HR001118S0057-Amendment-03.pdf

Broad Agency Announcement Information Innovation Office (I2O) Office‐wide

HR001118S0057

September 14, 2018

Amendment 3 (Amended on September 1, 2020)

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Information Innovation Office 675 North Randolph Street Arlington, VA 22203-2114

HR001118S0057 I2O OFFICE-WIDE BAA 2

Table of Contents

I. Funding Opportunity Description

II. Award Information

A. Awards

B. Fundamental Research

C. Disclosure of Information and Compliance with Safeguarding Covered Defense Information Controls

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

B. Organizational Conflicts of Interest

C. Cost Sharing/Matching

IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Address to Request Application Package

B. Content and Form of Application Submission

C. Submission Dates and Times

D. Funding Restrictions

E. Other Submission Requirements

V. Application Review Information

A. Evaluation Criteria

B. Review and Selection Process

VI. Award Administration Information

A. Abstract Responses

B. Selection Notices

C. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

D. Reporting

VII. Agency Contacts

VIII. Other Information

A. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

B. Submission Checklist

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PART I: OVERVIEW INFORMATION

Federal Agency Name: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Information Innovation Office (I2O)

Funding Opportunity Title: I2O Office‐wide BAA

Announcement Type: Initial Announcement

Funding Opportunity Number: HR001118S0057

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers (CFDA): 12.910 Research and Technology Development

Dates o Posting Date: September 14, 2018 o Abstract Due Date: July 17, 2020, 12:00 noon (ET) o Proposal Due Date: September 29, 2020, October 28, 2020, 12:00 noon (ET) o BAA Closing Date: September 29, 2020, October 28, 2020, 12:00 noon (ET)

Concise Description of Funding Opportunity: This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) seeks revolutionary research ideas for topics not being addressed by ongoing I2O programs or other published solicitations. Potential proposers are highly encouraged to review the current I2O programs (http://www.darpa.mil/about-us/offices/i2o) and solicitations (http://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/opportunities) to avoid proposing efforts that duplicate existing activities or that are responsive to other published I2O solicitations.

Anticipated Individual Awards: Multiple awards are anticipated. See Section II.

Types of Instruments that May be Awarded: Procurement contract, grant, cooperative agreement or Other Transaction (OT).

Doing Business: DARPA welcomes engagement from all responsible sources capable of satisfying the Government's needs, including academia (colleges and universities);

businesses (large, small, small disadvantaged, etc.); other organizations (including non-profit); entities (foreign, domestic, and government); Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs); minority institutions; and others.

DARPA welcomes engagement from non-traditional sources in addition to current DARPA performers. For these non-traditional sources, DARPA can use statutory authorities to employ award mechanisms that allow commercial companies to keep using their internal business processes, and permit the flexibility in negotiating most terms and conditions in any resultant agreement. Other Transaction (OT) for Prototypes, for example, could be used when the main focus of the agreement is to create a prototype that the Government may acquire, even when significant research is necessary to create http://www.darpa.mil/about-us/offices/i2o http://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/opportunities

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the prototype. DARPA has wide latitude to use this authority, but it has a statutory requirement that the proposer's team needs to either have at least one “non-traditional participant” (an entity that has not had $50M or more in defense contracts with the Government in the last year) or to cost-share one-third of the project’s costs.

DARPA welcomes your interest and participation and is willing and able to work with a potential performer in coming up with a contracting arrangement that benefits everyone.

BAA POC: BAA Coordinator, DARPA/I2O

BAA Email: HR001118S0057@darpa.mil

BAA Mailing Address:

DARPA/I2O

ATTN: HR001118S0057

675 North Randolph Street Arlington, VA 22203-2114

I2O Solicitation Website: http://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/opportunities mailto:HR001118S0057@darpa.mil

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PART II: FULL TEXT OF ANNOUNCEMENT

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Modern society depends on information and information depends on information systems.

Timely, insightful, reliable, and relevant information is essential, particularly for national security. The Information Innovation Office (I2O) sponsors basic and applied research in three thrust areas to ensure information advantage for the U.S. and its allies:

Symbiosis. I2O envisions a future in which machines are more than just tools that execute human-programmed rules or generalize from human-curated data sets: rather, machines will become partners in problem solving. Enabling computing systems in this manner is of critical importance because sensor, information, and communication systems generate data at rates far beyond what humans can assimilate and understand for enabling effective action. Incorporating these technologies into military systems that collaborate with warfighters will facilitate better decisions in complex, time-critical, battlefield environments; enable a shared understanding of massive, incomplete, and contradictory information; and enable unmanned systems collaborating with human warfighters to perform missions safely and with higher degrees of autonomy.

