DPA FOA Amend 4_12 March 24.pdf

Air Force Research Laboratory

Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, AFRL/RX

On behalf of the Department of Defense releases the

Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III Expansion of

Domestic Production Capability and Capacity

Funding Opportunity Announcement

Announcement Number: FA8650-19-S-5010

Issue Date: 12 July 2019

Close Date: 12 July 2025

Including Amendment 1 Changes 14 Nov 2019

Including Amendment 2 Changes 28 April 2020

Including Amendment 3 Changes 30 March 2022

Including Amendment 4 Changes 12 March 2024

Important

The Government is suspending the submission of white papers under this FOA until further notice. Please continue to check SAM for updates.

Please assess the entire solicitation carefully prior to any response.

This solicitation is a hybrid funding opportunity announcement solicitation consisting of:

• Part One—Open Funding Opportunity Announcement: Submission of White Papers and Potential Proposals

• Part Two—Funding Opportunity Announcement with Calls: Submission of Proposals

Classified White Papers are not accepted under the DoD Defense Production Act Title III Program.

Table of Contents

Overview Information………………………………………………………………… 3

Full Text Announcement

I. Program Description………………………………………………… 8

II. Award Information (Applicable to Both Open FOA and

FOA with Calls)……………………………………………………….. 10

III. Eligibility Information (Applicable to Both Open FOA and FOA with Calls)………………………………………………… 11

IV. Open FOA (Two-Step Process)……………………………… 12 V. Open FOA (Step Two) Proposal Review

Information……………………………………………………………… 29

VI. Open FOA (Step Two) Proposal Selection

Information……………………………………………………………… 31

VII. FOA with Calls (One-Step Process)………………………… 31 VIII. FOA with Calls (One-Step Process) Proposal Review

Information……………………………………………………………… 44

IX. FOA with Calls (One-Step Process) Proposal Selection

Information……………………………………………………………… 46

X. Award Administration Information (Applies to BOTH

Open FOA (Second Step-Proposal Submission) and FOA with Calls………………………………………………………………… 47

FOA Appendices………………………………………………………………………… 50

Hybrid Funding Opportunity Announcement

(Open FOA and FOA with Calls)

Overview Information

To access hyperlinks from this electronic solicitation – Hit CTRL and click on the link.

NAICS Code: The NAICS Code for this acquisition is 339999, (All Other

Miscellaneous Manufacturing), and the small business size standard is 550 employees. The NAICS code and small business standard can vary and will be identified per call.

Federal Agency Name: Air Force Research Laboratory, Materials and

Manufacturing Directorate, AFRL/RX

Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Title: Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III Expansion of Domestic Production Capability and Capacity

This announcement is to solicit production technology project proposals for the

Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III Program managed by the Office of the

Secretary of Defense (OSD) and executed by the Department of Defense (DoD)

Executive Agent Program Office, a component of the Manufacturing & Industrial

Technologies Division (AFRL/RXM) of the Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory. As the Executive Agent for DoD’s DPA Title III Program, the Air Force is responsible for executing Title III projects on behalf of the

DoD. The DPA Title III website can be found here:

(https://www.businessdefense.gov/ibr/mceip/dpai/dpat3/index.html)

Information on the Defense Production Act Title III:

Title III of the Defense Production Act (DPA) provides unique authorities, under which the United States Government (henceforth referred to as the “Government” or “USG”) may provide appropriate incentives to create, maintain, protect, expand, or restore the productive capacities of domestic sources (see below for definition) for critical components, critical technology items, and industrial resources essential for the execution of the national security strategy of the United States. The principal objective of all DPA Title III investments is to strengthen and expand these domestic productive capacities and to ensure Government access to critical technology items well into the future. Any agreements awarded under this FOA will be awarded under the authority of Title III of the Defense Production Act of 1950 as amended (50 U.S.C. App. § 4501 et seq. and 10 U.S.C. § 4001).

Each DPA Title III Program effort will provide incentives to domestic manufacturers to create, maintain, protect, expand, or restore their critical production technologies and to develop and/or adopt best business and marketing practices to http://www.dpatitle3.com/ achieve joint manufacturing capacity, quality, affordability, and economic viability requirements.

Solicitations shall be restricted to domestic sources as defined in the Defense Production Act of 1950: “A business concern that performs in the

United States, Canada, Australia or the United Kingdom substantially all of the research and development, engineering, manufacturing, and production activities required of such business concern under a contract with the United States relating to a critical component or a critical technology item; and that procures from business concerns (described as above) substantially all of any components and assemblies required under a contract with the United States relating to a critical component or critical technology item.” Territories and possessions of the United States, and the District of Columbia are considered part of the domestic United

States.

Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Type: This is Amendment 4 to the Initial Announcement.

Funding Opportunity Announcement Number: FA8650-19-S-5010

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s): 12.777 Defense

Production Act Title III (DPA Title III)

THIS WILL BE A HYBRID FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT

SOLICITATION:

Due Date and Time: The FOA is open and effective until 12 July 2025. White papers will be considered if received prior to 1500 EST on 12 July 2025. Only white papers are requested at this time, Call announcements will be posted separately.

