ASPIS__Sole_Source_Notice_3_March_2014.pdf

DARPA-SN-14-23 Sole Source Notice for DARPA Agent-exposure Surveillance & Protection Integrated Suits (ASPIS) Project.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Contracts Management Office (CMO), in support of the Microsystems Technology Office (MTO), intends to award a sole source contract to Agentase LLC (a FLIR Systems company), 2240 William Pitt Way, Pittsburgh, PA for the Agent-exposure Surveillance & Protection Integrated Suits (ASPIS) project. The goal of ASPIS is to provide novel coatings to deliver colorimetric detection methods in both the visible and NIR that respond to sub-microgram exposure to G- and V-series nerve agents, integrated into personal protective equipment (PPE). Moreover, these coatings will hydrolyze nerve agents on PPE to reduce or eliminate the contact hazard posed to personnel when PPE is removed. Leveraging FLIRs recent advances in enzymatic detection technologies, as well as complementary research they are conducting in support of DARPA’s In Vivo Nanoplatforms program (IVN)1 program, it is envisioned that the project will, within 15 months, result in prototype self-disclosing and self-decontaminating coating technologies to the warfighter that will enhance the protective value of PPE. Existing FLIR products have already demonstrated the integration of G-series hydrolyzing enzymes with pH reactive dyes to reveal agent exposure at the sub-microgram level on multiple surface types. FLIR has also demonstrated persistent, stable coatings under the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) Hazard Mitigation, Materiel, and Equipment Restoration Advanced Technology Demonstration (HaMMER ATD, 2010), with operational lifetimes greater than 2 months, and shelf-life stability exceeding 6 months, under a wide variety of environmental conditions. The proposed contract action is for supplies or services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under authority of FAR 6.302-1 “Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.” As the developer of the underlying enzymatic detection technologies which will be heavily built upon, FLIR Systems possesses unique knowledge, capabilities, and proprietary intellectual property/data required to carry out the ASPIS research project.

This announcement constitutes the only synopsis for this requirement and is issued for notification purposes only. It is not a request for competitive proposals and no solicitation is currently available. Interested parties may identify their interest and capability to meet the requirements of this project by submitting a white paper and past performance data within fifteen

(15) days after publication of this notice, which shall be considered by the agency. All such responses shall be submitted to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, via email, to DARPA-SN-14-23@darpa.mil. Companies interested in subcontracting opportunities should contact FLIR directly.

It is also noted that DARPA MTO maintains an Office-Wide Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) seeking, among other various research topics of interest, revolutionary advances in biological & biomedical microsystems technologies. Please see BAA No. DARPA-BAA-12-64 posted at www.fbo.gov.

1 FLIR Contract No. HR0011-14-C-0030 (IVN): IVN seeks to develop new classes of adaptable nanoparticles for persistent, distributed, unobtrusive physiologic and environmental sensing as well as the treatment of physiologic abnormalities, illness and infectious disease.