Initiatives for Nuclear Detection Technologies - Revised Solicitation (7-29-2020).pdf

DEFENSE THREAT REDUCTION AGENCY

BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT

HDTRA1-18-S-0002

NEW INITIATIVES FOR

NUCLEAR DETECTION TECHNOLOGIES

(Multiyear solicitation – 2018-2023)

16 April 2018 Revised 16 May 2019

Revised 24 February 2020 Revised 29 July 2020

TABLE OF CONTENTS

GENERAL INFORMATION

Contract Type Limitation on OTAs Contract Period of Performance Limitation

ELIGIBILITY

INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS

Registration to the DTRA Proposal Submission Website Registration to the System for Award Management (SAM) Website

Questions about this BAA Communication Guidelines Prior to Receipt of Phase I Proposal Communication Guidelines after Receipt of Phase I Proposal

General Instructions Late Submissions and Withdrawal of Proposals

Submission File Format Phase I Proposal Phase II Proposal Restrictive Markings and Disclosure of Proprietary Information

Phase I Proposal Phase II Proposal

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Factor 1 – Scientific and Technical Merit Factor 2 – Value to Mission Goals

Factor 1 – Scientific and Technical Merit Factor 2 – Value to Mission Goals Factor 3 – Capability of the Personnel and Facilities to Perform the Proposed Effort Factor 4 – Cost Realism

Negotiations Reserve List of Selected Proposals Subject to Availability of Funds Responsibility Determination

CONTRACT DATA REQUIREMENTS LIST (CDRL)

TOPIC REQUIREMENTS

OTHER INFORMATION

Authorized Negotiators Confirmed Proposal Expiration Date Identification of Team Members Representations and Certifications Intellectual Property Subcontracting Plan Organizational Conflict of Interest Protection of Human Subjects Animal Use

Statement of Current and Pending Support Modified Pre-award Checklist – SF 1408 Forward Pricing Rate Agreement/Provisional Billing Rates Collaboration with Government Laboratories and Federally Funded Research and Development

Centers (FFRDC) Additional FFRDC Requirements Quad Chart

LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

General Information

Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Introduction

This publication constitutes a BAA as described in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 35.016 and FAR 6.102(d)(2). This BAA is a competitive solicitation of proposals focused on research and development of technologies to meet the mission of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA). Formal Request for Proposals regarding this announcement will not be issued.

BAA Open Period

This BAA is in effect from April 2018 through April 2023. Proposal calls are anticipated to be released on an annual basis but could be more or less frequent based on needs. Proposal calls will be released via amendment modifications on the Beta.SAM website (https://beta.sam.gov). Offerors will be responsible to be aware of these proposal calls.

Submission information is provided in Section 3.3 of this BAA and estimated milestones are listed in Attachment 6.

Research Opportunity Description

DTRA provides the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) main support capabilities for countering weapons of mass destruction (WMD), including chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosive threats. DTRA’s mission is to safeguard the U.S. and its allies from global WMD threats by integrating; synchronizing; and providing expertise, technologies and capabilities.

DTRA seeks proposals to identify technologies that fill capability needs related to nuclear detection technologies for search, standoff, sensitive site exploitation, threat diagnostics and characterization, consequence management, contamination avoidance, and attribution.

Specific topics for this BAA solicitation are listed in Attachment 7. Proposed technology solutions must provide substantial improvements over current capabilities and technologies or provide new capabilities while simultaneously meeting suitability and maintainability requirements for military operations. Areas of major improvement may include, but are not limited to: size, weight, power consumption, cost, compatibility, and background mitigation.

Proposed technology solutions must demonstrate value to mission goals (See Sections 4.3.2 and 4.4.2). Attachment 9 provides an overview of the mission to which the current set of topics would apply.

This BAA is limited to projects that meet Technology Readiness Level (TRL) definitions in the TRL range 3–6. Upon completion of proposed developmental efforts, solutions should strive to meet a TRL in the range 4–6. Proposals that address technologies at TRL 4 or greater should also be aware of the Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) considerations. Solutions may focus on end-item prototypes or enabling technologies.

https://beta.sam.gov/

DTRA intends to fund awarded efforts starting in Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19) with periods of performance in the range of 1–3 years. Exceptions, not to exceed five years, may be considered for projects that merit extensive test and evaluation. Proposals should be structured with a short base period (~6 months) followed by option periods (6-12 months) to provide timely decision points for down-selection of promising technologies. Individual contracts are expected to be funded in the range $500,000–$5,000,000 over the full period of performance, yet these numbers should not be considered strict limits. Proposals aimed at the higher end of this funding range will only be accepted if they demonstrate the ability to deliver capable, innovative technologies directly to the Warfighter.

Proposals must adhere to the following caveats:

• Proposals for technologies based on active interrogation for search applications will not be evaluated. However, the application of active systems to diagnostics and characterization is allowed.

• Proposals for static portal monitors will not be evaluated.

• Proposals based around helium-3 technology will not be evaluated. Utilization of helium-3 alternative technologies is required for thermal neutron detection, as well as dual neutron/gamma detection.

