DARPA-BAA-16-31-Amendment-02.pdf

DARPA-BAA-16-31

Broad Agency Announcement Innovative Systems for Military Missions

Tactical Technology Office

DARPA-BAA-16-31

April 28, 2016

AMENDMENT 2

Contents

PART I: OVERVIEW INFORMATION

PART II: FULL TEXT OF ANNOUNCEMENT

I. Funding Opportunity Description A. Program Overview B. TTO Mission and Strategy C. Detailed Description of TTO Focus Areas

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

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 C. Reporting D. Electronic Systems

VII. Agency Contacts VIII. Other Information

A. Intellectual Property Procurement Contract Proposers B. Non-Procurement Contract Proposers – Noncommercial and Commercial Items (Technical Data and Computer Software) C. All Proposers – Patents D. All Proposers – Intellectual Property Representations

PART I: OVERVIEW INFORMATION

Federal Agency Name – Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Tactical Technology Office (TTO)

Funding Opportunity Title – Innovative Systems for Military Missions Announcement Type – Initial Announcement Funding Opportunity Number – DARPA-BAA-16-31 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers (CFDA) – 12.910

Research and Technology Development Dates o Posting Date: 28 April 2016 o Proposal Due Date: 4 PM Eastern Time on 12 June 2017

Concise description of the funding opportunity – The Tactical Technology Office of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is soliciting executive summaries, white papers and proposals for advanced research, development and demonstration of innovative systems for military missions.

Anticipated individual awards – Multiple awards are anticipated.

Types of instruments that may be awarded -- Procurement (FAR-based) contract, grant, cooperative agreement or other transaction.

Agency contact – The BAA Coordinator for this effort can be reached via:

DARPA-BAA-16-31@darpa.mil

DARPA/Tactical Technology Office

ATTN: DARPA-BAA-16-31

675 North Randolph Street Arlington, VA 22203-2114

PHONE: (703) 248-1512

mailto:DARPA-BAA-16-31@darpa.mil

PART II: FULL TEXT OF ANNOUNCEMENT

I. Funding Opportunity Description

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency 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.

This BAA will first appear on the Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) website, https://www.fbo.gov/, and the Grants.gov website at http://www.grants.gov/. It will then appear on the agency website, http://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/opportunities. The following information is for those wishing to respond to the BAA.

A. Program Overview

The Tactical Technology Office (TTO) of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting executive summaries, white papers and proposals for advanced research, development and demonstration of innovative systems for military missions. Innovative systems are platforms, weapons, integrated systems or critical systems components that often incorporate emerging advanced technologies and enable revolutionary improvements to the capability, efficiency and effectiveness of the military.

TTO seeks responses relating to the following Focus Areas:

1. Ground Systems

a. Soldier/Squad Technologies

b. Combat Vehicles

c. Tactical Operations in Urban and Complex Environments

2. Maritime/Undersea Systems

a. Expanded Platform Performance and Cross Domain Applications

b. Defense of Maritime Forces

3. Air Systems

a. Novel Air Vehicles

b. Hypersonic Platforms

4. Space Systems

a. Spacecraft Technologies

b. Space Situational Awareness

c. Systems for Access

d. Future Space Operations and Architectures https://www.fbo.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/opportunities http://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/opportunities

This solicitation focuses on the very high payoff, high risk development, integration, demonstration, and evaluation of innovative systems or critical systems components enabled by, and incorporating, new or emerging technologies. Proposed efforts must also show significant promise to provide the U.S. military with revolutionary new mission capabilities, enable significant increases in mission effectiveness, or dramatically reduce system costs.

Innovative system concepts of interest for TTO typically address emerging technical opportunities, advanced systems concepts, emergent threats, or new technology-enabled concepts of operation. TTO strongly encourages proposers to adopt a complete systems engineering approach to the problems. Proposers must address life cycle costs when considering mission application. Proposers should address agile systems development (time focused) approaches as part of their systems approach.