This FOA is set up in two parts: (1) Open FOA, in which white papers may be submitted at any time during the open period, and (2) FOA with Calls, in which proposal Call announcements may be issued by the Government on the official U.S.

government website for federal awards at https://SAM.gov under FA8650-19-S- 5010 at any time during the effectivity of the FOA. The two parts of this FOA are explained in greater detail in separate sections below. Following is a brief summary:

Open FOA (Two-Step Process)

Step One: Offerors are invited to submit white papers and a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) on their proposed project (which must fall under one of the Topic Areas identified in Section I “Program Description”) any time during the open period IAW the instructions stated in this FOA.

Note: The Government will suspend white paper submission for project areas identified in any active Call and this will be stated in the Call announcement (see FOA with Calls portion described below).

If the Government receives a white paper related to an active Call, the white paper will not be reviewed, until all awards related to that Call have been made. The determination of whether a whitepaper relates to a Call is at the sole discretion of the Government.

Step Two: If a white paper is reviewed favorably with respect to the Government Review Criteria and funding is available, AFRL/RXKM may request a formal technical and cost proposal from the offeror. Due dates and times will be specified in each Request for Proposal (RFP). Submitted proposals will be evaluated IAW the proposal review information and may be selected for negotiations and award.

There will be no other announcement issued requesting white papers.

Offerors should monitor the official U.S. government website for federal awards at https://SAM.gov in the event this announcement is amended.

FOA with Calls (One-Step Process)

Periodically over the period of this FOA, Call announcements (Calls) may be issued under FA8650-19-S-5010 to request proposals for specific DPA Title III projects. Offerors should monitor the official U.S. government website for federal awards at https://SAM.gov in the event this announcement is amended or Calls are issued. Call announcements will be posted separately to https://SAM.gov and will reference the original FOA # FA8650-19-S-5010.

Note: Any proposal, modification or revision received at the Government Office designated in this FOA after the exact date and time specified for receipt of offers is

“late” and will not be considered except at the Agreement Officer’s (AO) discretion .

It should be noted that this installation observes strict security procedures (i.e

Government e-mail firewall). These security procedures are NOT considered an interruption of normal Government processes, and proposals received after the stated date and time as a result of security delays will be considered “late.” Early proposal submission is encouraged. Proposals should be addressed to the Contracting Point of Contact (POC) stated in the Overview Information section of each RFP/Call.

Type of Contract/Instrument: The Government intends to utilize the Department of Defense Grant and Agreement Regulations (DoDGARs)-based

Technology Investment Agreement (TIA) for any awards made off of this FOA.

However, the Government may consider award of a Cooperative Agreement in rare situations if it is a better fit for the requirement.

Estimated Program Cost: Each project will be sized based on the availability of funds and in order to address specific industrial shortfall requirements. Total cost up to $9.0 Billion ($4.5 Billion Government share and $4.5 Billion Recipient https://sam.gov/ share) – comprised of multiple projects with each project sized accordingly to address the specific industrial base shortfall. Project award values are anticipated to be in the range of $10 Million to $25 Million per effort; however, award values may be less than or exceed this range in order to meet mission need. Each project shall contain a cost share goal of 50% Government share and 50% Recipient share to the maximum extent practicable.

Anticipated Number of Awards: The Government anticipates awarding multiple awards for this announcement. The Government reserves the right to award zero, one or more agreements for all, some or none of the solicited efforts.

System for Award Management (SAM) Registration: SAM is the primary Government repository for prospective federal awardee information and the centralized Government system for certain contracting, grants and other assistance related processes. It replaces CCR/FedReg, On-line Representations and

Certifications (ORCA) and the Excluded Parties Lists System (EPLS). Offerors shall be registered in the SAM database prior to submitting a white paper or proposal.

Any awardee must remain registered during the entire project life including invoice submission and through final payment of any agreement resulting from this FOA.

Offerors may obtain information on registration and annual confirmation requirements via the SAM website accessed at https://SAM.gov or by calling 866- 606-8220. See White Paper Submission Process section for additional SAM info.

Responsibility/Qualification Records (previously FAPIIS): In accordance with 41 U.S.C. 2313, the awarding agency (prior to making a Federal award with a total amount of Federal share greater than the simplified acquisition threshold) is required to review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM (currently FAPIIS), prior to award.

Brief Program Summary: The DPA Title III Program has derived three broad

Topic Areas for potential projects. The Topic Areas are 1) Sustainment of Critical Production, 2) Commercialization of Research and Development Investments and 3)

Scaling of Emerging Technologies. Each Call will contain a more descriptive summary as well as a Statement of Objectives (SOO) for that particular project.

White paper submissions as part of the Open Portion of this FOA must identify which Topic Area(s) the white paper is technically scoped within.

Communication Between Prospective Offerors and Government Representatives:

Dialogue between prospective offerors and Government representatives is encouraged until the RFP/Call is issued. Technical and contracting questions can be resolved in writing or through open discussions until the RFP/Call is issued. All exchanges with offerors after the RFP/Call is issued shall go through the https://www.acquisition.gov/

Contracting POC stated in each RFP/Call.

