A--Human-information system interaction infrastructure Research.

The US Department of the Interior, National Business Center, Southwest Branch, Fort Huachuca, Arizona, on behalf of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, other Department of Defense organizations, and other Government organizations, invites proposals for research in the area of human and information system interaction infrastructure. With a vision of ANYTIME-ANYWHERE information system resource accessibility, this invitation includes research in the areas of language dependent and independent communications between humans and information systems; processing by information systems of human originated inputs and queries; agent-based or other intelligent information query formation and processing; intelligent and rapid, domain dependent and independent information detection, extraction, and retrieval; and intelligent and dynamic information summarization and presentation. Also included in this request is research in the areas of information system infrastructure including networking technologies and architectures that support interaction between humans and information systems as well as collaboration applications. This research includes secure networking, network attack recognition and identification, and the ability to continue operations in the presence of a successful attack. Research proposals are also invited in the areas of human-information system interaction in distributed computing environments, including command system applications; innovative technology and component integration and corresponding conceptual design and documentation, including multimedia representations; technology transition; and reference prototype implementations. Research proposals in the areas of perception and visualization are also encouraged. Offerors are invited to submit white papers that will be reviewed to identify valuable research for further consideration. If a proposed area of research and the accompanying research approach is considered potentially valuable, and within funding limits, a full proposal will then be requested. Instructions for the preparation and submission of full proposals will be provided with that request. A web site has been established which contains the text of this BAA, and instructions for submission of a white paper. All answers to questions and any additional information pertaining to this BAA will be posted on this web site as available. It is the responsibility of any potential offeror to monitor this web site for any additional information. The web site address is http://www.nbc.gov/hisii.cfm. White papers are limited to three pages, including all figures, tables, attachments and the estimated annual schedule and cost (rough order of magnitude). Reviewers will not e-mail software or simulations in the conduct of white paper reviews. However, web sites containing concise simulations or other information not readily represented in the static format of a document may be hyperlinked from the white paper. Innovative approaches to information presentation are encouraged. White papers shall include the name, address, voice phone number, facsimile number, and email address of the proposing organization and the principal point of contact. The white paper shall also include the names of other organizations participating as part of the research team. For readability, most text based information should be in 12 point Times New Roman or Arial, though other fonts and sizes may be utilized as necessary in tables, headings, drawings, other art, and etc. White papers shall be produced using Microsoft Word, Excel and/or Power Point; or may be submitted as Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) files. NBC Southwest Branch will acknowledge receipt of white papers. Offerors will subsequently be notified only if a full proposal is desired. No detailed review or debriefing of white papers will be provided. All white papers and proposals shall be UNCLASSIFIED. The government?s preference is to obtain unlimited rights (as defined by FAR 52.227-14 ?Rights in Data ? General?) to the results and products of this research. Any proposed research that will restrict the government?s rights, and the degree to which those rights will be restricted, shall be clearly delineated in the white paper. Evaluation of white papers and full proposals will be performed utilizing the following criteria listed in descending order of importance: 1) Overall scientific and technical merit; 2) Potential contribution to the various Defense Department and other Government human and information system interaction research efforts as delineated above; 3) Capabilities and related experience of the offeror; 4) Plans and capabilities for technology transformation and transition; and 5) Cost realism. Full proposals will be considered to be either selectable or non-selectable based on their evaluation in accordance with the criteria herein. Offerors will be promptly notified of the evaluation results. Only selectable proposals will be considered for funding. Not all proposals deemed selectable will be funded. Decisions to fund selectable proposals will be based on funds availability, overall scientific and technical merit, and potential contribution to the Defense Department mission. Proposals may be considered for funding for a period of up to one year from notification of selectability. The Government reserves the right to select for award all, some, or none of the proposals received. Proposals identified for funding may result in a procurement 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. Prior to submittal of white papers, technical inquiries can be made to: Roy L. Peters NBC/DOI P.O. Box 12924 Fort Huachuca, AZ 85670-2924 telephone: +1 (555) 000-0000 Email: contact@example.gov Responses to inquiries will be by email or telephone. This BAA will remain open for submission of white papers until 30 June 2005. It is anticipated that any awards will be for from one to three years and for less than $5,000,000 overall. White papers should be structured accordingly. All responsible sources capable of satisfying the government?s needs may submit a white paper proposal that shall be considered. Historically Black College and Universities (HBCU) and Minority Institutions (MI) are encouraged to submit proposals and join others in submitting; however, no portion of this BAA will be set aside to HBCU and MI participation due to the impracticality of reserving discrete or severable areas of research for exclusive competition among these entities. Questions of a contractual nature should be directed to the Contract Specialist: Veronica Romero (subject to change) P.O. Box 12924 Ft Huachuca, AZ 85670-2924 Email: contact@example.gov.