Analytics. The human domain is an increasingly important aspect of military strategy.

What has changed is the capability to interact with populations on a global scale through the connectedness provided by the Internet, social media and other information ecosystems. We need analytical tools and technologies that rapidly transform the data and information in these ecosystems into effective courses of action for conflict resolution, stabilization, and other complex challenges. These tools and technologies enable an emerging data-centric paradigm: collect/curate data emphasizing the human domain but inclusive of all other domains; analyze data for entities, relationships, and trends; synthesize models for situational awareness, prediction, and intervention; and engage allies, stakeholders, and adversaries through appropriate channels.

Cyber. Direct cyber threats against our information systems have grown in sophistication and number. Adversaries have at their disposal a growing diversity of means (including advanced persistent threats, botnets, denial of service attacks, and other sophisticated capabilities) with which to threaten critical infrastructure, embedded computing systems, cyber-physical systems, and enterprise information systems. The information and operational technology used in networks and systems must operate through a cyber-attack or enable rapid recovery from such an attack. Subtle or overt escalations of cyber conflict intensity and adversary attacks must be detected, understood, and attributed in a timely fashion. The U.S. must have the ability to mount an accurate, timely, effective, and appropriately-scaled cyber response to any cyber-attack, a response that is calibrated to discourage further escalation.

I2O may also consider submissions outside these areas if the proposal involves the development of novel software‐based capabilities having a promise to provide decisive information advantage for the U.S. and its allies.

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I2O seeks unconventional approaches that are outside the mainstream, challenge accepted assumptions, and have the potential to radically change established practice. Proposed research should investigate innovative approaches that enable revolutionary advances in science, technology, devices, or systems. Specifically excluded is research that primarily results in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of the art.

I2O collaborates with other DARPA technical offices, in some cases acting as the recipient of significant emerging technologies and, in other cases, serving as a catalyst by identifying relevant new external technology trends. Novel methods are sought to build technical communities and tap into sources of innovation both inside and outside traditional DoD performer communities. However, proposers may not propose work: (1) they have already completed, nor (2) for which they have already received funding or a positive funding decision (whether by DARPA or another Government agency). I2O encourages efforts that are creative and agile both in terms of the technologies proposed and in the structure of the approach (e.g., shorter periods of performance).

For the purposes of this solicitation, only submissions deemed relevant will receive a detailed scientific review. Relevance, first and foremost, requires that submissions address one or more of the focus areas described herein. Additional factors considered in determining relevance include: whether the overall goal of the proposed effort, if achieved, would convey technology significantly beyond the state of the art; the timetable for achieving results is appropriate for a mission agency such as DARPA; and the scope of work is commensurate with I2O priorities.

Submission of abstracts in advance of full proposals is strongly encouraged to ascertain I2O interest in the proposed effort. I2O will respond to abstracts with an email encouraging or discouraging the submission of a full proposal based on a preliminary assessment of the proposed effort’s scientific or technical merit and interest in the technology concept. Abstracts that are not determined to be relevant per the above factors will receive a “No Interest” email.

See Section IV.B.1 for further information related to abstracts.

This BAA is being issued, and any resultant selection will be made, using procedures under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 35.016. Any negotiations and/or awards will use procedures under FAR 15.4 (or 32 C.F.R. 22 for grants and cooperative agreements). Proposals received as a result of this BAA shall be evaluated in accordance with evaluation criteria specified herein through a scientific review process. DARPA BAAs are posted on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website (https://www.fbo.gov/) and, as applicable, the Grants.gov website (http://www.grants.gov/).

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

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II. Award Information

A. Awards

Multiple awards are anticipated. The level of funding for individual awards made under this solicitation has not been predetermined and will depend on the quality of the proposals received and the availability of funds. Awards will be made to proposers whose proposals are determined to be the most advantageous to the Government, all factors considered, including the potential contributions of the proposed work, overall funding strategy, and availability of funding. See Section V for further information.

The Government reserves the right to:

select for negotiation all, some, one, or none of the proposals received in response to this solicitation;

make awards without discussions with proposers;

conduct discussions with proposers if it is later determined to be necessary;

segregate portions of resulting awards into pre-priced options;

accept proposals in their entirety or to select only portions of proposals for award;

fund proposals in increments and/or with options for continued work at the end of one or more phases;

request additional documentation once the award instrument has been determined (e.g., representations and certifications); and remove proposers from award consideration should the parties fail to reach agreement on award terms within a reasonable time or the proposer fails to provide requested additional information in a timely manner.

Proposals selected for award negotiation may result in a procurement contract, grant, cooperative agreement, or Other Transaction depending upon the nature of the work proposed, the required degree of interaction between parties, and other factors.

