A -- Motion Imagery and Conventional Imagery Exploitation (MICIE)

The purpose of this modification is to republish the original announcement pursuant to FAR 35.016(c). This republishing also includes the following changes: (a) Extends the end date of the BAA to 31 January 201; (b) Adds FY11 white paper submission date; and (c) Restructures funding profile. Previous modifications are incorporated into this republishing. No other changes have been made. DATES: It is recommended that white papers be received by the following dates to maximize the possibility of award: FY 06 should be submitted by 1 Aug 05; FY 07 by 1 Aug 06; FY 08 by 1 Aug 07; FY 09 by 1 Aug 08, FY 10 by 1 Aug 09, and FY 11 by 15 Jun 2010. White papers will be accepted until 2pm Eastern time on 31 Jan 11, but it is less likely that funding will be available in each respective fiscal year after the dates cited. FORMAL PROPOSALS ARE NOT BEING REQUESTED AT THIS TIME. See Section IV of this announcement for further details. I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION: Motion imagery and conventional imagery both provide visual data sources for intelligence gathering purposes through the use of various exploitation technologies and methodologies that demand high performance and dynamic operations to meet mission tasking and exploitation timelines. Data formats, sensor type and spectral characteristics are the determining factors that dictate the exploitation technologies that will be required to process the data and extract the information to obtain the mission objectives. The streaming video data format require different strategies for processing motion imagery over conventional two dimensional imaging sensors, but these sensors also differ with some being active or passive and spectral range of operation that require other processing and exploitation considerations. Although motion imagery and conventional imagery have differing requirements with respect to the implementation of the processing strategies, the types of processing strategies can be very similar. These imagery collection systems and the resultant data are exploited by teams of analysts, operational and warfighter personnel. Exploitation often includes object or target detection, material identification and producing a report. The goal of this research and development activity is to produce better tools and procedures to support exploitation operations in deriving more accurate and timely information from motion imagery and conventional imagery sources. Specific areas include: Ability to ingest, visualize, process, exploit and output imagery products in standard and planned data formats for motion imagery and conventional imagery sources. These formats shall include evolving new data structure and compression schema standards. Improved procedures for performing graphics annotation to create embedded non-destructive graphic, symbology and textual layers to accompany motion imagery or conventional image data files in standardized formats. Object tracking paradigms that provide technologies for continuous real time object tracking of both stationary and moving targets of opportunity. These technologies shall address the conditions where the target is temporarily obscured by intervening objects or shadows and then reappears. Tracking shall be accomplished through graphic, text and symbolic overlays and shall also calculate speed and direction parameters for the target. Enhanced algorithms to perform feature extraction and image segmentation. These algorithms are required to provide enclosed line segment boundaries outlining targets and objects of interest in order to compute statistics for characterizing the feature's shape, size, material content and other identifying information for pattern recognition purposes and to support object tracking paradigms. Optimized techniques for analysts to produce coherent change detection and two color multi-view products from synthetic aperture radar sources. Refined spectral analysis capabilities to perform anomaly detection, surface material identification, atmospheric correction and the use of common signature libraries for multispectral and hyperspectral sensors. Two-dimensional/three-dimensional visualization capabilities to support the presentation of multiple intelligence data sources, including motion imagery (e.g., visible, IR, etc.), imagery, maps, elevation data, text, graphics and symbology, in a common geospatial reference for exploitation purposes. Effective methodologies for deriving accurate geo-positioning information and performing precise mensuration in which operations span the use of diverse data sets and evolving concepts such as smart images. Software design and development strategies that follow accepted standards and provide intuitive motion imagery and conventional imagery exploitation tools for the analyst and implement and support Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) oriented scenario concepts such as publish and subscribe mechanisms. II. AWARD INFORMATION: Total funding for this BAA is approximately $10M. The anticipated funding to be obligated under this BAA is broken out by fiscal year as follows: FY 06 - $1.8M; FY 07 - $1.8M; FY 08 - $1.8M; FY 09 - $1.8M; FY10 - $1.8M; and FY11 - $1M. Individual awards will not normally exceed 30 months with dollar amounts ranging between $300K to $500K per year. Awards of efforts as a result of this announcement will be in the form of contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, or other transactions depending upon the nature of the work proposed. III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION: 1. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS: Foreign allied participation is authorized at the prime contractor level. Foreign allied participation is allowed of the following countries: France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and United Kingdom. 2. COST SHARING OR MATCHING: Cost sharing is not a requirement. IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION: 1. APPLICATION PACKAGE: THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION. WE ARE SOLICITATING WHITE PAPERS ONLY. DO NOT SUBMIT A FORMAL PROPOSAL AT THIS TIME. Those white papers found to be consistent with the intent of this BAA may be invited to submit a technical and cost proposal. See Section VI of this announcement for further details. For additional information, a copy of the AFRL/Rome Research Sites "Broad Agency Announcement (BAA): A Guide for Industry," April 2007, may be accessed at: http://www.fbo.gov/spg/USAF/AFMC/AFRLRRS/Reference%2DNumber%2DBAAGUIDE/listing.html. 2. CONTENT AND FORM OF SUBMISSION: Offerors are required to submit three copies of a 3 to 5 page white paper summarizing their proposed approach/solution. The purpose of the white paper is to preclude unwarranted effort on the part of an offeror whose proposed work is not of interest to the Government. The white paper will be formatted as follows: Section A: Title, Period of Performance, Cost of Task, Name of Company; Section B: Task Objective; and Section C: Technical Summary. Multiple white papers within the purview of this announcement may be submitted by each offeror. If the offeror wishes to restrict its white papers/proposals, they must be marked with the restrictive language stated in FAR 15.609(a) and (b). All white papers/proposals shall be double spaced with a font no smaller than 12 pitch. In addition, respondents are requested to provide their Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) number, a fax number, and an e-mail address with their submission. All responses to this announcement must be addressed to the technical POC, as discussed in paragraph five of this section. 3. SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES: It is recommended that white papers be received by the following dates to maximize the possibility of award: FY 06 should be submitted by 1 Aug 2005; FY 07 by 1 Aug 2006; FY 08 by 1 Aug 2007; FY 09 by 1 Aug 2008 and, FY 10 by 1 Aug 2009 and FY 11 by 15 Jun 2010. White papers will be accepted until 2pm Eastern time on 31 Jan 11, but it is less likely that funding will be available in each respective fiscal year after the dates cited. Submission of white papers will be regulated in accordance with FAR 15.208. 4. FUNDING RESTRICTIONS: The cost of preparing white papers/proposals in response to this announcement is not considered an allowable direct charge to any resulting contract or any other contract, but may be an allowable expense to the normal bid and proposal indirect cost specified in FAR 31.205-18. Incurring pre-award costs for ASSISTANCE INSTRUMENTS ONLY, are regulated by the DoD Grant and Agreements Regulations (DODGARS). 5. OTHER SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: DO NOT send white papers to the Contracting Officer. All responses to this announcement must be addressed to: Air Force Research Laboratory ATTN: IFEC (Jonathan Gregory) 525 Brooks Road Rome NY 13441-4505 Respondents are required to provide their Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number with their submittal and reference BAA 05-08-IFKA. V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION: 1. CRITERIA: The following criteria, which are listed in equal order of importance, will be used to determine whether white papers and proposals submitted are consistent with the intent of this BAA and of interest to the Government: (1) Overall scientific and technical merit, including the rationale and approach for the proposed technology development, (2) Potential contribution and relevance to this effort including advanced technology prototyping, demonstration, and integration, (3) Related experience and capabilities and extent to which the offeror demonstrates Motion Imagery and Conventional Imagery related technology and domain knowledge, conformity to accepted DOD and Commercial Standards and Specifications and soundness of proposed technology transition approach, and (4) Reasonableness and realism of proposed costs and fees. No further evaluation criteria will be used in selecting white papers/proposals. Individual white paper/proposal evaluations will be evaluated against the evaluation criteria without regard to other white papers and proposals submitted under this BAA. White papers and proposals submitted will be evaluated as they are received. 2. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS: Only Government employees will review the white papers/proposals for selection. The Air Force Research Laboratory's Information Directorate has contracted for various business and staff support services, some of which require contractors to obtain administrative access to proprietary information submitted by other contractors. Administrative access is defined as "handling or having physical control over information for the sole purpose of accomplishing the administrative functions specified in the administrative support contract, which do not require the review, reading, or comprehension of the content of the information on the part of non-technical professionals assigned to accomplish the specified administrative tasks." These contractors have signed general non-disclosure agreements and organizational conflict of interest statements. The required administrative access will be granted to non-technical professionals. Examples of the administrative tasks performed include: a. Assembling and organizing information for R&D case files; b. Accessing library files for use by government personnel; and c. Handling and administration of proposals, contracts, contract funding and queries. Any objection to administrative access must be in writing to the Contracting Officer and shall include a detailed statement of the basis for the objection. VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION: 1. AWARD NOTICES: Those white papers found to be consistent with the intent of this BAA may be invited to submit a technical and cost proposal. Notification by email or letter will be sent by the technical POC. Such invitation does not assure that the submitting organization will be awarded a contract. Those white papers not selected to submit a proposal will be notified in the same manner. Prospective offerors are advised that only Contracting Officers are legally authorized to commit the Government. All offerors submitting white papers will be contacted by the technical POC, referenced in Section VII of this announcement. Offerors can email the technical POC for status of their white paper/proposal no earlier than 45 days after proposal submission. 2. ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS: Depending on the work to be performed, the offeror may require a Top Secret facility clearance and safeguarding capability; therefore, personnel identified for assignment to a classified effort must be cleared for access to Top Secret information at the time of award. In addition, the offeror may be required to have, or have access to, a certified and Government-approved facility to support work under this BAA. Data subject to export control constraints may be involved and only firms holding certification under the US/Canada Joint Certification Program (JCP) (www.dlis.dla.mil/jcp) are allowed access to such data. 3. REPORTING: Once a proposal has been selected for award, offeror's will be required to submit their reporting requirement through one of our web-based, reporting systems known as JIFFY or TFIMS. Prior to award, the offeror will be notified which reporting system they are to use, and will be given complete instructions regarding its use. VII. AGENCY CONTACTS: Questions of a technical nature shall be directed to the cognizant technical point of contact, as specified below: TPOC Name: Jonathan Gregory Telephone: (315) 330-4294 Email: Jonathan.Gregory@rl.af.mil Questions of a contractual/business nature shall be directed to the cognizant contracting officer, as specified below: Lynn White Telephone (315) 330-4996 Email: Lynn.White@rl.af.mil The email must reference the solicitation (BAA) number and title of the acquisition. In accordance with AFFARS 5315.90, an Ombudsman has been appointed to hear and facilitate the resolution of concerns from offerors, potential offerors, and others for this acquisition announcement. Before consulting with an ombudsman, interested parties must first address their concerns, issues, disagreements, and/or recommendations to the contracting officer for resolution. AFFARS Clause 5352.201-9101 Ombudsman (Aug 2005) will be incorporated into all contracts awarded under this BAA. The AFRL Ombudsman is as follows: Susan Hunter Building 15, Room 225 1864 Fourth Street Wright-Patterson AFB OH 45433-7130 FAX: (937) 225-5036; Comm: (937) 255-7754 All responsible organizations may submit a white paper which shall be considered.