Partnership Intermediary Agreements Concerning Improving Technology Transfer and Non-traditional Defense Industry Engagement

Request for Information Federal Agency Name: US Army CCDC Ground Vehicle Systems Center Opportunity Announcement Title: Partnership Intermediary Agreements Concerning Improving Technology Transfer and Non-traditional Defense Industry Engagement Opportunity Announcement Type: Initial Request Opportunity Announcement Number: PIA_CITT Contracting Points of Contact: The contracting points of contact for this announcement is Andrew Greer, andrew.r.greer4.civ@army.mil. Background: The United States CCDC Ground Vehicle Systems Center has an interest in entering into one or multiple Partnership Intermediary Agreement(s) (PIA), under the authority of 15 U.S.C. 3715, with a Partnership Intermediary, as defined in 15 U.S.C. 3715 (c), to provide services for advanced technology in ground systems. It is a part of the U.S Army CCDC, a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Futures Command. GVSC shares its facilities with U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command (TACOM LCMC). GVSC conducts advanced and additive manufacturing in support of U.S. Army modernization and is focused on disruptive science and technology for the long term, performing research to answer the hardest science and technology questions for future Army capabilities. This Partnership Intermediary will act on behalf of GVSC to execute the mission of GVSC to increase the likelihood of success in the conduct of collaborative or joint activities between the Army and small business firms and educational institutions to stimulate and promote technology development, and outbound and inbound transfer of technology (T2) between GVSC and academia, industry and federal laboratories with a focus on advanced and additive manufacturing. Any resultant PIA will be a non-Federal Acquisition Regulation based agreement made pursuant to the authority of 15 U.S.C. 3715. Description/Objective: The GVSC is requesting white papers for those entities that are eligible to enter into a PIA as defined in 15 U.S.C. 3715 (c). In accordance with 15 U.S.C. 3715, eligibility to receive a PIA is limited to an agency of a State or local government, or a nonprofit entity owned in whole or in part by, chartered by, funded in whole or in part by, or operated in whole or in part by or on behalf of a State or local government, that assists, counsels, advises, evaluates, or otherwise cooperates with small business firms, institutions of higher education as defined in section 1141(a) of title 20, or educational institutions within the meaning of section 2194 of title 10, that need or can make demonstrably productive use of technology-related assistance from a Federal laboratory, including State programs receiving funds under cooperative agreements entered into under section 5121(b) of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 278l). Objectives: Provide technology "matchmaking" to labs & companies - Identifying new advanced and additive technology for potential acquisition by the U.S. Army, with a special focus on innovation from non-traditional defense contractor Develop an advanced manufacturing commercialization center that will foster partnerships with industry and other services to bring in and advance the state of new capital equipment in support of advanced manufacturing; develop and verify installation and operational requirements; and will not be a competitor to any of the Department of Defense Organic Industrial Base (DOIB). Provide referrals among and between DoD laboratories to ensure researchers share technology and knowledge applicable to multi-domain operations and cross functional teams. Post and market technologies created by GVSC researchers, whether patented or not. Identify promising technologies and products from industry, academia, and other federal labs that may be beneficial to GVSC advanced manufacturing mission. Facilitate advanced manufacturing technology demonstration projects, licenses, and other opportunities to achieve its mission Identify manufacturing community for GVSC advanced manufacturing businesses looking to license government inventions. Identify advanced manufacturing opportunities for research and development collaboration between the GVSC, private companies, research universities, and other agencies including by surveying online technology communities conducting research in fields relating to the Ground Vehicle Systems Center's areas of interest Market GVSC's advanced manufacturing technology portfolio for dual-use commercialization, including facilitating the licensing of its patent portfolio Coordinate and host special events that inspire innovative collaborative problem solving with various vendors such as Prize Challenges, Shark Tank events, Innovation/Invention pitch days (mil-to-civ or civ-to-mil), and innovation workshops with specialized working groups. Facilitate technology incubation by serving as a forum for introductions between private equity and small businesses to mature potentially dual-use technologies