n66001-13-x-0001-ssc-pacific-research-announcement.pdf

C4ISR and Information Dominance Research Page 1 of 16

Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Pacific (SSC Pacific) 53560 Hull Street

San Diego, CA 92152-5001

Research Announcement (RA) C4ISR and Information Dominance Research

N66001-13-X-0001

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Table of Contents

PART 1: OVERVIEW INFORMATION

PART 2: FULL TEXT OF ANNOUNCEMENT

I. Funding Opportunity Description A. SSC Pacific Background B. Type of Research Announcement C. Topic Areas

1. Topic Area 1 – General C4ISR

2. Topic Area 2 – Command and Control

3. Topic Area 3 – Communications

4. Topic Area 4 – Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance

5. Topic Area 5 – Unmanned Vehicles

6. Topic Area 6 – Information Operations/Cyber Operations

7. Topic Area 7 – Ubiquitous Communications and Computing Environment

8. Topic Area 8 – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Research

9. Topic Area 9 – First Responder Technologies

II. Award Information A. Anticipated Funding B. Anticipated Number of Awards C. Types of Instruments

III. Eligibility Information A. Eligible Offerors/Applicants B. Cost Sharing or Matching C. Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs and Government Entities D. Scientific, Engineering and Technical Assistance (SETA) E. Conflict of Interest

IV. Application and Submission Information A. General Information B. Proposal Submission C. Content and Form of Proposal Submissions D. Submission Dates and Times

V. Application Review Information A. Technical Evaluation Criteria B. Cost Evaluation

VI. Award Administration Information A. Award Notices B. Security Classification C. Human Use D. Animal Use E. Export Control F. Subcontracting Plans G. Reporting H. Electronic Systems

VII. Agency Contacts

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PART 1: OVERVIEW INFORMATION

Federal Agency Name: Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Pacific (SSC Pacific) Funding Opportunity Title: Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) and Information Dominance Research Announcement Type: This is the Initial Announcement of N66001-13-X-0001, Closed RA with CALLS Funding Opportunity Number: N66001-13-X-0001 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 12.335 Research and Development Dates: This RA will be effective for a period of two (2) years from the date of publication. NO

PROPOSALS SHALL BE SUBMITTED AGAINST THIS BASELINE RA. Proposal due dates and times will be specified in each CALL. Proposals received after the due date and time specified in the CALL shall be governed by the provision at FAR 52.215-1(c)(3). Early proposal submission is encouraged.

Concise description of funding opportunity: This is a two (2) year Closed Research Announcement (RA) with CALLS describing the research areas of interest for the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Pacific (SSC Pacific). This Closed RA With CALLS approach only allows for proposal submittals at a specified date and time through the issuance of a CALL. As technical topic areas are identified, a CALL may be issued in SPAWAR e-Commerce Central (https://e-commerce.sscno.nmci.navy.mil) and GRANTS.GOV to request proposals for specific research efforts. If there are no assistance opportunities, the CALL will only be posted in SPAWAR e-Commerce Central (https://e-commerce.sscno.nmci.navy.mil). If there are no procurement contract opportunities, the CALL will only be published in GRANTS.GOV. These subsequent CALLS will contain specific descriptions of the research effort to be addressed, the anticipated period of performance, and the information peculiar to the specific research technical topic area. Updates to this RA will be published in SPAWAR e-Commerce Central (https://e-commerce.sscno.nmci.navy.mil) and Grants.gov. Any changes or cancellation of the RA will be posted as an amendment.

Anticipated individual awards: The Government anticipates awarding a minimum of one contract or assistance instrument per specific CALL. However, pursuant to a CALL the Government reserves the right to make multiple awards, one award or no award.

Types of instruments that may be awarded: The Government reserves the right to award the instrument best suited to the nature of research proposed. Accordingly, the Government may award any appropriate contract type under the Federal Acquisition Regulation, as well as Grants, Cooperative Agreements, Technology Investment Agreements using the authority of 10 U.S.C. §2358 and/or 10 U.S.C. §2371 and “Other Transactions.” Specific instructions for assistance awards are in Section IV B.4, of the full text RA below. It is anticipated that awards will generally be cost reimbursable, which require successful offerors to have an accounting system considered adequate for tracking costs applicable to the contract.

Points of Contact:

Business Nature Points of Contact

Jacob Ward (Primary), Code 22530 Contracts/Grants Specialist Email: jacob.ward@navy.mil (preferred method of contact) Telephone: (619) 553-4504 SSC Pacific, 53560 Hull Street, San Diego, CA 92152-5001

David W. Jenkins (Alternate), Code 22530 Contracts/Grants Officer Email: david.w.jenkins@navy.mil (preferred method of contact) Telephone: (619) 553-6588 SSC Pacific, 53560 Hull Street, San Diego, CA 92152-5001

Technical Point of Contact – To be indentified on individual CALLS

NOTE. The aforementioned Points of Contact are for this pre-solicitation announcement only.

