HR001121S0012.pdf

Broad Agency Announcement Reefense

BIOLOGICAL TECHNOLOGIES OFFICE

HR001121S0012

January 4, 2021

HR001121S0012, Reefense

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I: OVERVIEW INFORMATION

PART II: FULL TEXT OF ANNOUNCEMENT

1. Funding Opportunity Description

1.1. Program Overview

1.2. Program Metrics

1.3. Program Milestones and Deliverables

1.4. Program Demonstrations

1.5. General Requirements

2. Award Information

2.1. General Award Information

2.2. Fundamental Research

3. Eligibility Information

3.1. Eligible Applicants

3.2. Organizational Conflicts of Interest

3.3. Cost Sharing/Matching

4. Application and Submission Information

4.1. Address to Request Application Package

4.2. Contact and Form of Application Submission

Disclosure of Information and Compliance with Safeguarding Covered Defense Information Controls

4.3. Funding Restrictions

4.4. Other Submission Information

5. Application Review Information

5.1. Evaluation Criteria

5.2. Review of Proposals

6. Award Administration Information

6.1. Selection Notices and Notifications

6.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

6.3. Reporting

6.4. Electronic Systems

7. Agency Contacts

8. Other Information

9. APPENDIX 1 – Volume II checklist

PART I: OVERVIEW INFORMATION

Federal Agency Name – Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Biological Technologies Office (BTO)

Funding Opportunity Title – Reefense Announcement Type – Initial Announcement Funding Opportunity Number – HR001121S0012 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) – 541714 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers (CFDA) – 12.910 Research and

Technology Development Dates o Posting Date: January 4, 2021 o Proposal Abstract Due Date and Time: February 22, 2021, 4:00 PM ET o Full Proposal Due Date and Time: April 14, 2021, 4:00 PM ET o BAA Closing Date: April 14, 2021 o Proposers’ Day: January 22, 2021 https://beta.sam.gov/opp/1161c787cdeb4b179ffcfe2baaabc0f6/view

Concise description of the funding opportunity – Reefense seeks to develop self-healing, hybrid biological, and engineered reef-mimicking structures to mitigate the coastal flooding, erosion, and storm damage that increasingly threaten civilian and Department of Defense (DoD) infrastructure and personnel. Under Reefense, custom wave-attenuating base structures will promote calcareous reef organism (coral or oyster) settlement and growth, which will enable the system to self-heal and keep pace with sea level rise over time. A system will be put in place that will also attract non-reef building organisms necessary to help maintain a healthy, growing system. Finally, adaptive biology (other than genetically modified organisms) will enable improved coral and oyster resilience against disease and temperature stress, to ensure compatibility with a changing environment.

Anticipated individual awards – Multiple awards are anticipated.

Types of instruments that may be awarded – Procurement contract, cooperative agreement, or Other Transaction.

Agency contact

The BAA Coordinator for this effort may be reached at:

Reefense@darpa.mil

DARPA/BTO

ATTN: HR001121S0012

675 North Randolph Street Arlington, VA 22203-2114 https://beta.sam.gov/opp/1161c787cdeb4b179ffcfe2baaabc0f6/view

PART II: FULL TEXT OF ANNOUNCEMENT

1. Funding Opportunity Description

This publication constitutes a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) as contemplated in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.102(d)(2) and 35.016 and 2 C.F.R. § 200.203. Any resultant award negotiations will follow all pertinent law and regulation, and any negotiations and/or awards for procurement contracts will use procedures under FAR 15.4, Contract Pricing, as specified in the BAA.

Reefense seeks to develop self-healing, hybrid biological, and engineered reef-mimicking structures to mitigate the coastal flooding, erosion, and storm damage that increasingly threaten civilian and DoD infrastructure and personnel. Under Reefense, custom wave-attenuating base structures will promote calcareous reef organism (coral or oyster) settlement and growth, which will enable the system to self-heal and keep pace with sea level rise over time. A system will be put in place that also attracts non-reef building organisms necessary to help maintain a healthy, growing system. The Reefense strategy includes employing recent innovations in materials science, hydrodynamic modeling, adaptive biology, and multiple effectors to develop growing structures that are optimized to rapidly implement coastal defenses suited to a changing environment. By co-designing structures with biology such that they can be rapidly deployed to provide immediate protection and then persistently facilitate the growth of calcareous organisms, the protective Reefense structures will be rapidly enhanced by what would normally require decades of biological structure-building, but which can be achieved in a matter of months to years.

