Statement_of_Work_for_Simulation-Based_Robot_Agility_Competition.pdf

Statement of Work

Support for Development of a Simulation-Based Robot Agility Competition

1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has a research project entitled Agility Performance of Robotic Systems. The project’s objective is to deliver robot agility performance metrics, information models, test methods and protocols, validated using a combined virtual and real testing environment, that will enable manufacturers to easily and rapidly reconfigure and re-task robot systems in assembly operations.

The application of robotics in manufacturing assembly, particularly by smaller manufacturers and for smaller lot sizes, has been hindered by their lack of agility, large changeover times for new tasks and new products, and limited reusability of robots. Removing these hindrances is technically hard due to the complexity of robot systems, the lack of understanding of robot capabilities as they pertain to assembly tasks, and the absence of measurement science and tools to assess and assure the robot's agility. The key idea for this project is to develop the measurement science, in the form of an integrated agility framework, which will enable manufacturers to assess and assure the agility performance of their robot systems. This framework includes robot agility performance metrics, information models, test methods, and protocols – all of which will be validated using a combined virtual and real testing environment. This framework will (1) allow manufacturers to easily and rapidly reconfigure and re-task robot systems in assembly operations, (2) make robots more accessible to small and medium organizations, and (3) provide large organizations greater efficiency in their assembly operations. Any company that is currently deploying or planning to deploy robot systems will benefit because they will be able to accurately predict the agility performance of their robot systems and be able to quickly re-task and reconfigure their assembly operations.

As part of this effort, NIST will put together an Agile Robotics for Industrial Automation Competition (ARIAC). We are in the process of planning this simulation-based competition, which is designed to promote robot agility by utilizing the latest advances in artificial intelligence and robot planning.

A core focus of this competition is to test the agility of industrial robot systems, with the goal of enabling industrial robots on shop floors to be more productive, more autonomous, and to be easier to be used by shop floor workers. In this context, we define agility broadly to address:

• Failure identification and recovery, where the robot can detect failures in a manufacturing process and automatically recover from those failures

• Automated planning, to minimize (or eliminate) the up-front robot programming time when a new product is introduced

• Enabling a fixtureless environment, where robots can sense the environment and perform tasks on parts that are not in predefined locations

• Plug and play integration, where robots from different manufacturers can be swapped in and out without the need for reprogramming

Competition participants will be using the latest advances in artificial intelligence and robot planning and control to tackle these challenges, which will then be released in the public domain for interested parties to evaluate in their applications

The Gazebo simulation tool will be used for this competition due to the applicable software applications and interfaces that exist both at NIST and in the research community as well as its prevalence of use among the prospective competition participants.

2. SCOPE OF WORK

The purpose of this procurement is for the Contractor to develop the simulation environment and supporting tools, provide a training session on the simulation infrastructure to prospective competition participants, as well as assist in the execution of the competition.

3. General Requirements

The contractor shall develop a Gazebo-based (Linux) simulation environment to run the competition, including realization for each of the 15 test scenarios as detail below.

The current testing methods all involve kitting applications, in which parts are moved from a location in the robot’s workspace to a kit tray. Challenges will be introduced in each scenario, including parts in various dynamic and static positions and orientation. Details about the scenarios are included below:

• The first test method (Baseline Kit Building) is intended as a baseline set of tasks that the other test methods to be compared against. The tasks for the test method are taking a specified set of parts and placing them in a particular position and orientation in the kit tray area.

• The second test method (Dropped Part) is similar to the Baseline Kit Building test method, with the addition of the first agility challenge thrown into the process. While the robot system is moving one of the parts from its initial location to the intended goal location (in the kit tray area), the part is dropped from the gripper. Once the robot system realizes that the part has dropped, the decision needs to be made whether to pick up the dropped part (if it is still within reach and/or in an orientation where picking up is possible) or to go back to the initial location of the parts and pick up a duplicate part to complete the kit.