Technical and Contracting Points of Contact for CALLS will be identified in each CALL.

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PART 2: FULL TEXT OF ANNOUNCEMENT

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. SSC Pacific Background - SSC Pacific is the U.S. Navy’s research, development, test and evaluation center across the full spectrum of C4ISR. It is a Department of Defense (DoD) Center of Excellence for integrated C4ISR and Information Dominance. SSC Pacific was established June 1, 1940 as the Navy's first West Coast laboratory. The majority of the Center’s employees are engineers, scientists and technicians developing technology to meet the Navy's information requirements of the future.

B. Type of Research Announcement - This is a two (2) year Closed Research Announcement (RA) With CALLS describing the research areas of interest for SSC Pacific. This Closed RA With CALLS approach only allows for proposal submittals at a specified date and time through the issuance of a CALL.

Periodically over the two (2) year period (calculated from the baseline RA publication date), proposal call announcements (CALLS) under the RA may be issued in SPAWAR e-Commerce Central (https://e-commerce.sscno.nmci.navy.mil) and GRANTS.GOV to request proposals for specific research efforts as technical topic areas are identified. These subsequent CALLS will contain specific descriptions of the research effort to be addressed, the anticipated period of performance, the information peculiar to the specific research technical topic area, and the estimated funding profile for the CALL. Each CALL will specify a proposal due date and time. Proposals received after the stated due date and time will be governed by the provision at FAR 52.215-1(c)(3). Multiple CALLS are anticipated and may be announced sequentially or concurrently in SPAWAR e-Commerce Central (https://ecommerce.sscno.nmci.navy.mil) and GRANTS.GOV. The Government reserves the right to re-issue a previously announced CALL area with a second, subsequent proposal period. The Government also reserves the right to issue no CALLS for any given technology area.

C. Topic Areas – In response to CALLS, SSC Pacific is interested in receiving proposals from all offerors for research in areas relating to the advancement of C4ISR/Information Dominance capabilities. The topic areas reflect the interest of SSC Pacific, but interest from other Government components may be generated and selections may be made for funding by other than SSC Pacific. Topic areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

1. Topic Area 1 – General C4ISR

a. Defining and documenting next generation C4ISR concepts and command center abstractions.

b. Innovative approaches to next generation adaptive C4ISR infrastructure and systems that enhance the following: decision making in areas not pre-programmed; sensor detection and classification; and communication efficiency and tolerance.

c. Collaboration among large diverse and dynamic groups:

i. Knowledge management to asynchronous collaboration.

ii. Approaches to automated fusion of discrete data points into a single updatable product.

iii. Multi-Level Security, trust, and network management for group formation, management.

d. Novel approaches or techniques to agent based (or other intelligent information query formation) processing and cross domain coordination of composable services or C4ISR resources (e.g., forces, sensors, weapons, robots, etc.).

e. Techniques or approaches to temporally integrate data/information and model changes or uncertainty.

f. Techniques or approaches to reducing cost, size, power or manning requirements for C4ISR or information systems.

2. Topic Area 2 – Command and Control

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a. Language dependent and independent communications between humans and information systems.

b. Human-information system interaction in distributed computing environments, including command system applications.

c. Processing by information systems of human originated inputs and queries.

d. Domain dependent and independent information detection, extraction, and retrieval.

e. Intelligent and dynamic information summarization and presentation.

f. Information systems infrastructure including networking technologies and architectures that support interaction or collaboration between humans and information systems.

g. Secure networking.

h. Network attack recognition and identification including the ability to continue operations in the presence of a successful attack.

i. Innovative technology and component integration including multimedia representations.

j. New concepts in perception and visualization.

k. Dynamic and/or probabilistic decision making.

l. Human/robot interaction.

m. New mechanisms for secure and coordinated policy management, in a “system of systems” environment. This may include:

i. Automatic workflow instantiation and enactment;

ii. Protocols for extending, revising and/or revoking policies in distributed environments;

iii. Dynamic adaptation and synchronization of authority across cooperating entities

(e.g., systems or collaborative environments); or

iv. Negotiation protocols for establishing, enforcing, amending or revoking policies among cooperating entities.