After FOA release, questions and answers may be posted if warranted.

Discussions with any of the points of contact shall not constitute a commitment by the Government to subsequently fund or award any proposed effort. Only Contracting/Grants/Agreements Officers are legally authorized to commit the Government.

Address technical questions to the Technical POC:

Diana M. Carlin DPA Title III Program AF Executive Agent Program Manager

AFRL/RXM

2977 Hobson Way, Bldg. 653, Room 308

Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433

AFRL.DPA.TitleIandIII@us.af.mil

937-904-4591

Address contracting questions to the Contracting/Agreements POC(s):

Michelle Goss Melanie Kiplinger

Agreements Officer Agreements Specialist

AFRL/RXKMT AFRL/RXKMT

2130 8th Street, Bldg. 45 2130 8th Street, Bldg. 45

Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433 Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433

Contracting/Agreements Office Email: AFRL.RXKM.TitleIII@us.af.mil

Address technical questions regarding Open FOA white papers (Step One) in writing via email to:

The Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (OASD) for Industrial Base Policy (IBP), OASD(IBP) Defense Production Act Investments (DPAI) Office:

osd.pentagon.ousd-a-s.mbx.indpol-dpa-title-iii@mail.mil mailto:AFRL.RXKM.TitleIII@us.af.mil

Full Text Announcement

I. Program Description:

Please note terms used specific to this FOA:

Topic Areas are the three technical areas described below: 1) Sustainment of Critical Production, 2) Commercialization of Research and Development Investments, 3) Scaling of Emerging Technologies. Throughout the life of this hybrid FOA, offerors may submit white papers within these technically scoped areas.

Projects represent specific technical objectives that fall under one of the three technical areas that will be identified in Calls. Projects may also result from the second step of the Open FOA, in which full proposals may be requested in response to favorably reviewed white papers.

(Applicable to both Open FOA and FOA with Calls): On behalf of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition and Sustainment) Industrial Policy DPA Title III Program, the Air Force Research Laboratory, Materials & Manufacturing Directorate (AFRL/RX), Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, is soliciting white papers, and anticipates issuing future Calls, on the following research effort:

1. Project Topic Areas:

The DPA Title III Program has derived three broad Topic Areas for potential projects. The Topic Areas are: Sustainment of Critical Production, Commercialization of Research and Development Investments, and Scaling of Emerging Technologies. Each of the Topic Areas is expanded on below:

a. Sustainment of Critical Production: Efforts to create, maintain, protect, expand, or restore industrial base capabilities essential for national defense.

b. Commercialization of Research and Development (R&D) Investments: Efforts to transition Government sponsored R&D to commercial applications; and from commercial R&D to national defense applications.

c. Scaling of Emerging Technologies: Efforts for the increased use of emerging technologies in national security program applications and the rapid transition of emerging technologies.

2. Within Scope Modifications: Potential offerors are advised that due to the inherent uncertainty of these efforts, awards may be modified during performance to make within scope changes.

3. Deliverable Items:

a. Data Items: Applicable deliverables will be identified in each Call/RFP.

Anticipated Deliverables include:

• Marketing Plan

• Strategic Business Plan

• Final Report

• Quarterly Financial Reports

• Other Progress Reports are also typically required

• Other deliverables may be required depending on the effort.

4. Schedule:

This FOA will remain open for white paper submissions and Call issuances for a period of seventy-two (72) months. The period of performance (PoP) will be considered for each award and will be identified in the Call/RFP.

The PoP for an individual award is not anticipated to exceed ten (10) years in duration, exclusive of the potential for a no cost monitoring phase. However, the Government may exceed 10 years in order to meet mission need.

5. Other Requirements:

a. Program security classification: Unclassified anticipated. TBD at Call/Award. If applicable, a DD254 would be attached to Call/RFP with appropriate direction. White papers and proposals must be unclassified.

b. OPSEC requirements are as follows, unless otherwise stated in a Call or RFP: The standard Operations Security (OPSEC) requirement will be included in the SOO for each award. OPSEC must be an integral part of daily project activities. Offerors must maintain security on technologies that are vital to national interest and must be vigilant against threats.

Department of Defense policies mandate a high degree of security throughout project execution. Heightened security awareness and threat-based countermeasures must be employed to prevent espionage, sabotage, or exploitation. It is the obligation of each employee or persons involved in a Title III project to be constantly aware of, and strictly adhere to, security requirements designed to protect sensitive unclassified and other information and security efforts outlined in this FOA. The offeror shall ensure employees receive training and follow appropriate Operations Security (OPSEC) measures during the performance of the award.

c. Export Control: Not anticipated, but TBD on each Call/RFP. Information involved in this research effort may or may not be subject to Export Control (International Traffic in Arms Regulation) (ITAR) 22 CFR 120- 131, or Export Administration Regulations (EAR) 15 CFR 710-774). If the effort may be subject to export control, then a Certified DD Form 2345, Militarily Critical Technical Data Agreement, will be required to be submitted with the proposal. Refer to the Sample Technology Investment Agreement (TIA), Appendix II, Article 6.031, “Export- Controlled Data Restrictions (APR 2017)” for additional information.