• The third test method (In Process Kit Change) introduces the agility challenge of a new high priority order coming from higher up that needs to be completed as fast as possible while the robot system is in the middle of building a different kit. The robot system will need to decide whether to empty the kit tray that had been being filled with parts to complete the higher priority kit, or to simply use a different already empty kit tray that is also available in the kit tray area.

The intersection or crossing of these 3 scenarios which five variations of parts acquisition yields the 15 trials that each robot system will be performing. For each of the 15 trials the robot system will receive a score based on completion and efficiency metrics in the following section.

This simulation shall allow a competitor to specify the location, type, and number of sensors and the location of a single robot arm. The competitors shall use the developed Advanced Programming Interface (APIs) to:

• Place three industrial robotic arms in the simulation environment,

• Place sensors in the simulation environment, and show the output of the sensors,

• Control the robot to perform basic movements, and

The developed tool shall automatically generate performance metrics and scoring. The scoring performance metrics are a combination of completion and efficiency metrics. The completion metrics were selected such that teams successfully placing parts in the goal location would receive points for each of their successful actions. The efficiency metrics are selected to make sure time is factored into their success in completing the tasks. The completion scoring is as follows:

1. Is the part in the kit tray? (+1pt for each part)

2. Are all parts in the kit tray? (+total number of parts)

3. Is the part in the goal location/orientation? (+1pt for each part within tolerance)

The recorded efficiency metrics are as follows:

1. Total process time

2. Part travel time

3. Planning time

4. Distance moved by part

5. Distance moved by manipulator

Cloud Infrastructure

To ensure both fairness and uniformity, the competition planners propose that ARIAC be organized much like the cloud based virtual DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC). A cloud base structure would allow teams to compete from their home location and not require travel.

The contractor shall implement a cloud-based infrastructure1 that will allow for hosting of the simulation environment, competition registration, submission and results reporting. The system shall be completely automated so teams do not need a real time interface for control. Communication between the control code and the simulator shall encompass robot control information and sensor input to the controller.

The contractor shall coordinate the competition and provide/conduct training on the items above to all prospective competition participants. This training shall initially occur at the IEEE CASE conference to be held in Fort Worth Texas in August 2016. The proposed key personnel shall receive the necessary code from the participants, run the code through the simulation infrastructure, and report upon the results.

Lessons learned

The contractor shall document the lessons learned during the first competition, suggestions for areas of improvement, and continued preparation of the existing software into a stable form for possible use in future competitions.

The contractor shall provide all labor, project oversight, administration and technical execution for the execution of the simulation environment, competition registration, submission and results reporting. The contractor is responsible for maintaining accurate records of project activities in accordance with rules set detailed in attachment A that describe how the competition will be conducted and scored.

4. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

Base year: June 20, 2016 to June 21, 2017 Option Period 1: June 20, 2017 to June 21, 2018

1 The Contractor, and any subcontractors involved (such as a separate hosting center), shall have independently assessed proof of security practices that would be equivalent to Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) low baseline controls. Examples include FedRAMP authorization, an Authorization to Operate (ATO) letter issued by a Federal Government agency as evidence that they have been assessed and authorized, or have passed an independent security audit (e.g., Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements (SSAE), PCI Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), ISO 27001 audit or equivalent). Within 5 days of contract award, the Contractor shall provide to NIST, as a deliverable, evidence of the audit(s) or instructions on how to obtain evidence of the above.

5. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

Work shall be performed at Contractor’s facilities.

Travel to Fort Worth, Texas (as describe in Section 3) in January 2017 will be required for the Agile Robotics for Industrial Automation Competition.

6. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY

All material provided by the Government in the performance of this requirement remains the property of the Government and shall be surrendered to the government upon completion or termination of this requirement. Likewise, all data and deliverables generated under this contract remain the property of the Government.

7. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AND DELIVERABLES

The Contractor shall submit quarterly technical status reports to ensure work progress is consistent with this requirement and will lead to successful completion of all tasks/deliverables as listed below:

Deliverable for task

Deliverable Description Due Dates

Year One Competition – All sub-tasks below (A – G) culminate in the completion of this task

# of days after award

1A

Provide Gazebo-based (Linux) simulation environment to run the competition, including realization of 15 test scenarios. This simulation shall allow a competitor to specify the location, type, and number of sensors and the location of a single robot arm.