1.1. PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Despite previous efforts to implement storm mitigation solutions (e.g., concrete breakwaters), damage due to storm surge and flooding continues to devastate coastal areas around the world.

Current DoD coastal protection systems generally fall into two categories - shorelines armored with concrete bulkheads or free-standing monolithic and heterogeneous storm breaks (e.g., using “rip-rap,” an aggregation of stones and concrete chunks). Bulkheads reflect rather than dissipate wave energy, resulting in unintended damage from seabed scouring and over-wash flooding during high surf. Bulkheads also require expensive, persistent maintenance (due to storm-induced damage to the structures themselves, degradation of the structures in the seawater environment, and loss of material behind the structures due to erosion). Importantly, these structures are not designed to recruit or take advantage of natural reef building organisms. An alternative approach of replacing existing coastal infrastructure with engineered structures (i.e., erecting buildings on stilts) exists but remains expensive to implement and provides only a short-term solution that does not address the long-term maintenance issues given the global scale of intensified storms and sea level rise.

In contrast to a solely engineered approach, the Reefense strategy combines (1) the durability and instantaneous protection afforded by biocompatible, engineered base structures with (2) a healthy reef ecosystem capable of promoting and sustaining reef building organisms, armed with

(3) the incorporation of techniques to provide greater environmental resilience for those calcareous reef-building organisms. Combined innovations in all three of these areas will enable the development of novel, living structures that can attenuate rather than reflect wave energy while keeping pace with sea level rise; and that were not previously achievable through implementation in any one area on its own or via prior traditional techniques (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Comparison of current (left) vs. a Reefense (right) protected shoreline. The Reefense protection system will require innovations in reef organism resilience, structural design, and reef ecosystem health

1.1.1 Organisms and Environments

Proposers are expected to select from one of two environment/organism combinations for their envisioned Reefense efforts. Test sites where performance will be evaluated are both envisioned to be in Florida or the Caribbean region. However, the exact site locations will be chosen by the Government team and evaluated for reef slope, proximity to shore, depth, and other parameters that will be provided to teams during Phase 1. The two evaluation sites, with their respective organisms, are:

1. U.S. Gulf Coast (oyster reef approaches)

2. South Florida or Caribbean (coral reef approaches)

Additional or alternate sites may be contemplated, and early stage field-testing by performers can occur in additional geographies as well.

1.1.2 Technical Approach

The program is comprised of three technical areas (TAs). While only one organism type should be proposed, performer teams must propose to all TAs for that organism type, in order to produce fully integrated systems. Proposals that do not address all TAs as characterized within this section will be deemed non-conforming and not considered for review.

The functionality of the integrated Reefense structure will be evaluated through demonstrations in maritime environments throughout the program, though some aspects (see TA3) may remain in laboratory settings through Phase 2. Preference will be given to approaches that prioritize field-testing early and often.

Technical Area 1: Substrate Design and Structure TA1 focuses on the base structure and component materials to serve two purposes: provide immediate wave attenuation through deployment, and promote the establishment and growth of marine life while attenuating this energy. TA1 will employ innovations in materials science, micro and macro reef component design, and hydrodynamic modeling for wave attenuation and larval attraction. Materials could include but are not limited to cementitious materials such as marine-, Roman-, or alternative-cement concrete, upcycled materials, and coated natural materials. The structure may comprise modular and/or monolithic components, and may consist of geometric designs optimized for wave attenuation over a large area. In Phase 1, proposers will be required to construct a 50-meter segment of their designed reef structure parallel to the shoreline. The reef structure’s length metric increases to 100 meters in Phase 2 and 150 meters in Phase 3. The material costs of the reef structure in production quantities should not greatly exceed that of conventional solutions (e.g., seawalls and riprap) for the system produced by the end of Phase 3. See Table 1 for the specific wave energy attenuation metrics.