• Proposals involving the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) will not be evaluated.

Efforts that result in prototypes and/or fielded systems are required to be compatible with the topic designated sensor architecture of choice (such as Mobile Field Kit and/or Tactical Assault Kit). Efforts that utilize the DTRA standard sensor API (provided at no cost as GFE), or an existing common standard (ex: ANSI N42.42 or CCSI) will be considered more favorably.

BAA Process

This BAA will utilize a two-phase proposal process, consisting of the submission and evaluation of Phase I (White Paper packages) and Phase II (Full) proposals. While all interested parties may submit Phase I proposals, submission of Phase II proposals will be by invitation only.

The evaluation status of Phase I and Phase II proposals will be provided at two points. An email will be sent to each Offeror after completion of White Paper package evaluations. The email will either inform the Offeror that their Phase I proposal is no longer under consideration, or it will provide instructions for the submission of a Phase II proposal. In a similar manner, Offerors that submit a Phase II proposal will receive an email informing them that their proposal is either no longer under consideration or has been selected for award pending successful price negotiations.

As detailed in Section 3.3.1, all submissions must be dated and unclassified. An exception is allowed in circumstances where the separate submission of classified information is necessary to convey a full description of the proposed work. In such cases relevant classified information may be submitted in the form of a classified annex as described in Section 3.4.3.1.1 using the email address provided in Section 1.6.

The BAA process includes enhanced opportunities for communications between Government and Industry as described in Section 3.2.3.

Award Vehicle

A full range of flexible acquisition related statutory authority arrangements available to DTRA are possible results from this announcement, including but not limited to, Contracts, Task Orders, and Other Transaction Agreements (OTA). The Government does not intend to award grants or cooperative agreements under this solicitation. Each of these procurement instruments offers different advantages, liabilities and responsibilities for Offerors and the Government. Except for OTAs, the Government actions under this BAA shall adhere to the requirements of the FAR and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS).

Contract Type

The Government intends to award Cost and Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) contracts and, when in the Government’s best interest, Fixed-Price contracts. Research and development contracts are typically Cost-Reimbursement contracts (Cost, CPFF). In accordance with FAR 16.301-3(a)(3), Cost-Reimbursement contracts require that the contractor’s accounting system is adequate for determining costs applicable to the contract. Determinations of accounting system inadequacy, or lack of evidence to support a determination of accounting system adequacy, may preclude the Offeror from receiving a contract. The Government will typically rely on the findings of a Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) accounting system audit in making a determination of accounting system adequacy.

Limitation on OTAs

Offerors are advised that an OTA may only be awarded if there is:

a. At least one nontraditional defense contractor participating to a significant extent in the prototype project; or

b. All significant participants in the transaction other than the Federal Government are small businesses (including small businesses participating in a program described under section 9 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638)) or nontraditional defense contractors or nonprofit research institutions; or

c. At least one third of the total cost of the prototype project is to be paid out of funds provided by sources other than the Federal Government. The cost share should generally consist of labor, materials, equipment, and facilities costs (including allocable indirect costs); or

d. Exceptional circumstances justify the use of a transaction that provides for innovative business arrangements or structures that would not be feasible or appropriate under a FAR/DFARS based contract, or would provide an opportunity to expand the defense supply base in a manner that would not be practical or feasible under a contract.

Although use of one of these options is required to use an OTA as the procurement vehicle, no single option is encouraged or desired over the others.

In accordance with 10 U.S.C. § 2371b(f), the Government may award a follow-on production contract or OTA for any OTA awarded under this BAA if: (1) that participant in the OTA, or a recognized successor in interest to the OTA, successfully completed the entire prototype project provided for in the OTA, as modified; and (2) the OTA provides for the award of a follow-on production contract or OTA to the participant, or a recognized successor in interest to the OTA.

NOTE: For purposes of determining whether or not a participant may be classified as a nontraditional defense contractor and whether or not such participation is determined to be participating to a significant extent in the prototype project, the following definitions are applicable:

“Nontraditional defense contractor” means an entity that is not currently performing and has not performed, for at least the one-year period preceding this solicitation, any contract or subcontract for the Department of Defense that is subject to full coverage under the cost accounting standards prescribed pursuant to 41 U.S.C. 1502 and the regulations implementing such section.

“Small business" means a small business concern as defined under section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632).

“Participating to a significant extent in the prototype project” means, but is not limited to, the following: the nontraditional defense contractor/nonprofit research institution/small business is supplying a new key technology or product; is supplying a novel application or approach to an existing technology, product or process; is providing a material increase in the performance, efficiency, quality or versatility of a key technology, product or process; is accomplishing a significant amount of the prototype project; is accomplishing a significant amount of the effort wherein the role played is more than a nominal or token role in the research effort, or in some other way plays a significant part in causing a material reduction in the cost or schedule of the effort or an increase in performance of the prototype in question.

NOTE: Offerors are cautioned that if they propose the use of an OTA, the Government reserves the right to negotiate either a FAR based procurement contract, or OTA as it deems is warranted under the circumstances.