3. Topic Area 3 – Communications

a. Physical layer issues such as modulation schemes that are robust to co-channel interference and jamming.

b. Channel access and routing schemes that support highly dynamic networks without pre-existing infrastructure.

c. Support for dynamic spectrum access.

d. Advanced space-temporal processing and coding.

e. High bandwidth wireless systems.

f. Mid-layer protocols to provide reliability over lossy bandwidth-constrained links.

g. Support for roaming.

h. Additional functionality for communicating with adaptive applications.

i. Cross-layer solutions to include schemes that address topics such as security and quality of support.

j. Extending (radio frequency) data links.

k. Non-line-of-sight high-bandwidth digital communications.

l. Secure radio frequency communications.

m. Anti (radio frequency) Jamming.

n. Physics-based propagation modeling for communications, radar and infrared applications.

o. Optical communications.

p. Antenna and radio frequency system modeling (physical or computational).

q. Testing and analysis of new antennas models and methods.

r. Research into methods to effectively integrate antennas aboard ships.

s. Modeling of the effects of the environment on propagating, electro-optical/infrared to radar beams.

t. Modeling of the effects of the environment on visible/infrared (IR)/multispectral imagery.

4. Topic Area 4 – Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance

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a. Data fusion and analysis for heterogeneous source data (e.g., radar and acoustic, imagery and messages).

b. In-situ power sources for remote systems.

c. New and improved collection systems, including chemical and biological sensor systems.

d. Improved signal processing, analysis and reporting algorithms and techniques for active and passive sensor systems including: acoustic, Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR), hyper spectral, millimeter wave and Nuclear-Biological-Chemical (NBC).

e. Improved techniques for target surveillance, detection, localization, tracking, identification, interception and prosecution.

f. Low-size, low-weight and/or low-power in-situ signal processing for feature extraction for autonomous sensing.

g. Immersive technology to improve visualization and Human Machine Interface (HMI).

h. Countermeasures against unwanted micro sensor devices.

i. Network centric countermeasure techniques.

j. Biometric collection techniques.

k. Knowledge discovery and dissemination.

l. Effects based operations and beyond.

m. Research in the area of marine mammals.

5. Topic Area 5 – Unmanned Vehicles

a. Night mission capability.

b. Object identification and validation from a moving target.

c. Self localization.

d. Novel and innovative concepts integrating research from sections 1 – 4.

e. Integration or interoperability enhancement of C4ISR systems.

f. Reduction in size, weight or power requirements of C4ISR systems.

6. Topic Area 6 – Information Operations/Cyber Operations

a. Computer Network Operations (e.g., Attack, Exploit and Defend) against the interdependent network of information technology infrastructures, including the internet, telecommunications networks, computer systems and embedded processors and controllers.

b. Computer Network Attack (CNA) and Computer Network Exploitation (CNE) against automated systems, and the interaction between the physical, social and biological networks that define human-machine interaction.

c. Computer Network Defense (CND) and Information Assurance capabilities to protect and defend Naval and Joint systems.

d. Electronic Warfare (EW) capabilities to include Electronic Attack (EA) Electronic Support (ES) and Electric Protect (EP) in the radio frequency (RF), millimeter wave, and optical environments.

e. Military Deception (MILDEC) tools and capabilities.

f. Psychological Operations (PSYOP) tools and capabilities.

g. Tools for monitoring, analyzing and mitigating Operational Security (OPSEC) vulnerabilities.

h. Command and Control (C2) of Information Operations (IO) Capabilities.

i. Development of IO and/or Cyber Warfare countermeasures.

j. Testing and analysis of new IO and/or Cyber Warfare techniques.

7. Topic Area 7 – Ubiquitous Communications and Computing Environment

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a. Modeling, Simulation and Visualization of the future environment in which communications, computing, data, sensors and networks are interoperable, ubiquitous and transparent to humans.

b. Concepts which will enable understanding networks as a science and developing models which can provide clarity into how networks operate and resist or deter attack.

c. Concepts which will enable universal machine-to-machine data exchange.

d. Concepts which reflect the convergence of physical, biological and social networks and how this will effect human interactions.

8. Topic Area 8 – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Research

a. Research and assess advanced concepts in education practices and policies for the effective use of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professionals and university students in grades 6th through 12th in support of Department of Defense efforts to educate and train the next generation of scientists and engineers.

9. Topic Area 9 – First Responder Technologies

a. Emergency Medical Services

b. Explosives

c. Fire

d. Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT)

e. Law Enforcement

f. Search and Rescue

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. Anticipated Funding

Each CALL may contain funding profiles specific to that effort. All potential offerors should be aware that due to unanticipated budget fluctuations, funding in any or all areas may change with little or no notice.

B. Anticipated Number of Awards

The Government anticipates awarding a minimum of one contract, assistance instrument or other transaction per specific CALL. However, pursuant to a CALL the Government reserves the right to make multiple awards, one award or no award.

C. Types of Instruments that may be Awarded

The Government reserves the right to award the instrument best suited to the nature of research proposed.