6. Other Information:

a. Government Furnished Property (GFP): Not anticipated, but TBD on each Call/RFP

b. Government Furnished Information and/or Software: Not Anticipated, but TBD on each Call/RFP

c. Base Support/Network Access: Not anticipated, but TBD on each Call/RFP

d. Data Rights Desired: (unless a Call/RFP states otherwise)

(1) Technical Data: Government Purpose Rights

(2) Non-Commercial Software (NCS): N/A

(3) NCS Documentation: N/A

(4) Commercial Computer Software Rights: N/A

e. Human or Animal Subject Use: TBD on each Call/RFP

f. Hazardous Materials: TBD on each Call/RFP

g. Radioactive Materials: TBD on each Call/RFP

h. Ozone Depleting Substances: TBD on each Call/RFP

i. On-base Testing: TBD on each Call/RFP

j. Initial Safety Assessment: TBD on each Call/RFP

k. Military Equipment Valuation: TBD on each Call/RFP

l. Recipient Acquired Property: TBD on each Call/RFP

II. Award Information (Applicable to Both Open FOA and FOA with Calls)

1. Anticipated Award Date: TBD for each Call/RFP

2. Anticipated funding: Each project will be sized based on the availability of funds and in order to address specific industrial shortfall requirements.

Total cost up to $9.0 Billion ($4.5 Billion Government share and $4.5 Billion Recipient share) – comprised of multiple projects with each project sized accordingly to address the specific industrial base shortfall. Values anticipated to be in the range of $10 Million to $25 Million per effort;

however, values may be less than or exceed this range in order to meet mission need. Each project shall contain a cost share goal of 50%

Government share and 50% Recipient share to the maximum extent practicable.

Funding is an estimate only and not a contractual obligation for funding. All funding is subject to change due to Government discretion and availability.

Potential offerors should be aware that due to unanticipated budget fluctuations funding in any or all areas may change with little or no notice.

3. Award: The Government intends to award a DoDGARs agreement known as a Technology Investment Agreement (TIA). TIAs are governed by the DoDGARs and 2 CFR 200. A sample TIA, along with other sample documents, is attached to this FOA. See Appendix II for the sample TIA.

Any clarifications/exceptions to the TIA articles, as presented in the sample TIA, must be stated at the time of white paper and proposal submission. However, the Government may consider award of a Cooperative Agreement in rare situations if it is a better fit for the requirement.

III. Eligibility Information (Applicable to Both Open FOA and FOA with Calls)

1. Eligible Offeror: Solicitations shall be restricted to domestic sources as defined in the Defense Production Act.

2. Proposed Cost Sharing or Matching:

a. The Government is required to seek cost sharing in the amount of 50% Recipient and 50% Government to the maximum extent practicable pursuant to DoDGARs Part 37.215 for TIAs. Cost sharing other than 50/50 requires preparation and approval of a special waiver. If the proposal does not include a cost share of at least 50%, the Recipient should provide justification which should address, in detail, factors that demonstrate vested self-interest and/or commitment to the success of the project as discussed in DoDGARs Part 37.215.

b. Types of Cost Share proposed must be in accordance with DoDGARs

37.530 through 37.555.

3. Other:

a. Foreign participation: Per Defense Production Act of 1950, execution of the project requires a domestic source as lead. Each Call/RFP will contain information specific to the Call/RFP. Foreign disclosure review will be performed prior to Call/RFP issuance.

b. Offerors may be ineligible for award if all requirements of this FOA are not met by proposal due date.

IV. Open FOA (Two-Step Process)

1. White Paper (Step One) Submission Information:

a. Overview: This Announcement consists of a two-step process described in detail below. White papers/proposals submitted shall be in accordance with this announcement. There will be no other solicitation issued in regard to this requirement. The Government intends to review white papers and, if reviewed favorably with respect to the Government Review Criteria and funding is available, award some, all or none of the proposals received (Step Two) without negotiation/discussion;

however, the Government reserves the right to negotiate with the offeror(s) whose proposal is selected for funding.

For additional information, a copy of the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Guide for Industry can be found at:

https://www.afrl.af.mil/Portals/90/Documents/HQ/BAA%20Ind%20Gui de%202020.pdf?ver=7AivkWvoUoptKgypgCuIvw%3D%3D

This guide is specifically designed to assist the offeror in understanding the BAA proposal process, similar to the FOA proposal process, for which there is no guide.

b. Requirements Verification:

Domestic Source Requirement: The white paper submitter must provide proof of meeting the Domestic Source requirement IAW DPA Law or the white paper will not be reviewed.

And

Defense Production Act Title III Criteria: The white paper must identify how the project addresses each of the following DPA Title III criteria or the white paper will not be reviewed:

(1) The industrial resource, material or critical technology item is essential to the national defense;

(2) Without Presidential action under this section, United States industry cannot reasonably be expected to provide the capability for https://www.afrl.af.mil/Portals/90/Documents/HQ/BAA%20Ind%20Guide%202020.pdf?ver=7AivkWvoUoptKgypgCuIvw%3D%3D https://www.afrl.af.mil/Portals/90/Documents/HQ/BAA%20Ind%20Guide%202020.pdf?ver=7AivkWvoUoptKgypgCuIvw%3D%3D the needed industrial resource, material or critical technology item in a timely manner; and

(3) Purchases, purchase commitments or other action pursuant to this section are the most cost effective, expedient and practical alternative method for meeting the need.