Proposers looking for innovative, commercial-like contractual arrangements are encouraged to consider requesting Other Transactions. To understand the flexibility and options associated with Other Transactions, consult http://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/contract-management#OtherTransactions.

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

http://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/contract-management#OtherTransactions http://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/contract-management#OtherTransactions

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In all cases, the Government contracting officer shall have sole discretion to select award instrument type, regardless of instrument type proposed, and to negotiate all instrument terms and conditions with selectees. DARPA will apply publication or other restrictions, as necessary, if it determines that the research resulting from the proposed effort will present a high likelihood of disclosing performance characteristics of military systems or manufacturing technologies that are unique and critical to defense. Any award resulting from such a determination will include a requirement for DARPA permission before publishing any information or results on the program. For more information on publication restrictions, see the section below on Fundamental Research.

B. Fundamental Research

It is DoD policy that the publication of products of fundamental research will remain unrestricted to the maximum extent possible. National Security Decision Directive (NSDD) 189 defines fundamental research as follows:

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

As of the date of publication of this BAA, the Government cannot identify whether the work under this BAA may be considered fundamental research and may award both fundamental and non-fundamental research.

Proposers should indicate in their proposal whether they believe the scope of the research included in their proposal is fundamental or not. While proposers should clearly explain the intended results of their research, the Government shall have sole discretion to select award instrument type and to negotiate all instrument terms and conditions with selectees. Appropriate clauses will be included in resultant awards for non-fundamental research to prescribe publication requirements and other restrictions, as appropriate. This clause can be found at http://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/additional-baa.

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

C. Disclosure of Information and Compliance with Safeguarding Covered Defense Information Controls

The following provisions and clause apply to all solicitations and contracts; however, the definition of “controlled technical information” clearly exempts work considered fundamental research and therefore, even though included in the contract, will not apply if the work is fundamental research.

DFARS 252.204-7000, “Disclosure of Information” http://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/additional-baa

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DFARS 252.204-7008, “Compliance with Safeguarding Covered Defense Information Controls” DFARS 252.204-7012, “Safeguarding Covered Defense Information and Cyber Incident Reporting”

The full text of the above solicitation provision and contract clauses can be found at http://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/additional-baa#NPRPAC.

Compliance with the above requirements includes the mandate for proposers to implement the security requirements specified by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication (SP) 800-171, “Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information in Nonfederal Information Systems and Organizations” (see https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-171r1) that are in effect at the time the BAA is issued.

For awards where the work is considered fundamental research, the contractor will not have to implement the aforementioned requirements and safeguards; however, should the nature of the work change during performance of the award, work not considered fundamental research will be subject to these requirements.

http://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/additional-baa#NPRPAC https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-171r1

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III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

DARPA welcomes engagement from all responsible sources capable of satisfying the Government's needs, including academia (colleges and universities); businesses (large, small, small disadvantaged, etc.); other organizations (including non-profit); entities (foreign, domestic, and government); FFRDCs; minority institutions; and others.

DARPA welcomes engagement from non-traditional sources in addition to current DARPA performers.

1. Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) and Government Entities

a. FFRDCs FFRDCs are subject to applicable direct competition limitations and cannot propose to this BAA in any capacity unless they meet the following conditions: (1) FFRDCs must clearly demonstrate that the proposed work is not otherwise available from the private sector. (2) FFRDCs must provide a letter on official letterhead from their sponsoring organization citing the specific authority establishing their eligibility to propose to Government solicitations and compete with industry, and their compliance with the associated FFRDC sponsor agreement’s terms and conditions. This information is required for FFRDCs proposing to be awardees or subawardees.

b. Government Entities Government Entities (e.g., Government/National laboratories, military educational institutions, etc.) are subject to applicable direct competition limitations. Government entities must clearly demonstrate that the work is not otherwise available from the private sector and provide written documentation citing the specific statutory authority and contractual authority, if relevant, establishing their ability to propose to Government solicitations.

c. Authority and Eligibility At the present time, DARPA does not consider 15 U.S.C. § 3710a to be sufficient legal authority to show eligibility. While 10 U.S.C.§ 2539b may be the appropriate statutory starting point for some entities, specific supporting regulatory guidance, together with evidence of agency approval, will still be required to fully establish eligibility. DARPA will consider FFRDC and Government entity eligibility submissions on a case-by-case basis; however, the burden to prove eligibility for all team members rests solely with the proposer.

2. Foreign Participation Non-U.S. organizations and/or individuals may participate to the extent that such participants comply with any necessary nondisclosure agreements, security regulations, export control

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laws, and other governing statutes applicable under the circumstances.

