Department of Defense Grant for Investigating Time-Varying Nuclear Decay Parameters

INTRODUCTION:

This publication constitutes a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) as contemplated in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.102(d)(2) and 35.016, the Department of Defense Grants and Agreements regulations (DoDGARS) 22.315(a) and DoD‟s Other Transaction Guide for Prototypes Projects, USD(AT&L), OT Guide, Jan 2001. A formal Request for Proposals (RFP), solicitation, and/or additional information regarding this announcement will not be issued.

Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane will not issue paper copies of this announcement. NSWC Crane reserves the right to select for award all some or none of the proposals in response to this announcement. Crane reserves the right to fund all, some or none of the proposals received under this BAA. Crane provides no funding for direct reimbursement of proposal development costs. Technical and cost proposals (or any other material) submitted in response to this BAA will not be returned. All proposals will be treated as sensitive competitive information and to disclose their contents only for the purposes of evaluation.

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. Agency Name

Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division
300 HWY 361
Crane, IN 47522

2. Research Opportunity Number

N00164-16-1-1006

3. Response Date

Full Proposal Due: April 29, 2016 Eastern Daylight Time 14:00

Period of Performance: 12 months Estimated Award: NTE $80K

4. Business and Technical Point of Contact:

Steven L. Junkins
Code 021 BLDG 3373
Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division
300 HWY 361
Crane, IN 47522
Email: steven.junkins1@navy.mil

5. Basic Research Opportunity Title: Time-Varying Nuclear Decay Parameters

6. Research Opportunity Descriptions:

Though the mechanisms for the observed time dependence in nuclear decay parameters are not well understood, the importance of this work is twofold: 1.) the ability to account for noise sources associated with microelectronics in radiation environments, 2.) the exploration of new physical mechanisms that could lead to new detection technologies with significant impacts to DoD applications. Crane is interested in funding research to explore the existence of physical mechanisms of nuclear decay modulation.

AWARD INFORMATION

The Government may make multiple awards. The amount of resources made available to this BAA will depend on the quality of the proposals received and the availability of funds.
The Government reserves the right to select for negotiation all, some, one, or none of the proposals received in response to this solicitation and to make awards without discussions with proposers. The Government also reserves the right to conduct discussions if later determined to be necessary. Proposals identified for negotiation may result in a procurement contract or other transaction depending upon the nature of the work proposed, the required degree of interaction between parties, and other factors. Proposers should note that the required degree of interaction between parties will be to the maximum extent possible as allowed by the contractual vehicle. The Government reserves the right to request any additional necessary documentation once it makes the award instrument determination. Such additional information may include but is not limited to Representations and Certifications. The Government reserves the right to remove proposers from award consideration should the parties fail to reach agreement on award terms, conditions, and cost/price within a reasonable time or the proposer fails to timely provide requested additional information.

 
Technical Proposal
Content: The technical proposal must convey an understanding of the problems or limitations of the general technology area and the intended application(s). The technical proposal shall include the following items.
A. Executive Summary: Describe the proposed program, objectives, and approach. A description of the innovation and benefits of the proposed approach and relationship to previous efforts should be discussed. It should summarize the technical issues addressed by the offeror’s proposal without repeating the requirements. This should provide a vision of what will ultimately be achieved and what solution this effort will produce.

B. Program Description: Describe the techniques, methods, materials, or ideas that will be addressed in this proposal, their innovation, and to what degree they advance the state-of-the-art.

C. Program Plan: Describe in detail the planned approach and how the plan will be executed. This section should include all technical aspects of the approach. Provide technical detail and analysis necessary to support the technical approach proposed. Clearly identify the core of the intended approach. The “new and creative” solution to the problem(s) should be developed and analyzed in this section. Include a risk assessment of key technical, schedule or cost areas and their potential impact on the program. Identify why proposed subcontractors were selected and what tasks they are to perform.

D. Contractor’s Statement of Work (C-SOW):

1. The C-SOW, a stand-alone document, should detail the research to be accomplished under the technical area and should be suitable for incorporation into the awarded document. The proposed C-SOW should summarize the technical methodology and the task description, but not to the extent to make the awarded instrument inflexible. Do not include any proprietary information in the C-SOW. Contractors may request copies of our contracts under the Freedom of Information Act. Consequently, it is imperative that no company-sensitive information be included in the C-SOW. The C-SOW should include the anticipated deliverables (hardware, software, reports, etc.).

