Institute for Nascent Innovations_Request for Consortium Prototype Proposal.docx

INSTITUTE FOR NASCENT INNOVATIONS (I4NI)

REQUEST FOR CONSORTIUM PROTOTYPE PROPOSAL

Title: Institute for Nascent Innovations (I4NI) Request for Consortium Prototype Proposal Number: HQ003420RCPPKRM091820 Technology Objective: Consortium for Prototypes for Emerging Threats Security Classification: Unclassified Proposal Due Date: October 9, 2020 at 5:00PM local D.C. time

Description of Requirement:

NSIN requires an unrivaled problem-solving network, through a non-profit, that adapts to the emerging needs of those who serve in the defense of national security. NSIN requires a consortium that configures this network, establishes regional clusters, and connects STEM oriented innovators and new players across communities (e.g. academia, industry, laboratories, entrepreneurs), inventors that might not traditionally cross paths or be part of the defense supply chain. NSIN requires this configuration of industry to come together in an applied way and harness their collective experiences to develop diverse solutions to some of the government’s most novel, emerging challenges. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic has shown us the challenges our nation faces in several novel technology spaces, including, material sciences, deep learning, cyber security, high performance computing, etc., the technologies that are required to build those materials and the technologies and tools to secure the supply chain in the current operating environment. Moreover, even these are just the challenges we recognize today, there are new problems and challenges we are discovering in real-time but lack the industry configuration to solve these problems as the challenges arise.

This consortium will be a problem-solving network, which will bring together the disparate communities described above. The network will be bring together diverse communities of universities, small businesses, entrepreneurs, and inventors that can collaborate on prototyping projects, functioning as a strategic responsive cell. The government will utilize the industry configuration to identify complex challenges and prototype product-oriented solutions. The overarching goal is to continue to utilize the developed network to analyze emerging problem sets and continuously develop prototype solutions for the government.

The consortium manager will:

· Identify entities to be included in the problem-solving network and bring these key entities onboard.

· Develop and create the industry configuration of the problem-solving network.

· Create a process to bring key entities onboard both initially and during the life of the consortium other transaction agreement.

· Act as an integrator and program manager to support the Government and consortium members in solving DoD’s emergent threats problem sets.

· Maintain and manage a robust membership able to meet emergent threats.

· Create an environment in which the network will operate.

· Develop a multi-year operating process for the network to create tools, techniques and methodologies for solving complex DoD sponsored problem sets.

I. Authority

The Agreement will be placed under the prototyping authority of 10 USC 2371b. After placing this “umbrella” other transaction agreement with the consortium manager, the Government intends to award subprojects, via the I4NI consortium manager, to consortium members for an indefinite number of prototype projects.

II. Appropriate Use of the Authority

A prototype project awarded under an Other Transaction Agreement (OT) must meet at least one of the following conditions:

1. There is at least one nontraditional defense contractor (NTDC) or nonprofit research institution participating to a significant extent in the prototype project.

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

3. At least one third of the total cost of the prototype project is to be paid out of funds provided by sources other than the Federal Government.

An NTDC is an entity that is not currently performing and has not performed, for at least one year preceding the issuance of a prototype project solicitation, any contract or subcontract for the DoD that is subject to full coverage under the FAR-based Cost Accounting Standards (“CAS”). A subsidiary or a division of a traditional defense contractor may still qualify as an NTDC.

Significant participation is determined on a project basis and is based on the importance of the NTDC contribution to the overall execution or outcome of the proposed project. 10 U.S.C. 2371b does not prescribe a monetary threshold or percentage value to justify significance. Examples of “significant” participation are:

· Supplying a new key technology or product, or unique capability;

· Causing a material and quantifiable reduction in the project cost or schedule;

· Causing a measurable increase in the performance of the prototype;

· Accomplishing a significant amount of the effort;

· Value-added analysis not based on percentage of project work or value.

III. Schedule

Period of performance is 5 years with an option for an additional 5 years.

IV. Evaluation Factors

The Government will conduct an evaluation of all proposal(s) submitted in response to this RCPP. Proposals may not exceed 10 pages. A selection will be made and negotiations may be conducted with companies responding to this RCPP. In the event that the Government is unable to come to terms with the initial selectee(s), the Government may reevaluate the proposal responses and make another selection.

The evaluation will be based on an integrated qualitative assessment of the below criteria.

1. Evaluation of the understanding of the requirement, consortium structure, and management, to include process for onboarding consortium members (e.g. standards, flexibility, ease to join, equality among members).

2. Identified nontraditional and/or small business participants.

3. Description of experience and performance in developing the industry configuration NSIN requires.

4. Technical ability of the vendor to provide support to members to participate in government programs and activities.

5. Cost, including proposed membership fee and management fee charged to Government for projects. However, the Government is open to different pricing arrangements, including, a fee structure, fixed-price arrangements, etc.

V. Basis for Selection It is the Government's intention to negotiate, select and fund the proposal from the submitted proposal(s) that is most advantageous to the Government. The proposal selection will be conducted in accordance with Government procedures and the evaluation criteria. The proposal selection decision will be formally communicated to the responding vendors.