Other important considerations for the base structure’s material include compressive strength, flexural strength, penetration resistance, abrasion resistance, expected service life, cost per volume of material and/or region of coastline protected, local sourcing, and practical transport and installation. Standard tests such as those developed by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) should be employed in the development and assessment of proposed solutions. The structures must be robust enough to ensure they neither degrade nor become dislodged in a coastal seawater environment. To accomplish this, wave tank experiments will enable assessment of structural design with respect to reef height, width, slope, rugosity (a measure of surface convolution), and depth relative to different sea state conditions, including wave height and frequency, prior to fielding the base structures and testing them under real-world conditions. Standard National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) protocols will be followed to ensure that reef structures are included in navigational charts (and US Navy charts as a consequence), and the required buoys to mark the reef locations will be installed by the Government team so that they are visible to mariners.

Technical Area 2: Ecosystem Engineering TA2 efforts will promote rapid recruitment of the non-reef building organisms needed to protect the reef, allowing the structure to grow over timescales at least as fast as the healthiest reefs found in nature. A wide array of multi-domain chemical, acoustic, structural, and optical promoters could be considered as technologies that aid in ecosystem establishment. TA2 efforts should focus on increasing recruitment of the various organisms that naturally protect reef-builders from predation and reduce competition for substrate, while enabling the buildup of beneficial organisms (e.g., coralline algae) that aid in recruitment. Examples include the fish and invertebrates that prey on organisms that consume corals or oysters, as well as herbivores that prevent the algae overgrowth that smothers and degrades both coral and oyster reefs. These organisms must occur natively in the region where the Reefense structures will be employed, as this program does not support introduction of non-native species. The program will entertain modest efforts to breed native species whose populations have been in decline. However, government partners will assess that the organisms are healthy before any field deployment can occur to avoid inadvertent introduction of pathogens into the system.

This work will need to be performed in close concert with TA1 structural designs, in order to incorporate favorable conditions on and around the structure for providing the optimized ecosystem establishment cues. Many reef denizens require places to hide, so the base structure should incorporate appropriate voids to attract and maintain thriving reef populations. All TA2 solutions will need to be non-toxic and field deployable per Section 1.5 of this BAA.

Technical Area 3: Adaptive Biology TA3 focuses on adaptive biology for coral and oysters, to ensure compatibility with a changing environment for greater long-term resilience. This TA will be conducted in a laboratory setting for the first phase of the program. Techniques can focus on adaptive breeding and other approaches (aside from genetic modification for final deployable systems) that can be implemented in-situ. New adaptive biological strategies for corals, their endosymbionts, and oysters (through increased temperature and disease tolerance) may provide the necessary elements to enable continued reef growth. Insights into how the holobiont (microorganisms such as bacteria, archaea, fungi) enhance the health and resilience of corals and their symbiotic algae can be leveraged. Chimerism - a natural process where two sexually produced early juvenile corals of the same species fuse - enhances genetic diversity and increases the probability of survival under changing environmental conditions, and could be explored through laboratory studies to produce individuals that are resilient to environmental stresses. New molecular techniques involving coral epigenetics may be leveraged that could help create stronger, more resilient, and faster growing reefs. Employment of directed selection to increase temperature tolerance in coral endosymbionts may also be used to enable adaptation of the faster growing portion of the coral-endosymbiont pair. As these techniques will all be aimed at increasing the pace of adaptation which would naturally occur by happenstance over much longer periods, organisms produced via these solutions can be placed in the field, following compliance with all permits outlined in Section 1.5 of the BAA. In addition to permitting requirements, solutions will be reviewed by experts from the Reefense Ethics, Legal and Societal Implications (ELSI) Group prior to deployment.

1.1.3 Program Phases

Reefense is a 60-month program divided into three phases. Based on the criteria outlined below, there will be a down-select after Phase 1 (see Section 1.5).

Phase 1 (18 months) For TA1 during Phase 1, structures will be designed (in concert with the prerequisites for TA2 and TA3 success) by way of modeling and wave tank experiments with consideration for structure height, width, slope, rugosity, and depth relative to different sea state conditions including wave height and frequency. Efforts will produce a structure suitable for fielding at the evaluation site as mentioned in Section 1.1.1, which will then be evaluated under real-world conditions in the latter part of the phase (deployment in months 12-14 and testing at month 15).

An independent verification and validation (IV&V) Government team will perform site scouting for the exact evaluation sites, conduct tests on performer technologies, and generate reports on the performance of all teams’ TA1 deployed structural solutions for Phase 1 by no later than month 16. Teams must demonstrate wave attenuation by their 50-meter long reef structures of 70% compared to control (no protective structure) during the Phase 1 IV&V testing. The structures will remain in-water for the duration of the program, to serve as a host platform for later phase extensions and for long-term evaluation.

