A -- TRUST for Integrated Circuits

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting research proposals in the area of TRUST for Integrated Circuits. Proposed research should investigate innovative approaches that enable revolutionary advances in science, devices or systems. Specifically excluded is research, which primarily results in evolutionary improvement upon existing state-of-the-art. Largely because of global economic pressures, fabrication of advanced integrated circuits is migrating to foreign foundries. In addition, business models are increasingly driven by commercial, rather then military, demand. Dedicated facilities cannot provide the performance, variety and volume of microchips that the DoD needs. These trends have raised concern regarding U.S. weapons systems reliance on high performance microchips and potential vulnerabilities to these systems caused by malicious manipulation of hardware and software processes that might render these vital systems inoperable at some future time. This situation is true for both ASIC and COTS parts. Furthermore, there are issues with protecting intellectual property and military secrets as they are often embedded in the design of microcircuits, and the details of this design are often needed by the manufacturer in the fabrication process. Finally, there are also issues associated with protecting intellectual property and military secrets after the systems are deployed, especially in circumstances where systems and components are lost, captured or are no longer under U.S. control and subject to reverse engineering over a sustained period of time. This new DARPA initiative is being considered to address the above issues and others that have been identified in the DSB study on High Performance Microchip Supply [http://www.acq.osd.mil/dsb/reports/2005-02-HPMS_Report_Final.pdf]. The report addresses design, the use of advanced design tools, fabrication, packaging, testing, and monitoring of high performance IC's within critical systems and subsystems. Specific areas of interest to DARPA include TRUST, Information Leakage and Anti-Tamper; although the primary interest is TRUST. DARPA will also engage in a Metrics-for-TRUST task focused on measuring the value of DARPA investments in novel technologies. To be clear, DARPA is only interested in issues related to TRUSTed Integrated Circuits and is not interested in proposals pertaining to issues concerning printed circuit boards or the general area of malicious software. PROGRAM SCOPE Multiple awards are anticipated. Collaborative efforts/teaming are encouraged. 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 POC for this effort is Dean R. Collins, Deputy Director-MTO, Phone 571-218-4650, Fax 703-696-2206, Email dean.collins@darpa.mil. GENERAL INFORMATION Proposers must obtain a pamphlet entitled "BAA 06-40,TRUST for Integrated Circuits, Proposer Information Pamphlet," Proposer Information Pamphlet" which provides further information on technical areas of interest to DARPA. This pamphlet may be obtained from the FedBizOpps website: http://www.fedbizopps.gov/, Grants.gov website: http://www.grants.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, offerors are strongly encouraged to submit white papers in advance of full proposals. An original and five (5) copies of the white paper and two (2) electronic copies (i.e., two (2) separate disks) of the white paper [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] should be submitted. Each disk must be clearly labeled with BAA 06-40, offeror organization, proposal title (short title recommended), and Copy __ of 2. The white paper (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 06-40) on or before 4:00 p.m., local time, Friday, June 30, 2006. White papers 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, which may differ from the originally published date below. Offerors not submitting white papers must submit an original and five (5) copies of the full proposal and two (2) electronic copies (i.e., two (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 06-40, 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 06-40) on or before 4:00 p.m., local time, Monday, August 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 Grants.Gov. Full proposals submitted after the due date specified in the BAA or due date otherwise specified by DARPA after review of proposals may be selected contingent upon the availability of funds. This notice, in conjunction with the BAA 06-40 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 and to make awards without discussion. In the event that DARPA desires to award only portions of a proposal, negotiations will be opened with that offeror. 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), Minority Institutions (MIs), and Small and Small Disadvantaged Businesses are encouraged to submit proposals and join others in submitting proposals; however, no portion of this BAA will be set aside for these organizations' participation due to the impracticality of reserving discrete or severable areas of research in Trusted Integrated Circuits. All administrative correspondence and questions on this solicitation, including requests for information on how to submit a white paper 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 06-40. Proposals and white papers 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. DARPA/MTO will accept classified responses to this BAA when the classification is mandated by classification guidance provided by an Original Classification Authority of the U.S. Government, or when the bidder believes the work, if successful, would merit classification. Security classification guidance on a DD Form 254 (DoD Contract Security Classification Specification) will not be provided at this time since DARPA is soliciting ideas only. After reviewing incoming proposals, if a determination is made that contract award may result in access to classified information, a DD Form 254 will be issued upon contract award. If you choose to submit a classified proposal you must first receive the permission of the Original Classification Authority to use their information in replying to this BAA. The primary point of contact for classified responses is Darrin Smith (703-526-4102, 703-807-1779 fax, darin.smith@darpa.mil) who should be contacted prior to the submitting a classified white paper or proposal. Any questions regarding the TRUSTed Integrated Circuits BAA, BAA06-40, please send them to the BAA e-mail address, BAA06-40@darpa.mil. Answers to all frequently asked questions and any questions seeking technical clarification will be posted on the MTO Solicitations webpage, http://www.darpa.mil/mto/solicitations, under the BAA06-40 section. EVALUATION CRITERIA Evaluation of proposal white papers and full 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 DARPA mission, (3) plans and capability to accomplish technology transition, (4) offeror's capabilities and related experience, (5) realism of the proposed schedule, and (6) cost realism. Cost/price reasonableness will be made prior to award. The administrative addresses for this BAA are: Fax: (703) 351-8616 (Addressed to: DARPA/MTO, BAA 06-40), Electronic Mail: BAA06-40@darpa.mil Mail: DARPA/MTO, ATTN: BAA 06-40 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. Point of Contact Dean R. Collins, Deputy Director-MTO, Phone 571-218-4650, Fax 703-696-2206, Email dean.collins@darpa.mil.