The submission of an executive summary and white paper is an opportunity for proposers to have DARPA review their proposed technical concept and receive feedback regarding the relevance of their idea to the TTO mission. Proposers are strongly encouraged to initially submit a one (1) page executive summary describing the technology area, the key technical innovation, and new ideas of interest prior to submitting a white paper or proposal. Executive summaries will be reviewed as they are received. Based on a favorable review of an executive summary, proposers will be encouraged to submit a six (6) page white paper describing the proposed concept prior to submitting a full proposal. A DARPA Program Manager may contact you to further discuss the idea in your executive summary or white paper. This procedure is intended to minimize unnecessary cost and effort in proposal preparation and review; however, submission of an executive summary and/or white paper is not required prior to submitting a full proposal.

Proposers are encouraged to review and monitor TTO’s public website at http://www.darpa.mil/about-us/offices/tto in order to better understand past and current TTO mission systems development efforts.

For the purposes of this BAA, relevance to the TTO mission applies to all submissions and is evaluated as follows:

1. The proposed technical effort is evaluated as applicable to the Focus Areas.

2. The submission is important to TTO’s areas of responsibility as outlined in this

Broad Agency Announcement (BAA).

3. The submission is structured to produce a TTO systems-level demonstration or product.

4. The submission substantiates a revolutionary military capability within the TTO portfolio.

5. The proposed approach clearly identifies current limitations that will be overcome.

6. The submission identifies barriers to implementing new operational concepts and postulates solutions.

http://www.darpa.mil/about-us/offices/tto

7. The proposed effort conveys technology significantly beyond the state-of-the-art.

8. The submitted work provides sufficient information to assess the technical performance claims which enable new capabilities beyond the state-of-the-art.

The determination of relevance to the TTO mission need not be based on a detailed technical evaluation of the submission, but may take into account the technical risks of the proposed work. Executive summaries and white papers that are determined not to be relevant per the above description will receive a “No Interest” or “Discourage” letter. All full proposals must first be deemed acceptable under the evaluation criterion “Potential Contribution and Relevance to the DARPA/TTO Mission” (see Section V.A) in order to receive a full review. Proposals that are determined not to be relevant to the TTO mission or which fall outside of areas outlined in this BAA will receive a “Non- Responsive” letter.

TTO will respond to executive summaries with a letter of “Interest” or “No Interest” in the topic based on relevance to the TTO mission and interest in the technology topic. A letter of interest will encourage the submission of a white paper.

Otherwise, a letter discouraging submission of a white paper will be sent to the proposer.

TTO will respond to white papers with a letter encouraging or discouraging the submission of a full proposal. This recommendation will be based on the proposed effort’s relevance to the TTO mission, a preliminary assessment of the scientific or technical merit, and interest in the technology concept.

All proposals deemed “Relevant to the DARPA/TTO Mission” in accordance with Section V.A will be fully reviewed and evaluated. The submission of an executive summary or white paper, or a favorable review of an executive summary or white paper, is not required prior to submitting a proposal.

A favorable response to an executive summary or white paper is not an assurance that a full proposal on the executive summary or white paper’s topic will ultimately be selected for contract award.

During the open period of this solicitation, TTO may publish amendments to this solicitation to seek executive summaries, white papers and proposals for special and/or specific topics. Proposers are encouraged to monitor FedBizOpps (http://www.fedbizopps.gov) or Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) for such modifications to DARPA TTO DARPA-BAA-16-31.

B. TTO Mission and Strategy

1. TTO Mission

TTO will rapidly develop new prototype military capabilities that create an asymmetric technological advantage and provide U.S. forces with decisive superiority and the ability to overwhelm our opponents. TTO seeks very high payoff technology http://www.fedbizopps.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ approaches to new platforms in Ground Systems, Maritime/Undersea Systems, Air Systems, and Space Systems. TTO also focuses on the following cross-cutting themes:

autonomy/cooperative unmanned systems, cost inversion/imposition, weapons, power and propulsion, as well as agile development approaches.

2. TTO Strategy

The TTO strategy is focused on preventing and creating strategic surprise. TTO seeks global capabilities with endurance, precision, and survivability in all environments.

TTO seeks the development and demonstration of system-level technologies and prototypes which outpace projected adversary capabilities and force structures. TTO investments are structured across a range of focus areas, encompassing multiple mission domains and cross-cutting enabling capabilities:

Agile Development - TTO is interested in submissions that address “agile” software and hardware development methods as part of their systems solution. TTO's interest includes agile approaches that substantially compress technology development timelines. Demonstration and prototype technologies may emphasize rapid, and parallel development processes, novel adaptation of open systems and/or nearly mature technologies, and simulation-augmented sprint cycles. TTO is interested in use of novel materials and agile design practices such as additive manufacturing techniques for efficient design and/or fabrication of complex platform structures that cannot currently be produced by traditional means. Of special interest are agile techniques that can be cost effectively applied across all steps in system development to include: design, prototyping, engineering development, production, and sustainment.