for potential prototype acquisition by the U.S. Army. Identify technology, techniques and methodologies for transfer and transition between GVSC, small businesses, and Army stakeholders. Develop and grow a network of associates or an ecosystem to engage in collaborative problem solving. Conduct intellectual property workshops and meetings with GVSC that drive invention disclosures and patent applications. Develop and maintain relationships with the entrepreneur community and communities of interest to GVSC advanced manufacturing researchers and focus areas Assess the merit of advanced manufacturing technology concepts from GVSC and external sources Forecast future advanced manufacturing technology directions, disruptive innovations, and other opportunities for technologies to meet future Army needs Establish a working structure that will engage with entrepreneurs, academia, industry, and subject matter experts in the area of advanced manufacturing. Provide personnel with requisite expertise and experience to fulfill requirements. Support the PIA with an organizational capability that can provide additional supervisory, technical, Subject Matter Expert (SME), and logistics capability if reach-back is needed by the resident Partnership Intermediary (PI) personnel Format: White papers submitted in response to the announcement should not contain proprietary information. If proprietary information is submitted, GVSC will make every effort to protect the confidentiality of the submission and any documents produced in the course of consideration. However, under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requirements, such information (or portions thereof) may potentially be subject to release. If protection is desired for proprietary or confidential information, the respondent must mark the white paper and/or submission with a protective legend found in FAR 52.215-1(e), Instructions to Offerors - Competitive Acquisition, (modified to permit release to outside non-government evaluators and support contractors retained by GVSC). It is the respondent's responsibility to notify GVSC of white papers containing proprietary information and to identify the relevant portions of its papers that require protection. The entire white paper (or portions thereof) without protective markings or otherwise identified as requiring protection will be considered to be furnished voluntarily to GVSC without restriction and will be treated as such for all purposes. White papers should not exceed 10 pages and should address the offeror's capabilities/ability to meet the objectives outlined above, its qualification as a Partnership Intermediary, and its eligibility under 15 U.S.C. - 3715(c). An entity does not need to respond to every objective, but may only be considered for those objectives that it addresses. Content: Organization name, address, and cage code. Point of contact including name, title, telephone number, and email addresses. Information on the status of the organization as a qualifying partnership intermediary under 15 U.S.C. - 3715. Describe how the organization would approach the tasks and vision described in this Special Notice, addressing at a minimum 10 of the collaboration mechanisms listed herein. Discuss the organization assessment of the risks in executing the effort. Discuss the organization's vision of how it would setup the base effort to achieve the GVSC's objectives Identify any resource constraints. Any organizational experience in conducting these types of activities, along with identified references for the GVSC to contact. Provide a rough order of magnitude to achieve GVSC's objectives. White papers and all questions are to be e-mailed to: Amanda Mieksztyn (amanda.l.mieksztyn.civ@army.mil) and Katarzyna Szkubiel (Katarzyna.k.szkubiel.civ@army.mil) CCDC Ground Vehicle Systems Center 6501 E. 11 Mile Road, MS 221 Warren, MI 48397-5000 Due Date and Time: The due date for white papers submitted in response to this announcement is no later than 4:00PM local time on 03 December 2022. Funding: No funds of either Party will be in any way committed or obligated for any purposes whatsoever by virtue of responding this RFI or entering into a PIA. Entering into an agreement will not guarantee funding for any submission, nor shall it be construed as a guarantee of future funding. *********************************************************************************** Responses to this RFI may result in an offer to participate in a partnership agreement for at least 1 year, but not more than 5 years. The Government reserves the right to enter into one, multiple or no agreements pursuant to this announcement. An offer to enter into an agreement is based on the subjective consideration of the entity's capabilities and the particular needs of GVSC and the Army in furthering some or all of the objectives stated herein and that best amplifies the program's capability and national reach. An entity does not need to satisfy every objective to be considered for an agreement and an agreement does not give the entity exclusive rights to a particular objective.