Contract Period of Performance Limitation

DTRA intends to fund successful efforts starting in Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19) with periods of performance in the range of 1–3 years. Exceptions may be considered for projects that merit extensive test and evaluation. In accordance with FAR 17.204(e), contract periods of performance shall be limited to a maximum of five years, inclusive of all Options.

Points of Contact

E-mail address for all BAA correspondence and questions dtra.belvoir.j9.mbx.ntd-baa-inbox@mail.mil

SIPR E-mail address for all classified annex submissions up to

SECRET//NOFORN

thedtra.belvoir.rd.mbx.ntdbaa@mail.smil.mil ntdbaa@mail.smil.mil

BAA Announcements posted in Beta.SAM https://beta.sam.gov

DTRA Proposal Submission Website (requires registration prior to proposal submission) http://www.dtrasubmission.net

DTRA Website http://www.dtra.mil

Technical and Administrative Support by Non-Government Personnel

It is the intent of DTRA to use non-government personnel (e.g., contractor support personnel) in the review and administration of all submittals (Phase I and Phase II) for this BAA.

Participation in the BAA requires the following DTRA Advisory and Assistance Services (A&AS) support contractor employees, contract specialist support and proposal submission website support to have access to proposal information including information that may be considered proprietary: Cherokee Nation Strategic Programs (contract specialist support):

SAIC (Advisory and Assistance Services), Quanterion Solutions, Inc, (DTRIAC Technical Engineering Services), Kforce Government Solutions, Inc (Accounting and Financial Systems Support) and SBG Technologies, Inc. (proposal submission website support). The contracts for provision of support personnel contain Organizational Conflict of Interest provisions and include contractual requirements for non-disclosure of proprietary contractor information. Additionally, SAIC employees, including their subcontractor employees, in their role as an A&AS support contractor to DTRA will provide technical input to the Government in an advisory role as subject matter experts and provide administrative support in the management of the proposals and their technical review.

Phase I and Phase II proposals may be reviewed by additional subject matter experts (peer reviewers) from other Government agencies to include the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), some of whom may be non-government personnel. All individuals in this category with access to proprietary data shall certify that (i) no conflict of interest exists between the individual and the offeror and any proposed subcontractor; and (ii) that they will not disclose any information pertaining to this BAA including any submittal, the identity of any submitters, or any other information relative to specific proposals, and will use the information for evaluation purposes only.

mailto:Dtra.belvoir.J9.mbx.NTD-BAA-inbox@mail.mil mailto:thedtra.belvoir.rd.mbx.ntdbaa@mail.smil.mil https://beta.sam.gov/ http://www.dtrasubmission.net/ http://www.dtra.mil/

All Offerors to this BAA consent to the disclosure of their information to the aforementioned companies, their subcontractors, and external Government agencies under these conditions.

Eligibility

Except as specified below, this BAA is open to all responsible sources capable of responding to the Government’s requirements.

Eligible Sources

Proposals submitted for this BAA will be considered from the following U.S. and Foreign Enterprises:

• Industrial/commercial concerns including small businesses.

• Accredited Degree granting colleges and universities.

• Not-for-profit organizations.

• Other non-U.S. sources.

• DoD-sponsored Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) specified in DFARS 235.017-1.

• University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs), provided that it is permitted by the

UARC's DoD sponsor.

• Department of Energy (DOE) sponsored FFRDCs and National Aeronautics and

Space Administration (NASA) sponsored FFRDCs, provided that authorization is obtained from the DOE sponsor or NASA sponsor.

Non-Eligible Sources

The following entities may not participate as prime contractors nor furnish principal investigators in awards made under this BAA, but may act as subcontractors:

• Federal laboratories other than those DoD, DOE and NASA sponsored FFRDCs specified above.

• U.S. Government agencies and organizations.

• Academic institutions that are federal government organizations (e.g., Naval

Postgraduate School).

Instructions to Offerors

To assure timely and equitable evaluation of proposals, Offerors must follow the instructions contained herein. Offerors are required to meet all solicitation requirements, including terms and conditions, representations and certifications, technical requirements, and proposal content and format requirements. Failure to meet a requirement may result in an offer being ineligible for award. Additionally, Offerors must clearly identify any exception to the solicitation terms and conditions and provide complete accompanying rationale. It is the Offeror’s responsibility to ensure the completeness of the proposal. Evaluation of a proposal will be conducted only on the basis of the information contained within it and the Government will not assume that an Offeror possesses any capabilities not specified.

Proposals shall be clear, concise, and include sufficient detail for effective evaluation and for substantiating the validity of stated claims. The Offeror shall assume that the Government has no prior knowledge of the Offeror’s capabilities.

Administrative Requirements

Registration to the DTRA Proposal Submission Website

All Offerors are required to register at the DTRA proposal submission website (see link in Section 1.6) prior to submission of Phase I proposals. Detailed registration and submission instructions are available at the site.