B. Organizational Conflicts of Interest

FAR 9.5 Requirements In accordance with FAR 9.5, proposers are required to identify and disclose all facts relevant to potential OCIs involving the proposer’s organization and any proposed team member (subawardee, consultant). Under this Section, the proposer is responsible for providing this disclosure with each proposal submitted to the BAA. The disclosure must include the proposer’s, and as applicable, proposed team member’s OCI mitigation plan. The OCI mitigation plan must include a description of the actions the proposer has taken, or intends to take, to prevent the existence of conflicting roles that might bias the proposer’s judgment and to prevent the proposer from having unfair competitive advantage. The OCI mitigation plan will specifically discuss the disclosed OCI in the context of each of the OCI limitations outlined in FAR 9.505-1 through FAR 9.505-4.

Agency Supplemental OCI Policy In addition, DARPA has a supplemental OCI policy that prohibits contractors/performers from concurrently providing Scientific Engineering Technical Assistance (SETA), Advisory and Assistance Services (A&AS) or similar support services and being a technical performer.

Therefore, as part of the FAR 9.5 disclosure requirement above, a proposer must affirm whether the proposer or any proposed team member (subawardee, consultant) is providing SETA, A&AS, or similar support to any DARPA office(s) under: (a) a current award or subaward; or (b) a past award or subaward that ended within one calendar year prior to the proposal’s submission date.

If SETA, A&AS, or similar support is being or was provided to any DARPA office(s), the proposal must include:

The name of the DARPA office receiving the support;

The prime contract number;

Identification of proposed team member (subawardee, consultant) providing the support; and An OCI mitigation plan in accordance with FAR 9.5.

Government Procedures In accordance with FAR 9.503, 9.504 and 9.506, the Government will evaluate OCI mitigation plans to avoid, neutralize or mitigate potential OCI issues before award and to determine whether it is in the Government’s interest to grant a waiver. The Government will only evaluate OCI mitigation plans for proposals that are determined selectable under the BAA evaluation criteria and funding availability.

The Government may require proposers to provide additional information to assist the Government in evaluating the proposer’s OCI mitigation plan.

If the Government determines that a proposer failed to fully disclose an OCI; or failed to provide the affirmation of DARPA support as described above; or failed to reasonably provide additional

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information requested by the Government to assist in evaluating the proposer’s OCI mitigation plan, the Government may reject the proposal and withdraw it from consideration for award.

C. Cost Sharing/Matching

Cost sharing is not required; however, it will be carefully considered where there is an applicable statutory condition relating to the selected funding instrument (e.g., OTs under the authority of 10 U.S.C. § 2371).

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IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Address to Request Application Package

This document contains all information required to submit a response to this solicitation. No additional forms, kits, or other materials are needed except as referenced herein. No request for proposal (RFP) or additional solicitation regarding this opportunity will be issued, nor is additional information available except as provided at the Federal Business Opportunities website (https://www.fbo.gov), the Grants.gov website (http://www.grants.gov/), or referenced herein.

B. Content and Form of Application Submission

1. Abstracts Proposers are highly encouraged to submit an abstract in advance of a proposal to minimize effort and reduce the potential expense of preparing an out of scope proposal. The abstract provides a synopsis of the proposed project, including brief answers to the following questions:

What is the proposed work attempting to accomplish or do?

How is it done today, and what are the limitations?

Who will care and what will the impact be if the work is successful?

How much will it cost, and how long will it take?

DARPA will respond to abstracts with a statement as to whether DARPA is interested in the idea. If DARPA does not recommend the proposer submit a full proposal, DARPA will provide feedback to the proposer regarding the rationale for this decision. Regardless of DARPA’s response to an abstract, proposers may submit a full proposal. DARPA will review all full proposals submitted using the published evaluation criteria and without regard to any comments resulting from the review of an abstract.

Abstract Format: Abstracts shall not exceed a maximum of 10 pages, including the cover sheet and all figures, tables, and charts. The page limit does not include a submission letter (optional).

All pages shall be formatted for printing on 8-1/2 by 11-inch paper with 1-inch margins and font size not smaller than 11 point. Font sizes of 8 or 10 point may be used for figures, tables, and charts. Document files must be in .pdf, .odx, .doc, .docx, .xls, or .xlsx formats.

Submissions must be written in English. All pages should be numbered.

Abstracts must include the following components:

Cover Sheet: Provide the administrative and technical points of contact (name, address, phone, email, lead organization). Include the BAA number, title of the proposed project, primary subcontractors, estimated cost, duration of the project, and the label “Abstract.”

Goals and Impact: Describe what is being proposed and what difference it will make http://www.grants.gov/)

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(qualitatively and quantitatively) if successful. Describe the innovative aspects of the project in the context of existing capabilities and approaches, clearly delineating the relationship of this work to any other projects from the past and present.

