Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) Opportunity for Exploration of 3-Dimensional Data Capture and Digitizing Systems for Field Use in Department of Defense Logistics Operations

United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), on behalf of its transportation component command, Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (MSDDC), is seeking non-federal partners ("Collaborators") from industry and academia for consideration to enter into Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) (described in 15 USC 3710a). USTRANSCOM/MSDDC is seeking CRADA Collaborators to explore and advance the military's ability to create feasible container loading plans which are more effective than the military's current capability in accommodating irregularly- or complex-shaped items, with the goal of more efficient use of container volume and corresponding decreased transportation costs. The capability of greatest interest is rapid and accurate capture/digitizing of all dimensions and profiles of the object to be shipped, regardless of the complexity of its shape. There is a time and accuracy challenge in capturing dimensions of irregularly-shaped items: those items with one dimension greatly differing from the other two, composed of non-linear shapes (e.g., compound curves), items whose shape does not allow them to be "nested", and/or items assembled from multiple subcomponents of asymmetric shape which are far from cubical or rectangular in profile. Examples of irregularly- or unusually-shaped items include: aircraft tow bars; tank turrets; air stairs; backhoes; anchors; vehicles with high ground clearance; antennas on masts; automobile engine lifts, cranes, etc. Traditional loading processes would simply encase these items in a subcontainer with cubical or rectilinear dimensions. This approach simplifies container stuffing, but also imposes a significant amount of void space within the subcontainer or the shipping container itself. Specific innovation interests include, but are not limited to: - Improved methods of accurately and easily capturing/digitizing the dimensions of complex shapes/irregularly-shaped items' dimensions in the field at austere locations in the continental United States (CONUS) or beyond CONUS, as well as in well-equipped storage locations or transportation nodes worldwide; - Features and utility of existing systems and techniques of capturing and digitizing currently used outside of the Department of Defense, potentially adaptable to DOD use, and the effort required in doing so; Methods to capture dimensions which accommodate single items or multiple items (potentially hundreds per day) with significantly reduced data capture time and increased accuracy compared to current manual processes. - Hardware, software and data interfaces; - Human-system interfaces; - Predicted reliability, durability, and affordability (including return on investment) of the techniques; - Methods of formatting captured data for legacy decision support systems (for example, data feeding optimization capabilities like those in the Integrated Computerized Deployment System (ICODES)). - Operator training requirements and ownership and maintenance concepts CRADA Collaborators should have significant expertise and experience in automated data capture techniques in field use. This collaborative effort may involve the following activities or others, as mutually agreed by the government and its industry or academia partners: - Jointly exploring best practices and various approaches used in industry but not yet widely used in the Department of Defense; - Joint development of employment concepts (CONEMPs) for techniques and systems new to the DOD; - Exploration and development of new techniques in laboratory and/or realistic environments (including field trials) in either the Collaborator's or the government's representative operational environment. This is not a solicitation for a procurement contract, nor should this announcement be construed as implying any future solicitation by USTRANSCOM, MSDDC, or any other Government agency in this area. Small and large businesses, universities, and other non-federal parties may respond to this announcement. Respondents (potential Collaborators) may team. Multiple federal agencies may participate in this collaborative project on behalf of or in partnership with USTRANSCOM and MSDDC, including federal laboratories and other agencies as the U.S. Government deems appropriate. Information, discussions, demonstrations, and other collaborative activities are proposed to remain at the UNCLASSIFIED level. If classified information exchange is indicated, Collaborator personnel must provide, at no cost to the Government, clearance documentation prior to classified data/information exchange. Results and products of this collaborative effort may include reports, presentations, simulations, demonstrations, and analyses of feasibility, technical maturity, costs, risks, etc., as well as (but not limited to) doctrine, training, CONEMP, and CONOPS information. CRADAs are defined in 15 USC 3710a(d), in part, as "any agreement between one or more federal laboratories and one or more non-federal parties under which the Government, through its laboratories, may provide personnel, services, facilities, equipment, data, information, intellectual property and other resources with or without reimbursement (excluding funds to non-Federal parties) and the non-Federal parties may provide personnel, services, facilities, equipment, data, information, intellectual property, funds, and other resources toward the conduct of specified research or development efforts which are consistent with the missions of the laboratory; except that such term does not include a procurement contract..." CRADAs resulting from this announcement are forecast to be in effect for