In the first phase, TA2 teams will establish their ecosystem engineering approaches and demonstrate a rudimentary ability to mitigate different predation and competition activities by biological organisms. One potential option includes embedding TA2 technologies in the TA1 structures and fielding them after rigorous laboratory testing. In the latter part of Phase 1, teams will deploy their best TA2 technologies in the field, on or around the TA1 structural platform to be evaluated in this and subsequent phases. In laboratory experiments, the ecosystem engineers must maintain algae cover < 10% compared to a control for corals. The solutions must achieve improved recruitment (new settlement by juvenile organisms) of at least 10% for oysters, or 5% for corals, compared to a control.

The TA3 tasks in Phase 1 will identify adaptive biology techniques that focus on the actual reef builders (corals and oysters) with the ultimate goal of achieving resilient organisms that can thrive on Reefense structures. In this first phase, teams will characterize their solutions and begin laboratory studies. The resilient organisms must achieve a 15% growth improvement for coral, or 10% for oysters, over their control counterparts. Teams working on corals will need to achieve coral survivability at conditions 0.5oC above ambient, while teams working with oysters will need to show a 10% increase in lab disease tolerance of Perkinsis marinus (Dermo) compared to control treatments in a laboratory setting. By the end of the phase, performers should be able to show a viable pathway to field deployable TA3 solutions by Phase 3.

Phase 2 (18 months) In the second phase, TA1 structures will need to persist and demonstrate that they support the growth of emplaced reef organisms and attract new calcareous reef builders. By the end of Phase 2, proposers will refine their TA1 designs and extend their structures by 50 meters for a total length of 100 meters. The new structure should incorporate any improvements identified during Phase 1 IV&V evaluations and Phase 2 performer-conducted assessments to demonstrate resistance to erosion, waves, disease, and other natural phenomena. For TA2, performers will focus on down selecting their best field solutions. The larval attractants will be tested, as performers will need to demonstrate recruitment improvement of 50% for oysters and 25% for corals above the control. In addition, the healthy reef will be assessed through metrics of algal reduction of 30% over the control. For TA3, not only do teams need to achieve the metrics but they must conclusively prove why and how they were able to do so by identifying specific biomarkers that resulted in metric performance (Table 1) on growth, disease resistance, and temperature tolerance. Teams will need to demonstrate increased growth of 10% for oysters, or 15% for corals, in laboratory settings. For oyster approaches, disease tolerance for Dermo needs to be 15% higher compared to controlled settings. Teams working on corals must achieve temperature tolerance and survivability at 1oC above ambient conditions.

Phase 3 (24 months) The final phase will combine all aspects of the project in the field, to demonstrate the fielding of healthy reefs that are resilient and can protect the shoreline with greater efficacy and persistence than current storm mitigation solutions. The TA1 structures placed during Phase 1 and 2 will be further lengthened by 50 meters of improved structure to reach the total length of 150 meters, and will continue to be evaluated for long-term endurance after three years of total deployment.

The 150-meter-long structure will need to attenuate 90% or more of the wave energy by the end-of-phase. TA2 approaches, having proven initial capability for sustaining a healthy reef ecosystem in the field, will continue to improve on ecosystem engineering metrics. The larval attractants will be tested, as performers need to demonstrate increased recruitment by 4x for oysters, or 35% for corals, above the control in the field. In addition, the healthy reef will be assessed through metrics of algal reduction of 50% over the control. Most of TA3 metrics will be evaluated in the field during Phase 3. One laboratory test of note is that sufficient adaptations have been implemented to provide improved survival at a seawater temperature increase of 3oC above ambient, to ensure compatibility with surface seawater temperature projections. For the reefs in the field, teams must demonstrate increased growth of 15% for oysters, or 30% for corals, relative to control. For oyster approaches, disease tolerance for Dermo needs to be 20% higher compared to control, as evaluated in the field.

Figure 2. Program Schedule

1.2. PROGRAM METRICS

In order for the Government to evaluate the effectiveness of a proposed solution in achieving the stated program objectives, proposers should note that the Government hereby promulgates the following program metrics that may serve as the basis for determining whether satisfactory progress is being made to warrant continued funding of the program. Continued funding for each subsequent phase is contingent upon meeting or exceeding the metrics prescribed for the current phase. Although the following program metrics are specified, proposers should note that the

Government has identified these goals with the intention of bounding the scope of effort, while affording the maximum flexibility, creativity, and innovation in proposing solutions to the stated problem, to include variations in performance.