Accordingly, the Government may award any appropriate contract type under the Federal Acquisition Regulation, as well as Grants, Cooperative Agreements, Technology Investment Agreements using the authority of 10 U.S.C. §2358 and/or 10 U.S.C. §2371 and “Other Transactions.” Specific instructions for assistance awards are in Section IV B.4 below. It is anticipated that awards will generally be cost reimbursable, which require successful offerors to have an accounting system considered adequate for tracking costs applicable to the contract.

D. Proposals are intended to be evaluated without discussions, unless discussions are determined to be necessary. However, the Government may obtain clarifications to determine proposal acceptability.

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Discussions may be held with prospective awardee(s) prior to award(s) if needed. In the event the Government is unable to conclude negotiations with the apparent successful offeror(s), it reserves the right to conduct negotiations with another acceptable offeror.

E. The Government reserves the right to:

o select for negotiation all, some, one, or none of the proposals received in response to CALLS issued against this RA, and to make awards without discussions with offerors.

o request any additional, necessary documentation once a proposal is selected for award. Such additional information may include but is not limited to Representations and Certifications.

o remove offerors from award consideration should the parties fail to reach agreement on award terms, conditions and cost/price within a reasonable time or the proposer fails to timely provide requested additional information.

o have sole discretion to negotiate all contract/assistance vehicle clauses with selectees.

o accept proposals in their entirety or to select only portions of proposals for award. In the event the

Government desires to award only portions of a proposal, negotiations may be opened with that offeror.

o fund proposals in phases with options for continued work at the end of one or more of the phases.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Offerors/Applicants

In response to a CALL, all responsible sources capable of satisfying the Government's needs may submit a proposal. Small Businesses, Historically Black Colleges (HBCU), Minority Institutions (MI), Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), Woman-Owned Businesses, and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses are encouraged to submit proposals. Foreign or foreign-owned offerors should immediately contact the contracting office point of contact identified in the CALL for information if they contemplate responding. All correspondence must reference the RA number, the RA title and the CALL number.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost sharing is not a requirement unless stated in the CALL.

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

DoD-sponsored FFRDCs that function primarily as research laboratories (C3I Laboratory operated by the Institute for Defense Analysis, Lincoln Laboratory operated by Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Software Engineering Institute operated by Carnegie Mellon) may respond to a subsequent CALL (Section 217, Pub. L. 103-337) (DFARS 235.017-1).

The following guidance is provided for other DoD sponsored and non-DoD sponsored FFRDCs contemplating responding to any subsequent CALL issued against this RA, as either a prime or subcontractor. FAR 35.017-1(c)(4) prohibits an FFRDC from competing with any non-FFRDC concern in response to a Federal agency request for proposal for other than the operation of an FFRDC. There is no regulation prohibiting an FFRDC from responding to a subsequent CALL issued against this RA.

However, FFRDC’s are subject to applicable direct competition limitations and cannot propose to CALLS issued against this RA in any capacity unless they meet the following conditions. FFRDCs must clearly demonstrate that the work is not otherwise available from the private sector AND provide a letter on letterhead from their sponsoring organization citing the specific authority establishing their eligibility to propose to Government solicitations and compete with industry, and compliance with the associated FFRDC sponsor agreement and terms and conditions. This information is required for FFRDCs proposing to be prime or subcontractors.

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Government entities must clearly demonstrate that the work is not otherwise available from the private sector and provide written documentation citing specific authority (as well as, where relevant, contractual authority) establishing their ability to propose to Government solicitations. At the present time, SSC Pacific does not consider 15 U.S.C. 3710a to be sufficient legal authority to show eligibility. While 10 U.S.C. 2539b and/or U.S.C. 2563 may be the appropriate statutory starting point for some entities, specific supporting regulatory guidance, together with evidence of agency approval, is required to establish eligibility. SSC Pacific will consider eligibility submissions on a case-by-case basis; however, the burden to prove eligibility for all team members rests solely with the offeror.

D. Scientific, Engineering and Technical Assistance (SETA)

All Offerors and proposed subcontractors must affirm whether they are providing scientific, engineering, and technical assistance (SETA) or similar support to any SPAWAR Component through an active contract or subcontract. All affirmations must state which office(s) the offeror supports and identify the prime contract numbers. Affirmations shall be furnished at the time of proposal submission. All facts relevant to the existence or potential existence of organizational conflicts of interest must be disclosed. The disclosure shall include a description of the action the offeror has taken or proposes to take to avoid, neutralize, or mitigate such conflict. Without prior approval, a contractor cannot simultaneously be a SETA and related research and development performer. Proposals that fail to fully disclose potential conflicts of interests or do not have acceptable plans to mitigate identified conflicts will be rejected without technical evaluation and withdrawn from further consideration for award.

