Intent to Sole Source for RADICS

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Contracts Management Office (CMO) on behalf of the Information Innovation Office (I2O), intends to award a sole source, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to Raytheon/BBN, Cambridge, MA, to conduct aerial field tests of a sensor developed under the Rapid, Attack, Detection, Isolation, and Characterization System (RADICS) program's remaining Phase 2 and Phase 3.

Raytheon/BBN is a current RADICS program performer during Phases 1 and 2, which was competitively awarded under Board Agency Announcement (BAA) DARPA-BAA-16-14. The Raytheon/BBN team is responsible for developing novel tools and methods to obtain situational awareness required to enable a black start recovery of the electrical power grid amidst a cyber-attack. During Phase 1, Raytheon/BBN developed, in addition to its in scope RADICS effort, an innovative means to obtain situational awareness, one which no other RADICS performer considered. This approach uses aerial sensor platform capable of detecting electrical transmission emanations and power generation harmonics. The aerial sensor platform may provide scalable and rapidly-deployable situational awareness to industry and the United States Government (USG) decision makers in the event of a major power outage.

The proposed contract action is for supplies and/or services. The Government intends to solicit and negotiate this follow-on effort with only the aforementioned source under authority of FAR 6.302-1, "Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements." As a current RADICS performer since program inception, Raytheon/BBN has developed the unique knowledge, capabilities, and intellectual property required to carry out the innovative research efforts at significantly reduced cost and time to the Government. The follow-on effort to conduct aerial field tests of the sensor requires lifting devices, putting a sensor package airborne, and having requisite familiarity with the current sensor packages no later than November 1, 2018, to meet the next scheduled RADICS test event. The Raytheon/BBN team, as a current RADICS performer, has already acquired and maintains the requisite USG approvals to enter a restricted, controlled Government location where the tests will occur and is familiar with the testbed. Therefore, Raytheon/BBN can access the test bed without the need to obtain further clearance approvals. Additionally, the company performing the follow-on effort must obtain requisite permissions for spectrum access and air space, gain familiarity with Notices to Airmen (NOTAM) procedures, and obtain permission for storage of inert gasses on USG protected property. Lastly, it is preferred that a licensed pilot versed in Federal Administration Aviation (FAA) safety regulations, familiar with non-rotary, and non-fixed-wing aerial platforms conduct the aerial field tests. Raytheon/BBN has already acquired and maintains all of these requisite USG approvals. Finding another source to meet the requirements of the follow-on effort raises potentially unacceptable risk for causing testing delays and the substantial duplication of costs to the Government is not expected to be recovered if this requirement were competed.

This notice is not a request for competitive proposals, and no solicitation for this specific requirement is currently available. However, parties may indicate their interest and identify their capability to meet the requirement by submitting a white paper and past performance data no later than October 12, 2018. Submit this information to: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Attn: Mr. Mark Jones, Contracts Management Office (CMO), 675 North Randolph Street, Arlington, VA 22203, or via email to Mark.Jones@darpa.mil. Questions must be submitted to the aforementioned email address. Responses received within forty-five (45) calendar days of the date of publication of this notice will be considered by the Government. Information received will be considered only for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed effort on a full and open basis is solely within the discretion of the Government.

DARPA's I2O Office maintains an annual Office-Wide Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) seeking revolutionary research in a range of technical areas such as: providing technologies and capabilities that ensure successful operation in the cyber domain, defensive cyber research and development focused on high-end cyber threats, and other sophisticated threats to embedded systems, cyber-physical systems, and critical infrastructure.

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