SOLICITATION NOTICE
A -- ADVANCED SOLDIER SENSOR INFORMATION SYSTEM AND TECHNOLOGY (ASSIST)
- Notice Date
- 8/6/2004
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Other Defense Agencies, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Contracts Management Office, 3701 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA, 22203-1714
- ZIP Code
- 22203-1714
- Solicitation Number
- BAA04-38
- Response Due
- 8/6/2005
- Archive Date
- 8/21/2005
- Point of Contact
- Mari Maeda, Program Manager, DARPA Information Technology Office (ITO), Phone None, Fax 703-522-7161,
- E-Mail Address
-
None
- Description
- A. Overview Information I. Federal Agency Name: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Information Processing Technology Office II. Funding Opportunity Title: Advanced Soldier Sensor Information System and Technology (ASSIST) III. Announcement Type: Initial Broad Agency Announcement IV. Funding Opportunity Number: BAA 04-38 V. CFDA Number: 12.910 VI. Key Dates a. Abstracts Due: 12:00 Noon (ET), August 25, 2004 b. Proposals Due: Initial Closing: 12:00 Noon (ET), September 20, 2004 b.c. Final Closing: 12:00 Noon (ET), Date one year from publication, 2005 c.d. All administrative correspondence and questions on this solicitation, including requests for information on how to submit a proposal to this BAA, must be received at one of the administrative addresses below by 12:00 Noon (ET) July 25, 2005 B. Full text of announcement I. Funding Opportunity Description 1. INTRODUCTION The DARPA Information Processing Technology Office (IPTO) is soliciting proposals under this BAA to perform research, development, and testing to support the Advanced Soldier Sensor Information System and Technology (ASSIST) program. The main goal of the program is to enhance battlefield awareness via exploitation of information collected by soldier-worn sensors. The program will demonstrate an integrated system and advanced technologies for digitizing, processing and reporting key observational and experiential data captured by warfighters. 1.1 PROGRAM OBJECTIVES The U.S. military has developed extensive standardized reporting mechanisms to support information collection and communications. Warfighters are called upon to report in a timely and accurate manner key observations and experiences during ground missions. Such information sharing is essential for improving situational understanding and overall operational effectiveness especially in today's urban combat environments. The confusion of the battlefield combined with the physical and psychological stresses on the warfighters can make this task very difficult. Furthermore, today's verbal and text-based reports limit the extent of information that is conveyed and critical information is lost. The objective of the program is to exploit soldier-worn sensors to augment the soldier's recall and reporting capability to enhance situational understanding. The effort will develop information processing and representation tools to maximize the utility of data collected by the multi-modal sensors. 1.2 PROGRAM SCOPE AND FUNDING The program is composed of two consecutive phases. This BAA solicits proposals for the 12-month Phase I effort, which will focus on baseline system development (Task 1) and advanced technology research (Task 2). Phase II will focus on systems integration and evaluation of advanced capabilities. Proposals for Phase II will be solicited separately in a future BAA. In Phase I, the program expects to award 4-8 contracts. Awards are expected not to exceed $4.0 M per each effort. However, the Government reserves the right to adjust the total program funding and the number of awards to meet the best interests of the program. Phase I is divided into two major task areas. A single abstract/proposal should address a single task area. Therefore two separate abstracts/proposals should be submitted if a team or collaborating teams are interested in tackling both tasks. Each project team should include an appropriate mix of expertise in order to develop an end-to-end, integrated technical solution for the selected task area. Projects that address only one or a subset of technical challenges within a task area are not likely to be funded. A proposal may also include optional tasks that may last up to 6 months. In general, proposed research should investigate innovative approaches and techniques that enable revolutionary advances in the state-of-the-art. Proposals are not limited to the specific strategies listed below and alternative visions will be considered. However, proposals should be for research that contributes substantially towards the goals stated. 2. TECHNICAL APPROACH Phase I of the program will demonstrate new capabilities that exploit information captured via soldier-worn sensors. Input streams from sensors detecting location, images, audio, and motion will be logged and processed to create digital reports and representations. Each proposal should describe a comprehensive technical approach that addresses one of the following two task areas: Task 1: Baseline System Development ? This task stresses active information capture and voice annotations exploitation. The resulting products from Task 1 will be prototype wearable capture units and the supporting operational software for processing, logging and retrieval. Task 2: Advanced Technology Research ? This task stresses passive collection and automated activity/object recognition. The results from this task will be the algorithms, software, and tools that will undergo system integration in Phase II. 2.1 TASK 1: BASELINE SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT The Task 1 objective is to demonstrate and evaluate a field-deployable capture system together with the associated processing/retrieval/visualization system to support information collection and use by