E. Conflict of Interest

If a prospective offeror believes that any conflict of interest exists or may exist (whether organizational or otherwise), the offeror should promptly raise the issue with SSC Pacific by sending his/her contact information and a summary of the potential conflict by e-mail to the Point of Contact identified in the respective CALL, before time and effort are expended in preparing a proposal and mitigation plan. If, in the sole opinion of the Government after full consideration of the circumstances, any conflict situation cannot be effectively avoided or mitigated, the proposal may be rejected without technical evaluation and withdrawn from further consideration for award under this RA.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. General Information

1. NO PROPOSALS SHALL BE SUBMITTED AGAINST THIS BASELINE RA. Proposal due dates and times will be specified in each CALL. Proposals received after the due date and time specified in the CALL shall be governed by the provision at FAR 52.215-1(c)(3).

2. DO NOT SUBMIT CLASSIFIED INFORMATION IN THE PROPOSAL

3. There will be no other announcement issued for this requirement. Offerors MUST monitor SPAWAR e-Commerce Central (https://e-commerce.sscno.nmci.navy.mil) and Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) in the event this announcement is amended or CALLS are issued. Offerors must monitor these systems to ensure they receive the maximum proposal preparation time for subsequent CALLS or amendments as this is the official notification vehicle.

4. Potential offerors are requested to advise the Contracting POC if they intend to submit a proposal in response to a CALL. Such notification is merely a courtesy and is not a commitment by the offeror to submit a proposal.

5. This RA and associated CALLS are expressions of interest only and do not commit the Government to pay for proposal preparation costs. The cost of preparing proposals in response to CALLS

C4ISR and Information Dominance Research Page 10 of 16 placed pursuant to this RA is not considered an allowable direct charge to any resulting award or to any other award. However, it may be an allowable indirect expense as specified in FAR 31.205-18.

6. DoD policy, per DFARS 227.7103-1, is to acquire only the technical data and the rights in that data, necessary to satisfy Government needs. The Government anticipates receiving, as a minimum, “Government Purpose Rights” to technical data developed under contracts awarded based on proposals received in response to CALLS issued against this RA.

7. There are no limits to the number of proposals an offeror may submit for any given CALL unless otherwise specified in the CALL.

8. You may be ineligible for award if all requirements of this RA and the requirements in the CALL are not met by the proposal due date and time as identified in each CALL.

B. Proposal Submission

1. DO NOT send proposals directly to any Points of Contact identified in this RA or in subsequent CALLS. Emailed proposal submissions will not be accepted.

2. Proposal submissions for procurement contracts and “Other Transactions” for Prototype will only be accepted via SPAWAR e-Commerce Central at https://e-commerce.sscno.nmci.navy.mil (Note that this does not include a "www" prefix) by selecting “SSC Pacific” then “Open BAA” from the left hand menu and selecting the Research Announcement number.

3. Proposal submissions for assistance vehicles (i.e., Grants, Cooperative Agreements and Technology Investment Agreements (TIAs)) shall be submitted through Grants.gov. See below for special instructions.

4. Special Instructions for Applications for Federal Assistance (i.e., Grants, Cooperative Agreements and TIAs) (If there are no Assistance opportunities, it will be stated in the CALL):

Offerors must complete the following, one time steps, before submitting proposals on Grants.gov (these steps are also detailed at www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp):

- Offerors must obtain a DUNS number

- Offerors must register their organization in the System for Award Management (SAM)

(https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/)

- Offerors must obtain a user name and password

- Offerors must register the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) in Grants.gov

- Offerors must have the organization’s E-BIZ point of contact authorize the AOR to submit applications.

Applicants who are not registered with SAM and Grants.gov should allow at least 21 days to complete these requirements. The process should be started as soon as possible. Any questions relating to the registration process, system requirements, how an application form works, or the submittal process must be directed to Grants.gov at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov.

Application forms and instructions are available at Grants.gov. To access these materials, go to http://www.grants.gov, select "Apply for Grants", and then select "Download Application Package". Enter the CFDA number identified in the CALL. You shall also enter the RA number and CALL number, and then follow the prompts to download the application package.

Proposals shall be submitted through Grants.gov using the mandatory Grants.gov form(s) from the application package template associated with the RA CALL on the Grants.gov website. Offerors are to complete the SF 424 Research and Related Form (R&R). Complete all the required fields in accordance with the pop-up instructions on the form. To activate the instructions, turn on the “Help Mode” (icon with the pointer and question mark at the top of the form). Offerors are to complete the mandatory forms in

C4ISR and Information Dominance Research Page 11 of 16 accordance with the instructions on the forms, additional information can be found through the application user guide found at Grants.gov. The use of the optional forms from the application package template associated with the RA CALL is highly encouraged. Files that are attached to the forms must be in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) unless otherwise specified in the CALL.