The metrics identified for this program were designed to encourage and drive innovative solutions that significantly increase the understanding of the physical, chemical, and biological processes at work in optimized Reefense systems, in order to advance the attenuation capability and persistence of such systems for coastal defense applications. Only successful satisfaction of the metrics for all TAs will be considered successful completion of a given phase. These metrics are presented in Table 1 below.

Table 1. Program Metrics

Wave attenuation measurements will be taken by conducting transects across a Reefense structure. Each transect will consist of three bottom-mounted wave gauges (i.e., pressure sensors) over the fore reef, on the reef, and behind it in the back reef (toward land). In addition, upward-looking Acoustic Wave and Current (AWAC) meters will be placed at the fore reef to collect additional pressure information and be directly compared with the wave gauges. Cross-reef patterns of wave energy, E, will be calculated according to the collected parameters in a method designed by the IV&V team and communicated to performers well in advance of testing. The IV&V team will utilize pressure sensors (sampling at least 2 Hz over a period of time) that facilitate the calculation of wave attenuation. Wave attenuation goals are expected to be achieved as compared to median conditions.

The production cost of the developed base structure should not greatly exceed that of conventional concrete solutions by the end of Phase 3. DARPA expects that proposers will demonstrate, via techno-economic modeling, the potential of their proposed structure production costs to be ≤ $300 per cubic meter of deployed structure by the end of Phase 2. The techno-economic assessment will include a rigorous analysis that clearly spells out underlying assumptions. Techno-economic assessments will be required from each performer at the end of

Phases 1 and 2. A preliminary assessment is due at the conclusion of Phase 1, and a final assessment is due at the end of Phase 2.

As referenced earlier, reef health will be evaluated based on biological coverage of the Reefense structure vs. a control. This will be an area to area comparison measured in square meters as obtained by quadrats. Measurements will be taken on both control and Reefense structures by subsampling, and evaluated as defined by the government-led IV&V team. A subsample of oyster population shell heights will be measured to ensure they meet the distribution metrics.

Both laboratory and field assessment tests will also be conducted by the IV&V team on adaptive biology that help measure the metrics, including survivability, growth, and disease tolerance.

More details on exact procedures will be given at a later time.

1.3. PROGRAM MILESTONES AND DELIVERABLES

In addition to meeting the specific metrics outlined in Section 1.2 above, proposers must achieve program milestones by particular deadlines, as well as produce specific deliverables for submission to the Government. These milestones must be specific to each TA and phase, and reaching these milestones will facilitate overall successful completion of the requirements for this program. Proposers may include supplemental milestones specific to their project, but at a minimum all proposals must include the milestones in Table 2. The month enumeration refers to a deadline of the last day of the calendar month, counting from the first full month of the contractual start of an award.

Table 2. Program Milestones and Deliverables

Milestones Deliverables

Phase 1 (18 months)

Technical Area 1

Month 1: Identify materials sources (vendor and country of origin)

Month 9: Model structure and demonstrate design plans, show wave attenuation in flume wave tank up to 70%

Month 12-14: Deployment of 50 meter reef base structure

Month 15: Conduct assessment of the TA1 installation’s structural integrity after 2 months in the field

Month 3: Model design report for proposed structure and materials based on IV&V team site feedback

Month 5: Report plan for wave tank experiment

Month 10: Report on Model TA1 structure demonstration in flume and wave tank

Month 13: Report on deployment of structure

Month 16: Preliminary techno-economic assessment of the material production and installation (anticipated costs of ≤ $500 per cubic meter of deployed structure at the end of Phase 1)

Month 16: Report on final Phase 1 performance and path forward

Technical Area 2

Month 2: Identify and characterize solutions in laboratory setting

Month 12: Identify progress on increasing recruitment densities in laboratory settings

Month 18: Deploy initial solutions for field testing

Month 3: Report on solutions for achieving TA2 that outlines all strategies

Month 16: Report on metrics performance for Phase 1 with path outlined for achieving Phase 2 metrics