Cost Inversion/Imposition - TTO is interested in approaches that enable reduced systems cost and lifecycle affordability. TTO seeks to develop/employ cost imposing strategies on our adversaries by demonstrating novel systems which cost much less to satisfy current and future missions against adversaries, or force adversaries to expend great resources to mitigate our new capabilities (“invert the cost equation”). As part of new system demonstrations, TTO is interested in agile time-to-market-driven approaches for systems development, which explicitly use a “design to cost” paradigm, within a fixed period of time. Such approaches should optimize the period of U.S. asymmetric advantage prior to adversary development and deployment of countermeasures.

Autonomous/Cooperative Unmanned Systems - TTO is interested in advanced autonomy across all described Focus Areas and platform systems. TTO seeks supervised autonomy and novel human-machine/machine-machine interfaces that lead to breakthrough unmanned system capabilities. These capabilities should enable cooperation in complex environments among multiple manned/unmanned teams operating across all physical domains. TTO is interested in autonomous systems and automation technologies to enhance warfighter capabilities, improve platform efficiency, reduce resources, reduce/optimize bandwidth demands, and perform critical mission tasks. TTO seeks innovation in the interaction of autonomous robotics system behaviors with sparse supervisory human control applied to combat operations. TTO has significant interest in model-based approaches to enable autonomy, swarming, counter-swarming, multi-platform coordination, and multi-modal human interaction optimized for warfighter needs. TTO seeks novel approaches for design, implementation, and assessment for offensive and defensive swarming of unmanned systems. TTO’s interest includes tactics and cooperative/non-cooperative interactions between swarms of heterogeneous platform systems. TTO is also interested in new technologies which enable rapid and/or autonomous concepts of deployment for large number swarms, addressing challenges in manpower limitations, transportation, storage, resupply, platform launch/recovery, and support infrastructure.

Weapons - TTO seeks advanced weapon technologies demonstrating non-traditional effects integrated with tailorable lethality and radical improvements in precision and/or yield at relevant effective ranges. Technologies should address high lethality within weight/range considerations as well as conformal shapes, compatibility with high-speed platforms, and other integration challenges. TTO is also interested in weapon system technologies that enable strategic and tactical engagement across all domains including time sensitive targets. TTO is interested in adaptable weapon systems, including autonomy-enabled rapid response and engagement at extremely short range without fratricide. Additionally, TTO seeks capabilities for engaging in all environments under degraded visual conditions, as well as effects that are rapidly tailorable from non-lethal through lethal and across a wide range of target hardness. The projection of effects at standoff that are easily portable for extended dismounted or light tactical vehicle missions are also of high interest.

Power and Propulsion – TTO is seeking propulsion technologies that enable new missions or deliver increased power, power density, and/or an order of magnitude increase in key performance parameters (thrust, endurance, top speed, and time on target). TTO is interested in advanced propellants of a solid and liquid nature, in terms of variable thrust, electronic control, control actuation, and novel formulations for weapons system applications. TTO seeks breakthrough, non-traditional ground vehicle propulsion technologies that promise dramatically improved power-to-weight ratios. TTO is looking for advanced propulsion, control surfaces, and maneuver techniques enabling agile and efficient flight characteristics. TTO also seeks advanced space propulsion capabilities.

TTO’s particular interest area is developmental technologies that expand the operational regions, range, and performance of space vehicles, as well as innovative power generation and propulsion for rockets and spacecraft.

TTO is explicitly not interested in approaches or technologies that make incremental or evolutionary advancements over the state-of-the-art. TTO is interested in far-reaching research, design, development, and demonstration of systems which create a decisive overmatch or asymmetric capability in accordance with the TTO mission.

Proposers should consider how things are done today and clearly show the disruptive scale/scope of the performance improvements promised by their approaches.