60 Days

1B Model three industrial robot arms with vacuum and parallel grippers in the simulation environment.

75 Days

1C Provide a simulated sensor system and a laser scanner that will report the position and orientation of parts within a field of view. A Gaussian noise model shall be applied to the sensor output.

75 Days

1D

Provide three Gazebo plugins that:

Implement the rules and scoring algorithms of the competition.

1) Control any dynamic objects in the simulation environment, such as conveyor belts and moving parts. We expect to have no more than two dynamic objects in the environment in any one scenario.

2) A public API shall also be developed to allow teams to interface with and control the robot arm and grippers.

75 Days

1E Provide recommendation on three or more cloud-based services to NIST for selection and implement a cloud-based infrastructure2 that will allow for competition registration, submission and results reporting.

180 Days

2 The Contractor, and any subcontractors involved (such as a separate hosting center), shall have independently assessed proof of security practices that would be equivalent to Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) low baseline controls. Examples include FedRAMP authorization, an Authorization to Operate (ATO) letter issued by a Federal Government agency as evidence that they have been assessed and authorized, or have passed an independent security audit (e.g., Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements (SSAE), PCI Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), ISO 27001 audit or equivalent). Within 5 days of contract award, the Contractor shall provide to NIST, as a deliverable, evidence of the audit(s) or instructions on how to obtain evidence of the above.

1F Provide/conduct training on the items above to all prospective competition participants. This training shall initially occur at the IEEE CASE conference to be held in Fort Worth Texas in August 2016.

75 Days

1G Coordinate the competition using the items above. Provide a point person to receive the necessary code from the participants, run the code through the simulation infrastructure, and report upon the results.

January 15, 2017

1H Documentation of the lessons learned during the first competition, suggestions for areas of improvement, and continued preparation of the existing software into a stable form for possible use in future competitions.

June 20, 2017

Year two Competition – All sub-tasks below (A – G) culminate in the completion of this task

# of days after exercise of option period

2A Update the Gazebo-based (Linux) simulation environment based on the lessons learned.

60 Days

2B Model three industrial robot arms with vacuum and parallel grippers in the revised simulation environment and provide NIST with a results and finding report.

75 Days

2C Update the simulated sensor system and a laser scanner that will report the position and orientation of parts within a field of view. A Gaussian noise model shall be applied to the sensor output.

75 Days

2D

Modify the three Gazebo plugins that:

Implement the rules and scoring algorithms of the competition.

1) Control any dynamic objects in the simulation environment, such as conveyor belts and moving parts. We expect to have no more than two dynamic objects in the environment in any one scenario.

2) A public API shall also be maintain to allow teams to interface with and control the robot arm and grippers.

75 Days

2E Provide/conduct training on the items above to all prospective competition participants for the Second Agile Robotics for Industrial Automation Competition (ARIAC).

75 Days

2F Update the cloud-based infrastructure3 that will allow for competition registration, submission and results reporting.

180 Days

2G Coordinate the competition using the items above. Provide a point person to receive the necessary code from the participants, run the code through the simulation infrastructure, and report upon the results.

TBD

2H Provide a summary of the lessons learned during the second competition, suggestions for areas of improvement, and continued preparation of the existing software into a stable form for possible use in future competitions.

June 20, 2018

All written technical reports shall include a detailed description of the status of each task as well as tasks planned for the next quarter. In addition, the contractor will make available to NIST all software as it becomes available, as listed in Tasks 1A-1G. This report shall be submitted in in MS Word format.

3 The Contractor, and any subcontractors involved (such as a separate hosting center), shall have independently assessed proof of security practices that would be equivalent to Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) low baseline controls. Examples include FedRAMP authorization, an Authorization to Operate (ATO) letter issued by a Federal Government agency as evidence that they have been assessed and authorized, or have passed an independent security audit (e.g., Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements (SSAE), PCI Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), ISO 27001 audit or equivalent). Within 5 days of contract award, the Contractor shall provide to NIST, as a deliverable, evidence of the audit(s) or instructions on how to obtain evidence of the above.

