’s reference number (if any);

(6) Other team members (if applicable) and type of business for each;

(7) Proposal title;

(8) Technical point of contact (Program Manager or Principle Investigator) to include: salutation, last name, first name, street address, city, state, zip code, telephone, fax, e-mail

(9) Contracting Officer or Grant Officer to include: salutation, last name, first name, street address, city, state, zip code, telephone, fax, e-mail;

(10) Total funds requested from DARPA, separated by Base Award and Options (if any), and the amount of cost share (if any); AND

(11) Date proposal was submitted.

B. Official transmittal letter. (Note: An Official Transmittal Letter is not required when submitting a White Paper)

Section II. Summary of Proposal

Section II shall not exceed 5 pages.

A. Innovative claims for the proposed research. This section is the centerpiece of the proposal and should succinctly describe the uniqueness and benefits of the proposed approach relative to the current state-of-art alternate approaches.

B. Deliverables associated with the proposed research and the plans and capability to accomplish technology transition and commercialization. Include in this section all proprietary claims to the results, prototypes, intellectual property, or systems supporting and/or necessary for the use of the research, results, and/or prototype.

If there are no proprietary claims, this should be stated. For forms to be completed regarding intellectual property, see Section VIII. There will be no page limit for the listed forms.

C. Technical rationale, technical approach, and constructive plan for accomplishment of technical goals in support of innovative claims and deliverable production. (In the full proposal, this section should be supplemented by a more detailed plan in Section III.)

D. General discussion of other research in this area.

E. A clearly defined organization chart for the program team which includes, as applicable: (1) the programmatic relationship of team member; (2) the unique capabilities of team members; (3) the task of responsibilities of team members;

(4) the teaming strategy among the team members; and (5) the key personnel along with the amount of effort to be expended by each person during each year.

F. A plan to disseminate research results to the broader stakeholders of federally funded research. The stakeholders may include the public, DoD contractor community, research community, etc. Research results include preprints, peer reviewed publications, as well as software and data generated as part of the effort.

Use of open access journals and archives committed to broader access are encouraged for publication of results of fundamental research.

Section III. Detailed Proposal Information

Section III shall not exceed 25 pages.

A. Statement of Work (SOW) - In plain English, clearly define the technical tasks/subtasks to be performed, their durations, and dependencies among them.

The page length for the SOW will be dependent on the amount of the effort. The SOW must not include proprietary information. For each task/subtask, provide:

• A general description of the objective (for each defined task/activity);

• A detailed description of the approach to be taken to accomplish each defined task/activity);

• Identification of the primary organization responsible for task execution (prime, sub, team member, by name, etc.);

• The completion criteria for each task/activity - a product, event or milestone that defines its completion;

• Define all deliverables (reporting, data, reports, software, etc.) to be provided to the Government in support of the proposed research tasks/activities; and

• Clearly identify any tasks/subtasks (prime or subcontracted) that will be accomplished on-campus at a university.

Note: It is recommended that the SOW should be developed so that each Phase of the program is separately defined. Do not include any proprietary information in the SOW.

B. Description of the results, products, transferable technology, and expected technology transfer path enhancing that of Section II. B. This should also address mitigation of life-cycle and sustainment risks associated with transitioning intellectual property for U.S. military applications, if applicable. See also Section VIII, “Intellectual Property.”

C. Detailed technical approach enhancing and completing that of Section II.

D. Comparison with other ongoing research indicating advantages and disadvantages of the proposed effort.

E. Discussion of proposer’s previous accomplishments and work in closely related research areas.

F. Description of the facilities that would be used for the proposed effort.

G. Detail support enhancing that of Section II, including formal teaming agreements which are required to execute this program.

H. Cost, schedules and measurable milestones for the proposed research, including estimates of cost for each task in each year of the effort delineated by the primes and major subcontractors, total cost, and any company cost share. (Note:

Measurable milestones should capture key development points in tasks and should be clearly articulated and defined in time relative to start of effort.)

Where the effort consists of multiple portions which could reasonably be partitioned for purposes of funding, these should be identified as options with separate cost estimates for each. Additionally, proposals should clearly explain the technical approach(es) that will be employed to meet or exceed each program metric and provide ample justification as to why the approach(es) is/are feasible.

The milestones must not include proprietary information.

Section IV. Additional Information (Note: Does not count towards page limit)

A brief bibliography of relevant technical papers and research notes (published and unpublished) which document the technical ideas upon which the proposal is based.