C. Detailed Description of TTO Focus Areas

1. Ground Systems

TTO is interested in developing systems and technologies to define the next evolution of ground combat. Interests include enhancing the capabilities of the individual soldier, small unit/squad, and ground combat/sustainment vehicles. TTO is interested in enhancing the mobility, performance, health, lethality, and survivability of individual soldiers and the ability to operate in complex environments – with a priority focused on minimizing size, weight, and power. TTO is interested in improving the aggregate performance of small units, including tactical movement, logistics, robotics, weapons, sensing, and communications. TTO is interested in developing next generation combat vehicles focused on trading or balancing total system performance against size, weight and cost, with emphasis on agility, extreme mobility, lethal and non-lethal precision, endurance, and survivability. TTO is interested in platform systems which support clandestine/low-profile special operations and leverage the advantages of speed, surprise, non-attribution, and/or precise application of overwhelming force against specified targets. TTO is also interested in defeat/counters for the range of dismounted, mounted, aerial, subterranean, and unmanned threats to forces. The integration of manned, unmanned, and autonomous systems into mixed teams and/or swarms of platforms into any aspect of ground operations is a special area of TTO interest. Key areas of interest include:

a. Soldier/Squad Technologies

1. TTO is interested in technologies that dramatically enhance the dismounted and mounted capabilities of the individual soldier and small unit/squad by an order of magnitude. Approaches are sought to improve the quality and scope of situational awareness, to include knowledge of the status of friendly forces, hostile forces, and the environment both in visual range and beyond. Of special interest are improvements in the small unit’s ability to neutralize or overwhelm opposing forces rapidly using high precision, integrated and networked munitions, advanced reactive materials, electromagnetic- and hybrid warheads, as well as precisely tailorable non-kinetic capabilities. TTO also seeks approaches to improve small unit mobility, survivability, and endurance (mounted and dismounted), especially in urban environments.

2. TTO has high interest in integrating autonomous systems with sparse supervisory human control into force application scenarios to reduce costs of manpower and operator burden/workload, enhance force protection, and/or enable distributed (vs. consolidated) operations with equivalent or improved massing of effects. Autonomous technology areas of interest include those enabling efficient human-robot/system interaction, advanced perception and control, control of swarms, enhanced security, tactical cyber effects, small unit communication, planning, and execution, as well as multi-use technologies also suitable for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief scenarios.

b. Combat Vehicles

1. TTO seeks technology innovations for combat vehicles (platforms) that disrupt traditional trades between weight, survivability, and agility, as enabled by rapid reconfiguration, disaggregation, adaptive survivability, reduced crewing, autonomous augmentation, and long-term endurance.

2. TTO is interested in revolutionary vehicle mission systems that enable effective reconnaissance in close contact to rapidly develop situational awareness, enable manned-unmanned teaming, extend standoff ranges for detection/neutralization of threats as well as precision lethal/non-lethal effects, and provide innovative thermal management and acoustic signature reduction.

c. Tactical Operations in Urban and Complex Environments

1. TTO seeks a variety of means to enhance tactical operations and mobility in megacities and complex natural environments, including the vertical dimension, below ground, throughout urban structures, and among densely foliated/forested environments. TTO also seeks capabilities to selectively and reversibly disable infrastructure and transportation platforms, effective for controlling or enabling freedom of movement.

2. TTO is interested in means to improve precise situational awareness in all environments, including detecting, tracking, and targeting of mobile/fixed threats throughout complex urban/natural environments and extreme weather.

3. TTO seeks rapidly and/or autonomously deployable capabilities that enable dynamic sensing, mapping, protection, and/or exploitation of the electromagnetic spectrum in small unit tactical operations by forces on-the-move and without requiring specialized local control.

4. TTO is interested in adaptable weapon systems, including autonomy-enabled rapid response and engagement at extremely short range without fratricide. Additionally, TTO seeks capabilities for engaging in all environments under degraded visual conditions, as well as effects that are rapidly tailorable from non-lethal through lethal and across a wide range of target hardness.