Technical Area 3

Month 2: Begin preliminary lab testing identifying plan forward

Month 17: Show viable pathway to field able solution

Month 3: Report characterizing approaches and target species

Month 5: Report outlining adaptive biology techniques being employed

Month 16: Report on metrics performance for phase 1 with path outlined for achieving phase 2 metrics

Technical Area 1

Month 25: Technical interchange meeting TIM (for all TAs, topics TBD by government team)

Month 28: Report on fielded TA2 solutions

Month 33: Deployment of 50 meter extension to reef base structure (100 meter total length)

Month 34: Structural assessment on structure after field deployment

Months 21 & 35: Report on structural integrity of deployed system

Month 25: Report on TIM (all TAs)

Month 28: Report on mid-phase demonstration

Month 35: Final techno-economic assessment of the material production and installation (assessed costs of ≤ $300 per cubic meter of deployed structure at the end of Phase 2)

Month 35: Report on final phase demonstration

Technical Area 2

Month 25: Create and outline plan for density increase and algae cover decrease

Month 21: Report on field deployment of solutions

Month 35: Report on final phase demonstration

Phase 2 (18 months)

Technical Area 3

Month 19: Demonstrate increased organism growth in the laboratory

Month 24: Conduct optimized temperature, growth and disease resistance experiments

Month 30: Identify biomarkers

Month 25: Report on organisms’ growth and disease resistance tolerances

Month 35: End of phase report including biomarkers

Phase 3 (24 months)

Technical Area 1

Month 39: Technical interchange meeting (TIM) (for all TAs, topics TBD by Government team)

Month 45: Deployment of 50 meter extension to reef base structure (150 meter total length)

Month 40: Report on structure deployment

Month 40: Report on TIM (all TAs)

Month 40, 47, 53: Reports on structural integrity

Months 39, 46, 52: Assess long-term robustness of structure

Month 59: Report on final phase demonstration

Technical Area 2

Month 37: Deploy new solutions Months 39, 46, 52: Assess performance of new solutions

Months 43, 47, 53: Report on performance of new TA2 solutions

Month 59: Report on final phase demonstration

Technical Area 3

Month 38: Identify biomarkers used across three generations

Month 38: Deploy organisms in field

Months 46, 52: Demonstrate increased organism growth in the field

Month 47: Conduct optimized temperature, growth and disease resistance experiments

Months 40, 47, 53: Report on organisms’ growth and disease resistance tolerances

Month 59: Report on final phase demonstration including biomarkers and field deployment techniques for organisms

Note: All mid-phase and end of phase reports must address performance against tested metrics as well as mitigations and strategies for achieving future metrics

1.4. PROGRAM DEMONSTRATIONS

Essential program demonstrations are outlined below. Additional demonstrations may be proposed, but those outlined below must be included, per the schedule set below.

Phase 1

Month 9: Model TA1 structure demonstration in flume and wave tank showing 70% attenuation

Month 15: Final Phase 1 Demonstration Demonstration of wave attenuation in the field measured by the IV&V team with

TA2 reef health effectors embedded in the material to be evaluated in the next phase.

Achieve temperature tolerances that confer survivability at 0.5oC above ambient conditions in laboratory settings (for coral).

Achieve 10% decrease in Dermo disease for oysters vs. control populations in laboratory.

Phase 2

Month 27: Mid-phase demonstration showing increased (> 75%) wave attenuation and increased (> 10% over control) densities for corals and oysters. Laboratory studies for TA3 must show that they are on track to meet end-of-phase metrics.

Month 34: Final Demonstration

Demonstrate wave attenuation (80%) in the field, with 100-meter long reef structure, as measured by the IV&V team. Reduce algae cover by 30% over control (coral teams).

Demonstrate recruitment densities of 50% (oysters) and hard cover (coral) of 25% over control. Show oyster size distributions in 10-75 mm range.

Demonstrate temperature tolerances and survivability of coral at 1.0oC above ambient conditions in the laboratory.

Demonstrate increased laboratory disease tolerance of Dermo by 15% compared to control

Phase 3

Month 48: Mid-phase demonstration showing increased > 80% attenuation and increased > 35% over control densities for corals and oysters. Laboratory studies for TA3 must show that they are on track to meet end-of-phase metrics and that all necessary permits are obtained for deployment.