Standards for Acceptance of Deliverables: The COR shall provide comments on each deliverable within 21 calendars days from receipt of a given deliverable. The Contractor shall make any needed changes to the deliverables within 21 calendar days from receipt of electronic or written comments from the COR.

The COR will provide written notification when deliverable is accepted.

All deliverables and data generated under this contract remains the property of the Government. Any improvements to existing open source software may be released under an open source license. The Government retains government use license to all such inventions.

8. PROGRAM MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS

The Contractor shall include program management requirements in his proposal.

9. QUALITY ASSURANCE

Unless otherwise specified in this contract, the Contractor is responsible for the performance of all inspection and testing requirements as stated in the contract. Except as otherwise specified, the contractor may utilize its own facilities or any commercial facility acceptable to the Government. The Government reserves the right to perform any inspections and tests that are deemed necessary to assure that the services conform to prescribed requirements. The Government may conduct periodic Quality assurance at the facilities of the contractor and subcontractors.

Quality Assurance Plan Requirements. If any of the work required under the contract is subcontracted, the Contractor shall require that the Subcontractor submit and adhere to a Quality Assurance Plan which complies with contract.

All software listed in Tasks A-G above adhere to the Quality Assurance Plan as proposed by the contractor.

10. INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

The COR will evaluate all deliverables and provide written comments and acceptance of all deliverables.

• NIST will confirm that within the simulation environment:

o The right robot(s) are placed in the right location, o The right sensor(s) are placed in the right location, o The output of the sensor(s) are consistent with the objects in the environment, o The robot is moving as commanded, o The metrics generated correspond to what is observed in the simulation environment.

NIST will review the training documentation provided for completeness and accuracy.

11. LINKS AND OTHER MATERIALS

1. NIST Agility Performance of Robotic Systems Website: WUI Program Website:

http://www.nist.gov/el/isd/ms/aprs.cfm

2. NIST Agile Robotics for Industrial Automation Competition (ARIAC) Website:

http://www.nist.gov/el/isd/ms/agility_competition.cfm http://www.nist.gov/el/isd/ms/aprs.cfm http://www.nist.gov/el/isd/ms/agility_competition.cfm

3. ARIAC Press Release: http://www.nist.gov/el/isd/nist-launches-national-competition-to-make-robots-more-agile.cfm

4. Metrics and Test Methods for Industrial Kit Building (May 2013):

http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/ir/2013/NIST.IR.7942.pdf

5. A Simulated Sensor-based Approach for Kit Building Applications (Dec 2013):

http://www.nist.gov/manuscript-publication-search.cfm?pub_id=914962 http://www.nist.gov/el/isd/nist-launches-national-competition-to-make-robots-more-agile.cfm http://www.nist.gov/el/isd/nist-launches-national-competition-to-make-robots-more-agile.cfm http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/ir/2013/NIST.IR.7942.pdf http://www.nist.gov/manuscript-publication-search.cfm?pub_id=914962

12. Clauses The following provisions and clauses are applicable to the subject solicitation.

FAR Provisions and Clauses:

The following provisions and clauses apply to this acquisition and are hereby incorporated by reference.

All FAR clauses may be viewed at http://farsite.hill.af.mil/reghtml/regs/far2afmcfars/fardfars/far/52_000.htm.