2. Maritime/Undersea Systems

TTO is interested in demonstrator platforms to test and evaluate new technologies that significantly advance functionality and radically expand the performance envelope and capabilities beyond current maritime/undersea platform operations. These technologies should explore multi-platform and cross-domain innovations, enabling easy transition and operation across aerial to surface to sub-surface domains. TTO seeks transformational platform shapes and system designs that expand operations throughout dynamic and adverse weather/sea-state conditions as well. Central themes for maritime/undersea systems include:

a. Expanded Platform Performance and Cross Domain Applications

1. TTO seeks platform technologies that enable a dramatic improvement in key operating parameters of maritime and sub-surface vessels (speed and endurance in high sea state, crush and cruising depth, etc.).

2. TTO seeks novel technologies that cost-effectively expand and bridge maritime and sub-surface platform use with other domains such as:

maritime-to-air, maritime-to-space, sub-surface-to-ground, and sub-surface-to-air.

3. TTO is interested in sea-based, unmanned air vehicles, focusing on innovative aero designs and novel launch and recovery of unmanned platforms. These new designs would expand operational reach of the maritime surface vessels with limited deck space.

4. TTO seeks sensing and control technologies to improve the ability of agile manned and unmanned vessels to operate in high sea states through wave awareness, prediction, and adaptation.

b. Defense of Maritime Forces

1. TTO seeks non-lethal approaches to disable maritime platforms that are interspersed with non-combatant surface vessels.

2. TTO is interested in advanced extended range high-speed propulsive agile torpedo engagement with reduced signatures.

3. TTO is looking for innovations in rail gun, coil gun, light gas gun, and advanced cannon technologies to propel high speed or long range projectiles.

4. TTO seeks kinetic and non-kinetic defeat of non-traditional threats and high volume precision engagement against near-peer offensive maritime systems.

3. Air Systems

TTO has an interest in a full range of hypersonic systems, novel air vehicles, and X-plane demonstrator technologies all aimed at expanding a spectrum of performance capabilities within the field of aerodynamics. These innovations may encompass air-breathing and non-air-breathing propulsion concepts, advanced rotor inventions, aerodynamic structures, thermal management, guidance, navigation, flight controls, sensors, and advanced payloads. TTO is interested in platform systems that support execution of special operations in a low-profile manner, are capable of achieving the advantage of speed and surprise in tactical environments, and can apply overwhelming force against specified targets. Air systems include augmentation of tailored lethality through the use of enhanced precision, electromagnetics, plasma, atmospherics, acoustics, intelligent projectiles, micro-robotics, variable yield capabilities, novel energetics, or reformulation of explosives. TTO is interested in technologies that enable innovative, cost effective, and efficient means to detect, track, identify, and engage low, slow, and small unmanned air vehicles within operationally relevant environments (urban, tactical, and strategic domains). Key areas of interest include:

a. Novel Air Vehicles

1. TTO is interested in technologies that support extreme range, high speed, low cost, quiet unmanned air vehicle system operations and advances in design which could enable extended loiter.

2. TTO seeks research in emergent materials, devices, and tactics for both fixed and rotary wing air vehicle applications.

3. TTO seeks novel air vehicle technologies that include, but are not limited to: vertical take-off and landing, sustained hover, and purposeful autorotation. In addition, concepts related to rotary-wing and powered-lift platforms are of interest, as well as related sub-system technologies. These may include concepts for distributed propulsion, heterogeneous power systems, and aircraft control systems. Relevant sub-systems that increase the capabilities of VTOL aircraft are also of interest, such as actuators, landing gear, downwash footprint control concepts, signatures, and maneuverability. Aircraft concepts may include manned or unmanned configurations, and span the range of weight classes.

4. TTO is interested in advanced multifunctional engines with greatly enhanced power to weight ratio, reduced specific fuel consumption, reduced parts count, and enhanced reliability.

b. Hypersonic Platforms

1. TTO seeks technologies that enable hypersonic platforms to attain a wide range of operational altitudes from sea level to low earth orbit, depending on application. These hypersonic platforms operate through moderate-to-extremely high g-loads while experiencing moderate-to-extremely high heat stresses, depending on application.

2. TTO seeks novel materials and design approaches for airframe structures that enable hypersonic air-breathing platforms, space access, and long range strike weapons. Relevant technologies include light-weight, high strength hypersonic airframe structures for fuselage, lifting surfaces, flight controls, propulsion tanks, propulsion system flow paths, etc.

3. TTO seeks new/novel materials and design approaches for thermal protection/management to enable the previously referenced hypersonic platform applications.