2. The following is offered as a recommended format for the C-SOW. The C-SOW should be structured in three sections; Scope, Applicable Documents, And Requirements.

a. SCOPE: This section includes a statement of what the program covers. This should include the technology area to be investigated, objectives/goals, and major milestones for the effort. It defines the breadth and limitations of the work to be done.

b. APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS: This section includes reference documents needed to identify or clarify the work to be performed.

c. REQUIREMENTS: This section identifies the specific work to be performed. The work effort should be arranged into major tasks and identified in separately numbered paragraphs. Each numbered major task should delineate by subtask the work to be performed and should follow an outline numbering scheme. The C-SOW must identify all reviews and when/where (identify by milestone or task) that will be conducted. It must also identify any and all items (hardware, software, reports, etc.) to be delivered to the Government as a result of the program.

E. Milestone Chart: A Milestone Chart should indicate when specific objectives are expected to be met in the overall program schedule and should identify the specific accomplishments necessary to proceed to the next task. Provide a schedule of when the deliverable items identified in the award are to be delivered.

F. Facilities and Equipment description: Describe the facilities that can be used to achieve the goals of the program, in terms of manufacturing capability, testing facilities, and/or any relevant specialized equipment.

G. Description of Relevant Prior Work: Provide a list of related previous or current government, commercial, or internally funded work during the past five years. For each such effort, provide the principal investigator, title of effort, contract number, brief summary of results, dollar value, and a technical and contracting point of contact, including phone numbers, for the funding organizations.

H. Management Plan: Offerors should provide an approach that demonstrates the ability to effectively and efficiently manage and administer the research program to a successful conclusion.

I. Resumes of Key Individuals: Include brief summaries of resumes of relevant key individuals including any consultants or subcontractors that might be proposed.
NOTE: Page Limitations. The technical proposal including the C-SOW shall be limited to 30 pages single spaced, double-sided, 8.5 by 11-inch pages. Select an easy to read font no smaller than 12 pitch fixed or proportional font size 10 or larger. Smaller type may be used in figures and tables as long as it is clearly legible. The page limitation includes all information i.e., indices, photographs, foldouts (2 page), appendices, attachments, resumes, C-SOW, etc. Each printed side counts as one page. Blank pages, title pages, tables of content, lists, tabs or cover sheets are not included in the page count. The Government will not consider pages in excess of this limitation.
 
Cost/Business Proposal
Separate this proposal into a Cost section and a Business section.
A. Cost Section: The cost proposal containing other than cost or pricing data shall be submitted in the format provided in the announcement and is necessary for the Government to perform a cost realism analysis. Adequate price competition is anticipated for each solicitation issued unless stated otherwise in the announcement. A determination as to the existence of adequate price competition will be made by the cognizant Procuring Contracting Officer on a case by case basis. If adequate price competition is determined not to exist, the Government reserves the right to obtain certified cost or pricing data from the offeror.

B. Business Section: The business section should contain all business aspects to the proposed contractual arrangement, such as type of contract/instrument, any unique terms and conditions, any exceptions to terms and conditions of the announcement or solicitation, and any information not technically related. Provide rationale for exceptions. As a goal, offerors are requested to keep the business section to 20 pages.
 
II. PROPOSAL REVIEW AND EVALUATION PROCEDURES

A. GENERAL.
The Government reserves the right to select for award to responsible offerors.
Contractors any, all, part, or none of the proposals that are received in response to this announcement, subject to the availability of funds. The technical and cost proposals will be evaluated at the same time. You may be ineligible for award if all requirements of this announcement are not met by the proposal due date and time. At minimum, incomplete proposals may be given lower priority and, although technically acceptable, not awarded due to funding limitations. No further evaluation criteria will be used.
B. EVALUATION CRITERIA.
The selection of one or more sources for award will be based on an evaluation of each offeror’s proposal to determine the overall merit of the proposal in response to this announcement. Proposals will be evaluated in accordance with FAR 35.016, Broad Agency Announcement. The proposals will be evaluated utilizing a peer or scientific review process and shall be evaluated based on the following criteria that are listed in “DESCENDING” order of importance:
1. Overall scientific and technical merits of the proposal;

2. Importance to NSWC programs;

3. Fund availability/affordability

Price will be a substantial consideration in selecting proposals for awards, but will be secondary to technical considerations. Cost realism and reasonableness shall also be considered to the extent appropriate. Price will be evaluated and may be negotiated if necessary on proposals selected for award.
C. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS
The technical and cost proposals will be evaluated at the same time and categorized as follows:
1. CATEGORY I: Well-conceived, scientifically and technically sound proposals important to program goals and objectives. Proposals in Category I are recommended for acceptance subject to funding constraints.