Technical Plan: Outline and address all technical challenges inherent in the approach and possible solutions for overcoming potential problems. Provide appropriate specific milestones (quantitative, if possible) at intermediate stages of the project to demonstrate progress.

Capabilities/Management Plan: Provide a brief summary of expertise of the team, including subcontractors and key personnel. Identify a principal investigator for the project and include a description of the team’s organization including roles and responsibilities. Describe the organizational experience in this area, existing intellectual property required to complete the project, and any specialized facilities to be used as part of the project. List Government-furnished property, facilities, or data assumed to be available. Include a brief bibliography with links to relevant papers, or public reports authored by key performers.

Statement of Work, Cost and Schedule: Provide a cost estimate for resources over the proposed timeline of the project, broken down by fiscal year. Include labor, materials, a list of deliverables and delivery schedule. Provide cost estimates for each subcontractor.

All costs may be a rough order of magnitude.

2. Proposals Proposals consist of Volume 1: Technical and Management Proposal (including mandatory Appendix A, and optional Appendix B); Volume 2: Cost Proposal; the Level of Effort Summary by Task Excel spreadsheet; and the PowerPoint summary slide.

Proposers are encouraged to submit concise, but descriptive, proposals. Specific examples of problems, approaches, or goals are preferred to qualitative generalities. The Government will not consider pages in excess of the page count limitation, as described herein. Proposals with fewer than the maximum number of pages will not be penalized. Information incorporated into Volume 2: Cost Proposal which is not related to cost will not be considered.

All pages shall be formatted for printing on 8-1/2 by 11-inch paper with 1-inch margins, single-line spacing, and a font size no smaller than 12 point. Font sizes of 8 or 10 point may be used for figures, tables, and charts. Document files must be in .pdf, .odx, .doc, .docx, .xls, or .xlsx formats. Submissions must be written in English. All pages of Volume 1 should be numbered.

A summary slide of the proposed effort, in PowerPoint format, should be submitted with the proposal. A template slide is provided as an attachment to the BAA. Submit this PowerPoint file in addition to Volumes 1 and 2 of your full proposal, and the Level of Effort Summary by Task Excel spreadsheet. This summary slide does not count towards the total page count.

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Proposals not meeting the format prescribed herein may not be reviewed.

a. Volume 1: Technical and Management Proposal The maximum page count for Volume 1 is 25 pages, including all figures, tables, and charts but not including the cover sheet, table of contents or appendices. A submission letter is optional and is not included in the page count. Appendix A does not count against the page limit and is mandatory.

Appendix B does not count against the page limit and is optional. Additional information not explicitly called for here must not be submitted with the proposal, but may be included in the bibliography in Appendix B. Such materials will be considered for the reviewers’ convenience only and not evaluated as part of the proposal.

Volume 1 must include the following components:

i. Cover Sheet: Include the following information.

Label: “Proposal: Volume 1” BAA number (HR001118S0057) Proposal title Lead organization (prime contractor) name Type of organization, selected from the following categories: Large Business, Small Disadvantaged Business, Other Small Business, HBCU, MI, Other Educational, or Other Nonprofit

Technical point of contact (POC) including name, mailing address, telephone, and email

Administrative POC including name, mailing address, telephone number, and email address

Award instrument requested: procurement contract (specify type), grant, cooperative agreement or OT1

Total amount of the proposed effort Place(s) and period(s) of performance Other team member (subcontractors and consultants) information (for each, include Technical POC name, organization, type of organization, mailing address, telephone number, and email address)

Proposal validity period (minimum 120 calendar days) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number2

Taxpayer identification number (TIN)3

1 Information on award instruments can be found at http://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/contract-management.

2 The DUNS number is used as the Government's contractor identification code for all procurement-related activities. Go to http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/index.jsp to request a DUNS number (may take at least one business day). For further information regarding this subject, please see www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/additional-baa for further information.

3 See http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/international/article/0,,id=96696,00.html for information on requesting a TIN. Note, requests may take from 1 business day to 1 month depending on the method (online, fax, mail).

http://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/contract-management http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/index.jsp http://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/additional-baa http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/international/article/0,,id=96696,00.html

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Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code4

Proposer’s reference number (if any)

ii. Table of Contents

iii. Executive Summary:

Provide a synopsis of the proposed project, including answers to the following questions:

What is the proposed work attempting to accomplish or do?

How is it done today, and what are the limitations?

Who or what will be affected and what will be the impact if the work is successful?

How much will it cost, and how long will it take?