The registration must be submitted by a central Business Point of Contact (BPOC) rather than individual Principal Investigator personnel. A BPOC is a person who is given the responsibility of coordinating all submissions from individual Principal Investigators at his or her work location and is the only individual who may access the DTRA proposal submission website. The intent is that all submissions from an organization be coordinated and submitted by a single, identified responsible party. Failure to register in accordance with instructions may render them ineligible for this BAA.

Offerors must be aware that it is their responsibility to ensure that e-mail notifications reach the designated BPOC and that e-mail notifications are not blocked due to the use of 'spam blocker' software or other means that the recipient's Internet Service Provider may have implemented to block the receipt of certain e-mail messages. Additionally, it is the responsibility of the BPOC to inform DTRA of any updates to e-mail addresses for both themselves and the designated Principal Investigator.

IMPORTANT: Registration at the DTRA proposal submission website is NOT the same as registering at the System for Award Management or Beta.SAM websites. Failure to register at the DTRA proposal submission website will prevent an Offeror’s submission of documents required and thus render the Offeror ineligible for participation in this

BAA.

Registration to the System for Award Management (SAM) Website

DTRA requires that all Offerors be registered in the SAM database at the time of Phase I proposal submission. Contractors must keep their registration current for the life of the contract. Offerors may register with SAM online at http://www.sam.gov. Offerors will NOT be able to complete their SAM registration until SAM has confirmed the Offeror’s Employer Identification Number (EIN) or Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

NOTE: It will take 24-48 hours for the IRS to validate the TIN. According to the IRS, if Offerors do not currently have an EIN and need to apply for one over the phone or http://www.sam.gov/

Internet, they will be given a tentative EIN, but the EIN may not become active for up to two weeks. Questions regarding an EIN may be directed to 1-800-829-4933.

Communications

Questions about this BAA

Questions regarding the technical and administrative content of this BAA must be sent to the following DTRA e-mail address: dtra.belvoir.J9.mbx.ntd-baa-inbox@mail.mil.

Questions and/or inquiries that are not submitted to the aforementioned e-mail address will be disregarded. Questions must be submitted before the deadline for questions listed in Attachment 6. Questions received after this deadline may not be answered. All questions must include the BAA number in the subject line. DTRA will post answers to questions on the Beta.SAM website. It is the Offeror’s responsibility to periodically check the Beta.SAM website to view postings of questions and answers, in addition to any applicable amendments to the BAA.

Communication Guidelines Prior to Receipt of Phase I Proposal

DTRA supports technical dialogue between DTRA Technical Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and proposers after release of this BAA Topic Call and prior to receipt of the Phase I proposals. All technical inquiries shall be submitted to the BAA e-mail box (refer to Section 3.2.1). Attempts to contact DTRA Technical SMEs through methods other than the BAA e-mail box will be disregarded. Following submission of questions to the BAA e-mail box, technical dialogue may occur by e-mail or phone. General guidelines for dialogue between the DTRA Technical SMEs and proposers prior to receipt of a proposal include the following:

• The DTRA Technical SMEs will not be obligated by any discussion with a potential proposer. Communications between the DTRA Technical SMEs and potential proposer shall not constitute a commitment by the Government to subsequently fund or award any proposed effort.

• The DTRA Technical SMEs cannot attempt to replace the potential proposer’s original ideas with his or her own ideas.

• The DTRA Technical SMEs cannot share ideas, technical solutions or proprietary information that were provided to him or her by another potential proposer.

• If the DTRA Technical SMEs provide information concerning the objectives/goals/requirements of the BAA to one proposer, he or she must provide this information to all proposers. Similarly, if a proposer is provided information that expands on information contained in the published solicitation or is otherwise publically available, it must also be made publically available to all potential proposers. Answers to questions concerning objectives, goals, or requirements of this BAA Call will be shared with all proposers and posted to the Beta.SAM website.

Communication Guidelines after Receipt of Phase I Proposal

The Government reserves the right to engage in communications with proposers during the course of evaluations regarding proposer’s Phase I Quad Charts and White Papers, for the purpose of enhancing the Government’s understanding of research proposals and facilitating the evaluation process. These communications will not constitute discussions within the meaning of FAR 15. These communications may be executed as best determined by the Government and Offeror, e.g., via email, teleconference, or in person.

Depending on the Offeror’s clearance level, the communications may extend above the unclassified level. Information obtained through these communications may be considered in rating proposals.

The primary focus of these communications is to address any proposal ambiguity that may preclude the evaluation of the merits of a Quad Chart and/or White Paper.

Accordingly, the Government’s decision to engage in communications with a proposer will be on a case-by-case basis, as needed to facilitate the evaluation process.

Proposal Submission Instructions

General Instructions

All proposals must be submitted electronically through the DTRA proposal submission website: http://www.dtrasubmission.net. Proposals submitted by any means other than the DTRA proposal submission website (e.g., hand-carried, postal service, commercial carrier, e-mail) will not be considered.

Offerors are responsible for ensuring submission of their Phase I and Phase II proposals by the date and time specified in Attachment 6. Time management is wholly the responsibility of the Offeror. If a timely submission is not fully uploaded prior to the cutoff date/time, the proposal will not be considered. No exceptions will be made. The Offeror must verify the submission of their proposal package by printing the electronic receipt (time and date stamped) that appears on the final screen following compliant submission of a proposal to the DTRA proposal submission website.

