A -- Missile Defense Agency Broad Agency Announcement for Advanced Systems

THE PURPOSE OF THIS MODIFICATION IS TO EXTEND THE CLOSING DATE BY SIX (6) MONTHS TO 31 JULY 2006 FROM 31 JANUARY 2006, AND TO UPDATE THE CURRENT POINT OF CONTACT INFORMATION. THE BAA ANNOUNCEMENT IS REISSUED IN ITS ENTIRETY. THIS IS HQ0006-04-MDA-BAA MODIFICATION 05.The mission of the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is to develop an integrated ballistic missile defense system (BMDS) to defend the United States and its deployed forces, allies, and friends from ballistic missile attack. As part of that effort, MDA will develop and test new technologies to provide early capabilities or improve the effectiveness of deployed capabilities to counter new threats. To investigate these new technologies, the Deputy for Advanced Systems (MDA/AS) established the Advanced Systems Innovation Cell (ASIC) to pursue and assess innovative concepts and develop algorithms to improve BMDS capability. The ASIC team consists of subject matter experts tasked with evaluating new ballistic missile defense concepts and technologies. The ASIC seeks new and inventive concepts for integrated systems and for technical improvements in the boost, midcourse, and terminal phases of missile defense. Specific research objectives for each missile defense phase encompass Surveillance, Track & Discrimination, Engagement Planning, Threat Engagement, and Kill Assessment. Concepts are sought in the following ten technology areas: (1)Radar Systems, including Integrated System Concepts, Cross Sections and Signatures, Measurements (waveforms, data extraction), Transmit/receive modules, Signal Processing, Data Visualization, Data Compression, Image Interpretation, Seekers; and Passive RF Systems; (2)Lasers and Electro-Optical Systems including High Energy Lasers, Beam Control Passive IR and Optical Systems, Ladar Systems, Optical Signal Processing, Passive EO/IR Systems including ideas and concepts for IR materials and FPAs that enable high performance passive EO/IR systems that are large format, have multicolor capability, are manufacturable, producible, low cost and have capability to extend to VLWIR operating at temperatures higher than 35? Kelvin, Read-out electronics, Lethality Mechanisms; Laser Imaging with High Frame Rates, Hardware in the Loop (HWIL) testing of Multi-/Hyper-Spectral Sensors, HWIL testing of LADAR systems in a Thermal Vacuum Environment, test of ground, air, space, sea-based operations (all wavelengths will be considered); (3)Mathematics and Computer Science including Algorithms, Artificial Intelligence, Software, Decision Systems, Estimation, Prediction, Homing Navigation, Data Fusion, Pattern Recognition, Identification, Discrimination, and Sensor Fusion and Distributed Systems for Scene Generation; (4)Signal and Data Processing including Digital Electronics and Signal Processing, Machine Implementation of Algorithms, Analog Circuits and Communications, Computer Vision, Distributed Computing; (5)Physics and Chemistry including Electrodynamics, Nuclear Physics and Weapons Effects, Infrared and Optical Signatures, Energy Conversion, and Rocket Plume Analysis; (6)Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering including Space Systems, Micro satellites (bus and payload designs, precision guidance, navigation & control; subsystems, and components-such as precision propulsion and constellation networking), Missile System Aerodynamics, Propulsion, and Reentry Physics, Guidance and Control, Materials Science to include Lightweight, Thermo-Resistant Materials for Boosters; Higher-Pressure Launcher Components for high speed Projectiles, and Erosion-Resistant Launch Tubes for Light Gas Guns, Quantification, prediction, and compensation of aero-optic effects of turbulence on imaging sensors; (7)Battle Management/Command and Control including Engagement Planning, Tactics, Intelligence Exploitation, and Countermeasures, Decision Theory and Modeling, Target Tracking, Classification; Aircraft mountable high bandwidth communications (T1 minimum with T3 or greater preferred) for line of sight and over the horizon data transfer; and Lethality Assessment Technologies, non-real-time, non-tactical (not kill assessment) test applications; and Discrimination and Fire Control; (8)High Altitude Airships technologies including platforms designs, subsystems, components and payloads, electrolyzers, fuel cells, Solar arrays; (9)Divert and Attitude Control Systems (DACS) to include Divert and Attitude Control Systems technologies at the component/subsystem/system levels for kill vehicle