approximately a 2-year period, although duration can be tailored to suit both parties' needs, by mutual agreement, before or after work begins. USTRANSCOM and other Government agencies selected by USTRANSCOM will evaluate potential Collaborators' white papers (submittal instructions follow), based on Collaborator demonstrated applicable experience, technical qualifications, resources offered, etc. Government resources available for collaboration will also be considered as part of the government's selection process. USTRANSCOM will choose one, multiple, or zero white papers and so notify respondents that further discussions are desired. Initial white paper selection and subsequent discussions do not guarantee selection of any Collaborator by USTRANSCOM to actually enter into a CRADA. After initial Government white paper selection, discussions will ensue separately with each potential Collaborator, seeking to reach mutual agreement between USTRANSCOM and the Collaborator(s) on objectives, duration, intellectual property, and resources to be applied by the parties in the proposed CRADA(s). The Government may choose to visit applicable facilities to observe Collaborator capabilities prior to final selection. The Government may choose to hold an Industry Day or similar activity, at or near Scott AFB, Illinois either before or after initial white paper selection. No Government funding is available to cover white paper preparation or submittal costs, or to cover discussions, facility visits, or any other Collaborator costs of preparation or participation in a CRADA. The USTRANSCOM CRADA template is available at http://www.ustranscom.mil/about/org/tccs/Model_USTRANSCOM_CRADA.pdf for potential Collaborator familiarization. Collaborator(s) and USTRANSCOM will jointly draft and seek agreement on specific CRADA Joint Work Plan scope, objectives, resource commitments, deliverables and supporting language through discussions and mutual agreement after initial Collaborator selection. Interested parties should submit white papers not later than 12:01 AM (midnight US Central time) on 31 Jan 2014 via e-mail only, to TCJ5-ORTA@ustranscom.mil in the following format. - Microsoft Word or .pdf format of not more than 8 pages in length, on standard 8 by 11-inch page, with 1-inch margins at top, bottom, left and right, in Times New Roman font of not less than 12-point size, with not more than 6 lines per inch. - Pages numbered sequentially in the bottom footer including submitting organization's name on each page. - Clearly marked/identified Proprietary Information; photos, diagrams, etc. - Include the following information (within the 8-page limit): -- Title (no separate title page needed) -- Company name and State of incorporation, plus incorporation of any parent entity. Companies with foreign ownership or parentage must identify the nation of incorporation of the non-U.S. entity; USTRANSCOM must inform the US Trade Representative of CRADAs with non-U.S. entities. -- University name and location/state or nation of incorporation, plus state of incorporation of parent educational institution, if applicable. -- Description and location of any specialized facilities or capabilities (other than typical office space) to be dedicated to the collaborative effort. An optional brief video overview of facilities or Collaborator capabilities (approx. 5 megabytes or less), in addition to the 8-page textual white paper, may be submitted. -- Discussion of how potential Collaborator meets USTRANSCOM's stated interests and will contribute to a CRADA partnership in the subject area. Interest areas include: a description of the Collaborator's innovation capabilities, ability to understand and analyze user needs, develop advanced concepts, design systems compatible with existing Government systems, mitigate risks of development, production, integration, etc., model, simulate, produce reports, host meetings, exercises, or experiments, perform economic analyses, and otherwise apply resources and expertise to collaborative development of pertinent concepts and systems. -- Resources to be supplied by the Collaborator (such as facilities, personnel, expertise, information systems, proprietary materials, prototypes, etc.). -- Open source software and any third party software to be used or provided by the Collaborator. -- Resources requested from USTRANSCOM (such as personnel, skill sets, data, information, facilities, access, etc.) -- Collaborator background/experience in applicable/related system development, engineering, integration with existing systems and infrastructures, economic and other analysis, testing, operation, etc. Provide DOD points of contact with addresses/phone numbers as references, if available. -- Collaborator(s) point(s) of contact (name, address, e-mail, and phone) for notification of selection/non-selection and follow-on actions (if chosen). USTRANSCOM and other Government agency personnel participating in white paper review and follow-on collaborative work under CRADA may include in-house support contractors and members of Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC). Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDA) will be accomplished wherever needed to protect respondent intellectual property. The USTRANSCOM Office of Research and Technology Applications (ORTA), which orchestrates USTRANSCOM Technology Transfer activities, is operated by members of the MITRE Corporation's National Security Engineering Center (NSEC) FFRDC. White papers from respondents that do not become CRADA collaborators will be retained in USTRANSCOM ORTA records and all appropriately marked proprietary information will be protected. Primary Point of Contact: Mark Surina, MITRE Corporation USTRANSCOM TCJ5-GC Office of Research and Technology Applications (ORTA) 508 Scott Drive Scott AFB, Illinois 62225 TCJ5-ORTA@ustranscom.mil