Month 58: Final Demonstration Demonstrate wave attenuation of 90% in the field, with 150-meter long reef structure, as measured by IV&V. At this time, the long-term endurance will be evaluated by IV&V after the more than three-year deployment of the structure to see how they were affected by hurricane seasons.

Demonstrate reduced algal cover by 50% over control in the field. Recruitment densities for oysters should be 4x above Phase 1 numbers with size distributions from 10-150 mm. Temperature tolerance of corals in laboratory must survive at 3.0oC.

Demonstrate an increase in-lab disease tolerance of Dermo by 20% compared to control in laboratory settings for oysters.

1.5. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

Proposing Teams It is expected that proposals will involve multidisciplinary teams that include expertise from multiple complementary disciplines (e.g., coral and/or oyster biology, chemistry, engineering, epigenetics, marine ecology, hydrodynamics, data science, acoustics, analytics, oceanography, and physics). Specific content, communications, networking, and team formation are the sole responsibility of the proposer teams. Proposer teams must submit a single, integrated proposal led by a single program integrator/manager or prime contractor that addresses all program phases as applicable.

Data Sharing The Reefense program will require that performer data, analysis, and software executables (or source code) be shared with DARPA, the Government IV&V team, and U.S. Government stakeholders. Performers are strongly encouraged to establish the appropriate agreements to enable collaboration and data sharing beyond these organizations. DARPA encourages sharing of pre-existing data, including those generated through funding from other sources, although this is not a requirement of the program.

Biocontainment / Bio Safety This program will not support proposals that include engineered organisms.

Permits and Compliance It is the proposing team’s responsibility to obtain all necessary federal, state, and local government permits and approvals, and abide by all applicable laws where necessary for the proposed work to be conducted. Proposing teams are expected to design their proposals so that they minimize the potential adverse impact on the environment. Proposals will be reviewed to ensure that they have sufficient environmental documentation to allow the Government team to determine whether the proposal is categorically excluded from further National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis, or whether an Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement is necessary to conform with NEPA requirements. For those applications needing an Environmental Assessment, affected proposers will be informed after the proposal review stage and will be requested to assist in the preparation of a draft of the assessment (prior to award).

Failure to apply for and/or obtain federal, state, and local permits, approvals, letters of agreement, or failure to provide environmental analysis where necessary (e.g., NEPA environmental assessment) will also delay the award of funds if a project is otherwise selected for funding. DARPA intends that execution of the Reefense program comply with all applicable laws and regulations protecting marine life, including Executive Order 12114, Endangered Species Act, and Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Ethical Legal Social Implications (ELSI) Activities Proposers are expected to engage with relevant regulatory bodies to identify and mitigate challenges to the transition of resulting technology and in anticipation of future deployment. The proposers should plan to support ELSI activities with DARPA, including semi-annual teleconference calls with the Reefense Program ELSI Group and consideration of feedback from the group regarding research activities. ELSI activity outcomes will be reported regularly to

DARPA.

Down-select A down-selection process (as mentioned in Section 1.1.3) will occur at the end of Phase 1. The down-selection process will be based on the performer’s ability to meet the following metrics:

Achieve threshold performance subset of metrics:

o Wave energy must be reduced by 70% after performer base structure is installed compared to no structure present Demonstrate viable path towards meeting Phases 2 and 3 metrics in Phase 1 report

The performance will be determined by the IV&V test partner during testing in Month 15, with results provided to DARPA and to all teams by Month 16. The Phase 1 report is due to DARPA in Month 16. In addition, teams will be subject to the below priority weighting during performance evaluation:

50% technical: Most reasonable technical path to achieving Phases 2 and 3 metrics 25% management: Effective intra-team working relationships across co-/sub-PIs 25% cost: clear ability to achieve Phases 2 and 3 objectives within proposed budget

The performer teams with the highest weighted scores will be considered for progression.

Other Requirements Performers are expected to attend program level meetings to provide scientific and technical updates to the other performers on the Reefense program on progress towards their milestones and scientific goals, and to summarize outstanding challenges and limitations that must still be overcome to achieve the overarching goals of the program. Program level meetings will be held at the kick-off of each phase (Phases 1, 2, and 3), as well as mid-phase (Phases 1, 2, and 3) for the program duration.

2. Award Information

2.1. GENERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Multiple awards are possible. The amount of resources made available under this BAA will depend on the quality of the proposals received and the availability of funds.