Using the DTRA proposal submission website, all Offerors must prepare Proposal Cover Sheets for each Phase I and invited Phase II proposal submitted. All data point requirements must be completed in every cover sheet. Once the cover sheet is saved, the system will assign a unique proposal number for each Phase I submission and a different unique proposal number for each invited Phase II submission. Cover sheets may be edited as often as necessary until the submission period closes. All submissions to the DTRA proposal submission website must be dated and unclassified. In circumstances where the separate submission of classified information is necessary to convey a full description of the proposed work relevant classified information may be submitted in the form of a classified annex as described in Section 3.4.3.1.1.

If an Offeror submits multiple proposals, separate cover sheets must be generated for each proposal and the full proposal files must be uploaded with the associated cover http://www.dtrasubmission.net/ sheet, since a unique document number will automatically be assigned to each submission by the electronic proposal tracking system. All documents submitted to the DTRA proposal submission website are considered works in progress and are not eligible for evaluation until the Offeror submits the final proposal package for consideration.

Once all proposal files have been uploaded and the Offeror is ready to submit their application, select the green "Submit" button on the page. A confirmation message will appear on the page once the submission has gone through. Perform a virus check before uploading any proposal files. If a virus is detected, it may cause rejection of the file.

Offerors must submit proposals to the appropriate Topic. Failure to do so will render the proposal ineligible for evaluation and award.

Late Submissions and Withdrawal of Proposals

Offerors are responsible for access to the DTRA proposal submission website and for submitting electronic proposals so as to be received at the Government site indicated in this BAA no later than the closing date and time stated in Attachment 6. Untimely proposals will not be considered.

When sending electronic files, the Offeror will account for potential delays in file transfer from the originator’s computer server to the Government website/computer server.

Offerors are encouraged to submit their proposals early to avoid potential file transfer delays due to high demand or problems encountered in the course of the submission.

Offerors should also print, and maintain for their records, the electronic date/time stamped receipt that appears on the final screen following submission of a proposal on the DTRA proposal submission website. All submissions shall be fully uploaded before the cut off time/date in order to be considered.

Proposals may be withdrawn by written notice received at any time before award.

Withdrawals are effective upon receipt of notice via the e-mail address listed in Section 1.6.

Proposal Format Requirements

Submission File Format

Offerors shall submit each required proposal volume as a separate Portable Document File (PDF) compatible with Adobe Acrobat ® version 11.0.0 or earlier. Additionally, each Phase I proposal shall contain a Quad Chart provided in Microsoft (MS) PowerPoint .PPTX format and a White Paper provided in MS Word .DOCX format, and each Phase II proposal shall also contain a Statement of Work (SOW) provided in MS Word .DOCX format and a Cost Spreadsheet provided in MS Excel .XLSX format. Additional specific format requirements are provided below. Files with extensions .DOC, .XLS and .PPT will not be accepted.

Movie and sound file attachments, or other additional files, will not be accepted. The proposal files must not be encrypted. File size must not exceed 10 MB.

Phase I Proposal

Offerors must submit Phase I proposals in accordance with instructions provided in this section of the BAA; failure to do so may preclude consideration for Phase II proposal invite. Additionally, Offerors are required to complete a cover sheet using the DTRA proposal submission website. All Phase I proposals shall consist of a Quad Chart and White Paper conforming to the following format requirements:

Quad Chart

• Paper size: 8.5 x 11 inches, Landscape orientation

• Font: Arial, 28 point bold for Header, 10 point for body

• Page Limit: No more than one (1) page. Pages in excess of the page limitation will not be read or evaluated.

• Format: MS PowerPoint

• Classification: Unclassified

• Restrictive Markings: The Quad Chart must not contain information deemed trade secret, confidential or proprietary by the Offeror.

White Paper

• Paper size: 8.5 x 11 inches

• Spacing: Single-spaced

• Margins: One-inch

• Font: Times New Roman, not smaller than 12 point

• Page Limit: No more than three (3) pages. Pages in excess of the page limitation will not be read or evaluated.

• Classification: Unclassified

• Restrictive Markings: White Papers containing proprietary information shall contain the restrictive markings reflected in Section 3.4.4.

Phase II Proposal

Offerors invited to submit a Phase II proposal must follow the instructions provided in this section of the BAA; failure to do so may preclude consideration of the proposal for award. All Phase II proposals shall consist of a Technical Volume, Cost Volume, and Supplement Information Volume conforming to the following format requirements:

Technical Volume

The Technical Volume shall consist of the Offeror’s Technical Proposal, Technical Approach, Basis of Estimate (BOE), and SOW conforming to the following format requirements:

Technical Proposal

• Paper size: 8.5 x 11 inches

• Spacing: Single-spaced

• Margins: One-inch

• Font: Times New Roman, not smaller than 12 point

• Page Limit: No more than twenty five (25) pages (total includes classified annex, if applicable). Pages in excess of the page limitation will not be read or evaluated.

