Phillips Laboratory, Directorate of Contracting, 2251 Maxwell Avenue SE, Kirtland AFB, NM 87117-5773

A -- HIGH POWER MICROWAVE TECHNOLOGIES AGREEMENT SOL F29601-98-4-0001 POC Administrative PL/PKWA; Julie McCrater, 505-846-2037 or Steven S. Young, 505-846-4624 RESEARCH ANNOUNCEMENT FOR HIGH POWER MICROWAVE TECHNOLOGIES AGREEMENT F29601-98-4-0001. A. OBJECTIVE: The Air Force is transitioning High Power Microwave (HPM) technologies developed by Phillips Laboratory to operational users. This effort includes program management, design, development, fabrication, integration, test, and field demonstration of a portable ground system, additional mobile ground systems, optional conceptual designs for airborne systems, and optional computer modeling and simulation. A U.S. secret facility clearance is required. The total funding for this effort is estimated at $11,500,000.00 over six years, including optional design studies and modeling/simulation. FY98 funding is $1,075,000.00. Proposals are due 30 days after the pre-proposal briefing. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) intends to award an Other Transactions (OT) for Prototypes Agreement. The use of this process provides relief from certain statutes and the Federal Acquisition Regulation and Supplements. A generic OT agreement is available from http://www.plk.af.mil, select "Contracting," "PL R&D Acquisitions," then "HPM." To take advantage of the flexibility of OTs, offerors may propose traditional prime/sub relationships as well as other business approaches such as the use of consortia. Cost-sharing will be favorably considered. B. PRE-PROPOSAL BRIEFING: AFRL will host a pre-proposal briefing approximately 7 days after publication of this announcement at Kirtland AFB NM. Offerors interested in attending must submit visit requests, verification of personnel and facility security clearances, and storage capability at the secret level; and DD Form 2345, Militarily Critical Technical Data Agreement (MCTD), to PL/PKWA, Attn.: F29601-98-4-0001, 2251 Maxwell Ave. SE, Kirtland AFB NM 87117-5773, Fax: 505-853-3398, prior to the briefing. We will notify offerors by telephone of the date, time, and location of the briefing. The classified Requirements Documents and technical background information will be provided to offerors at the briefing. Attendance is limited to two representatives per company. If offerors do not attend briefing, the classified information will be available at PL/PKWA or will mailed to offerors who meet the security and MCTD requirements above. C. PROPOSAL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS: Each offeror shall submit a written proposal and present an oral proposal. Proposals must reference agreement number F29601-98-4-0001. Submit a signed original and five copies of all proposal volumes to AFRL (PL/PKWA ATTN.: F29601-98-4-0001), 2251 Maxwell Ave. SE, Kirtland AFB NM 87117-5773. Offerors are encouraged to submit their best initial written and oral proposal, as there will be no opportunity to revise proposals prior to the Government selection of a prospective awardee. 1) Administrative Proposal: Written: Offerors shall submit (a) a description of the participating organizations, (b) an explanation of the business arrangement among the participating entities (e.g. prime/sub, consortium), (c) a summary description of recent, relevant (within 5 years) projects that represent the offeror's company or consortium's capability, (d) key personnel resumes, (e) articles of collaboration if a consortium is proposed, (f) list of oral proposal attendees, including points of contact, (g) recommendations or concerns associated with the generic OT agreement, and (h) viewgraph transparencies and five copies. There is no page limit to the administrative volume. 2) Management/Technical Proposal: (i) Written: The Management/Technical proposal shall include: (a) a brief summary of the technical approach, (b) milestones and a discussion of the tasks necessary to meet the milestone schedule, and (c) recommendations or concerns regarding reporting requirements addressed in the Requirements Document. The written Management/Technical proposal shall be limited to 15 pages. Pages in excess of this limit will not be evaluated. (ii) Oral: The oral proposal shall demonstrate the offeror's understanding of the work identified in the Requirements Document evaluated against the criteria of this announcement. The Government will not accept or evaluate videotapes or other forms of media containing the oral proposal material. The Government will draw lots to establish proposal scheduling. Each visiting proposal team shall consist of key technical, management, and contracting personnel. Key technical and management personnel shall present the oral proposal. The oral proposal session shall address technical and management issues and shall not exceed two hours. The oral proposal session shall be followed by discussion to address any issues including cost and terms and conditions of the agreement pertinent to this effort. The Government will videotape the oral proposal and discussion sessions. A viewgraph machine will be provided to display overhead slides. The Government will not evaluate the slides as stand-alone documents. The Government will not consider or evaluate any slide that was not projected and addressed during the oral proposal or subsequent discussionsession. 