The executive summary should include a description of the key technical challenges, a concise review of the technologies proposed to overcome these challenges and achieve the project’s goal, and a clear statement of the novelty and uniqueness of the proposed work.

iv. Innovative Claims and Deliverables: Describe the innovative aspects of the project in the context of existing capabilities and approaches, clearly delineating the uniqueness and benefits of this project in the context of the state of the art, alternative approaches, and other projects from the past and present. Describe how the proposed project is revolutionary and how it significantly rises above the current state of the art.

Describe the deliverables associated with the proposed project and any plans to commercialize the technology, transition it to a customer, or further the work.

Discuss the mitigation of any issues related to sustainment of the technology over its entire lifecycle, assuming the technology transition plan is successful.

v. Technical Plan: Outline and address technical challenges inherent in the approach and possible solutions for overcoming potential problems. Demonstrate a deep understanding of the technical challenges and present a credible (even if risky) plan to achieve the project’s goal. Discuss mitigation of technical risk. Provide appropriate measurable milestones (quantitative if possible) at intermediate stages of the project to demonstrate progress and a plan for achieving the milestones.

vi. Management Plan: Provide a summary of expertise of the proposed team, including any subcontractors/consultants and key personnel who will be executing the work. Resumes count against the proposal page limit so proposers may wish to include them in Appendix B below. Identify a principal investigator for the project.

4 A CAGE Code identifies companies doing or wishing to do business with the Federal Government. For further information regarding this subject, please see www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/additional-baa.

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Provide a clear description of the team’s organization including an organization chart that includes, as applicable, the relationship of team members; unique capabilities of team members; task responsibilities of team members; teaming strategy among the team members; and key personnel with the amount of effort to be expended by each person during the project. Provide a detailed plan for coordination including explicit guidelines for interaction among collaborators/subcontractors of the proposed project.

Include risk management approaches. Describe any formal teaming agreements that are required to execute this project. List Government-furnished materials or data assumed to be available.

vii. Personnel, Qualifications, and Commitments: List key personnel (no more than one (1) page per person), showing a concise summary of their qualifications, discussion of previous accomplishments, and work in this or closely related research areas. Indicate the level of effort in terms of hours to be expended by each person during each contract year and other (current and proposed) major sources of support for them and/or commitments of their efforts. DARPA expects all key personnel associated with a proposal to make a substantial time commitment to the proposed activity, and the proposal will be evaluated accordingly. It is DARPA’s intention to put key personnel conditions into the awards, so proposers should not propose personnel that are not anticipated to execute the award.

Include a table of key individual time commitments as follows:

Key Individual

Project Status (Current, Pending, Proposed)

2019 2020 2021

Proposed DARPA Project Proposed xx hours xx hours xx hours

Project Name 1 Current n/a n/a n/aIndividual Name 1

Project Name 2 Pending xx hours n/a n/a

Individual Name 2

Proposed DARPA Project Proposed n/a xx hours Xx hours

viii. Capabilities: Describe organizational experience in relevant subject area(s), existing intellectual property, or specialized facilities. Discuss any work in closely related research areas and previous accomplishments.

ix. Statement of Work (SOW): The SOW must provide a detailed task breakdown, citing specific tasks and their connection to the interim milestones and metrics, as applicable. Each year of the project should be separately defined. The SOW must not include proprietary information. For each defined task/subtask, provide:

A general description of the objective.

A detailed description of the approach to be taken to accomplish each defined task/subtask.

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Identification of the primary organization responsible for task execution (prime contractor, subcontractor[s], consultant[s]), by name.

A measurable milestone, (e.g., a deliverable, demonstration, or other event/activity that marks task completion).

A definition of all deliverables (e.g., data, reports, software) to be provided to the Government in support of the proposed tasks/subtasks.

Identify any tasks/subtasks (by the prime or subcontractor) that will be accomplished at a university and believed to be fundamental research.

x. Schedule and Milestones: Provide a detailed schedule showing tasks (task name, duration, work breakdown structure element as applicable, performing organization), milestones, and the interrelationships among tasks. The task structure must be consistent with that in the SOW. Measurable milestones should be clearly articulated and defined in time relative to the start of the project.

xi. Appendix A: This section is mandatory and must include all of the following components. If a particular subsection is not applicable, state “NONE”.

(1). Team Member Identification: Provide a list of all team members including the prime, subcontractor(s), and consultant(s), as applicable.

Identify specifically whether any are a non-U.S. organization or individual, FFRDC and/or Government entity. Use the following format for this list:

Role Non-U.S.? FFRDC Individual

Name (Prime, Subcontractor Organization or Govt?

or Consultant) Org Ind.

(2). Government or FFRDC Team Member Proof of Eligibility to Propose:

If none of the team member organizations (prime or subcontractor) are a Government entity or FFRDC, state “NONE”.