For consideration, the white paper submitter must provide sufficient insight that the technology and/or capability being described meets the criteria set forth in the DPA Title III law. This includes credible documentation that the technical item is critical to the national defense of the United States. In addition, essential DPA Title III criteria also require evidence that industry is unable or unwilling to respond without direct Title III action and that DPA Title III authorities are the best and most appropriate approach to resolving and/or overcoming barriers preventing timely resolution of the industrial base shortfall.

2. White Paper (Step One) Submission Instructions:

a. General: These instructions will apply to each individual white paper.

The FIRST STEP requests an unclassified white paper and a rough order of magnitude (ROM) cost. The Government will review the white papers in accordance with the FIRST STEP considerations, stated later in this FOA. Based on this review, the Government will determine if the white paper has the potential to best meet the Government’s needs.

Offerors will be notified of the disposition of their white paper. It is anticipated that Government review of each white paper submission will occur semi-annually, or more frequently if Government desires. Those offerors submitting white papers assessed as meeting Government needs may be asked to submit a technical and cost proposal. Those offerors not requested to submit a technical and cost proposal will be notified. The cost of preparing white papers in response to this Announcement is not considered an allowable direct charge to any resulting or any other agreement. Incurring pre-award costs for ASSISTANCE INSTRUMENTS ONLY is regulated by the DoD Grant and Agreements Regulations (DoDGARs).

b. White papers should include the following items:

(1) Cover page: Clearly labeled “White Paper,” including FOA title and number, its associated Topic Area(s), title of white paper, date, administrative and technical points of contact along with telephone, fax, and e-mail addresses, and verification of current SAM registration and EPLS status. The cover page will not count toward the page limit.

(2) Domestic Source Proof: This will not count toward the page limit. This must be provided on the page after the cover page. The offeror must meet the Domestic Source Requirement for the white paper to be reviewed.

(3) Defense Production Act Title III Criteria: This will not count toward the page limit. This must be provided on the page after the Domestic Source Proof. The offeror must show how the project addresses each of the DPA Title III criteria for the white paper to be reviewed.

(4) Technical Description (10 pages):

i. Include the following:

• A brief technical discussion and business case description of the effort’s objective, approach and level of effort

• The nature and extent of the anticipated results and the manner in which the work will contribute to the accomplishment of the DPA Title III mission specific to the Topic Area and how this would be demonstrated.

• Address merchant supplier orientation and business viability to the DoD and commercial markets specific to the Topic Area.

Address commitment to being, including explanation of resources to be employed in establishing acceptance and credibility as, a merchant supplier as defined in the Certification Regarding Merchant Supplier Orientation in Appendix I.

(5) Biographical Sketches: As an addendum to the white paper (not part of 10 page limit), include biographical sketches (one (1) page) of the key personnel who will perform the effort, highlighting their qualifications and experience.

(6) Cost (Separate two page attachment):

i. Rough Order of Magnitude should include the following:

A brief cost estimate revealing all the component parts of the proposal, including labor hours, burdened rates, equipment, material, proposed cost share, travel, etc.

c. White papers should be prepared in the following format:

(1) Microsoft Word format on 8.5 x 11 inch paper

(2) Margins – 1” inch on both sides, top and bottom

(3) Spacing – double-spaced

(4) Font – Arial, 11-point

(5) Number of Pages – No more than 10 pages, excluding cover page, domestic source proof, biographical sketches and costs. White papers exceeding the page limit may not be evaluated. Evaluators will be advised that they are only required to review the white paper cover page, domestic source proof and up to ten pages excluding the addendum and cost summary.

d. Other Information:

(1) Restrictive Markings on White Papers: Any included proprietary data that the offeror intends for use exclusively by the Government for evaluation purposes, must be identified. The offeror must also identify any technical data contained in the white paper that is to be treated by the Government as limited rights data, or other assertions of rights. In the absence of such identification, the Government will assume to have Government Purpose Rights to all technical data in the white paper. Records or data bearing a restrictive legend may be included in the white paper or proposal. It is the intent of the Government to treat all white papers as privileged information before the award and to disclose their contents only for the purpose of evaluation.

(2) Offerors are advised that employees of commercial firms under support contract(s) to the government may be used to administratively process white papers and proposals, or perform other administrative duties requiring access to other offerors proprietary information, if applicable. These support contracts include nondisclosure agreements prohibiting their contractor employees from disclosing any information submitted by other contractors or using such information for any purpose other than that for which it was furnished. See Section X.3. for more information on support contractors.

(3) The offerors are cautioned, however, that portions of the white papers may be subject to release under terms of the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552, as amended.

(4) Care must be exercised to ensure that classified, sensitive, critical technologies are not included. If such documents are required, appropriate restrictive markings and procedures should be applied.

