HR001121S0029_Q_A_04.06.2022.pdf

HR001121S0029

Redefining Possible

Question and Answer Document

This will be a running document that will convey to all prospective offerors DARPA’s answers to any questions that are submitted.

Question 1: What is the intent of the following passage from the “Marking Classified Submissions” section on Page 29 of the BAA:

If a submission contains Classified National Security Information or the suspicion of such, as defined by Executive Order 13526, the information must be appropriately and conspicuously marked with the proposed classification level and declassification date.

Submissions requiring DARPA to make a final classification determination shall be marked as follows:

CLASSIFICATION DETERMINATION PENDING.

Protect as though classified (insert the recommended classification level, e.g., Top Secret, Secret or Confidential)

Are proposers creating documents on unclassified systems, then marking them “CLASSIFICATION DETERMINATION PENDING” before shipping them through classified means? Are proposers expected to create the “suspected classified” documents on classified machines?

Answer 1: Proposers are expected to develop such proposals on a classified system if they suspect that the technology being proposed is, or should be, classified in accordance with applicable classification guidance. This most commonly occurs with proposals that are covered by other DoD Security classification guides or are follow-on to efforts that other DoD agencies decided not to pursue.

Question 2: Could the Government please clarify if the opportunity closing date for: DARPA TTO Redefining Possible (HR001121S0029) is for full proposals or is the closing/due date associated with the initial exec summary having been received? We are hoping to understand if we need to get through all steps (including submission of a full proposal, should we be invited) by the due date or if we simply need to submit the first step to initiate the process?

Answer 2: Per IV.C on page 26 of the BAA “Executive summaries, proposal abstracts, and full proposals must be submitted on or before June 10, 2022.” Therefore, no submissions may be made under this BAA after June 10, 2022. Please keep in mind, however, that DARPA TTO typically has an officewide BAA open at any given time, so a subsequent officewide BAA likely will be released immediately succeeding HR001121S0029. Further, executive summaries and proposal abstracts are not a prerequisite for submitting a full proposal, nor are they linked. Therefore, if a proposer were to submit an executive summary or proposal abstract under HR001121S0029, there would be nothing precluding that proposer from submitting a full proposal under the subsequent BAA, as there would be no tie to the executive summary or proposal abstract submitted under a previous BAA.