52.252-2 CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

52.212-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS- COMMERCIAL ITEMS (OCT 2015)

52.212-3 OFFEROR REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS- COMMERCIAL ITEMS

(APR 2016)

52.212-4 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS--COMMERCIAL ITEMS (MAY 2015)

52.212-5 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT STATUTES OR

EXECUTIVE ORDERS--COMMERCIAL ITEMS (MAR 2016)

52.204-10 Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards 52.209-6 Protecting the Government`s Interest When Subcontracting with Contractors Debarred, Suspended, or Proposed for Debarment 52.219-6 Notice of Total Small Business Set Aside 52.219-28 Post Award Small Business Program Representation 52.222-3 Convict Labor 52.222-19 Child Labor--Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies 52.222-21 Prohibition of Segregated Facilities 52.222-26 Equal Opportunity 52.222-35 Equal Opportunity for Veterans 52.222-36 Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities 52.222-37 Employment Reports on Veterans 52.222-50 Combatting Trafficking in Persons 52.223-18 Encouraging Contractor Policies to Ban Text Messaging While Driving 52.225-13 Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases 52.232-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer-System for Award Management 52.227-14 Rights in Data

FAR Contract Clauses Included in Full Text

52.217-8 -- Option to Extend Services.

Option to Extend Services (Nov 1999)

The Government may require continued performance of any services within the limits and at the rates specified in the contract. These rates may be adjusted only as a result of revisions to prevailing labor rates provided by the Secretary of Labor. The option provision may be exercised more than once, but the total extension of performance hereunder shall not exceed 6 months. The Contracting Officer may exercise the option by written notice to the Contractor any time prior to the expiration of the contract.

(End of Clause)

CAR Provisions and Clauses:

Department of Commerce Acquisition Regulation (CAR) clauses.

1352.201-70 CONTRACTING OFFICER’s AUTHORITY (APR 2010) The Contracting Officer is the only person authorized to make or approve any changes in any of the requirements of this contract, and, notwithstanding any provisions contained elsewhere in this contract, the said authority remains solely in the Contracting Officer. In the event the contractor makes any http://farsite.hill.af.mil/reghtml/regs/far2afmcfars/fardfars/far/52_000.htm changes at the direction of any person other than the Contracting Officer, the change will be considered to have been made without authority and no adjustment will be made in the contract terms and conditions, including price.

(End of clause)

1352.209-73 COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAWS (APR 2010)

The contractor shall comply with all applicable laws, rules and regulations which deal with or relate to performance in accord with the terms of the contract.

(End of clause)

1352.209-74 ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST (APR 2010)

(a) Purpose. The purpose of this clause is to ensure that the contractor and its subcontractors:

(1) Are not biased because of their financial, contractual, organizational, or other interests which relate to the work under this contract, and

(2) Do not obtain any unfair competitive advantage over other parties by virtue of their performance of this contract.

(b) Scope. The restrictions described herein shall apply to performance or participation by the contractor, its parents, affiliates, divisions and subsidiaries, and successors in interest (hereinafter collectively referred to as “contractor”) in the activities covered by this clause as a prime contractor, subcontractor, co-sponsor, joint venturer, consultant, or in any similar capacity. For the purpose of this clause, affiliation occurs when a business concern is controlled by or has the power to control another or when a third party has the power to control both.

(c) Warrant and Disclosure. The warrant and disclosure requirements of this paragraph apply with full force to both the contractor and all subcontractors. The contractor warrants that, to the best of the contractor’s knowledge and belief, there are no relevant facts or circumstances which would give rise to an organizational conflict of interest, as defined in FAR Subpart 9.5, and that the contractor has disclosed all relevant information regarding any actual or potential conflict. The contractor agrees it shall make an immediate and full disclosure, in writing, to the Contracting Officer of any potential or actual organizational conflict of interest or the existence of any facts that may cause a reasonably prudent person to question the contractor’s impartiality because of the appearance or existence of bias or an unfair competitive advantage. Such disclosure shall include a description of the actions the contractor has taken or proposes to take in order to avoid, neutralize, or mitigate any resulting conflict of interest.

(d) Remedies. The Contracting Officer may terminate this contract for convenience, in whole or in part, if the Contracting Officer deems such termination necessary to avoid, neutralize or mitigate an actual or apparent organizational conflict of interest. If the contractor fails to disclose facts pertaining to the existence of a potential or actual organizational conflict of interest or misrepresents relevant information to the Contracting Officer, the Government may terminate the contract for default, suspend or debar the contractor from Government contracting, or pursue such other remedies as may be permitted by law or this contract.