Please note that Volume I, Technical Proposal should be submitted as an attachment to the SF 424 rather than being inserted into Block 7, Project Narrative. Block 7 should be completed with a statement that Volume I is attached. To attach the Technical Proposal, open the Attachment Form in the Optional Documents box of the application package, scroll down to the Attachment page, and follow the instructions. The file should be titled “Volume I – Technical Proposal.”

By completing Block 17 of the Grant Application, the offeror is providing the certification on lobbying required by 32 CFR Part 28.

5. Technical and cost proposals must be submitted in separate volumes, and shall be valid for 180 days unless stated otherwise in the CALL. Proposals must reference the RA number, the CALL number, and include a unique contractor generated proposal identification number. Unnecessarily elaborate brochures or presentations beyond that sufficient to present a complete and effective proposal are not desired.

6. Offerors are advised that data included in the technical and cost proposals submitted to the Government in response to a subsequent CALL may be released to non-government advisors for technical advice. Any non-government advisor will strictly serve in an advisory capacity only to the Government evaluators. Non-government advisors will have appropriate Organizational Conflict of Interest clauses in their contracts with SSC Pacific and will initiate any required non-disclosure agreements. The use and identification of non-government advisors will be identified in the CALL. All offerors must clearly indicate in their proposals if they have any objections or concerns regarding the use of non-government advisors.

C. Content and Form of Proposal Submissions

Unless stated otherwise in a specific CALL, the following content and form requirements shall apply to proposal submissions:

The proposal shall be comprised of two volumes, a technical volume (Volume I), and a cost volume (Volume II), as described below. In addition, a cover letter (separate from the technical and cost volumes) shall accompany each proposal.

1. Cover Letter

Format: The formatting requirements for the Cover Letter of the offeror's proposal are: Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) format compatible with Adobe Acrobat 4.1 or greater, with 12 pitch Times New Roman font (smaller font may be used for figures, tables and charts) on 8-1/2 by 11 inch paper, with 1 inch margins.

Page Limitation: 2 pages

Content: The Cover Letter shall include the following:

(1) RA number & CALL number

(2) Technical topic area(s)

(3) Organization submitting proposal;

(4) Organization/Business Type (i.e. For-Profit, Non-Profit, Educational Institution, FFRDC, Foreign Owned, etc.)

(5) Contractor’s proposal reference number;

(6) Proposal title;

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(7) Technical point of contact to include: salutation, last name, first name, street address, city, state, zip code, telephone, fax (if available), electronic mail (if available);

(8) Administrative point of contact to include: salutation, last name, first name, street address, city, state, zip code, telephone, fax (if available), electronic mail (if available),

(9) Date proposal was submitted;

(10) Statement indicating if the firm is a small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, 8(a), or women-owned small business concern.

(11) Number of previous submissions to RA and submission date(s);

(12) List of any and all current and/or past involvement (within the last 5 years) with SSC Pacific as a performer.

(13) Statement that the proposal is valid for 180 days from the due date specified in the CALL

(14) Signed and dated by an authorized official of the organization

2. Volume I – Technical Volume

Format: The formatting requirements for Volume I of the offeror's proposal are: Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) format compatible with Adobe Acrobat 4.1 or greater, with 12 pitch Times New Roman font (smaller font may be used for figures, tables and charts) on 8-1/2 by 11 inch paper, with 1 inch margins.

Illustrations such as tables, flowcharts, organizational charts, process charts or other similar type informational charts may be used. All illustrations, tables, charts, etc., will count against the page limitation. In addition, offerors are responsible for ensuring the legibility of all tables, charts, etc. when printed/copied using black and white printers/copiers. The Offeror should assume the Government evaluators will be reviewing all submittals in a black and white format.

Page Limitation: Volume I page limitations will be stated in each individual CALL.

Content: The Technical Volume content requirements will be stated in each individual CALL.

3. Volume II – Cost Volume

Format: The formatting requirements for Volume II of the offeror's proposal are: Microsoft Excel 2003 or later version with all formulas intact. Offerors are required to round numbers using two decimal places and shall ensure that excel files are legible when printed (i.e. no less than 8 point font).

Page Limitation: There is no page limitation for the cost volume.

Content: Each issued CALL will contain the appropriate cost proposal instructions based upon the type of instrument the Government anticipates awarding. All information relating to cost or pricing type data shall be included only in this section of the proposal. Under no circumstances shall cost or pricing type data be included elsewhere in the proposal.

Note: Adequate price competition is anticipated for each CALL issued unless stated otherwise. A determination as to the existence of adequate price competition will be made by the cognizant Contracting Officer on a case by case basis. If the Contracting Officer determines that adequate price competition does not exist, certified cost or pricing data from the offeror will be required in accordance with FAR 15.403-4.