3. White Paper (Step One) Submission Process:

a. SAM Registration: All organizations must register on the System for

Award Management (SAM) website (https://SAM.gov) and will receive a CAGE Code and a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number. Prospective offerors must be registered in SAM prior to white paper submission.

Failure to register with SAM will also prevent your organization from obtaining a potential award. The offeror shall provide a statement in the proposal that verifies its SAM registration, SAM expiration date and confirmation that it is not in the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS).

Submission & Delivery: White papers must be sent electronically to the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (OASD) for Industrial Base Policy (IBP), OASD(IBP), DPA Title III Program Office at:

osd.pentagon.ousd-a-s.mbx.indpol-dpa-title-iii@mail.mil

Please also courtesy copy all white paper submissions to the Contracting/Agreements Office at: AFRL.RXKM.TitleIII@us.af.mil

The Defense Production Act Title III Program Office at OASD(IBP) conducts the review of white papers. AFRL receives a copy for verification and record keeping purposes. If the submitter does not receive an email confirmation of receipt from the OASD(IBP) Defense Production Act Title III electronic mailbox within 30 days, the submitter is instructed to send a plain text email without attachments to the OSD and the Contracting/Agreements Office electronic mailbox to notify the Government that a confirmation receipt has not been received.

4. White Paper (Step One) Review Process:

a. The offeror must provide proof of meeting the Domestic Source requirement IAW Defense Production Act of 1950 or the white paper will not be reviewed.

b. The offeror must provide proof of meeting all the Defense Production Act Title III Criteria above or the white paper will not be reviewed.

c. White Paper Reviews: The Government will review white papers to determine which of them have the potential to best meet the Government’s needs based on the following criteria, which are of equal importance:

(1) Is this technical approach consistent with technologies listed in the

FOA?

(2) Is the research of interest to the Government?

(3) Is appropriate funding available?

Result: If white papers are reviewed favorably with respect to the above criteria and funding is available, the Government may request full technical mailto:osd.pentagon.ousd-a-s.mbx.indpol-dpa-title-iii@mail.mil mailto:AFRL.RXKM.TitleIII@us.af.mil and cost proposals; however, any such request does not assure a subsequent project award.

Note: The Government will suspend white paper submission for project areas identified in a Call and this will be stated in the Call Announcement. If the Government receives a white paper related to an active Call, the white paper will not be reviewed, until all awards related to that Call have been made. The determination of whether a whitepaper relates to a Call is at the sole discretion of the Government.

5. Open FOA Proposal (Step Two) Submission Information:

a. General Instructions:

(1) The SECOND STEP of the Open FOA consists of offerors submitting a technical and cost proposal within 30 calendar days of a request for proposal (unless otherwise stated in RFP). After receipt, proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the award criteria. Proposals will be categorized and potentially selected for negotiations and/or award.

(2) Proposals must reference the announcement number FA8650-19-S- 5010; the relevant Topic Area (Sustainment of Critical Production, Commercialization of Research and Development Investments, or Scaling of Emerging Technologies); and, if applicable, the title of the effort.

b. Domestic Source Requirement: The proposal submitter must provide proof of meeting the Domestic Source requirement IAW DPA Law or the proposal will not be reviewed.

6. Open FOA Proposal (Step Two) Content and Form:

The following is applicable:

Proposal Cover Page – SF 424 (R&R) Form: All proposals for assistance submitted under this FOA must include an SF 424 (R&R) (Application for Federal Assistance) as the cover page.

The SF424 (R&R) can be found at:

https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/r-r-family

To evaluate compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. A§ 1681 Et. Seq.), the Department of Defense is collecting certain demographic and career information to be able to assess the success rates of women who are proposed for key roles in applications in STEM disciplines, consequently a SF 424 Research &

Related Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) and a SF 424 Research & Related Personal Data must also be submitted. The SF 424 (R&R) forms should be downloaded from the “Application” box in the upper right hand corner of the synopsis page. Click on “download” under the column “Instructions and Application.” Select “Download Application Package” and complete the SF 424 (R&R) forms.

On the SF 424 Research and Related Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) form, the Degree Type and Degree Year fields will be used by DoD as the source for career information. In addition to the required fields on the form, applicants must complete these two fields for all individuals that are identified as having the project role of PD/Pl or Co- PD/Pl. Additional senior/key persons can be added by selecting the "Next Person" button. The Research and Related Personal Data form will be used by DoD as the source of demographic information, such as gender, race, ethnicity, and disability information for the Project Director/Principal Investigator and all other persons identified as Co- Project Director(s)/Co-Principal Investigator(s).

Each application must include this form with the name fields of the Project Director/Principal Investigator and any Co-Project Director(s)/Co-Principal Investigator(s) completed; however, provision of the demographic information in the form is voluntary. If completing the form for multiple individuals, each Co-Project Director/Co-Principal Investigator can be added by selecting the "Next Person" button. The demographic information, if provided, will be used for statistical purposes only and will not be made available to merit reviewers.

Applicants who do not wish to provide some or all of the information should check or select the "Do not wish to provide" option.

