ADAPTIVE FUSION, & REASONING OF MULTI-SOURCE DATA (AFAR)

NAICS CODE:  541715

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

BAA ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE:  Initial announcement

BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT (BAA)

TITLE:  Adaptive Fusion, Analysis & Reasoning of multi-source data (AFAR)                                                                                           

BAA NUMBER: FA8750-23-S-7008

PART I – OVERVIEW INFORMATION

This announcement is for an Open, 2 Step BAA which is open and effective until 29 Aug 2028.  Only white papers will be accepted as initial submissions; formal proposals will be accepted by invitation only.  While white papers will be considered if received prior to 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time (EST), the following submission dates are suggested to best align with projected funding:

FY24 by 12 Sep 2023 (Please note: For only FY24, AFRL is seeking whitepapers for just the following Focus Areas:  A - Adaptive Knowledge and Information for Target Analysis and B - Enhancing Moving Target Engagement at Scale (EMoTES))

FY25 by 15 Jul 2024

FY26 by 15 Jul 2025

FY27 by 15 Jul 2026

FY28 by 15 Jul 2027

Offerors should monitor the Contract Opportunities on the SAM website at https://SAM.gov in the event this announcement is amended.

CONCISE SUMMARY OF TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENT:   The Air Force Research Laboratory, Information Directorate is seeking innovative approaches for the fusion, analysis and reasoning of multi-source data to advance their analytical operations in support of their Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4I) and Cyber Science mission. This announcement is comprised of three research areas: (A) Adaptive Knowledge and Information for Target Analysis (AKITA), (B) Enhancing Moving Target Engagement at Scale (EMoTES) and (C) Publicly Available Information (PAI) Ensemble Fusion (PEF), where each has research areas that taken together comprise the focus of AFAR research and development.

BAA ESTIMATED FUNDING:  Total funding for this BAA is approximately $25M.  Individual awards will not normally exceed 36 months with dollar amounts normally ranging from $500K to $1.5M. There is also the potential to make awards up to any dollar value as long as the value does not exceed the available BAA ceiling amount.

ANTICIPATED INDIVIDUAL AWARDS:  Multiple Awards are anticipated.  However, the Air Force reserves the right to award zero, one, or more Procurement Contracts or Assistance Instruments for all, some, or none of the solicited effort based on the offeror’s ability to perform desired work and funding fluctuations.

TYPE OF INSTRUMENTS THAT MAY BE AWARDED: FAR based Procurement contracts, CFR based grants and cooperative agreements or other transactions (OT) under under 10 USC 4021, 10 USC 4022 and 10 USC 4023( previously 10 USC 4002, 2371, 10 USC 4003, 2371b and 4004, 2373) depending upon the nature of the work proposed.

AGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION:  All white paper submissions and any questions of a technical nature shall be directed to the cognizant Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) as specified below (unless otherwise specified in the technical area):

BAA PROGRAM MANAGER (Primary):                                                              

John Spina                                                                  

AFRL/RIEA                                                                                 

525 Brooks Rd

Rome, NY 13441-4505                                                            

Telephone: (315)330-4032                                                    

Email:   john.spina@us.af.mil

BAA PROGRAM MANAGER (Secondary):

Rosanne Pelli

AFRL/RIEA                                                                                 

525 Brooks Rd

Rome, NY 13441-4505                                                            

Telephone: (315)330-4734                                                    

Email: rosanne.pelli@us.af.mil

Questions of a contractual/business nature shall be directed to the cognizant contracting officer, as specified below (email requests are preferred):

    Amber Buckley

    Email:  Amber.Buckley@us.af.mil

Emails must reference the solicitation BAA number (FA8750-23-S-7008) and title of the acquisition.

Pre-Proposal Communication between Prospective Offerors and Government Representatives:  Dialogue between prospective offerors and Government representatives is encouraged.  Technical and contracting questions can be resolved in writing or through open discussions. Discussions with any of the points of contact shall not constitute a commitment by the Government to subsequently fund or award any proposed effort. Only Contracting Officers are legally authorized to commit the Government.

Offerors are cautioned that evaluation ratings may be lowered and/or proposal rejected if proposal preparation (Proposal format, content, etc.) and/or submittal instructions are not followed.

SEE ATTACHMENT FOR FULL ANNOUNCEMENT DETAILS.

                                     AMENDMENT 1 to BAA FA8750-23-S-7008

The purpose of this amendment is to update the following:

Part II:

Section I: Technology requirements is updated to add information to Focus Area B1-Nomination of High Value Targets

No other changes have been made.

SEE ATTACHMENT FOR FULL AMENDMENT DETAILS.

                                               AMENDMENT 2 to BAA FA8750-23-S-7008

The purpose of this modification is to increase the ceiling value and make the following changes to the BAA:

1. PART I, Overview Information
   1. BAA ESTIMATED FUNDING, the BAA ceiling is increased to $37M

1. Updated the “type of instruments that may be awarded” language;

1. Part II, Full Text Announcement:
   1. Updated Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number to Assistance Listing number;
   2. Section II.1, BAA ceiling and fiscal year breakout of funding is updated;
   3. Section IV.2; updated the white paper format;
   4. Section IV.3, updated the debriefing language;
   5. Section VII, updates the provisions;
   6. Section VII, updates the OMBUDSMAN.

No other changes have been made.

SEE ATTACHMENT FOR FULL AMENDMENT DETAILS.