• Classification: Unclassified

• Restrictive Markings: Documents containing proprietary information shall contain the restrictive markings reflected in Section 3.4.4.

o Classified Annexes, if applicable:

Limited to two pages or less Must contain same formatting requirements as Technical Proposal Counts toward total Technical Proposal page limit of 25 pages Shall be referenced in the unclassified proposal, as applicable All markings shall be in accordance with DoDM 5200.01 Annexes shall not be higher than SECRET//NOFORN and contain no other caveats Annexes must be referenced to the Phase II proposal using the proposal number in both the document and email subject line Annexes MUST be received no later than the Phase II submission deadline

Technical Approach and BOE

• Spacing: Single-spaced

• Margins: One-inch

• Font: Times New Roman, not smaller than 12 point

• Page Limit: None

• Classification: Unclassified

• Restrictive Markings: Documents containing proprietary information shall contain the restrictive markings reflected in Section 3.4.4.

Statement of Work

• Spacing: Single-spaced

• Margins: One-inch

• Font: Times New Roman, not smaller than 12 point

• Page Limit: None; typically 3-5 pages

• Classification: Unclassified

• Restrictive Markings: The SOW must not contain information deemed trade secret, confidential or proprietary by the Offeror nor Contractor-specific references such as headers and footers with company name and/or logo. See Attachment 2 for more information.

Cost Volume

The Cost Volume shall consist of the Offeror’s Cost Narrative / Supporting Documentation, Cost Spreadsheets, which shall conform to the following format requirements:

Cost Narrative / Supporting Documentation

• Paper size: 8.5 x 11 inches

• Spacing: Single-spaced

• Margins: One-inch

• Font: Times New Roman, not smaller than 12 point

• Page Limit: None

• Classification: Unclassified

Cost Spreadsheets

• File Format: MS Excel

• Format: In accordance with Attachment 4

• Formulas: All formulas shall be preserved.

• Page Limit: None

• Classification: Unclassified

• Restrictive Markings: Documents containing proprietary information shall contain the restrictive markings reflected in Section 3.4.4.

Supplemental Information Volume

The Supplemental Information Volume shall conform to the following format requirements:

• Paper size: 8.5 x 11 inches

• Spacing: Single-spaced

• Margins: One-inch

• Font: Times New Roman, not smaller than 12 point

• Page Limit: None

• Classification: Unclassified

Restrictive Markings and Disclosure of Proprietary Information

The White Paper portion of the Phase I submission and all Phase II volumes submitted in response to this solicitation (with the exception of the SOW) may contain technical information and other data that the Offeror does not want disclosed to the public or used by the Government for any purpose other than proposal evaluation. Public release of information in any submission will be subject to existing statutory and regulatory requirements. If proprietary information which constitutes a trade secret, proprietary commercial or financial information, confidential personal information, or data affecting national security is provided by an Offeror, it will be treated in confidence, to the extent permitted by law, provided that the following legend appears and is completed on the front of the submission:

“For any purpose other than to evaluate the White Paper/proposal, this data shall not be disclosed outside the Government and shall not be duplicated, used, or disclosed in whole or in part, provided that, if an award is made to the Offeror as a result of or in connection with the submission of this data, the Government shall have the right to duplicate, use, or disclose the data to the extent provided in the agreement. This restriction does not limit the right of the Government to use information contained in the data if it is obtained from another source without restriction. The data subject to this restriction is contained in page(s) __ of this White Paper/proposal.”

Any other legend may be unacceptable to the Government and may constitute grounds for removing the proposal from further consideration without assuming any liability for inadvertent disclosure. The Government will limit dissemination of properly marked information to official channels.

In addition, the pages indicated as restricted must be marked with the following legend:

“Use or disclosure of the White Paper/proposal data on lines identified by an asterisk (*) are subject to the restriction on the front page of this White Paper/proposal.” The Government assumes no liability for disclosure or use of unmarked data and may use or disclose such data for any purpose.”

In the event that properly marked data contained in a White Paper/proposal submitted in response to this BAA is requested pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C.

§ 552, the Offeror will be advised of such request and, prior to such release of information, will be requested to expeditiously submit to DTRA a detailed listing of all information in the White Paper/proposal which the Offeror believes to be exempt from disclosure under the Act. Such action and cooperation on the part of the Offeror will ensure that any information released by DTRA pursuant to the Act is properly identified.

By submission of a White Paper/proposal, the Offeror understands that proprietary information may be disclosed outside the Government for the sole purpose of technical evaluation. The Contracts Office will obtain a written agreement from the evaluator that proprietary information in the White Paper/proposal will only be used for evaluation purposes and will not be further disclosed or utilized.

Proposal Content Requirements

Offerors must submit Phase I proposals in accordance with instructions provided in this section of the BAA; failure to do so may preclude consideration for Phase II proposal invite. All Phase I proposals shall consist of a Quad Chart and a White Paper conforming to the following requirements:

Quad Chart

The Quad Chart must be included in the Phase I proposal as well as in Volume III, Supplemental Information, of the Phase II proposal. Proposed Quad Charts must conform to the following template:

Heading:

• Title of Project

• Topic Number

• Principal Investigator

• Organization

Upper Left Quadrant:

Objective – provide a clear and concise description of the goal of the effort.