As noted above, the SF424 (R&R) can be found at:

https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/r-r-family

a. Table of Contents: Include a Table of Contents immediately following the cover. Neither will count toward the page limit.

b. Domestic Source Proof: Include proof of domestic source. This will not count toward the page limit.

c. Certifications: All proposals for assistance must include the requisite certifications. To access the requisite Certifications, select the “Application” box in upper right hand corner of the synopsis page. Click on “Instructions and Application” and select “Download Application Instructions” to view the Certifications. To complete the Certifications you must check Block 18 of the SF 424 (R&R), and by signing and submitting it, you are certifying that you have read and agree to abide http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/r-r-family.html#sortby=1 by the terms in the Certifications. Also, you must complete and submit with your proposal, Appendix I, Title III Certifications and Representations and complete the Financial Assistance Certification and Representation Report via the SAM.gov website. SAM.gov is the central repository for common Government-wide financial assistance certifications and representations. The Financial Assistance Certifications Report is an attestation that the entity will abide by the requirements of the various laws and regulations; therefore, as applicable, you are required to submit any documentation, including the SF LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (if applicable), and informing DoD of unpaid delinquent tax liability or a felony conviction under any Federal law. Please ensure that your Entity Registration includes “Assistance Certification”. Feel free to contact the Contracting/Agreements POCs on page 7 above, or reach out to the Federal Service Desk through the SAM website with any questions during the process.

Certification Regarding Disclosure of Funding Sources (Supplement to

SF424 (R&R), block 17, Financial Assistance Certifications and Representations): By checking "I Agree" on the SF 424 (R&R) block 17 you agree to abide by the following statement: "By signing this application, I certify the proposing entity is in compliance with Section

223(a) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 which requires that: (a) the PI and other key personnel certify that the current and pending support provided on the proposal is current, accurate and complete; (B) agree to update such disclosure at the request of the agency prior to the award of support and at any subsequent time the agency determines appropriate during the term of the award; and (c) the PI and other key personnel have been made aware of the requirements under Section

223(a)(1) of this Act. I am aware that any false, fictitious, or fraudulent statements or claims may subject me to criminal, civil, or administrative penalties. (U.S. code, Title 218, Section 1001).

d. Proposal Submission: Offerors must submit one original copy of their proposal via DoD SAFE at https://safe.apps.mil/. In order to submit via DoD SAFE, please email the Contracting/Agreements POCs provided in the RFP to request a “Drop Off” invite. The

Contracting/Agreements POC will in turn send the DoD SAFE invite via email for you to submit the electronic proposal. NOTE: No proposals sent by fax, Grants.gov online submission, or physical mail will be accepted.

e. Proposal Instructions and Reminders: The paragraphs below identify general instructions and reminders for proposal submission.

(1) General Instructions: Offerors should apply the restrictive notice prescribed in the provision of DoDGARs 37.420. Also, Disclosure of Information will be in accordance with DoDGARs 37.420.

i. At minimum, proposals shall include the following documents:

a. SF 424 (R&R), Table of Contents, Domestic Source

Proof, Title III Certifications, Technical Management Proposal, Statement of Work (SOW), Summary Business Plan, Cost/Business Proposal, and Supporting Documentation of Cost Proposal

ii. Technical/Management and Cost/Business volumes should be submitted in separate volumes and must be valid for 180 days.

iii. Proposals must reference the announcement number FA8650- 19-S-5010, Topic Area and project title.

iv. Technical/Management proposals and Statements of Work shall be provided in separate Microsoft Word documents.

v. The cost file(s) spreadsheets must be in Microsoft Excel and include the formulas for calculating cost element bases (i.e., G&A, O/H, etc.). Offerors shall use the attached Sample Cost Proposal Spreadsheet, attached as Appendix IV.

(2) Other Reminders:

i. Offerors are advised that only Agreement Officers are legally authorized to contractually bind or otherwise commit the Government.

ii. The cost of preparing proposals in response to this FOA is not considered an allowable direct charge to any resulting or any other agreement/contact; however, it may be an allowable expense to the normal bid and proposal indirect cost as specified in DoDGARs 34.17.

iii. No classified technical proposals or cost volumes are expected.

Offerors are encouraged to keep all elements of the proposal package unclassified. In the rare case where an offeror has a need to submit a classified appendix, please contact the technical POC listed in the RFP to identify the need for classified submission and for delivery instructions.

f. Technical/Management Proposal Content and Form: The paragraphs below identify specific content and form guidelines for technical/management proposals.

(1) Page Limitations: The following describes the page limitations on the proposal submittal:

i. Technical Discussion: TBD in RFP (typically up to 75 pages)

ii. Summary Business Plan: TBD in RFP (typically up to 25 pages)

iii. Statement of Work: TBD in RFP (not included in tech discussion page count)

iv. Tech Proposal Total: TBD in RFP (Typically up to 100 pages)

Note 1: The Cost Proposal requirements are provided later in this announcement.

Note 2: The table of contents, cover page and domestic source proof will not be included in the page count referenced above.

(2) Proposal shall be limited to number of pages as stated in RFP, prepared and submitted in Microsoft Word format.

