A -- Efficient Mid-wave Infrared Lasers (EMIL)

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES AND DESCRIPTION The objective of the EMIL program is to develop new MWIR (defined here to be wavelengths between 3.8 and 4.8 - m) laser concepts with fundamentally superior efficiencies and to demonstrate MWIR lasers which approach these efficiencies. Specific program goals include: Wallplug efficiency exceeding 50 percent; CW output power exceeding 1 W; Operation at 300K ambient temperature (TE cooled); Beam quality better than two times diffraction limit in both directions; and Compact physical size. Spectral tunability across the band and narrow linewidths are desirable laser qualities but are secondary to the above program goals. DARPA may consider as eligible compelling proposals with highly innovative technical approaches that fall short of the above program goals. Proposers offering such proposals should provide unambiguous physical arguments, based on data, simulations, and calculations, leading to estimates of practical and fundamental performance limits in operational parameters of the envisioned EMIL source. The main technology development part of the EMIL program will be conducted in two Phases, each having definite and measurable milestones, the most critical of which will be referred to as Go/No-Go (GNG) metrics. Offerors also have the option to propose a system-scale demonstration as a third Phase. The period of performance for each of these Phases and the milestone schedule will be proposed by offerors within their technical proposals and will be factors considered as part of the source selection process (see below). In general, a shorter phase is preferable, but each Phase should clearly be adequate in duration to meet its objectives with reasonable risks and costs. Proposals should discuss plans for managing these factors. DARPA seeks innovative proposals in the following areas: I. Modeling and Design of Efficient MWIR Lasers; II. Fabrication of Advanced Structures for Efficient MWIR Lasers; III. Thermal Management of Efficient MWIR Lasers; IV. Power Scaling of Highly Efficient MWIR Lasers. Additional information on these technology areas is provided in the Areas of Interest section of the BAA 06-20 Proposer Information Pamphlet referenced below. PROGRAM SCOPE The Efficient Mid-wave Infrared Laser (EMIL) program will consist of a Phase I (duration of Phase I should be specified by proposers in the full proposal), followed by a Phase II and Phase III (duration of Phase II and Phase III should be specified by proposers in the full proposal), for those efforts that appear to have the greatest potential for production, insertion, transition or overall benefit to DoD. Offerors wishing to participate in Phase II and Phase III should include them as options in their proposal. Multiple awards are anticipated. Collaborative efforts/teaming are encouraged. A web site (http://www.davincinetbook.com/teams) has been established to facilitate formation of teaming arrangements between interested parties. Specific content, communications, networking, and team formation are the sole responsibility of the participants. Neither DARPA nor the Department of Defense (DoD) endorses the destination web site or the information and organizations contained therein, nor does DARPA or the DoD exercise any responsibility at the destination. This web site is provided consistent with the stated purpose of this BAA. Cost sharing is not required and is not an evaluation criterion but is encouraged where there is a reasonable probability of a potential commercial application related to the proposed research and development effort. The technical POCs for this effort are Mark Rosker and Henryk Temkin, fax: (703) 696-2206, electronic mail: BAA06-20@darpa.mil. PROPOSER'S QUESTIONS A - Proposer's Questions, website will be posted for BAA 06-14 on the DARPA, Microsystems Technology Office solicitations page (www.darpa.mil/baa/#eto). If you would like to have a question answered and posted on this site, please send your question to the following address: BAA06-20@darpa.mil. GENERAL INFORMATION Proposers must obtain a pamphlet entitled - BAA 06-20, Efficient Mid-wave Infrared Lasers (EMIL), Proposer Information Pamphlet which provides further information on the submission, evaluation, and funding processes, proposal abstract formats, proposal formats, and other general information. This pamphlet may be obtained from the FedBizOpps website: http://www.fedbizopps.gov/, FedGrants website: http://www.fedgrants.gov/,World Wide Web (WWW) at URL http://www.darpa.mil/ or by fax, electronic mail, or mail request to the administrative contact address given below. Proposals not meeting the format