Description of Effort – provide a brief description of the technology proposed for investigation and the methodologies to be used during the course of investigation.

Lower Left Quadrant:

Benefits of Proposed Technology – provide a brief description of the net advantages of the proposed technology over current practices and other competing technologies.

Challenges: provide a bullet list of the technical or scientific challenges being addressed.

Maturity – describe the maturity of proposed technology with respect to Technical Readiness Level (TRL) at project start and the anticipated TRL at project end.

See Attachment 1 for TRL definitions.

Upper Right Quadrant:

Picture or graphic illustrating proposed technology development

Lower Right Quadrant:

Period of Performance – provide the project period of performance. If the project incorporates multiple periods of performance, separated by logical and meaningful milestones and go/no-go decision points, provide the duration of each period.

Major goals/milestones and deliverables - provide a bullet list of the major project goals, milestones and deliverables. If utilizing multiple project periods of performance, provide the goals, milestones and deliverables for each period and for the overall project.

Cost – provide a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) cost estimate. If utilizing multiple project periods of performance, provide the ROM estimates for each period and for the overall project.

White Paper

The White Paper shall include the following sections in the order given below.

Information shall be consistent with and expand upon details provided in the Quad Chart:

(1) Describe the following elements of the project technical approach.

• Project objectives, scope, and description of the proposed effort.

• Provide sufficient information on the research being proposed (e.g., the hypothesis, theories, concepts, approaches, data measurements, and analysis, etc.).

• Major Goals/Milestones by fiscal year.

• Overview of tasks and methods planned to achieve each objective and the final deliverable and/or project end-state.

• Key personnel. Offerors are cautioned to limit discussion to the minimum necessary to establish that the Offeror possesses sufficient technical expertise to successfully execute the technical approach.

• Facilities/Equipment necessary to carry out the proposed effort.

(2) Provide a project overview describing:

• How the technology can be implemented or utilized by DoD end-users, and the impact of the technology on end-user mission capability.

• The current TRL of the technology and the anticipated TRL at the end of the proposed project.

• Any applicable technical and/or scientific challenges associated with the proposed project, and how the Offeror intends to address these challenges.

(3) Describe how the proposed project is achievable within the proposed schedule.

Discuss potential risks and their proposed mitigation.

(4) Describe the estimated costs for the proposed technical approach for each project period of performance.

Phase II Proposal

Offerors invited to submit a Phase II proposal must follow the instructions provided in this section of the BAA; failure to do so may preclude consideration of the proposal for award. All Phase II proposals shall consist of a Technical Volume, Cost Volume and Supplemental Information Volume conforming to the following requirements:

Technical Volume

The Technical Volume shall be comprised of a Technical Proposal, Technical Approach and BOE, and SOW which conforms to the following requirements:

Technical Proposal

The Technical Proposal shall be submitted in accordance with the following:

Abstract

Offerors shall provide a brief abstract.

Scope

Offerors shall provide a detailed description of project scope, to include project objectives, background, programmatics and relevance. 8 pages are suggested.

A. Objective. Offerors shall state clearly and concisely the objective of the proposed project.

B. Background. Offerors shall provide the necessary technical and scientific background to support the scientific and/or technical merit of the proposed project.

C. Programmatic. Offerors shall describe their organization’s program management plan for the proposed project. Offeror’s shall list supporting and collaborating centers, and roles and responsibilities of each identified academic and/or industrial subcontractor supporting this project.

D. Relevance. Offerors shall describe the relevance of the proposed project in terms of DTRA mission, end-user needs and the state-of-the-art of the proposed technology.

Credentials

Offerors shall provide credentials and qualifications (of all persons that will be involved with the proposed effort), limited to those which are directly relevant to the proposed work.

A. Summary of Organizational Credentials and Qualifications. Offerors shall describe their organizational qualifications and credentials to perform the proposed project.

B. Summary of Qualifications for PI and Key Personnel. Offerors shall list summary qualifications for the proposed Principal Investigator and other Key Personnel.

C. Summary of Facilities to Perform the Proposed Work. Offerors shall summarize the credentials of the primary performing center, and supporting academic and industrial subcontractors to perform the work.

Offerors shall describe specific examples of similar work performed, and equipment and/or facilities available to perform the proposed work.

Performance Schedule and Expenditure Plan

Gantt Chart. Offerors shall provide a Gantt chart that lists each individual SOW task and provides the duration of performance for each.

References

Offerors shall list any relevant documents used to develop the technical approach.

Technical Approach and BOE

A. General. The Offeror shall address the following requirements:

1. Provide a detailed narrative summary of the proposed technical approach.

2. Provide project milestones and objectives. Explain why the proposed technical approach is valid and suitable to achieve SOW requirements, project milestones and objectives.

B. Risks. The Offeror shall address the following requirements:

1. Explain the risks associated with achieving proposed project goals, objectives and milestones (what will be done), and risks associated with the technical approach (how it will be done).