4. TTO is interested in advanced manufacturing technology that enables the use of new/novel aerospace materials and agile design practices for fabrication of hypersonic airframe structures, such as additive manufacturing techniques that enable the design and fabrication of complex hypersonic airframe structures that cannot currently be produced by traditional material removal machining approaches. Of notable interest are additive techniques that can be cost effectively used across all steps in system development, such as: design, prototyping, engineering development, and production.

5. TTO is interested in advanced guidance, navigation, and control technologies, which include energy management and optimal trajectory approaches for hypersonic vehicles.

4. Space Systems

TTO is interested in innovative approaches across a wide range of space technologies and concepts which will improve the resilience and enable protection and survivability of space assets. Real-time, integrated situational awareness is required for our own operations and to detect and effectively respond to threats. TTO is interested in rapid, responsive, and affordable access to all orbital regimes along with freedom of movement within these regimes. TTO’s focus on affordability includes: techniques that radically reduce launch costs, pioneering advancements in hybrid robotic/satellite technology, modular and resilient space architectures, enabling architectures that are adaptable to multiple space vehicles, and technologies that enable extreme performance in space systems. Key areas of interest include:

a. Spacecraft Technologies

1. TTO seeks advanced technologies that support existing force structure against disruption and degradation.

2. TTO is interested in technologies that reduce space operation cost, increase efficiency in space manufacturing processes, and advance space sensor and nano-micro satellite innovations that enable new military missions and capabilities. Desired innovations include technologies that can reduce the size, weight, and power of satellite subsystems that lead to dramatic improvements in space system performance. TTO is interested in advanced space-based systems, including light weight optics and structures, sparse aperture imaging systems, and algorithms to include novel imaging approaches.

b. Space Situational Awareness

1. TTO is interested in technologies and concepts of operations that enable twenty-four hours/seven days a week (24/7) space situational awareness, from search/detect/track to initial/in-depth object characterization, in all orbital regimes using multiple or new/novel phenomenologies.

2. TTO is interested in the development of advanced space situational awareness data fusion algorithms, enhancing the nation’s ability to effectively respond to threats to our space capabilities.

3. TTO is interested in the development and validation of real-time space domain awareness architectures and technologies.

c. Systems for Access

1. TTO is interested in technologies that provide a robust, reliable, affordable, and innovative means for achieving access to space. The focus is on revolutionizing the responsiveness and flexibility of space systems by introducing rapid and pervasive "aircraft-like" space access.

2. TTO is interested in technologies that advance the state-of-the-art in launch to include new propellants, additively manufactured rocket components, and other novel breakthrough technologies that enable very affordable, on-demand augmentation or reconstitution of space capabilities.

3. TTO is interested in space vehicle technologies that enable access to a wide range of altitudes and inclinations as well as highly efficient on-orbit maneuvers. TTO is interested in non-traditional orbit concepts.

TTO is interested in advanced propellants of a solid and liquid nature, in terms of variable thrust, electronic control, and novel formulation

d. Future Space Operations and Architectures

1. TTO is interested in technologies that provide increased resilience and reduced vulnerability of present and future space assets. These technologies could reside on-orbit or be capable of rapid delivery to orbit. They could also enable on-orbit replacement of modular spacecraft components leading to upgrades to current capabilities, life extensions, new missions, on-orbit assembly, depots, and on-orbit manufacturing.

2. TTO is interested in technologies that leverage on-orbit robotic systems to provide increased space system performance, throughput, affordability, and resilience.

3. TTO is interested in ideas that take advantage of robotic assembly, inspection, manipulation, upgrading, and reconfiguration.

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. In general, initial awards are anticipated to be for less than $1 million and less than 18 months duration, although options that follow the base effort may also be proposed.

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,” Section 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 provide requested additional information in a timely manner. 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. Any requests for or assumptions regarding Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) or Government Furnished Information (GFI) should be clearly stated in the proposal.

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 regardless of the instrument type proposed, DARPA personnel, in consultation with the Government contracting officer, may select other award instruments, as they deem 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 cannot identify whether the work under this BAA may be considered fundamental research and may award both fundamental and non-fundamental.