The Government reserves the right to select for negotiation all, some, one, or none of the proposals received in response to this solicitation and to make awards without discussions with proposers. The Government also reserves the right to conduct discussions if it is later determined to be necessary. If warranted, portions of resulting awards may be segregated into pre-priced options. Additionally, DARPA reserves the right to accept proposals in their entirety or to select only portions of proposals for award. In the event that DARPA desires to award only portions of a proposal, negotiations may be opened with that proposer. The Government reserves the right to fund proposals in phases with options for continued work, as applicable.

The Government reserves the right to request any additional, necessary documentation once it makes the award instrument determination. Such additional information may include but is not limited to Representations and Certifications (see Section VI.B.2., “Representations and Certifications”). The Government reserves the right to remove proposers from award consideration should the parties fail to reach agreement on award terms, conditions, and/or cost/price within a reasonable time, and the proposer fails to timely provide requested additional information. Proposals identified for negotiation may result in a procurement contract, cooperative agreement, or other transaction, depending upon the nature of the work proposed, the required degree of interaction between parties, whether or not the research is classified as Fundamental Research, and other factors.

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.

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.

2.2. 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 expects that program goals as described herein may be met by proposers intending to perform fundamental research and does not anticipate applying publication restrictions of any kind to individual awards for fundamental research that may result from this BAA. Notwithstanding this statement of expectation, the Government is not prohibited from considering and selecting research proposals that, while perhaps not qualifying as fundamental research under the foregoing definition, still meet the BAA criteria for submissions. If proposals are selected for award that offer other than a fundamental research solution, the Government will either work with the proposer to modify the proposed statement of work to bring the research back into line with fundamental research or else the proposer will agree to restrictions in order to receive an award.

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 http://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/contract-management#OtherTransactions http://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/contract-management#OtherTransactions intended results of their research, the Government shall have sole discretion to determine whether the proposed research shall be considered fundamental and to select the award instrument type. Appropriate language will be included in resultant awards for non-fundamental research to prescribe publication requirements and other restrictions, as appropriate. This language 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 to be performed by a potential awardee is non-fundamental research, its proposed subawardee’s effort may be fundamental research. It is also possible that the research performed by a potential awardee is fundamental research while its proposed subawardee’s effort may be non-fundamental research.

In all cases, it is the potential awardee’s responsibility to explain in its proposal which proposed efforts are fundamental research and why the proposed efforts should be considered fundamental research.

3. Eligibility Information

3.1. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

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

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

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, that (a) cites the specific authority establishing their eligibility to propose to Government solicitations and compete with industry, and (b) certifies the FFRDC’s compliance with the associated FFRDC sponsor agreement’s terms and conditions. These conditions are a requirement for FFRDCs proposing to be awardees or subawardees.

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 and compete with industry. This information is required for Government Entities proposing to be awardees or subawardees.

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 http://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/additional-baa

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.

3.1.2. Non-U.S. Organizations

Non-U.S. organizations and/or individuals may participate to the extent that such participants comply with any necessary nondisclosure agreements, security regulations, export control laws, and other governing statutes applicable under the circumstances.

3.2. 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 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.

3.3. 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. Cost sharing is encouraged where there is a reasonable probability of a potential commercial application related to the proposed research and development effort.

4. Application and Submission Information

4.1. ADDRESS TO REQUEST APPLICATION PACKAGE

This announcement, any attachments, and any references to external websites herein constitute the total solicitation. If proposers cannot access the referenced material posted in the announcement found at http://www.darpa.mil, contact the administrative contact listed herein.

4.2. CONTACT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

All submissions, including abstracts and proposals, must be written in English with type no smaller than 12-point font. Smaller font may be used for figures, tables, and charts. The page limitation includes all figures, tables, and charts. All pages shall be formatted for printing on 8- 1/2 by 11 inch paper. Margins must be 1-inch on all sides. Copies of all documents submitted must be clearly labeled with the DARPA BAA number, proposer organization, and proposal title/proposal short title.

4.2.1. Proposal Abstract Format

Proposers are strongly 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 time and date for submission of proposal abstracts are specified in Part I above.

The abstract is a concise version of the proposal comprising a maximum of 10 pages including all figures, tables, and charts. All submissions must be written in English with type no smaller than 12-point font. Smaller font may be used for figures, tables, and charts. All pages shall be formatted for printing on 8-1/2 by 11 inch paper.