HR001123S0041_Macaroni_FAQ_updated_9_19_23.pdf

HR001123S0041

Macaroni

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) as of 9/19/2023

Q1: Can you please advise if classified addendums are included in the page counts for the abstract and proposal? For example, for the 5 page abstract, is the unclassified abstract plus the classified addendum limited to 5 pages in total?

A1: The page counts included within the BAA are inclusive of both the unclassified abstract/proposal and the classified abstract/proposal addendums.

Q2: Will you consider a proposal focused on fundamental materials research? I think it is an important aspect for the transmitter. Or, will the program require that there be a team member who has collateral Secret clearance?

A2: As stated in the BAA (III.D.1 Ability to Support Classified Development, p. 14): Performers will require collateral SECRET clearances and access to both an accredited facility and secure communications in order to support classified development OR proposers must team with an organization that has personnel with collateral SECRET clearances and access to both an accredited facility and secure communications in order to support classified development.

Q3: If a portion of the abstract/proposal is sent by US mail, should it be postmarked by the due date, or should DARPA receive it by the due date?

A3: The proposal must RECEIVED by DARPA by the due date. Please see the submission dates and times stipulated within the BAA.

Q4: One of the metrics in TA2 is physically unrealizable given the other listed metrics, was there a typographical error?

A4: Yes, there was a copy/paste error which resulted in one of the metrics for TA1 being incorrectly listed in the TA2 table. An amendment to HR001123S0041 to revise the metrics listed within the classified addendum is forthcoming. As will be noted in the forthcoming amendment, the amended addendum will be provided to proposers who requested the addendum and met the requirements to receive the addendum. Proposers who already received the addendum do NOT need to submit a new request to obtain said addendum.

• Please refer to Topic 3.2.b on page 14 of the SCG for the accurate TA2 Phase 3 metrics.

Q5: Can performers share CUI information with university partners not listed on our DD254?

A5: A university partner or subcontractor requiring only CUI does not need to be listed on the DD254. All potential proposers should review the CUI Guide posted as Attachment 3 to BAA HR001123S0041 for information on identifying, protecting, and marking of information and material designated as CUI.

Q6: Based on our review of the SCG, we would prefer to submit a single classified abstract. Would it be possible to submit via DSWAN?

A6: Per Section IV.4.d on page 28 of the Macaroni BAA, all Collateral SECRET material must be returned via one of two methods: hand-carried or by mail.

Q7: Should the hardware deliverable in Phase 3 be considered a best effort engineering prototype requiring no formal qualification, verification, and sell-off and no production level quality requirements?

A7: Hardware deliverables must meet the metrics listed in the classified addendum.

Q8: About the abstract submissions, since we plan on sending both classified and unclassified sections, what is the best way to get these to DARPA?

A8: Per Section IV.4.c on page 26 of the Macaroni BAA, “For an abstract and proposal that includes both classified and unclassified information, it is recommended that the abstract or proposal be separated into an unclassified portion and a classified portion. The proposal should include as much information as possible in the unclassified portion and use the classified portion ONLY for classified information. The unclassified portion can be submitted through the DARPA BAA Website, per the instructions in Section IV.C.2, below. The classified portion must be provided separately, according to the instructions outlined in the ‘Classified Submissions’ section”

Q9: The DARPA submission portal requires a Technical and Management Approach Summary to be entered. This is separate from the abstract. Does this summary need to be Unclassified Unlimited Release (UUR) or can it be CUI?

A9: This information is a high-level summary of the submission for internal use only and is not released to the public. The information provided can be Unclassified or CUI and should be marked accordingly.

Q10: Will a bibliography be included in the page-count limit?

A10: No. Per Section IV.B.2 on page 16 of the BAA, the 20 page-count limit applies to Section II (Detailed Proposal Information) of Volume I, Technical and Management Proposal. As such, Section I (Administrative) and Section III (Additional Information) are not subject to the page-count limit.

Q11: The security classification guidelines states that statements of work shall be classified at a minimum as CUI (regardless of the scope of work). In order to partner with universities, we need to write a statement of work for the university. However, the contracting office at the university with whom we would like to work is not set up to manage CUI. Can DARPA advise whether it is possible to write a SOW that does not require CUI management (e.g., no association to the program’s name, workscope limited only to fundamental research). Will a bibliography be included in the page-count limit?

A11: The Prime is responsible for writing their SOW to their subcontractors. In the Macaroni SCG the CUI information is in the relationship between the government and the Prime. A SOW may be written by the Prime to their sub as unclassified as long as those boundaries that make the document unclassified are observed (e.g., export control issues, OPSEC concerns, etc.) so that CUI is not conveyed. Any proprietary information (PROPIN) held by the Prime is their responsibility if they wish to convey, but again, as long as such PROPIN information does not also have export control and/or other CUI related elements to it.