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 subawardee may be conducting fundamental research. In those cases, it is the prime contractor’s responsibility to explain in its proposal why its subawardee’s effort is 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 subawardees, 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 subawardee proposals for Fundamental Research, papers resulting from unclassified 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 DARPA/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, email 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 via email to public_release_center@darpa.mil or by mail at 675 North Randolph Street, Arlington VA 22203-2114, telephone (571) 218-4235. Refer to the following for link for information about DARPA’s public release process:

http://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/contract-management/public-release.”

III. Eligibility Information

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

A. Eligible Applicants

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;

and (2) FFRDCs must provide a letter on official letterhead from their sponsoring 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’s terms and conditions. This information is required for FFRDCs proposing to be prime contractors or subawardees. 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 and Government entity eligibility submissions on a case-by-case basis; however, the burden to prove eligibility for all team members rests solely with the proposer.

All proposers are expected to address transition (see Section IV.B.7, “Proposal Format”); transition is part of the evaluation criteria in Section V.A. However, given their special status, FFRDCs should describe how and when a proposed technology/system will transition to which Non-FFRDC organization(s).

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.

mailto:public_release_center@darpa.mil http://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/contract-management/public-release

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 subawardees, 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, subawardees, 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 via email to the BAA email address 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. §2371b). 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 FBO.gov or 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. Proprietary and Security Information

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

Prior to sending any classified submissions, performers must provide advance notification to the BAA Coordinator via DARPA-BAA-16-31@darpa.mil.

For instructions on how to provide advanced notification at an unclassified level, refer to Section IV.B.2.

DARPA policy is to treat all submissions as source selection information (see FAR 2.101 and 3.104), and to disclose their contents only for the purpose of evaluation.

Restrictive notices notwithstanding, during the evaluation process, submissions may be handled by support contractors for administrative purposes and/or to assist with technical evaluation. All DARPA support contractors performing this role are expressly prohibited from performing DARPA-sponsored technical research and are bound by appropriate nondisclosure agreements.

Submissions will not be returned. An electronic copy of each submission 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 notification that a proposal was not selected.

a. Proprietary Information Proposers are responsible for clearly identifying proprietary information.

Submissions containing proprietary information must have the cover page and each page containing such information clearly marked with a label such as “Proprietary” or “Company Proprietary.” Note, “Confidential” is a classification marking used to control the dissemination of U.S. Government National Security Information as dictated in Executive Order 13526 and should not be used to identify proprietary business information.

b. Security Information Classified submissions shall be transmitted in accordance with the following guidance. Additional information on the subjects discussed in this section may be found at http://www.dss.mil/.

http://www.dss.mil/

If a submission contains Classified National Security Information as defined by Executive Order 13526, the information must be appropriately and conspicuously marked with the proposed classification level and declassification date. Similarly, when the classification of a submission is in question, the submission must 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)”

NOTE: Classified submissions must indicate the classification level of not only the submitted materials, but also the classification level of the anticipated award.

Proposers submitting classified information must have, or be able to obtain prior to contract award, cognizant security agency approved facilities, information systems, and appropriately cleared/eligible personnel to perform at the classification level proposed. All proposer personnel performing Information Assurance (IA)/Cybersecurity related duties on classified Information Systems shall meet the requirements set forth in DoD Manual 8570.01-M (Information Assurance Workforce Improvement Program).

Proposers choosing to submit classified information from other collateral classified sources (i.e., sources other than DARPA) must ensure (1) they have permission from an authorized individual at the cognizant Government agency (e.g., Contracting Officer, Program Manager); (2) the proposal is marked in accordance with the source Security Classification Guide (SCG) from which the material is derived; and (3) the source SCG is submitted along with the proposal.

DARPA anticipates that submissions received under this BAA will be unclassified. However, should a proposer wish to submit classified information, an unclassified e-mail must be sent to the BAA mailbox requesting submission instructions (see Section IV.B.2).

Security classification guidance and direction via a Security Classification Guide (SCG) and/or DD Form 254, “DoD Contract Security Classification Specification,” will not be provided at this time, since DARPA is soliciting ideas only. If a determination is made that the award instrument may result in access to classified information, a SCG and/or DD Form 254 will be issued by DARPA and attached as part of the award.

Classified submissions shall be in accordance with the following guidance:

Confidential and Secret Information Use transmission, classification, handling, and marking guidance provided by…