(e) Subcontracts. The contractor shall include a clause substantially similar to this clause, including paragraphs (f) and (g), in any subcontract or consultant agreement at any tier expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. The terms “contract,” “contractor,” and “Contracting Officer” shall be appropriately modified to preserve the Government’s rights.

(f) Prime Contractor Responsibilities. The contractor shall obtain from its subcontractors or consultants the disclosure required in FAR Part 9.507-1, and shall determine in writing whether the interests disclosed present an actual, or significant potential for, an organizational conflict of interest. The contractor shall identify and avoid, neutralize, or mitigate any subcontractor organizational conflict prior to award of the contract to the satisfaction of the Contracting Officer. If the subcontractor’s organizational conflict cannot be avoided, neutralized, or mitigated, the contractor must obtain the written approval of the Contracting Officer prior to entering into the subcontract. If the contractor becomes aware of a subcontractor’s potential or actual organizational conflict of interest after contract award, the contractor agrees that the Contractor may be required to eliminate the subcontractor from its team, at the contractor’s own risk.

(g) Waiver. The parties recognize that this clause has potential effects which will survive the performance of this contract and that it is impossible to foresee each circumstance to which it might be applied in the future. Accordingly, the contractor may at any time seek a waiver from the Head of the Contracting Activity by submitting such waiver request to the Contracting Officer, including a full written description of the requested waiver and the reasons in support thereof.

1352.233-70 AGENCY PROTESTS (APR 2010)

(a) An agency protest may be filed with either: (1) the contracting officer, or (2) at a level above the contracting officer, with the appropriate agency Protest Decision Authority. See 64 Fed. Reg. 16,651 (April 6, 1999)

(b) Agency protests filed with the Contracting Officer shall be sent to the following address:

NIST/ACQUISITION MANAGEMENT DIVISION

ATTN: KEITH BUBAR, CONTRACTING OFFICER

100 Bureau Drive, MS 1640 Gaithersburg, MD 20899

(c) Agency protests filed with the agency Protest Decision Authority shall be sent to the following address:

NIST/ACQUISITION MANAGEMENT DIVISION

ATTN: HEAD OF THE CONTRACTING OFFICE (HCO)

100 Bureau Drive, MS 1640 Gaithersburg, MD 20899

(d) A complete copy of all agency protests, including all attachments, shall be served upon the Contract Law Division of the Office of the General Counsel within one day of filing a protest with either the Contracting Officer or the Protest Decision Authority.

(e) Service upon the Contract Law Division shall be made as follows:

U.S. Department of Commerce Office of the General Counsel Chief, Contract Law Division Room 5893 Herbert C. Hoover Building 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20230.

FAX: (202) 482-5858

1352.233-71 GAO AND COURT OF FEDERAL CLAIMS PROTESTS (APR 2010)

(a) A protest may be filed with either the Government Accountability Office (GAO) or the Court of Federal Claims unless an agency protest has been filed.

(b) A complete copy of all GAO or Court of Federal Claims protests, including all attachments, shall be served upon (i) the Contracting Officer, and (ii) the Contract Law Division of the Office of the General Counsel, within one day of filing a protest with either GAO or the Court of Federal Claims.

(c) Service upon the Contract Law Division shall be made as follows:

U.S. Department of Commerce Office of the General Counsel Chief, Contract Law Division Room 5893 Herbert C. Hoover Building 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20230.

FAX: (202) 482-5858

1352.237-75 Key personnel (APR 2010)

(a) The contractor shall assign to this contract the following key personnel:

Project manager - (Name) Engineers - (Name)

(b) The contractor shall obtain the consent of the Contracting Officer prior to making key personnel substitutions. Replacements for key personnel must possess qualifications equal to or exceeding the qualifications of the personnel being replaced, unless an exception is approved by the Contracting Officer.

(c) Requests for changes in key personnel shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer at least 15 working days prior to making any permanent substitutions. The request should contain a detailed explanation of the circumstances necessitating the proposed substitutions, complete resumes for the proposed substitutes, and any additional information requested by the Contracting Officer. The Contracting Officer will notify the contractor within 10 working days after receipt of all required information of the decision on substitutions. The contract will be modified to reflect any approved changes.