described in the pamphlet may not be reviewed. In order to minimize unnecessary effort in proposal preparation and review, proposers are strongly encouraged to submit proposal abstracts in advance of full proposals. An original and nine (9) copies of the proposal abstract and two (2) electronic copies (i.e., 2 separate disks) of the abstract [in PDF, or MS-Word readable, each on a single 3.5 inch High Density MS-DOS formatted 1.44 Megabyte (MB) diskette, a single 100 MB Iomega Zip (registered) disk, or a CD-ROM] should be submitted. Each disk must be clearly labeled with BAA 06-20, offeror organization, proposal title (short title recommended), and Copy of 2. The proposal abstract (original and designated number of hard and electronic copies) must be submitted to DARPA/MTO, 3701 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1714 (Attn.: BAA 06-20) on or before 4:00 p.m., local time, Wednesday, April 12, 2006. Proposal abstracts received after this time and date may not be reviewed. Upon review, DARPA will provide written feedback on the likelihood of a full proposal being selected and the time and date for submission of a full proposal. Proposers not submitting proposal abstracts must submit an original and nine (9) copies of the full proposal and two (2) electronic copies (i.e., 2 separate disks) of the full proposal [in PDF (preferred), or MS-Word readable, each on a single 3.5 inch High Density MS-DOS formatted 1.44 Megabyte (MB) diskette, a single 100 MB Iomega Zip (registered) disk, or a CD-ROM]. Each disk must be clearly labeled with BAA 06-20, offeror organization, proposal title (short title recommended), and Copy of 2. The full proposal (original and designated number of hard and electronic copies) must be submitted to DARPA/MTO, 3701 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1714 (Attn.: BAA 06-20) on or before 4:00 p.m., local time, Wednesday, June 21, 2006, in order to be considered during the initial round of selections; however, proposals received after this deadline may be received and evaluated up to one year from date of posting on FedBizOpps and FedGrants. Full proposals submitted after the due date specified in the BAA or due date otherwise specified by DARPA after review of proposal abstracts may be selected contingent upon the availability of funds. This notice, in conjunction with the BAA 06-20, Proposer Information Pamphlet, constitutes the total BAA. No additional information is available, nor will a formal RFP or other solicitation regarding this announcement be issued. Requests for the same will be disregarded. The Government reserves the right to select for award all, some, or none of the proposals received. All responsible sources capable of satisfying the Government's needs may submit a proposal which shall be considered by DARPA. Input on technical aspects of the proposals may be solicited by DARPA from non-Government consultants /experts who are bound by appropriate non-disclosure requirements. Non-Government technical consultants/experts will not have access to proposals that are labeled by their offerors as - Government Only. 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 research in deep ultraviolet avalanche photodetectors. All administrative correspondence and questions on this solicitation, including requests for information on how to submit a proposal abstract or full proposal to this BAA, should be directed to one of the administrative addresses below; e-mail or fax is preferred. DARPA intends to use electronic mail and fax for correspondence regarding BAA 06-20. Proposals and proposal abstracts may not be submitted by fax or e-mail; any so sent will be disregarded. DARPA encourages use of the WWW for retrieving the Proposer Information Pamphlet and any other related information that may subsequently be provided. EVALUATION CRITERIA Evaluation of proposals will be accomplished through a technical review of each proposal using the following criteria, which are listed in descending order of relative importance: (l) Overall scientific and technical merit; (2) Potential contribution and relevance to the DARPA mission; (3) Relevance of intermediate milestones and GNG metrics; (4) Realism of the proposed schedule; (5) Plans and capability to accomplish technology transition; (6) Offeror's capabilities and related experience; and (7) Cost realism. The administrative addresses for this BAA are: Fax: (703) 696-2206 (Addressed to: DARPA/MTO, BAA 06-20), Electronic Mail: BAA 06-20@darpa.mil Mail: DARPA/MTO, ATTN: BAA 06-20 3701 North Fairfax Drive Arlington, VA 22203-1714 This announcement and the Proposer Information Pamphlet may be retrieved via the WWW at URL http://www.darpa.mil/ in the solicitations area.