A -- Threat Agent Cloud Tactical Intercept and Countermeasure (TACTIC) Program Workshop

This is a special notice announcement by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) regarding a workshop meeting for the Threat Agent Cloud Tactical Intercept and Countermeasure (TACTIC) Program scheduled for March 2, 2006 in the Washington, DC Area. The purpose of the workshop meeting is to: 1) Promote the interaction of existing and potential technology development performers with potential systems integrator performers; 2) Provide an overview of the program and results of Phase I testing; 3) Share in the knowledge acquired during Phase I of the program; and 4) Generate open dialogue on systems integration approaches. The goal of the TACTIC Program is to provide the US military with a revolutionary capability to protect the warfighter from chemical and biological warfare agent (CWA/BWA) threat clouds released on the battlefield. The program seeks to develop an integrated system that can rapidly detect and identify the presence of a threat cloud and provide a countermeasure to that cloud to defeat it before it reaches the intended target. Additional background information regarding the TACTIC Program can be found at: http://www.darpa.mil/spo/programs/tactic.htm?area=2. This notice is intended solely to inform potential system developers and existing and potential component-level technology developers of the opportunity to discuss their capabilities as they relate to the TACTIC Program. The workshop meeting will be informational in content, describing the critical lessons learned from Phase I of the program as well as laying the groundwork for discussions regarding systems development. This announcement encourages organizations not currently part of the program, which possess innovative component-level capabilities for the detection and/or defeat of chemical/biological agents AND/OR systems integration experience and capabilities, to actively participate in the program. The workshop meeting will be a one-day event consisting of a morning and an afternoon session. During the morning session, presentations will be delivered to provide a brief overview of current component technologies. The afternoon portion of the workshop will include a poster session to promote discussions among current and potential program participants (posters are required of component technology developers and optional for system integrators). Posters should contain non-proprietary information (dimensions 3 feet x 4 feet). In addition, system developers who are invited to attend the workshop meeting will have the opportunity to discuss their ideas for integration on a one-to-one basis with the TACTIC Program Manager. Attendance at this meeting will be limited to organizations that can demonstrate a reasonable expectation of having expertise that would contribute to the success of the TACTIC Program. Such expertise is likely to be held by organizations with experience in the fields of chemical and/or biological warfare defense; detection, neutralization, and decontamination; contamination transport modeling; chemical and/or biological sensors; and/or the integration of complex C/B systems. Other areas of expertise may also qualify. In all cases, qualification will be determined by DARPA. Interested parties will need to submit information describing their capabilities and how these capabilities are best suited for TACTIC systems and component level development. Submitted information should be limited to 1 page. DARPA also requests a non-proprietary cover page identifying your company name, address, and technical point of contact. Responses should be received no later than COB Wednesday, February 15, 2006. Responses should be submitted via email or CD-ROM to: ATTN: Ivan Stanish, Schafer Corporation, 3811 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203, contact@example.gov. DARPA will provide additional meeting details to those organizations invited to the workshop meeting by COB Wednesday, February 22, 2006. Note that the Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this notice or to otherwise pay for the information solicited. Any proprietary concepts or information should be clearly identified as such. Input on technical aspects of the responses may be solicited by DARPA from non-Government consultants/experts who are bound by appropriate non-disclosure requirements.