If any of the team member organizations are a Government entity or FFRDC, provide documentation (per Section III.A.1) citing the specific authority that establishes the applicable team member’s eligibility to propose to Government solicitations to include: 1) statutory authority; 2) contractual authority; 3) supporting regulatory guidance; and 4) evidence of agency approval for applicable team member participation.

(3). Government or FFRDC Team Member Statement of Unique Capability: If none of the team member organizations (prime or subcontractor) are a Government entity or FFRDC, state “NONE”.

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If any of the team member organizations are a Government entity or FFRDC, provide a statement (per Section III.A.1) that demonstrates the work to be performed by the Government entity or FFRDC team member is not otherwise available from the private sector.

(4). Organizational Conflict of Interest Affirmations and Disclosure: If none of the proposed team members is currently providing SETA or similar support as described in Section III.B, state “NONE”.

If any of the proposed team members (individual or organization) is currently performing SETA or similar support, furnish the following information:

Prime Contract Number

DARPA

Technical Office supported

A description of the action the proposer has taken or proposes to take to avoid, neutralize, or mitigate the conflict

(5). Intellectual Property (IP): If no IP restrictions are intended, state “NONE”. The Government will assume unlimited rights to all IP not explicitly identified as having less than unlimited rights in the proposal.

For all technical data or computer software that will be furnished to the Government with other than unlimited rights, provide (per Section VI.B.1) a list describing all proprietary claims to results, prototypes, deliverables or systems supporting and/or necessary for the use of the research, results, prototypes and/or deliverables. Provide documentation proving ownership or possession of appropriate licensing rights to all patented inventions (or inventions for which a patent application has been filed) to be used for the proposed project. Use the following format for these lists:

NONCOMMERCIAL

Technical Data and/or Summary of Basis for Asserted Name of Person Computer Software To Intended Use in Assertion Rights Asserting Restrictions be Furnished With the Conduct of Category Restrictions the Research

(List) (Narrative) (List) (List) (List) (List) (Narrative) (List) (List) (List)

COMMERCIAL

Technical Data and/or Summary of Basis for Asserted Name of Person Computer Software To Intended Use in Assertion Rights Asserting Restrictions be Furnished With the Conduct of Category Restrictions the Research

(List) (Narrative) (List) (List) (List) (List) (Narrative) (List) (List) (List)

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(6). Human Subjects Research (HSR): If HSR is not a factor in the proposal, state “NONE”.

If the proposed work will involve human subjects, provide evidence of or a plan for review by an institutional review board (IRB). For further information on this subject, see Section VI.B.2.

(7). Animal Use: If animal use is not a factor in the proposal, state “NONE”.

If the proposed research will involve animal use, provide a brief description of the plan for Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) review and approval. For further information on this subject, see Section

VI.B.2.

(8). Representations Regarding Unpaid Delinquent Tax Liability or a Felony Conviction under Any Federal Law: For further information regarding this subject, please see www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/additional-baa.

Please also complete the following statements.

(1) The proposer is [ ] is not [ ] a corporation that has any unpaid Federal tax liability that has been assessed, for which all judicial and administrative remedies have been exhausted or have lapsed, and that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant to an agreement with the authority responsible for collecting the tax liability.

(2) The proposer is [ ] is not [ ] a corporation that was convicted of a felony criminal violation under a Federal law within the preceding 24 months.

(9). Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) Notices and Certification: For any proposer who submits a proposal which, if accepted, will result in a CAS-compliant contract, must include a Disclosure Statement as required by 48 CFR 9903.202. The disclosure forms may be found at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/procurement_casb.

If this section is not applicable, state “NONE”. For further information regarding this subject, please see www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/additional-baa.

xii. Appendix B: Include a brief bibliography to relevant papers, and public reports.

Do not include technical papers. This section is optional, and the materials will not be evaluated as part of the proposal review.

http://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/additional-baa http://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/additional-baa http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/procurement_casb http://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/additional-

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b. Volume 2 - Cost Proposal This volume is mandatory and must include all the listed components. No page limit is specified for this volume.

The cost proposal should include a working spreadsheet file (.xls or equivalent format) that provides formula traceability among all components of the cost proposal. The spreadsheet file should be included as a separate component of the full proposal package. Costs must be traceable between the prime and subcontractors/consultants, as well as between the cost proposal and the SOW.

Pre-award costs will not be reimbursed unless a pre-award cost agreement is negotiated prior to award.

i. Cover Sheet: Include the same information as the cover sheet for Volume 1, but with the label “Proposal: Volume 2.”

ii. Cost Summary Tables: Provide a single-page summary table broken down by fiscal year listing cost totals for labor, materials, other direct charges (ODCs), indirect costs (overhead, fringe, general and administrative [G&A]), and any proposed fee for the project. Include costs for each task in each fiscal year of the project by prime and major subcontractors, total cost and proposed cost share, if applicable. Provide a second table containing the same information broken down by project phase.

iii. Cost Details: For each task, provide the following cost details by month. Include supporting documentation describing the method used to estimate costs. Identify any cost sharing.