D. Submission Dates and Times

Submission date and time will be posted in each CALL. Proposals received after the due date and time specified shall be governed by the provision at FAR 52.215-1(c)(3).

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

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A. Technical Evaluation Criteria: The selection of one or more sources for award will be based on an evaluation of each offeror’s proposal to determine the overall merit of the proposal in response to the requirements outlined in the RA and/or CALL. Unless stated otherwise in a specific CALL, the proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria that are listed in “DESCENDING” order of importance:

1. Overall Scientific or Technical Merits of the proposed research and development- Including the approach for the research, development and/or enhancement of the proposed technology and the offeror’s evaluation of the technology;

2. Potential for enhancing C4ISR/Information Dominance capabilities and effectiveness;

3. Affordability/Funds Availability

B. Cost Evaluation: Once proposals are selected for possible award based on the technical evaluation, price/cost will be evaluated for realism and reasonableness to the extent appropriate. Price/cost may be negotiated if necessary on proposals selected for award.

C. The Government reserves the right to fund all, any, none or part of the proposals received under this RA.

Prospective offerors are advised that only Contracting/Grants Officers are legally authorized to commit the Government. Proposals will be evaluated against the evaluation criteria without regard to other proposals submitted under this RA.

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. Award notices – Once the evaluation of a proposal is complete, the proposer will be notified of the results and whether its proposal has not been selected or has been selected for funding pending negotiations.

These official notifications will be sent via e-mail to the Administrative POC identified in the proposal cover letter. Invitations to begin negotiations does not assure that the submitting organization will receive an award.

B. Security Classification – Security classification guidance via a DD Form 254, “DoD Contract Security Classification Specification,” will not be provided at this time or in subsequent CALLS since SSC Pacific is soliciting ideas only. After reviewing the incoming proposals, if a determination is made that the award instrument may result in access to classified information; a DD Form 254 will be issued and attached as part of the award. Depending on the work to be performed, the offeror may require a SECRET facility clearance and safeguarding capability; therefore, personnel identified for assignment to a classified effort must be cleared for access to SECRET information at the time of award. In addition, the offeror may be required to have, or have access to, a certified and Government-approved facility to support work under this RA.

C. Human Use - All research involving human subjects, to include use of human biological specimens and human data, selected for funding must comply with the federal regulations for human subject protection.

Further, research involving human subjects that is conducted or supported by the DoD must comply with 32 CFR 219, Protection of Human Subjects http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_07/32cfr219_07.html) and DoD Directive 3216.02, Protection of Human Subjects and Adherence to Ethical Standards in DoD-Supported Research (http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/321602p.pdf). Institutions awarded funding for research involving human subjects must provide documentation of a current Assurance of Compliance with Federal regulations for human subject protection, for example a Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Human Research Protection Federal Wide Assurance (http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp). All institutions engaged in human subject research, to include subcontractors, must also have a valid Assurance. In addition, personnel involved in human subjects research must provide documentation of completing appropriate training for the protection of human subjects. For all proposed research that will involve human subjects in the first year or phase of the project, the institution must provide evidence of or a plan for review by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) upon final proposal submission to SSC Pacific. The IRB conducting the review must be the IRB identified on the institution’s Assurance. The protocol, separate from the proposal, must include a detailed description of the research plan, study population, risks

C4ISR and Information Dominance Research Page 14 of 16 and benefits of study participation, recruitment and consent process, data collection, and data analysis.

Consult the designated IRB for guidance on writing the protocol. The informed consent document must comply with federal regulations (32 CFR 219.116). A valid Assurance along with evidence of appropriate training all investigators should all accompany the protocol for review by the IRB. In addition to a local IRB approval, a headquarters-level human subjects regulatory review and approval is required for all research conducted or supported by the DoD. The Army, Navy, or Air Force office responsible for managing the award can provide guidance and information about their component’s headquarters-level review process. Note that confirmation of a current Assurance and appropriate human subjects protection training is required before headquarters-level approval can be issued. The amount of time required to complete the IRB review/approval process may vary depending on the complexity of the research and/or the level of risk to study participants. Ample time should be allotted to complete the approval process. The IRB approval process can last between one to three months, followed by a DoD review that could last between three to six months. No DoD funding can be used towards human subjects research until ALL approvals are granted.