2. For all identified risks, Offerors shall indicate how they plan to manage these risks (e.g., avoidance, acceptance, mitigation, transfer) and provide a detailed narrative explaining the corresponding risk management actions that will be taken for each identified risk.

C. Approach and BOE. For each proposed SOW task, Offerors shall address the following:

1. Technical Approach: The proposed technical approach to execute the individual SOW task.

2. Milestones, Metrics, Objectives and Deliverables: The milestones, metrics, objectives and deliverables associated with the individual SoW task.

3. Basis of Estimate: The proposed resources to execute the technical approach, covering all cost elements in accordance with the below information and format requirements. No cost information shall be provided with the technical approach and BOE. Cost data is limited to the Cost Volume only. Address each of the following requirements.

a) Direct Labor

i. Direct Labor Breakout – provide a chart that lists each individual labor category assigned to this task and the number of hours allocated to each listed labor category.

ii. Direct Labor Justification – Offerors shall explain, in detail, how the estimate was developed (e.g., bottom-up analysis, analogy), the rationale supporting the chosen estimating technique, and why each proposed labor category, and the hours allocated to each labor category, is reasonable and necessary to execute the technical approach

b) Subcontracts

i. Subcontract Breakout – provide a chart that lists each individual subcontractor assigned to this task.

ii. Subcontractor Justification – Offerors shall explain, in detail, why each proposed subcontractor is appropriate and necessary to execute the technical approach.

c) Consultants

i. Consultant Breakout – provide a chart that lists each individual consultant assigned to this task and the number of hours allocated to each consultant.

ii. Consultant Justification – Offerors shall explain, in detail, why each proposed consultant, and associated level of effort/hours, is appropriate and necessary to execute the technical approach.

d) Materials/Supplies

i. Material/Supplies Breakout – provide a chart that lists each individual material and supply item assigned to this task and the quantity for each.

ii. Material/Supplies Justification – Offerors shall explain, in detail, how the estimate was developed (e.g., bottom-up analysis, analogy), the rationale supporting the chosen estimating technique, and why each proposed material and supply item is appropriate and necessary to execute the technical approach.

e) Equipment

i. Equipment Breakout – provide a chart that lists each individual equipment item assigned to this task and the quantity for each.

ii. Equipment Justification – Offerors shall explain, in detail, how the estimate was developed (e.g., bottom-up analysis, analogy), the rationale supporting the chosen estimating technique, and why each proposed equipment item is appropriate and necessary to execute the technical approach.

f) Travel

i. Travel Breakout – provide a chart that lists each individual travel event, and for each individual travel event, lists the following: a) reason for travel, b) destination, c) number of travelers, d) applicable labor categories, and e) duration of travel.

ii. Travel Justification – Offerors shall explain, in detail why each proposed travel event, and the proposed travelers (by labor category) are appropriate and necessary to execute the technical approach.

g) Other Direct Costs (ODC)

i. ODC Breakout – provide a chart that lists each individual ODC item assigned to this task and the quantity for each.

ii. ODC Justification – Offerors shall explain, in detail, how the estimate was developed (e.g., bottom-up analysis, analogy), the rationale supporting the chosen estimating technique, and why each proposed ODC item is appropriate and necessary to execute the technical approach.

The technical approach and BOE MUST clearly and accurately reflect the proposed SOW. Offerors must complete the above for each proposed project period of performance (e.g., Base Period, Option Period 1, etc.). Each proposed subcontractor must also provide a technical basis of estimate addressing each of the above requirements.

SOW

The SOW shall be submitted in accordance with the sample template provided in Attachment 2.

Cost Volume

All proposals may be subject to the requirements of the Truth in Negotiations Act (TINA). A proposal tentatively selected for award exceeding the threshold listed in FAR 15.403-4(a)(1) may be required to submit a certificate of current cost and pricing data in the format described in FAR 15.406-2 upon conclusion of successful negotiations.

The responsibility for providing adequate supporting data and attachments lies solely with the Offeror. The cost proposal must include cost estimates sufficiently detailed for meaningful evaluation. Further, the Offeror must also bear the burden of proof in establishing reasonableness of proposed costs; therefore, it is in the Offeror’s best interest to submit a fully supportable and well-prepared cost proposal. The basis and rationale for all proposed costs should be provided in the cost narrative so that Government personnel can place reliance on the information as current, complete, and accurate.

The Cost Volume shall contain the following content:

Cost Spreadsheet

The Offeror shall prepare the Cost Spreadsheet utilizing Attachment 4 – Cost Spreadsheet. The Cost Spreadsheet is in Microsoft Excel format. Offerors shall follow all instructions, including provided Notes, contained within the Cost Spreadsheet.

Cost Narrative/Supporting Documentation

All Offerors shall provide documentation, and analysis as required, to support the proposed costs contained within Attachment 4. Specific information requirements for this section are included in the Attachment 4 Notes.

Supplemental Information Volume

The Supplemental Information Volume shall be submitted in accordance with…