Copies of not more than three (3) relevant papers can be included in the submission.

b. Volume II, Cost Proposal – {No Page Limit}

All proposers, including FFRDCs, must submit the following:

A. Cover sheet to include:

(1) BAA number (DARPA-BAA-13-20);

(2) Technical area;

(3) Lead Organization submitting proposal;

(4) Type of business, selected among the following categories: “LARGE

BUSINESS”, “SMALL DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS”, “OTHER SMALL

BUSINESS”, “HBCU”, “MI”, “OTHER EDUCATIONAL”, OR “OTHER

NONPROFIT”;

(5) Proposer’s reference number (if any);

(6) Other team members (if applicable) and type of business for each;

(7) Proposal title;

(8) Technical point of contact (Program Manager or Principle Investigator) to include: salutation, last name, first name, street address, city, state, zip code, telephone, fax, e-mail

(9) Contracting Officer or Grant Officer to include: salutation, last name, first name, street address, city, state, zip code, telephone, fax, e-mail;

(10) Award instrument requested: cost-plus-fixed-fee (CPFF), cost-contract—no fee, cost sharing contract – no fee, or other type of procurement contract (specify), grant, cooperative agreement, or other transaction;

(11) Place(s) and period(s) of performance;

(12) Total proposed cost separated by basic award and option(s) (if any);

(13) Name, address, and telephone number of the proposer’s cognizant Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) administration office or ONR office;

(14) Name, address, and telephone number of the proposer’s cognizant Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) audit office;

(15) Date proposal was prepared;

(16) DUNS number;

(17) TIN number;

(18) CAGE Code; and

(19) Proposal validity period

Note that nonconforming proposals may be rejected without review.

For proposers without a DCAA-approved cost accounting system who are proposing negotiation of a cost-type contract, SF 1408. To facilitate this process, the second page of the form must be submitted with your proposal in order for your submission to be deemed conforming to this solicitation. The SF 1408 form can be found at http://www.gsa.gov/portal/forms/download/115778.

B. The proposers cost volume shall provide cost and pricing data, or other than cost or pricing data in sufficient detail to substantiate the program price proposed (e.g., realism and reasonableness). All pages shall be printed on 8-1/2 by 11 inch paper http://www.gsa.gov/portal/forms/download/115778 with type not smaller than 12 point. No smaller font may be used. In doing so, the proposal shall provide a detailed cost breakdown by major program tasks by government fiscal year, by phase and calendar fiscal year. See Appendix A and B for sample cost element summary sheets. The breakdown shall include:

(1) Total program cost broken down by major cost items:

a. Direct Labor – Including individual labor categories with associated labor hours and direct labor rates;

b. Consultants – If consultants are to be used, proposer must provide a copy of the consultant’s proposed SOW as well as a signed consultant agreement or other document which verifies the proposed loaded daily / hourly rate, hours and any other proposed consultant costs (e.g., travel);

c. Indirect Costs – Including Fringe Benefits, Overhead, General and Administrative Expense, Cost of Money, Fee, etc. (must show base amount and rate);

d. Travel – Provide the purpose of the trip, number of trips, number of days per trip, departure and arrival destinations, number of people, etc.;

e. Other Direct Costs – Itemized with costs; back-up documentation is to be submitted to support proposed costs;

f. Equipment Purchases – Itemization with costs, including quantities, unit prices, proposed vendors (if known), and the basis of estimate (e.g., quotes, prior purchases, catalog price lists, etc.); any item that exceeds $5,000 must be supported with back-up documentation such as a copy of catalog price lists or quotes prior to purchase; (NOTE: For equipment purchases, include a letter stating why the proposer cannot provide the requested resources from its own funding);

g. Materials – Itemization with costs, including quantities, unit prices, proposed vendors (if known), and the basis of estimate (e.g., quotes, prior purchases, catalog price lists, etc.); any item that exceeds $5,000 must be supported with back-up documentation such as a copy of catalog price lists or quotes prior to purchase; and

h. Major program tasks by Government Fiscal Year (GFY = Oct 1 – 30 Sep).

(2) A summary of total program costs by phase and task;

(3) A summary of projected funding requirements by month;

(4) A priced Bill-of-Materials (BOM) clearly identifying, for each item proposed, the source of the unit price (i.e., vendor quote, engineering estimate, etc.) and the type of property (i.e., material, equipment, special test equipment, plant equipment, information technology (IT)1, for each computer hardware cost, computer software cost, and other related costs such as computer maintenance fees or support services costs (NOTE: for IT purchases, include a letter stating why the proposer cannot provide the requested resources from its own funding);

(5) An itemization of Subcontracts. All subcontractor cost proposal documentation must be prepared at the same level of detail as that required of the prime. Subcontractor proposals should include Interdivisional Work Transfer Agreements (IWTA) or evidence of similar arrangements;

(6) The source, nature, and amount of any industry cost-sharing. Where the effort consists of multiple portions which could reasonably be partitioned for purposes of funding, these should be identified as options with separate cost estimates for each; and

(7)…