D. Animal Use – Any Recipient performing research, experimentation, or testing involving the use of animals shall comply with the rules on animal acquisition, transport, care, handling, and use in: (i) 9 CFR parts 1-4, Department of Agriculture rules that implement the Laboratory Animal Welfare Act of 1966, as amended, (7 U.S.C. 2131-2159); (ii) the guidelines described in National Institutes of Health Publication No. 86-23, "Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals"; (iii) DoD Directive 3216.01, “Use of Laboratory Animals in DoD Program.” For submissions containing animal use, proposals should briefly describe plans for Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) review and approval. Animal studies in the program will be expected to comply with the PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/olaw.htm. All Recipients must receive approval by a DoD certified veterinarian, in addition to an IACUC approval. No animal studies may be conducted using DoD funding until the USAMRMC Animal Care and Use Review Office (ACURO) or other appropriate DoD veterinary office(s) grant approval. As a part of this secondary review process, the Recipient will be required to complete and submit an ACURO Animal Use Appendix, which may be found at https://mrmc-www.army.mil/index.cfm?pageid=Research_Protections.acuro&rn=1.

E. Export Control – The following provision will be included in awards as deemed appropriate:

(a) Definition. “Export-controlled items,” as used in this clause, means items subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) (15 CFR Parts 730-774) or the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) (22 CFR Parts 120-130). The term includes:

1) “Defense items,” defined in the Arms Export Control Act, 22 U.S.C. 2778(j)(4)(A), as defense articles, defense services, and related technical data, and further defined in the ITAR, 22 CFR Part 120.

2) “Items,” defined in the EAR as “commodities”, “software”, and “technology,” terms that are also defined in the EAR, 15 CFR 772.1.

(b) The Contractor shall comply with all applicable laws and regulations regarding export-controlled items, including, but not limited to, the requirement for contractors to register with the Department of State in accordance with the ITAR. The Contractor shall consult with the Department of State regarding any questions relating to compliance with the ITAR and shall consult with the Department of Commerce regarding any questions relating to compliance with the EAR.

(c) The Contractor's responsibility to comply with all applicable laws and regulations regarding export-controlled items exists independent of, and is not established or limited by, the information provided by this clause.

(d) Nothing in the terms of this contract adds, changes, supersedes, or waives any of the requirements of applicable Federal laws, Executive orders, and regulations, including but not limited to—

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(1) The Export Administration Act of 1979, as amended (50 U.S.C. App.

2401, et seq.);

(2) The Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751, et seq.);

(3) The International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701, et seq.);

(4) The Export Administration Regulations (15 CFR Parts 730-774);

(5) The International Traffic in Arms Regulations (22 CFR Parts 120-130); and

(6) Executive Order 13222, as extended;

(e) The Contractor shall include the substance of this clause, including this paragraph (e), in all subcontracts.

F. Subcontracting Plans – Small Business Subcontracting Plans are required under FAR 19.702 for procurement contracts anticipated to exceed $650,000. Prospective offerors shall submit applicable subcontracting plans in accordance with the requirements set forth in FAR 19.704 and DFARS 219.704.

Small business is exempt from this requirement. If a company has a master subcontracting plan, as described in FAR 19.701 or a comprehensive subcontracting plan, as described in DFARS 219.702, a copy of the plan shall be submitted with the proposal. The subcontracting plan is a part of the cost volume of the proposal and will not be included in the page count.

G. Reporting – The number and types of reports will be specified in the award document, but will include as a minimum quarterly financial status reports. The reports shall be prepared and submitted in accordance with the procedures contained in the award document and mutually agreed on before award. Reports and briefing material will also be required as appropriate to document progress in accomplishing program metrics. A Final Report that summarizes the project and tasks will be required at the conclusion of the performance period for the award, notwithstanding the fact that the research may be continued under a follow-on vehicle. For procurement contracts, reporting will be specified in the resulting contract award via DD1423, Contract Data Requirements List (CDRL). For all other awards, reporting will be specified in a Data Matrix, which will be an attachment to the award.

H. Electronic Systems:

1. System for Award Management (SAM) Selected offerors not already registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) will be required to register in SAM prior to receiving any award under this RA. Information on SAM registration is available at https://www.sam.gov.

2. Representations and Certifications Prospective contractors shall complete electronic annual representations and certifications at SAM via https://www.sam.gov in conjunction with required registration in the SAM database.

3. Wide Area Work Flow (WAWF)

Unless using another approved electronic invoicing system, performers will be required to submit invoices for payment directly via the Internet/WAWF at http://wawf.eb.mil. Registration to WAWF will be required prior to any award under this RA.

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VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

Questions of a technical and/or business nature shall be submitted to the contracts/grants specialist via e-mail:

Jacob Ward Contracts/Grants Specialist

Email: jacob.ward@navy.mil

Questions must include the RA number in the subject line of the e-mail.

NOTE. The aforementioned Point of Contact is for this pre-solicitation announcement only. For technical and/or business nature points of contact related to specific CALLS, please see the respective CALL.