2. CATEGORY II: Scientifically or technically sound proposals that may require further development and may be recommended for acceptance, but are at a lower priority than Category I proposals and are not always funded.

3. CATEGORY III: Proposals not technical sound or do not meet agency needs and may be recommended for rejection.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

All responsible sources from academia and industry may submit proposals under this BAA. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Institutions (MIs) are encouraged to submit proposals and join others in submitting proposals. However, no portion of this BAA will be set aside for HBCU and MI participation.

Federally Funded Research & Development Centers (FFRDCs), including Department of Energy National Laboratories, are not eligible to receive awards under this BAA. However, teaming arrangements between FFRDCs and eligible principal bidders are allowed so long as they are permitted under the sponsoring agreement between the Government and the specific FFRDC.

Navy laboratories and warfare centers as well as other Department of Defense and civilian agency laboratories are also not eligible to receive awards under this BAA and should not directly submit either white papers or full proposals in response to this BAA.

Teams are also encouraged and may submit proposals in any and all areas. However, Offerors must be willing to cooperate and exchange software, data and other information in an integrated program with other contractors, as well as with system integrators, selected by NSWC Crane.

Some topics cover export controlled technologies. Research in these areas is limited to “U.S. persons” as defined in the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR) – 22 CFR § 1201.1 et seq.

For Grant, Cooperative Agreement and Other Transaction Agreement applications:

The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-282), as amended by Section 6202 of Public Law 110-252, requires that all agencies establish requirements for recipients reporting information on subawards and executive total compensation as codified in 2 CFR 170.110. Any company, non-profit agency or university that applies for financial assistance (either grants, cooperative agreements or other transaction agreements) as either a prime or sub-recipient under this BAA must provide information in their proposal that describes the necessary processes and systems in place to comply with the reporting requirements identified in 2 CFR 170.220 and Appendix A. Entities are exempt from this requirement UNLESS in the preceding fiscal year, it received: a) 80 percent or more of its annual gross revenue in Federal contracts (and subcontracts), loans, grants (and subgrants), and cooperative agreements; b) $25 million or more in annual gross revenue from Federal contracts (and subcontracts), loans, grants (and subgrants), and cooperative agreements; and c) the public does not have access to information about the compensation of the senior executives through periodic reports filed under section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or section 6104 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
The offeror must use the Grants.gov forms from the application package template associated with the BAA on the Grants.gov web site located at http://www.grants.gov/. If options are proposed, the cost proposal must provide the pricing information for the option periods; failure to include the proposed costs for the option periods will result in the options not being included in the award. Assume that performance will start no earlier than three (3) months after the date the cost proposal is submitted. A separate Adobe .pdf document should be included in the application that provides appropriate justification and/or supporting documentation for each element of cost proposed.

The following information must be completed as follows in the SF 424 to ensure that the application is directed to the correct individual for review: Block 4a, Federal Identifier: Enter the previous Crane award number, or N00164 if the application is not a renewal or expansion of an existing award; Block 4b, Agency Routing Number: Enter the three (3) digit Program Office Code (i.e., 321) and the Program Officers name, last name first, in brackets (i.e., [Parsley, Dallas]).

Please note that Volume I, Technical Proposal should be submitted as an attachment to the SF 424 rather than being inserted into Block 8, Project Narrative. Block 8 should be completed with a statement that Volume 1 is attached. To attach the Technical Proposal, open the Attachment Form in the Optional Documents box of the application package, scroll down to the Attachment page, and follow the instructions. The file should be titled “Volume I – Technical Proposal.”

 
IV. Submission of Grant Proposals through Grants.gov

(NOT APPLICABLE TO PROPOSALS FOR CONTRACTS, COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS, AND OTHER TRANSACTION AGREEMENTS)

Detailed instructions entitled “Grants.gov Electronic Application and Submission Information” on how to submit a grant proposal through Grants.gov may be found at the ONR website listed under the „Acquisition Department – Contracts & Grants Submitting a Proposal” link at: http://www.onr.navy.mil/Contracts-Grants/submit-proposal/grants-proposal/grants-gov.aspx.

By completing Block 17, the Grant Applicant is providing the certification on lobbying required by 32 CFR Part 28. Refer to Section VI, “Award Administration Information” entitled “Certifications” for further information.

For electronic submission of grant full proposals, several one-time actions must be completed in order to submit an application through Grants.gov. These include obtaining a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, registering with the Central Contract Registration (CCR), registering with the credential provider, and registering with Gr