A -- Multi-INT Association & Reasoning Algorithm

The purpose of this modification is to republish the original announcement, incorporating all previous modifications, pursuant to FAR 35.016(c). This republishing also includes the following change: (a) changes the Technical Point of Contact found in Sections IV.5 and VII. No other changes have been made. NAICS CODE: 541710 FEDERAL AGENCY NAME: Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, AFRL - Rome Research Site, AFRL/Information Directorate, 26 Electronic Parkway, Rome, NY, 13441-4514 TITLE: Multi-INT Association & Reasoning Algorithm ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Initial announcement. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: BAA 07-03-IFKA CFDA Number: 12.800 DATES: It is recommended that white papers be received by the following dates to maximize the possibility of award: FY 07 should be submitted by 8 Dec 2006; FY 08 by 31 Aug 2007; FY 09 by 31 Aug 2008; FY 10 by 31 Aug 2009; and FY 11 by 31 Aug 2010. White papers will be accepted until 2:00 p.m. Eastern time on 30 Sep 2011, 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: Background: The Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate (AFRL/RI) is a world recognized leader in the development of moving target tracking and Multiple Source Intelligence (Multi-INT) fusion algorithms. AFRL/RI has established an in-house Fusion Laboratory for the testing, evaluation and development of Multi-INT tracking and fusion algorithms. The state-of-the-art laboratory hosts an array of current up-to-date sensor simulations and a large repository of collected real world intelligence data available for use in algorithm development and evaluation. In the past the laboratory has been used in the evaluation of a number of contractor and government developed tracking and fusion algorithms. Algorithms are evaluated using a set of metrics developed by AFRL and their contractor partners. This set of metrics has become the community standard for testing of tracking and fusion algorithms. The laboratory is also used for the analysis of operational data to identify recurring patterns that can be used in the exploitation of intelligence data. Through the evaluation of current state-of-the-art Multi-INT tracking and fusion algorithms, AFRL/RI has determined that new methods of data association must be developed to meet the tracking and fusion requirements of the operational community. Lack of persistent surveillance, large collection gap times, and dense target environments (>3 targets per sensor resolution cell) result in ambiguous association conditions in Multi-INT tracking and fusion algorithms. AFRL/RI believes that augmenting traditional Multi-INT tracking and fusion algorithms with knowledge and reasoning based association algorithms in difficult tracking environments shows promise to increase the tracking performance in difficult situations. Technologies the laboratory is interested in developing and evaluating for this problem include knowledge based reasoning and learning, abductive and deductive reasoning, context based association and other heuristic techniques. Objective: The objective of this effort is to investigate and evaluate multiple reasoning, knowledge based, and heuristic algorithms against the temporal and spatial association challenges. Work will include implementation and testing of complete systems, encompassing underlying technologies such as knowledge representation and learning techniques required to provide robust performance. Data used to perform reasoning and context based association is Multi-INT in nature. Research conducted under this program will include application/investigation of knowledge based, reasoning and other heuristic approaches for association. Other associated technologies required to implement various approaches, such as learning techniques, and knowledge representation and knowledge discovery shall also be considered in scope. Incremental extensions to target tracking algorithms as well as implementations of new kinematic tracking algorithms will not be considered. This BAA seeks research efforts that provide innovative technologies supporting new hybrid Multi-INT association algorithms that utilize a reasoning approach to account for large gap times, high density environments and large sensor data inaccuracies. II. AWARD INFORMATION: Total funding for this BAA is approximately $4.9M. The anticipated funding to be obligated under this BAA is broken out by fiscal year as follows: FY 07 - $250K; FY 08 - $1,025K; FY 09 - $1,275K; FY10 - $1,200K; and FY 11 - $1,150K. Individual awards will not normally exceed 36 months with dollar amounts ranging between $50,000 to $500,000 per year. There is also the potential to make awards up to any dollar value. Awards of efforts as a result of this announcement will be in the form of contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements depending upon the nature of the work proposed. III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION: 1. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS: All foreign allied participation is excluded at the prime contractor level. 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 SOLICITING 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 encouraged to electronically submit a copy of their white paper summarizing the proposed approach/solution in rtf, Microsoft Word or pdf format. All white papers shall be double spaced with a font no smaller than 12 pitch and limited to a maximum of 10 pages in length. 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, Estimated Cost of Task, Name/Address of Company, Technical and Contracting Points of Contact (phone, fax and email) (this section is NOT included in the page count); Section B: Task Objective; and Section C: Technical Summary and Proposed Deliverables. 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). 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 07 should be submitted by 8 Dec 2006; FY 08 by 31 Aug 2007; FY 09 by 31 Aug 2008; FY 10 by 31 Aug 2009; and FY 11 by 31 Aug 2010. White papers will be accepted until 2pm Eastern time on 30 Sep 2011, but it is less likely that funding will be available in each respective fiscal year after the dates cited. 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 ATTN: Paul Payson, AFRL/RIEA, 525 Brooks Rd, Rome, NY 13441-4505 or electronically to Paul.Payson@rl.af.mil. Respondents are required to provide their Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number with their submittal and reference BAA 07-03-IFKA. V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION: 1. CRITERIA: The following criteria, in which Criteria (1) through (3) are of equal importance and criteria (4) is of lesser importance than criteria (1) through (3), 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 innovative approach for the development and/or enhancement of the proposed technology and its evaluation, (2) Related Experience - The extent to which the offeror demonstrates relevant technology, domain knowledge and the ability to conduct research investigations, (3) Openness of Solution - The extent to which existing capabilities and standards are leveraged, and (4) Reasonableness and realism of proposed costs and fees (if any). 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 evaluate 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 and/or secret facility clearance and safeguarding capability; therefore, personnel identified for assignment to a classified effort must be cleared for access to top secret and/or 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, offerors 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: Paul Payson Telephone: (315) 330-7911 Email: Paul.Payson@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 the 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.