(1) Direct Labor: Provide labor categories, rates and hours. Justify rates by providing examples of equivalent rates for equivalent talent, past commercial or Government rates or approved rates from a Government audit agency such as the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA), the Office of Naval Research (ONR), the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), etc.

(2) Indirect Costs: Identify all indirect cost rates (such as fringe benefits, labor overhead, material overhead, G&A or Facilities and Administrative (F&A), etc.)

and the basis for each.

(3) Materials: Provide an itemized list of all proposed materials, equipment, and supplies for each year including quantities, unit prices, proposed vendors (if known), and the basis of estimate (e.g., quotes, prior purchases, catalog price lists, etc.). For proposed equipment/information technology (as defined in FAR 2.101) purchases equal to or greater than $50,000, include a letter justifying the purchase. Include any requests for Government-furnished equipment or information with cost estimates (if applicable) and delivery dates.

(4) Travel: Provide a breakout of travel costs including the purpose and

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number of trips, origin and destination(s), duration, and travelers per trip.

(5) Subcontractor/Consultant Costs: Provide above info for each proposed subcontractor/consultant. Subcontractor cost proposals must include interdivisional work transfer agreements or similar arrangements. If the proposer has conducted a cost or price analysis to determine reasonableness, submit a copy of this along with the subcontractor proposal.

The proposer is responsible for the compilation and submission of all subcontractor/consultant cost proposals. At a minimum, the submitted cost volume must contain a copy of each subcontractor or consultant non-proprietary cost proposal (i.e., cost proposals that do not contain proprietary pricing information such as rates, factors, etc.) Proprietary subcontractor/consultant cost proposals may be included as part of Volume 2. Proposal submissions will not be considered complete unless the Government has received all subcontractor/consultant cost proposals.

If proprietary subcontractor/consultant cost proposals are not included as part of Volume 2, they may be emailed separately to HR001118S0057@darpa.mil.

Email messages must include “Subcontractor Cost Proposal” in the subject line and identify the principal investigator, prime proposer organization and proposal title in the body of the message. Any proprietary subcontractor or consultant proposal documentation which is not uploaded to BAA Tool (BAAT) as part of the proposer’s submission or provided by separate email shall be made immediately available to the Government, upon request, under separate cover (i.e., mail, electronic/email, etc.), either by the proposer or by the subcontractor/consultant organization.

Please note that a rough order of magnitude (ROM) or similar budgetary estimate is not considered a fully qualified subcontract cost proposal submission. Inclusion of a ROM or similar budgetary estimate, or failure to provide a subcontract proposal, will result in the full proposal being deemed non-compliant.

(6) ODCs: Provide an itemized breakout and explanation of all other anticipated direct costs.

iv. Proposals Requesting a Procurement Contract: Provide the following information where applicable.

(1) Proposals exceeding the Certification of Cost or Pricing Threshold:

Provide “certified cost or pricing data” (as defined in FAR 2.101) or a request for exception in accordance with FAR 15.403.

(2) Proposals for $700,000 or more: Pursuant to Section 8(d) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. § 637(d)), it is Government policy to enable small business and small disadvantaged business concerns to be considered fairly as mailto:HR001117S0048@darpa.mil

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subcontractors to organizations performing work as prime contractors or subcontractors under Government contracts, and to ensure that prime contractors and subcontractors carry out this policy. In accordance with FAR 19.702(a)(1) and 19.702(b), prepare a subcontractor plan, if applicable. The plan format is outlined in FAR 19.704.

(3) Proposers without an adequate cost accounting system: If requesting a cost-type contract, provide the DCAA Pre-award Accounting System Adequacy Checklist to facilitate DCAA’s completion of an SF 1408, “Pre-Award Survey of Prospective Contractor - Accounting System”. Proposers without an accounting system considered adequate for determining accurate costs must complete an SF 1408 if a cost type contract is to be negotiated. To facilitate this process, proposers should complete the SF 1408 found at http://www.gsa.gov/portal/forms/download/115778 and submit the completed form with the proposal. To complete the form, check the boxes on the second page, then provide a narrative explanation of your accounting system to supplement the checklist on page one.

v. Proposals Requesting an Other Transaction for Prototypes Agreement:

Proposers must indicate whether they qualify as a nontraditional Defense contractor5, have teamed with a nontraditional Defense contractor, or are providing a one-third cost share for this effort.