SPEDI RESEARCH ANNOUNCEMENT The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, CA, on behalf of the Smart Base Project Office (OPNAV N466) desires industry participation in research related to the ongoing development and enhancement of the Small Procurement Electronic Data Interchange (SPEDI) system. As a result of this research announcement, the Government anticipates award of a Technology Investment Agreement (TIA) using the authority of 10 U.S.C. 2358 or 2371. A TIA is a cost-sharing, partnering agreement between the Government and a for-profit firm or consortium that includes at least one for-profit firm. A TIA is an assistance instrument for basic, applied, or advanced research that benefits the public as well as the Department of Defense (DoD); the research is presumed to have commercial value to the recipient. A TIA may be awarded to a consortium which is not a legal entity. Consortium members may have varying status, such as for-profit, non-profit, educational, federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), state or local government. The Consortium may add or delete members during the life of the agreement. As a part of the proposal submission, the consortium provides the Government with Articles of Collaboration, signed by the members, stating how the consortium will operate. The Articles of Collaboration address such issues as administration of the research project, responsibility levels of the members, cost sharing among the consortium members, and intellectual property rights. TIA authority allows the Government to negotiate many of the usual Government-unique requirements (intellectual property rights, cost accounting standards, etc); The Government is particularly interested in attracting those for-profit research firms which have not previously done business with the Government. The Government reserves the right to make more traditional awards such as grants, cooperative research agreements or contracts but no other announcement of this opportunity will be made. Proposal submission is not restricted in any way to a particular entity or entities. Historically black colleges and universities, minority institutions, and small and disadvantaged businesses are encouraged to seek participation. No portion of this announcement has been set aside for competition by historically black colleges and universities and/or minority institutions. This advertisement is open until 3PM PST, August 26, 1998. SMART BASE MISSION RELATED STATEMENT: All of the Services have major programs to reduce the cost of infrastructure in order to fund the reinvestment of Fleet requirements (modernization and acquisition of new ships, aircraft). The Smart Base Project Office was established to "Identify, coordinate, and implement innovative solutions and models that apply proven state-of-the-market technologies and management methods to increase shore installation efficiency while reducing the cost of infrastructure." SPEDI has been selected by Smart Base, from over 200 initiatives, as one of the key enabling projects to facilitate effective management control during regionalization of Navy Fleet Concentration efforts. SPEDI MISSION RELATED STATEMENT: The primary objective of the SPEDI Program is to exploit commercially developed technologies in support of rapid acquisition of supplies and services from the desktop. An underlying objective of the SPEDI Technology Investment Agreement is to research, develop, and deploy dynamic cataloging concepts and complimentary technologies. SPEDI DESCRIPTION: SPEDI is a desktop order management system built around a central relational database management system (Ingres) and applications that function as an information hub, exchanging and combining data with a variety of systems using application-specific electronic data feeds, ANSI X12 data feeds, and direct connections. The system includes a number of checks, validations, and automated functions that eliminate data entry and paper processes while providing control and accountability. The system generates a wide variety of receiving, delivery, invoice, audit, tracking, history, performance, costing, and management data reports. The catalog data stored in the SPEDI database include data and pictures. The SPEDI database can support hundreds of thousands of line items reflecting many different commodity types. SPEDI is also capable of using third party catalogs as specified in site-specific contracts for catalog data feeds, along with CD-ROMs which store pictures of each commodity class. Catalog data is typically electronically fed via Email or FTP exchange with pictures provided via CD-ROM. Future integration of the EDI 832 Price/Sales Catalog transaction set may provide an additional data feed solution. SPEDI performs a number of data checks and edits to ensure the data is correct before the database is updated. The SPEDI vendors are required to receive an EDI 850 Purchase Order transaction set, generate an acceptable 3 of 9 bar code label, and send an EDI 856 Ship Notice/Manifest. To ensure vendor consistency, the host site (NAWCWPNS China Lake) provides an EDI and bar code information package which describes specific ANSI X12 rules for implementing transaction sets and bar codes. SPEDI uses established, long-term systems contracts which are generally awarded competitively to vendors by the local site (implementing site). The vendors are generally allowed query-only access to the SPEDI on-line catalog via the Internet for their specific catalog items. This is controlled via the specific IP address authorization built into SPEDI, as well as the host site's firewall and Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption. Electronic exchanges between SPEDI and local financial and accounting systems are site-specific, and may be either flat file data or EDI transaction sets. The tracking data collected and stored in the SPEDI system provides for the paperless proof of delivery feature in the system. The tracking system includes: order placement, order transmission to the vendor, order shipment from the vendor, order receipt, order loading, and order delivery. These steps are traced from the point of receipt through delivery via bar code scanning. The 856 provides specific shipment information that is matched against the original 850. From this data, the system generates receipt and invoice data that Accounting uses to certify payment packages for DFAS. The data collected provides tracking, audit, and vendor performance information needed for management control and reporting. In April of 1998, plans were approved to integrate the 850, 861, and 810 EDI transactions sets into the DFAS payment process. This project is currently underway. The system employs industry standard Internet browser software, with encryption, as the Graphical User Interface (GUI). As part of the user exchange with the system, SPEDI performs a number of checks and validations before an order is placed. Among the validations performed are Job Order Numbers (JONs), end-user authorization level, and building numbers. Buying authorizations are tailored to control the purchase of specific items such as hazardous materials. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE OF PROPOSED TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT AGREEMENT: It is the Government's goal to further develop and demonstrate "state-of-the-art" interactive cataloging within SPEDI. We are interested in research related to the development and enhancement of dynamic cataloging -- -- - "fuzzy logic" especially intrigues us. Another goal is to research, develop, and demonstrate business processes and system functionality to support decentralized receipt of bar coded materials via commercial carrier. Additional developmental thrusts and new technologies are expected to be identified, evaluated, and demonstrated during the operation of the consortium. It is also expected that system features will be identified, evaluated, and developed that support a commercial application of the system. In order to take advantage of the synthesis of as many commercial technologies as possible, the Government is interested in involving a broad spectrum of commercial business sectors in this effort. The following are examples of commercial market sectors that are of primary interest to the Government: Automobile; Banking/Finance; Healthcare; Insurance; Manufacturing; Media/Newspaper; Telecommunications and Utilities. The Government is also interested in research that could lead to innovative outsourcing arrangements for the operations and maintenance of the SPEDI system. SPEDI PARTNERSHIP VISION: The Government envisions a partnership with Industry working under a Technology Investment Agreement (TIA) -- - ideally within a consortium environment. It is anticipated that consortium members will be motivated by the research project's potential for spawning technology to be incorporated into SPEDI with applicability to the commercial marketplace. Cash contributions are required as part of the "cost sharing" nature of the TIA. Non-Federal parties carrying out research under a TIA are to provide at least half of the costs of the project from non-Federal resources that are available to them. Refer to http://www.darpa.mil/cmd/pages/cost.html for more information regarding cost sharing and the characteristics of cash contributions. PRPOSAL SUBMISSION: Interested Parties must submit a written proposal consisting of three parts. Part I shall address the proposed technical approach as related to the achievement of the goals set forth in the Statement of Purpose above and the Government's mission, vision, and goals as described in various other sections throughout this announcement. Part II shall be the management/business aspects of the proposal, including the proposed Articles of Collaboration. This section must also include a discussion of both organizational and individual experience as related to knowledge, expertise, and success in the areas of dynamic cataloging, fuzzy logic as applied to cataloging, middleware in conjunction with desktop cataloging, bar code technology, business system development and deployment, commercial carrier evaluated receipt systems, commercial carrier evaluated receipt systems, and accounting practices related to one or more market sectors listed above. The offeror must provide verifiable evidence of the experience of organizations making up the consortium and other key individuals who may or may not be associated with those organizations. This section must also include a discussion of how any required resources such as computer laboratories and other facilities will be acquired. Additionally the offeror must discuss the proposed process for executing the financial aspects of this agreement. Part III shall be the cost proposal. The cost proposal shall include, as a minimum, the proposed cost sharing, funding profiles, payment procedures and tracking/reporting procedures. The proposed costs will be broken down by year. The budget shall include both the Government and the receipient share. Offerors must state in the proposal that it is submitted in response to this SPEDI Research Announcement. The entire proposal shall be no longer than 50 single sided 8.5 x 11 typewritten and/or graphic pages. The proposalmust include an annual estimate of proposed costs for the first two years of Consortium operation under a TIA. A soft copy of the proposal, in Microsoft Word for Windows 95 -- Version 7.0, must accompany the hard copy submission. SUBMIT PROPOSAL PACKAGE TO THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS: Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division Attn: PAT CHRISTENSEN (Code 230000D) Building 456 -- Blandy Street China Lake, CA 93555-6100. Upon evaluation of the written proposal(s), oral presentations may be required. EVALUATION CRITERIA: The primary basis for selecting proposals for acceptance shall be: 1) Technical Merit; 2) Business Management Techniques; 3) Cost Realism. Questions regarding this announcement should be directed via EMAIL to Pat Christensen, Contract Specialist, at the following electronic address: pchristensen@ban.chinalake.navy.mil. Once approved by the Contracting Officer, questions and answers will be posted to the Smart Base web site at www.dt.navy.mil/smartbase. Parties interested in being contacted by other potential consortia members may EMAIL the following information to Pat Christensen. The information will be posted on the Smart Base web site based on receipt of the following information: 1)Reference to this SPEDI Research Announcement; 2) individual or company name; 3) mailing address, fax, phone, Email; 4) area of business or technical expertise as related to this announcement. The above offer to advertise is strictly optional and the Government does not guarantee contact will be made by any other interested parties. Posted 07/08/98.

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