dismounted warfighters. During the Phase I effort, performers will be required to demonstrate the wearable capture system, develop the retrieval system, and participate in field tests where the integrated capture/retrieval system will be evaluated. Proposals must provide a complete solution for Phase I. The baseline operational concept involves a dismounted soldier on a patrol or a scout mission, capturing still images of potential value that he annotates with a few spoken words or sentences. The captured data is locally stored together with the time/location information. On returning from the patrol, the soldier edits and logs the data for processing. The system extracts appropriate metadata and distills the collected information into multimedia representations and digital report(s) that may support later patrols and mission planning. The soldier may also have the capability to capture his observations or situation using a video recorder. For example, a short video segment and metadata may be retrieved and transmitted, prompted by soldier command (e.g. "send the last 10 seconds") when an enemy contact situation is encountered. 2.2 TASK2: ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH The Task 2 objective is to develop advanced technologies that will ultimately enable fully automated organization of soldier-worn sensor data. The project will research the use of different sensor modalities including sensors that could activate other sensors based on voluntary or involuntary physiological queues, and soldier-worn video cameras for continuous or semi-continuous data capture. Advanced processing will enable automated identification and extraction of key information content from the multiple raw input streams. This task area will address the deficiencies identified by the baseline system, and create enabling technologies that will be incorporated into the system during Phase II. DARPA seeks development of key technological components that enable sensor data capture, processing, retrieval and analysis including the following: Capture of multiple sensor data streams (e.g. video, motion, location, audio including interface to military radio communication modes); advanced sensor trigger techniques; selective on-wearer storage in appropriate formats and resolutions; data protection; on-wearer user interfaces (preferably hands-free, spoken language interface) for sensor control, data entry, and data access. Interpretation of raw data through vision processing, linguistic interpretation, and motion/location extraction; automatic recognition and classification of objects, scenes, and activities through exploitation of multiple sensory inputs and use of contextual inferences. Metadata extraction and association; identification of events and states; creation of higher order representations of activities, scenes and patterns; segmentation of recorded data; multimedia database technology. Development of general ontology and knowledge representations for objects, events and activities; development of mission or task-specific representations; learning tools and infrastructure to support the ongoing co-development of ontological data structures and the perception/interpretation/inference components. Existing DoD taxonomies for visual information and military report data fields should be considered for integration into higher-level military information infrastructure. User interfaces for offline editing; interfaces for metadata-keyed browsing, video/audio playback, and data querying; visualization of data content including displays of physical and logical relationships; information correlation and analysis tools. Development of interfaces for both laptop-based systems and soldier-worn systems are sought. These capabilities and functions should be addressed within the context of the overall system architecture. The program also emphasizes the system's ability to learn from experiences so that performance improves as it accumulates knowledge and experience. The proposal should describe the system's learning process including the interfaces and tools for users to teach, tune, reinforce, and to correct the system. Several examples should be developed that illustrate the mechanics of the system expanding its sensor-derived knowledge base, learning new object/event classes, and improving its classification accuracy. The system should also support an embedded explanation capability allowing the user to learn why the system reasoned or behaved as it did. Leveraging of existing hardware and software is highly encouraged. Commercially available sensors and communication resources should be selected to serve as surrogates for the equipment of the future dismounted warfighter, consistent with those being considered for the U.S. Army?s Future Force Warrior and the Special Operations SOF Warrior concepts (See http://www.natick.army.mil/soldier/wsit/ and http://soal.socom.mil/documents/SOAE_APBI_Presentation_13May04.pdf). The development of hardware such as wearable computing platforms, sensors, localization infrastructure, and communications modules is not the focus of the program. However, the selection rationale for these elements, including critical specifications and estimated costs, should be presented in detail in the proposal. In particular, the data storage components to be employed and an estimate of the range of volume of data of each type expected to be stored per unit time should be included in the system analysis. II. Award Information The Government reserves the right to select all, some, or none of the proposals received in response to this solicitation and to make awards without discussions with offerors; however, the Government reserves the right to conduct discussions if the Source Selection Authority later determines them to be necessary. Final funding determination will be based on the combination of proposed approaches which will reasonably support program success. Proposals identified for funding may result in a contract, grant, cooperative agreement, or other transaction depending upon the nature of the work proposed, the required degree of interaction between the parties, and other factors. If warranted, portions of resulting awards may be segregated into pre-priced options. III. Eligibility Information 1. Eligible Applicants All responsible sources capable of satisfying the Government's needs may submit a proposal that shall be considered by DARPA. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Institutions (MIs) are encouraged to submit proposals and join others in submitting proposals. However, no portion of this BAA will be set aside for HBCU and MI participation due to the impracticality of reserving discrete or severable areas of this research for exclusive competition among these entities. Awards made under this BAA may be subject to the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 9.5, Organizational Conflict of Interest. All offerors and proposed subcontractors must affirmatively state whether they are supporting any DARPA technical office(s) through an active contract or subcontract. All affirmations must state which office(s) the offeror supports, and identify the prime contract number. Affirmations should be furnished at the time of proposal submission. All facts relevant to the existence or potential existence of organizational conflicts of interest, as that term is defined in FAR 2.101, must be disclosed in Section II, I. of the proposal, organized by task and year. This disclosure shall include a description of the action the Contractor has taken, or proposes to take, to avoid, neutralize, or mitigate such conflict. 2. Cost Sharing or Matching Cost sharing is not required for this particular program; however, cost sharing will be carefully considered where there is an applicable statutory condition relating to the selected funding instrument (e.g., for any Technology Investment Agreement under the authority of 10 U.S.C. 2371). IV. Application and Submission Information 1. Address to Request Application Package This announcement contains all information required to submit a proposal. No additional forms, kits, or other materials are needed. [Note: see paragraph 6, ?other submission requirements,? for reference to the Proposer?s Information Pamphlet (PIP).] 2. Content and Form of Application Submission This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) requires completion of a BAA Cover Sheet for each Proposal prior to submission. This cover sheet can be accessed at the following URL: http://www.dyncorp-is.com/BAA/index.asp?BAAid=04-38 After finalizing the BAA Cover Sheet, the proposer must print the BAA Confirmation Sheet that will automatically appear on the web page. Each proposer is responsible for printing the BAA Confirmation Sheet and attaching it to every copy. The Confirmation Sheet should be the first page of the Proposal. If a proposer intends to submit more than one Proposal, a unique UserId and password must be used in creating each BAA Cover Sheet. Failure to comply with these submission procedures may result in the submission not being evaluated. Security classification guidance on a DD Form 254 (DoD Contract Security Classification Specification) will not be provided at this time since DARPA is soliciting ideas only. After reviewing incoming proposals, if a determination is made that contract award may result in access to classified information, a DD Form 254 will be issued upon contract award. If you choose to submit a classified proposal you must first receive the permission of the Original Classification Authority to use their information in replying to this BAA. Classified submissions shall be in accordance with the guidance listed in Section 3 of the PIP under ?Security Information.? NEW REQUIREMENTS/PROCEDURES: The Award Document for each proposal selected and funded will contain a mandatory requirement for submission of DARPA/IPTO Quarterly Status Reports and an Annual Project Summary Report. These reports will be submitted electronically via the DARPA/IPTO Technical-Financial Information Management System (T-FIMS), utilizing the government-furnished Uniform Resource Locator (URL) on the World Wide Web (WWW). Further details may be found in the Proposer Information Pamphlet (PIP). ABSTRACT AND PROPOSAL FORMAT Proposers must submit an original and 3 hard copies and 2 electronic copies (i.e., 2 separate disks) of the abstract or full proposal (in PDF or Microsoft Word 2000 for IBM-compatible format on a 3.5-inch floppy disk, 100 MB Iomega Zip disk or cd). Mac-formatted disks will not be accepted. Each disk must be clearly labeled with BAA 04-38, proposer organization, proposal title (short title recommended) and Copy number of 2. 3. Submission Dates and Times DARPA will accept abstracts beginning 1 week after the BAA is posted until the abstract closing date of August 25, 2004. Because the recommendations based on abstracts will be made on an ongoing basis, offerors are encouraged not to wait until the closing date to make their submissions. Regardless of the recommendation, the decision to propose is the responsibility of the offeror. All submitted proposals will be fully reviewed, regardless of the disposition of the proposal abstract. The full proposal (original and designated number of hard and electronic copies) must be submitted in time to reach DARPA by 12:00 NOON (ET) Monday, September 20, 2004, in order to be considered during the initial evaluation phase. However, BAA 04-38, Advanced Soldier Sensor Information System and Technology (ASSIST) will remain open until 12:00 NOON (ET) August 5, 2005. Thus, proposals may be submitted at any time from issuance of this BAA through August 5, 2005. While the proposals submitted after the September 20, 2004, deadline will be evaluated by the Government, proposers should keep in mind that the likelihood of funding such proposals is less than for those proposals submitted in connection with the initial evaluation and award schedule. DARPA will acknowledge receipt of submissions and assign control numbers that should be used in all further correspondence regarding proposals. 