NIST Provisions and Clauses:

NIST LOCAL 04 BILLING INSTRUCTIONS

(a) NIST prefers electronic Invoice/Voucher submissions and they should be emailed to

INVOICE@NIST.GOV.

(b) Each Invoice or Voucher submitted shall include the following:

(1) Contract Number.

(2) Contractor Name and Address.

(3) Date of Invoice.

(4) Invoice Number.

(5) Amount of Invoice and Cumulative Amount Invoiced to-date.

(6) Contract Line Item Number (CLIN).

(7) Description, Quantity, Unit of Measure, Unit Price, and Extended Price of Supplies/Services Delivered.

(8) Prompt Payment Discount Terms, if Offered.

(9) Any other information or documentation required by the contract.

(c) In the event electronic submissions are not used, The Contractor shall submit an original invoice or voucher in accordance with the payment provisions of this contract to:

NIST: Accounts Payable Office 100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop 1621 Gaithersburg, MD 20899-1621

Other Provisions and Clauses:

52.203-98, Prohibition on Contracting with Entities that Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements—Representation (DEVIATION 2015-02)

Prohibition on Contracting with Entities that Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements—Representation (FEB 2015)

(a) In accordance with section 743 of Division E, Title VII, of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Resolution Appropriations Act, 2015 (Pub. L. 113-235), Government agencies are not permitted to use funds appropriated (or otherwise made available) under that or any other Act for contracts with an entity that requires employees or subcontractors of such entity seeking to report fraud, waste, or abuse to sign internal confidentiality agreements or statements prohibiting or otherwise restricting such employees or subcontractors from lawfully reporting such waste, fraud, or abuse to a designated investigative or law enforcement representative of a Federal department or agency authorized to receive such information.

(b) The prohibition in paragraph (a) of this provision does not contravene requirements applicable to Standard Form 312, Form 4414, or any other form issued by a Federal department or agency governing the nondisclosure of classified information.

(c) Representation. By submission of its offer, the Offeror represents that it does not require employees or subcontractors of such entity seeking to report fraud, waste, or abuse to sign internal confidentiality agreements or statements prohibiting or otherwise restricting such employees or subcontractors from lawfully reporting such waste, fraud, or abuse to a designated investigative or law enforcement representative of a Federal department or agency authorized to receive such information.

(End of provision)

52.203-99, Prohibition on Contracting with Entities that Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements (DEVIATION 2015-02)

Prohibition on Contracting with Entities that Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements

(FEB 2015)

(a) The Contractor shall not require employees or subcontractors seeking to report fraud, waste, or abuse to sign or comply with internal confidentiality agreements or statements prohibiting or otherwise restricting such employees or subcontractors from lawfully reporting such waste, fraud, or abuse to a designated investigative or law enforcement representative of a Federal department or agency authorized to receive such information.

(b) The contractor shall notify employees that the prohibitions and restrictions of any internal confidentiality agreements covered by this clause are no longer in effect.

(c) The prohibition in paragraph (a) of this clause does not contravene requirements applicable to Standard Form 312, Form 4414, or any other form issued by a Federal department or agency governing the nondisclosure of classified information.

(d)(1) In accordance with section 743 of Division E, Title VII, of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Resolution Appropriations Act, 2015 (Pub. L. 113-235), use of funds appropriated (or otherwise made available) under that or any other Act may be prohibited, if the Government determines that the Contractor is not in compliance with the provisions of this clause.

(2) The Government may seek any available remedies in the event the Contractor fails to comply with the provisions of this clause.