applications. (10)Modeling and Simulations technologies including Network Emulators for TADL J, S-TADIL J and TADIL K which represent real-time tactical data networks in terms of communication protocols, variable traffic and distance-dependent transport delays, and bit error rates in the presence of variable EMI/ECM; Real-Time IR Digital Scene Generation and Sensor Emulation to generate complex, composite scenes and respond to dynamics associated with interceptor, target complex and background movement, incorporate spatial variability and time-varying noise produced by detector response to generated scenes to exercise the non-uniformity compensation, detection and feature-tracking functions of the sensor software, a real-time standalone system that accepts object states as imputs and outputs real-time detector-corrupted and pixilated video images of complex scenes in LVDS or camera link format; M&S Generation to superimpose synthetic Electro-optic scenes, insitu at the EO sensor detector, while observing real-world scenes (e.g. simulation-over-live during a flight test); and Simulation Framework as an open architecture, open source, M&S simulation framework to perform distributed real-time simulations using reconfigurable objects (all digital, hardware-in-loop or live). If you are interested in this opportunity, please respond to MDA with the following: (1) a summary concept paper (no more than five pages) which succinctly illustrates the proposed technical approach, as well as its rationale and objectives, methodology, expected results, and potential contribution to the MDA program; (2) Rough Order of Cost Magnitude (ROCM); (3) a suggested period of performance, and (4) a description of the offerors capabilities, relevant experience, and facilities. Offerors that have been certified as a Small Business Concern should indicate that status on their submittal. Responses shall be submitted in electronic format (MS Word for Windows or a clearly readable .PDF file) to the point of contact listed below. White paper submissions should be marked appropriately if they contain proprietary or trade secret information. In addition, please advise the Government of any limitations on the Government?s rights in technical data which might be provided in connection with the effort described in the white paper. MDA will evaluate responses based upon the following criteria (weighted equally): (1) the relevance of the technology or application to the MDA program, to include maturity and level of risk; (2) the scientific excellence and innovative quality of the proposed technology or application; (3) the offerors? capabilities, relevant experience, and facilities; and (4) estimated cost effectiveness (the ROCM). Offerors are reminded that this BAA is for the acquisition of basic and applied research and that part of development not related to the development of a specific system or hardware procurement (FAR 35. 016). White papers related to the development of a specific system will be returned as non-responsive. This BAA will remain open until JULY 31, 2006. Evaluations may take up to six months from receipt of White Paper to complete. The Government may use selected support contractor and other non-governmental personnel to assist in the evaluation and administrative handling of proposals submitted in response to this announcement. These persons are bound by appropriate non-disclosure agreements to protect proprietary and source selection information. Submission of white papers under this BAA constitutes the offerors acknowledgment and consent to the use of contractors during the evaluation process. MDA does not have a specified amount of funding available for BAA awards however, if MDA decides to pursue a concept the appropriate level of funding will be identified, and a final proposal will be requested by a MDA Contracting Officer in writing. The MDA may award contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, or other transactions as a result of this BAA. Any awards are anticipated to occur in FY 2004 through FY 2006. Issuance of this BAA does not obligate the Government to pay any proposal preparation costs (to include those proposals selected for award) or to award any contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, or other transactions. The Government reserves the right to select all, some, or none of the proposals submitted, or to select only part of an effort described in a proposal for award. The point of contact for concept submittals and questions is Jim Kelly, Contract Specialist, at (703) 882-6634 or email at [email protected].