4. Intergovernmental Review ? N/A 5. Funding Restrictions Authorization of precontract costs will be considered in situations of genuine urgency where programmatic benefits will accrue from their use. 6. Other Submission Requirements Proposers must obtain the BAA 04-38 Proposer Information Pamphlet (PIP), which provides further information on the areas of interest, submission, evaluation, funding processes, and proposal formats. This pamphlet will be posted directly to FedBizOpps.gov and may also be obtained at URL address http://www.darpa.mil/ipto/Solicitations/solicitations.htm. Proposals not meeting the format described in the pamphlet may not be reviewed. This notice, in conjunction with the BAA 04-38 PIP and all references, constitutes the total BAA. No additional information is available, nor will a formal RFP or other solicitation regarding this announcement be issued. Requests for same will be disregarded. V. Application Review Information 1. Criteria (listed in descending order of relative importance): (1) Overall Scientific and Technical Merit: The overall scientific and technical merit must be clearly identifiable and compelling. The technical concepts should be clearly defined and developed. The technical approach must be sufficiently detailed to support the proposed concepts and technical claims. Evaluation will also consider the effectiveness of the system integration and management plan. (2) Innovative Technical Solution to the Problem: Offerors should apply new and/or existing technology in an innovative way that supports the objectives of the proposed effort. The proposed concepts and systems should show breadth of innovation across all the dimensions of the proposed solution. Offerors must also specify the metrics and experimental methods for evaluating the performance of the system. (3) Potential Contribution and Relevance to DARPA/IPTO Mission: The offeror must clearly address how the proposed effort will meet the goals of the undertaking and how the proposed effort contributes to significant advances to DARPA/IPTO. (4) Offeror's Capabilities and Related Experience: The qualifications, capabilities, and demonstrated achievements of the proposed principals and other key personnel for the primary and subcontractor organizations must be clearly shown. (5) Plans and Capability to Accomplish Technology Transition: The offeror should provide a clear strategy and plan for transition to military forces (and commercial sector, where applicable). Offerors should consider involving potential military transition partners, as appropriate, in any proposed experiments, tests and demonstrations. Offerors should also provide a plan for transition of appropriate technology components and information to the user community. (6) Cost Realism: The overall estimated costs should be clearly justified and appropriate for the technical complexity of the effort. Evaluation will consider the value of the research to the government and the extent to which the proposed management plan will effectively allocate resources to achieve the capabilities proposed. 2. Review and Selection Process It is the policy of DARPA to ensure impartial, equitable, comprehensive evaluation of all proposals and to select the source (or sources) whose offer meets the Government?s technical and policy goals. Evaluation of proposals will be accomplished through a scientific review of each proposal, using the above criteria. Proposals will not be evaluated against each other, since they are not submitted in accordance with a common work statement. DARPA's intent is to review proposals as soon as possible after they arrive; however, proposals may be reviewed periodically for administrative reasons. Restrictive notices notwithstanding, proposals may be handled for administrative purposes by support contractors. These support contractors are prohibited from competition in DARPA technical research and are bound by appropriate non-disclosure requirements. Input on technical aspects of the proposals may be solicited by DARPA from non-Government consultants /experts who are also bound by appropriate non-disclosure requirements. However, non-Government technical consultants/experts will not have access to proposals that are labeled by their offerors as ?Government Only?. Use of non-government personnel is covered in FAR 37.203(d). VI. Award Information Administration 1. Award Notices Principal Investigators will receive a letter informing them of the disposition of their proposal via U.S. mail. 2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements Proposers may wish to visit DARPA?s Contracts Management Office (CMO) website (http://www.darpa.mil/cmo/pages/modelgrantagreement.htm) for model grant and cooperative agreement terms and conditions. 3. Reporting Post-award reporting requirements are set forth in Section B.I, Funding Opportunity Description. Additional details are contained in the Proposer Information Pamphlet. The DARPA/CMO website referenced above also provides general information about reports required specifically for grants and cooperative agreements. VII. Agency Contacts Fax: (703) 741-7804 Addressed to: DARPA/IPTO, BAA 04-38 Electronic Mail: BAA04-38@darpa.mil Electronic File Retrieval: http://www.darpa.mil/ipto/Solicitations/solicitations.htm Mail to: DARPA/IPTO ATTN: BAA 04-38 3701 N. Fairfax Drive Arlington, VA 22203-1714
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