                                      AMENDMENT 3 to BAA FA8750-23-S-7008

The purpose of this modification is to republish the original announcement, incorporating any previous amendments, pursuant to FAR 35.016(c).

This republishing also includes the following changes:

1. Part II, Full Text Announcement:
   1. Section IV.3, updates the Information Protection contact info;
   2. Section IV.3.c, removes the requirement for hard copies;
   3. Section VI.1, updates the Proposal Formatting language;

No other changes are made.

SEE ATTACHMENT FOR FULL AMENDMENT DETAILS.

                                    Amendment No. 4 to BAA FA8750-23-S-7008

The purpose of this amendment is to:

1. Section III, Paragraph 5, updates S&T Protection language;
2. Section V, paragraph 2.e, updates the language regarding the S&T review;

SEE ATTACHMENT FOR FULL AMENDMENT DETAILS.

                                      Amendment No. 5 to BAA FA8750-23-S-7008

The purpose of this amendment is to:

1. Part II, FULL TEXT ANNOUNCEMENT, adds language regarding Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Act (FASCSA) Orders;
2. Section VI, paragraph 11, updates FINANCIAL RESOURCES requirements language;

1. FULL TEXT ANNOUNCEMENT:

Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Act (FASCSA) Orders: As of the date of this solicitation amendment, there are no applicable FASCSA orders. This requirement only applies to FAR based awards.

1. SECTION VI:

11. FINANCIAL RESOURCES: Proposals shall include information to determine adequate financial resources to perform the effort, taking into consideration all existing commercial and governmental business commitments. See DFARS 232.072-2(b) for a list of the types of information used to support financial responsibility. Examples include financial statements (e.g. Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Cash Flow Statement, Compensation); disclosures of previous insolvency; business case/cash flow forecasts; financing arrangements; and/or letters of good standing from accredited financial institutions.  Proposals shall also include all significant ratios as outlined in DFARS 232.072-2(b)(10)(i)-(vi). This requirement only applies to FAR based awards.

No other changes are made.

                                          AMENDMENT 6 to BAA FA8750-23-S-7008

The purpose of this amendment is to modify:

Part I:

1. Adds a white paper due date for Focus Area B3;
2. Updates BAA estimated funding language;

Part II:

1. Section I, adds Focus Areas B3 and B4, and adds paragraph D with Focus Area D1;
2. Section IV, paragraph 1, adds a white paper due date for Focus Area B3;
3. Section VI, adds paragraph 10;

No other changes are made.

SEE ATTACHMENT FOR FULL AMENDMENT DETAILS.

                                                       Amendment No. 7 to  BAA FA8750-23-S-7008

The purpose of this amendment is to:

1. Part II, Section VI, adds paragraph 12 as follows;

12. 15% INDIRECT COST CAP ON ASSISTANCE AWARDS TO INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION: The policies of the OUSD(R&E) memo, “Implementation of a 15% Indirect Cost Cap on Assistance Awards to Institutions of Higher Education” dated 12 June 2025, will be applicable for the entirety of the award if there is a court decision permitting application of the policies.

No other changes are made.

AMENDMENT 8 to BAA FA8750-23-S-7008

The purpose of this modification is to increase the ceiling and republish the original announcement, incorporating any previous amendments, pursuant to FAR 35.016(c).

This republishing also includes the following changes:

1. Part I, Overview Information:
   1. BAA Estimated Funding is increased to $99.9M;
   2. Updates the award range;
   3. Types of Instruments that may be awarded, adds language regarding Other Transactions for Prototypes;

1. Part II, Full Text Announcement:
   1. Section II.1, BAA ceiling, fiscal year breakout of funding is updated; award range is updated;
   2. Section III.2.b.2, updates the FOCI guidance;
   3. Section IV.4.b, updates the provision date;
   4. Section IV.4.c, updates the CFR hyperlink;
   5. Section IV.4.e, adds language regarding OTs;
   6. Section V.2.b.2.e; corrects numbering;
   7. Section VI.1, updates proposal formatting language;
   8. Section VI.7, updates the provisions;
   9. Section VII: updates the OMBUDSMAN.

No other changes have been made.

AMENDMENT 9 to BAA FA8750-23-S-7008

The purpose of this modification is to:

1. Part II, Full Text Announcement:
   1. Section II.1, Technology Requirements, corrects missing reference to Focus Area D;
   2. Section VII: deletes paragraph 12.

No other changes have been made.

Amendment No. 10 to BAA FA8750-23-S-7008

The purpose of this amendment is to:

1. Part II, FULL TEXT ANNOUNCEMENT, updates the language regarding Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act (FASCSA) Orders;

FULL TEXT ANNOUNCEMENT:

Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act (FASCSA) Orders: Depending on the date of issuance of this solicitation, FASCSA order(s) may be applicable. Therefore, the Offeror shall search for the phrase “FASCSA order” in the System for Award Management (SAM) (https://www.sam.gov) for any covered article, or any products or services produced or provided by a source, if there is an applicable Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act Orders prohibition. This requirement only applies to FAR based awards.  

No other changes are made.

Amendment No. 11 to BAA FA8750-23-S-7008

The purpose of this amendment is to:

1. PART I-OVERVIEW INFORMATION, adds new language regarding assistance instruments regarding Gold Standard Science in accordance with Executive Order 14303;
2. PART II, Section V, paragraph 1, adds new language regarding evaluation criteria for assistance instruments.

See attachment for full amendment details.