Signed pages may be submitted in Adobe form.

i. Font shall be standard 11-point Arial.

ii. Character spacing must be “normal,” not condensed in any manner.

iii. Pages shall be double-spaced (must use standard double-space function in Microsoft Word), 8.5 by 11 inches, with at least one-inch margins on both sides, top and bottom.

iv. All text, including text in tables and charts, must adhere to all font size and line spacing requirements listed herein. Font and line spacing requirements do not have to be followed for illustrations, flowcharts, drawings and diagrams. These exceptions shall not be used to circumvent formatting requirements and page count limitations by including lengthy narratives in such items.

v. Pages shall be numbered starting with the first page after the cover page, table of contents and domestic source proof and the last page being no greater than page number stated. The page limitation covers all information including indices, photographs, foldouts (counted as 1 page for each 8.5 by 11 portion) tables, charts, appendices, attachments, resumes, etc.

vi. The proposal page limit does not include the offeror’s proposed Statement of Work (SOW); however, the same formatting rules apply to the SOW.

vii. Please note, the Government will check the proposal and SOW for conformance to the stated requirements. Any pages in excess of the stated page limitation after the format check will not be considered.

(3) Technical Discussion and Information: The proposal shall include a discussion of the nature and scope of the work as well as the technical approach. Additional information on prior work in this area, descriptions of available equipment, data and facilities and resumes of personnel who will be participating in this effort should also be included as attachments to the technical proposal.

i. DPA Title III Criteria: Proposals should identify how the project addresses each of the DPA Title III Criteria: the industrial resource, material or critical technology item is essential to national defense; without Presidential action, United States industry cannot reasonably be expected to provide the capability for the needed industrial resource, material, or critical technology item in a timely manner; and purchases, purchase commitments, or other action pursuant to this section are the most cost effective, expedient, and practical method for meeting the need.

ii. Key Performance Parameters (KPPs): Recipients, as part of their response to a RFP, will propose a minimum of eight Key Performance Parameters (KPPs or Achievement Targets) – two each for manufacturing, product performance, financial and marketing. KPPs are established for threshold (baseline or minimum) and objective (target or stretch) goals. Progress on performance of target goals will be monitored and documented on a quarterly basis. A contractor business analyst (Advisory and Assistance Service Contractor) will be assigned to monitor business and marketing planning and performance.

iii. The technical proposal shall address the following evaluation criteria: Manufacturing Capability and Experience, Quality of Technical Approach, Business Viability, and Merchant Supplier Orientation.

iv. In support of evaluation criterion Manufacturing Capability and

Experience, evidence may include, but is not limited to, existing component testing, demonstrations, and/or qualification efforts, existing manufacturing capability, intellectual property, technical specifications for existing components, and dossiers of key personnel.

v. In support of evaluation criterion Quality of Technical

Approach, evidence may include, but is not limited to: high value component product/production road maps including product qualification plans, value stream maps, equipment specifications, production flow diagrams, process operation plans, and quality control plans (test and inspection plans).

vi. The proposal should convey an understanding of the industrial base shortfall relevant to the RFP and a summary of the production issues addressed by the offeror’s submission.

vii. Include an explanation of what will be achieved, how it will be achieved, and what end state/solution the effort will produce.

viii. Ensure merchant supplier orientation is addressed.

ix. This volume shall include a SOW detailing the technical tasks proposed to be accomplished under the proposed effort and suitable for incorporation into the Agreement. Do not include any proprietary information in the SOW. Refer to the BAA Guide for Industry referenced above to assist in SOW preparation. (Also see Appendix VII, SOW Outline)

x. Any questions concerning the technical proposal or SOW preparation shall be referred to the Contracting POCs cited in the RFP.

(4) Technical Approach:

i. Background/Scope/Program Objectives: The technical proposal must convey an understanding of the problems or limitations of the current state of the industrial and the intended application(s). It should be an overall summary of the production technology issues addressed by the offeror’s proposal without merely repeating the requirements. This should provide a vision of what will ultimately be achieved, how it will be achieved, and what solution this effort will produce.

ii. Program Plan: The program plan should present an orderly progression of the technical and management efforts to be performed. Upper and lower bounds should be placed on what will be attempted or completed within the confines of program funding. Some redundancy is inevitable, but should be used judiciously to stress key points.

iii. Technical Discussion: In this section, the offeror should provide technical detail and analysis necessary to support the technical approach they are proposing. They must clearly identify the core of the intended approach. If the offeror has a “new and creative” solution to the production technology goal(s), that solution should be developed and analyzed in this section. The proposal should include a risk assessment of key technical, schedule or cost areas and their potential impact on the program. If subrecipients are proposed, identify why they were selected and what tasks they are to perform. The offeror shall reference/acknowledge the acceptability of all specified/applicable data items in the list of deliverables that were identified in the Statement of Objectives.

iv. Appendix: Appendices may include technical reports, published papers, and referenced material in support of the offeror’s proposal. Commercial product advertising brochures may also be provided. Please be aware that these items will be included in the proposal page limitation.

v. Technical Data: Identify any technical data that will be delivered with less than unlimited rights.

vi. Program Schedule: The…