3) Cost Proposal: Written: The cost proposal shall cover the entire program. The cost proposal price breakdown shall be prepared in a schedule format that contains sufficient data to demonstrate realism and reasonableness. Offerors shall price each of the technical milestones with their associated labor hours, materials, and other direct costs. All costs shall be time-phased to milestones. All cost data shall be supported in narrative form that provides rationale for labor hours and categories, material quantities and types, and other direct costs (e.g. travel). Costs associated with deliverable hardware and reports shall be accompanied by supporting information to justify cost. If cost-sharing is proposed, the offeror shall identify and quantify the proposed cost-sharing by milestone and identify the type of cost-sharing (i.e., cash, in-kind, or IR&D). Cost-sharing should be proposed as early in the program as possible. The Government favors a milestone payment arrangement that will incentivizeschedule and technical performance, and a fee arrangement that will incentivize cost performance. In addition to the original and five copies of the cost volume, submit a 3.5" diskette as IBM PC compatible, Microsoft Excel (Version 5.0 or 7.0) files, to include all cell formulas for the entire effort. The cost proposal has no page limit. 4) Other Requirements: This acquisition involves technology that is subject to Export Control laws and regulations. Only proposals from offerors who are registered and certified with the Defense Logistics Services Center (DLSC) will be considered for award. Contact DLSC, 74 North Washington, Battle Creek, Michigan, 49016-4312 (1-800-352-3572) for further information on certification and the approval process. Foreign firms are advised that they will not be allowed to participate as the primary awardee. Offerors shall comply with International Trade in Arms Restrictions (ITAR). Secret level personnel security and facility clearances and classified storage capability will be required. D. BASIS FOR AWARD: Award will be made to the offeror whose proposal represents the best written and oral proposal when evaluated against the criteria identified in this announcement. The prospective awardee and the Government will enter negotiations for award of the agreement. Negotiation will be terminated if not completed in a timely manner and/or an agreement cannot be reached. The Government may then negotiate with other offerors in order of ranking. The Government intends to award one agreement from this announcement, but reserves the right to award no agreement, depending on the quality of proposals received and subject to availability of funds. E. EVALUATION CRITERIA: The following areas and factors will be evaluated in descending order of importance: Area I. Technical/Management. Factor 1 Technical Approach: The soundness of the offeror's technical approach, including the offeror's demonstrated understanding of the technical requirements of the Requirements Document. Factor 2 Qualifications: The experience and qualifications of the proposed personnel relevant to performing the technical work and the quantity and quality of the offeror's relevant experience. The adequacy of offeror's facilities to accomplish the required work. Factor 3 Management: The degree to which the offeror demonstrates the ability to effectively and efficiently manage and administer the program. Area II. Cost. Factor 1 Realism: The extent to which proposed costs are consistent with the types, quantities, qualities, and performance/delivery schedules of all products and/or services being proposed. Factor 2 Reasonableness: The extent to which the offeror's proposed costs are consistent in nature and amount with what prudent persons would be willing to recognize for the same or similar products and/or services under comparable acquisition circumstances. F. MISCELLANEOUS: Offerors that respond to this announcement must monitor the web site identified above for potential changes to the acquisition. Amendments, questions, and answers concerning the announcement will be posted exclusively on this web site. An ombudsman has been appointed to hear concerns from offerors or potential offerors, primarily during the proposal development phase of this competitive acquisition. The purpose of the ombudsman is not to diminish the authority of the program manager or contracting officer, but to communicate contractor concerns, issues, disagreements, and recommendations to the appropriate government personnel in the pre-proposal phase of competitive, negotiated acquisitions. Before contacting the ombudsman, potential offerors should first communicate with the administrative points-of-contact (POCs) identified below. In those instances where offerors cannot obtain resolution from the administrative POCs, they are invited to contact the ombudsman at the Phillips Laboratory Operating Location of AFRL, Mr. Bruce Grunsten, Chief, Mission Support Division (PL/PKM), at 505-846-8273 or at 2251 Maxwell Ave. SE, Kirtland AFB NM 87117-5773. When requested, the Ombudsman will maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern. The Ombudsman does not participate in the evaluation of proposals or in the source selection process. The technical POC is Dr. Kirk Hackett at 505-846-5496. The administrative POCs are Julie McCrater at 505-846-2037 and Mr. Steven S. Young 505-846-4624. (0281)

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