Representation by Corporations Regarding an Unpaid Delinquent Tax Liability or a Felony Conviction Under Any Federal Law (Class Deviation) (March 2015)

(1) In accordance with Sections 744 and 745 of Division E, Title VII, of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (Pub. L. 113-235), none of the funds made available by the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 funding may be used to enter into a contract with any corporation that-

(a) Was convicted of a felony criminal violation under any Federal law within the preceding 24 months, where an awarding agency is aware of the conviction, unless the agency has considered suspension or debarment of the corporation and has made a determination that this further action is not necessary to protect the interests of the Government, or

(b) Has any unpaid Federal tax liability that has been assessed, for which all judicial and administrative remedies have been exhausted or have lapsed, and that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant to an agreement with the authority responsible for collecting the tax liability, where the awarding agency is aware of the unpaid tax liability, unless the agency has considered suspension or debarment of the corporation and made a determination that this further action is not necessary to protect the interests of the Government.

(2) The Offeror represents that, as of the date of this offer -

(a) It is [ ] is not [ ] a corporation that was convicted of a felony criminal violation under a Federal law within the preceding 24 months.

(b) It is [ ] is not [ ] a corporation that has any unpaid Federal tax liability that has been assessed, for which all judicial and administrative remedies have been exhausted or have lapsed, and that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant to an agreement with the authority responsible for collecting the tax liability.

(End of provision)

Assurance by Corporations Regarding an Unpaid Delinquent Tax Liability or a Felony Conviction Under Any Federal Law (Class Deviation) (March 2015)

(1) In accordance with Sections 744 and 745 of Division E, Title VII, of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (Pub. L. 113-235), none of the funds made available by Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 and subsequent appropriations acts may be used to enter into a contract with any corporation that -

(a) Was convicted of a felony criminal violation under any Federal law within the preceding 24 months, where an awarding agency is aware of the conviction, unless the agency has considered suspension or debarment of the corporation and made a determination that this further action is not necessary to protect the interests of the Government, or

(b) Has any unpaid Federal tax liability that has been assessed, for which all judicial and administrative remedies have been exhausted or have lapsed, and that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant to an agreement with the authority responsible for collecting the tax liability, where the awarding agency is aware of the unpaid tax liability, unless the agency has considered suspension or debarment of the corporation and made a determination that this further action is not necessary to protect the interests of the Government.

(2) By accepting this award or order, in writing or by performance, the offeror/contractor assures that -

(a) The offeror/contractor is not a corporation convicted of a felony criminal violation under a

Federal law within the preceding 24 months.

(b) The offeror/contractor is not a corporation that has any unpaid Federal tax liability that has been assessed, for which all judicial and administrative remedies have been exhausted or have lapsed, and that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant to an agreement with the authority responsible for collecting the tax liability.

(End of Clause)

CERTIFICATION BY OFFERORS REGARDING FEDERAL INCOME TAX FILING AND

FEDERAL INCOME TAX VIOLATIONS. (Class Deviation) (March 2015)

(a) In accordance with Section 523 of Division B, Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, (Pub. L. 113-235) none of the funds made available by the Act may be used to enter into a contract in an amount greater than $5,000,000 unless the prospective contractor certifies in writing to the U.S. Consolidated and Further Continuing that, to the best of its knowledge and belief, the contractor has filed all Federal tax returns required during the three years preceding the certification, has not been convicted of a criminal offense under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and has not, more than 90 days prior to certification, been notified of any unpaid Federal tax assessment for which the liability remains unsatisfied, unless the assessment is the subject of an installment agreement or offer in compromise that has been approved by the Internal Revenue Service and is not in default, or the assessment is the subject of a non-frivolous administrative or judicial proceeding.

(b) The offeror’s proposal shall include a signed written certification as follows – To the best of my knowledge and belief, ___________________ has filed the Federal tax returns required during the three years preceding this certification, has not been convicted of a criminal offense under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and has not, more than 90 days prior to certification, been notified of any unpaid Federal tax assessment for which the liability remains unsatisfied, unless the assessment is the subject of an installment agreement or offer in compromise that has been approved by the Internal Revenue Service and is not in default, or the assessment is the subject of a non-frivolous administrative or judicial proceeding.

Firm _____________________________________________ Signature _________________________________________ Name ____________________________________________ Title _____________________________________________ Date of execution __________________________________ (End of Provision)