VI. Contractor Evaluation Support

It is Washington Headquarters Services’s policy to treat all submissions as “source selection information” as defined by 41 U.S.C. § 2101(7), and to disclose the contents only in accordance with 41 U.S.C. § 2102. Restrictive notices notwithstanding, during the evaluation process, submissions may be handled by support contractors for administrative purposes and/or to assist with technical evaluation. All support contractors performing this role are expressly prohibited from performing sponsored technical research and are bound by appropriate nondisclosure agreements. Proposals and other submissions during the selection process will only be utilized for evaluation and negotiation purposes.

VII. Data Rights An overall data rights scheme will be included in the resultant other transaction agreement. However, each subproject awarded under the umbrella agreement may negotiate data rights for that individual subproject.

VIII. Export Control Research findings and technology developments arising from the resulting RWP may constitute a significant enhancement to the national defense and to the economic vitality of the United States. As such, in the conduct of all work under the subsequent PPA(s), the recipient will comply strictly with the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (22 CFR 120-130), the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (DoD 5220.22-M) and the Department of Commerce Export Regulation (15 CFR 730-774).

IX. Legally Responsible Entity A legally responsible entity shall be identified who may execute the agreement and legally bind that entity. The legally responsible entity will ultimately be responsible for successful agreement performance.

X. System for Award Management (SAM) The legally responsible entity must register in SAM and maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which they have an active federal award or proposal under consideration by the Government. Information on SAM registration is available at http://www.sam.gov.

XI. Points of Contact Proposal submissions and questions should be directed to Mr. Khalil Mack, at khalil.r.mack.civ@mail.mil, and Ms. Christina Mazzoli, at christina.n.mazzoli.civ@mail.mil, of the Washington Headquarters Services, Acquisition Directorate.

XII. Proposal Format

· General The proposal template is provided as an attachment to this RFP. The following formatting requirements apply:

Times New Roman 10 (or larger), single-spaced, single-sided, 8.5 by 11 inches Smaller type may be used in figures and tables, but must be clearly legible Margins on all sides (top, bottom, left and right) should be at least 1 inch Page limit is ten (10) pages; excluding the cover sheet, data rights assertions, Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM), and affirmation of NTDC status certification(s) WPs shall include a cover sheet, not counted toward the page limit, that includes:

· Prototype Project Title

· Primary point of contact, technical point of contact and FSO, if applicable, including name, address, phone, and e-mail contact information.

· DUNS No. and CAGE Code

· Technical Requirements Each proposal shall contain the following information:

· Business type for the consortium manager (non-profit, small business, small disadvantaged business, 8(a)-certified small disadvantaged business, HUBZone small business, woman-owned small business, very small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business) will be based upon North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code No. 541715 “Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology).” “Small business concern” means a concern, including its affiliates that is independently owned and operated, not dominant in the field of operation in which it is bidding on Government contracts, and qualified as a small business under the criteria and size standards in 13 CFR part 121. A small business concern for the purposes of this procurement is generally defined as a business, including its affiliates, averaging no more than 15 million dollars

· Configuration of the problem-solving network to include proposed bylaws/membership agreement (bylaws and membership agreement do not count towards the page limit).

· Entities identified to be included in the problem-solving network and process to bring these entities onboard both initially and during the life of the consortium other transaction agreement. Explain how these entities fit within the proposed scope of the consortium. The Government envisions a low barrier to entry, including, low membership fees, and a concise, simple, easy to understand agreement for new entrants to the defense industry. The Government also envisions rapid vetting and processing of new members. Letters of commitment included do not count towards the overall page limit.

· Corporate competencies and past performance demonstrating the consortium manager’s ability to run the consortium both administratively and technically, as an integrator and program manager supporting consortium members and the Government in solving its problem sets.

· A multi-year operating process for the network to create tools, techniques and methodologies for solving complex DoD sponsored problem sets.

· Membership Fees and Subproject Management Fee Include the cost to run the consortium, including proposed membership fee and management fee charged to Government for each subproject. As mentioned, the Government is interested in any unique pricing arrangements. This section does not count toward the page limit.

· Affirmation of Business Status Certification Each participant proposed in the WP shall complete the Business Status Certification in the format provided below. These certifications shall be included as an attachment to the WP and will not count toward the page limit.

Affirmation of Business Status Certification Each participant shall complete a separate certification. These certifications are not part of the page limit.

Check one of the following boxes:

|_| Nontraditional Defense Contractor (NTDC) — A Non-traditional Defense Contractor is an entity that is not currently performing and has not performed, for at least the one-year period preceding the issuance of this Request for Proposals by the Department of Defense, any contract or subcontract for the Department of Defense that is subject to full coverage under the cost accounting standards prescribed pursuant to Section 1502 of Title 41 of the U.S. Code and the regulations implementing such section.

All small businesses are considered NTDCs. A small business is a business concern as defined under Section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632). To be considered a small business for the purposes of this RWP, a concern must qualify as a small business under the size standard for the proposed North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code, as described at 13 C.F.R. 121.201.

|_| Nonprofit Research Institution — means a nonprofit institution, as defined in 15 U.S.C. §3703, and includes federally funded research and development centers, as identified by the National Scientific Foundation in accordance with the Government-wide Federal Acquisition Regulation issued in accordance with 41 U.S.C. §1303(a)(1) (or any successor regulation thereto).

|_| Traditional Defense Contractor — A traditional defense contractor is an entity that does not meet the definition of a Non-traditional Defense Contractor (NTDC) or a Nonprofit Research Institution.

This is to certify that the above is accurate, complete and current as of insert date for insert RWP number.

Signature (electronic signature is acceptable)

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