OBJECTIVES
AND DESCRIPTION:
The Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate (JNLWD) is soliciting
proposals for research, development, integration, and demonstration of
next-generation non-lethal weapons (NLW) and capabilities.
The
objective of this BAA is to stimulate applied research,
development, and rapid-prototyping of a wide-spectrum of NLW
technologies in an attempt to address known NLW technology gaps, to
include:
·
Human
effects of non-lethal directed energy exposures, to include
physiological and behavioral responses.
(examples include high power microwaves (HPM), pulsed and
continuous radiofrequency radiation (RFR), laser radiation, and laser
induced plasma stimuli)
·
Emerging
Directed Energy Weapons (DEW)
that have non-lethal applications – specifically
counter-personnel, counter-material, and counter-capability missions
(example include novel HPM, RFR, laser, and laser induced plasma
sources)
·
Advanced
Materials that either provide or enhance non-lethal capabilities
(examples include advanced anti-traction materials; engine suffocates,
electrical and mechanical foulers, malodorants, thermobarics, NL
nanoparticles; rigid foams/materials, morphing materials, and
NL payload delivery systems or payloads for long range remote
engagement; and other NL reactants)
·
Human
effects relating percussive and continuous sounds, incoherent light
sources, and overpressures that alone or in combination would provide
operational capabilities while minimizing adverse health effects
(examples include exposure-response relationships resulting in glare and
flashblindess, or behavioral responses resulting from aversive sounds.)
Also includes establishing either safety thresholds or
probability relationship for adverse health effects for these stimuli.
·
Development
of long-range acoustic and ocular
technologies and devices that support operational requirements
while minimizing adverse health consequences.
·
Development
of long-range, extended duration, wireless electro-muscular
incapacitation technologies or devices (include characterization of
human effect and safety issues, miniaturization and advanced
technology issues, and precision targeting)
·
General
science and technology efforts to explore new NLW technologies and
payloads
·
Studies/Analyses
to address technology-specific legal/treaty/public acceptability issues
associated with: (1) extended duration incapacitation; (2) long-range
precision engagement of threat weapon systems (counter-material); and
(3) precision long-range engagement of threats (combatants vs
operating in complicated operational environments such as within
crowds,
·
Studies/Analyses
to identify and research repeatable, universal, & effective
technologies to stop vehicles/vessels at a distance and extended
duration incapacitation of humans.
·
Development
of compact millimeter-wave (MMW) and HPM NLWs; (for example, portable
active denial systems (PADS) and small remotely or hand-delivered high
power microwave electronic attack systems for counter-material mission
and with minimal collateral damage to adjacent electronic systems or
critical infrastructures.
·
Investigations
into the human behavioral and psychological
responses to new NLW stimuli.
This
applied research and development effort will involve scientific
investigations and studies to advance the current state of the art for
NL technologies and capabilities.
Strategically, this research will enable and expedite development
of a family of next-generation NLWs to meet a broad set of documented
NLW requirements and mission needs.
PROGRAM
SCOPE: The scope of this program is intentionally broad to address the
wide spectrum of desired operational end-points that the funded
investigations will strategically support.
Both applied and basic research in a wide spectrum of
counter-personnel and counter-material technology areas is intended.
All research is intended to have the common objective of
addressing the technology-gaps described above.
Strategically, this research will support the development of a
family of next-generation NLWs to meet a broad set of documented NLW
requirements and mission needs.
In addition to the data and technological gaps identified above,
research support by this BAA is intended to enable NL capabilities that
overcome the current limitations of existing NL systems.
These limitations include:
·
Limits
of range, accuracy and precision
·
Limits
in the effectiveness, and abilities to quantify effectiveness
·
Limits
in providing a universal, repeatable, robust NL effect
·
Limits
in target safety, particularly across a wide-spectrum of the population
·
Limits
in deployability, to include weight and volume
·
Limits
in employability, to include use in complex urban environments
EVALUATION
CRITERIA: Proposals will be evaluated using the following criteria in
descending order of importance: (1) Quality and Technical Merit, (2)
Contributions/Relevance to JNLWD and DoD, (3) Capabilities and
Experience, (4) Plans and Capabilities to Accomplish Technology
Transfer, and (5) Total Cost and Cost Realism. All awards made in
response to this BAA will be subject to availability of government
funds. Evaluations and selection or non-selection of proposals for
funding will be made on the basis of the evaluation criteria listed and
the overall balance considered most advantageous to the JNLWP.
GENERAL
INFORMATION: JNLWD has budgeted approximately $8.2 million for FY05,
$8.4 million for FY06, $7.4 million for FY07, $16.8M for FY08 and $16.8
million for FY09. Multiple awards typically of 12-36 month duration are
anticipated. Offerors should prepare proposals with a baseline period of
performance of 12 months and with one or two options each with a
12-month period of performance, and with anticipated contract award
dates in March 2005. This BAA will remain open for a period of one until
(14 November 2005). The 5-page pre-proposals are due on or before 4:00
PM (EST), December 31, 2004, in order to be considered for FY05 funding.
The pre-proposals shall be evaluated and offerors shall be
invited to re-submit formal full proposals on or before 4:00 PM (EST),
11 January, 2005 in order to be considered for FY05 funding.
Offerors must submit a 5-page original pre-proposal and six (6)
copies of proposals to the administrative address for this BAA.
Invited full proposals shall follow this same process.
It is the policy of the JNLWD to treat all proposals as
competitive information and to disclose the contents only for the
purposes of evaluation. The Government may use selected support
contractor personnel from American Systems Corporation and M2
Technologies as special resources to assist in administering the
evaluation of the proposals. These persons are restricted by their
contracts from disclosing the proposal information or using it for other
than performing the administrative task. Contractor personnel are
required to sign non-disclosure statements. By submission of your
proposal, you agree that your proposal information may be disclosed to
those selected contractors for the limited purpose stated above.
Only
Government evaluators will make selections under this BAA. This
announcement, in conjunction with the pamphlet BAA M67854-05-R-5009
Proposer Information Package (PIP), constitutes the Broad Area
Announcement as contemplated by FAR 6.102(d)(2).
A formal RFP or other solicitation regarding this announcement
will not be issued. Requests for same will be disregarded. The
Government reserves the right to select for award any, all, part, or
none of the proposals received in response to this announcement. In
addition, the Government reserves the right to award either contracts,
grants, or other instruments determined to be of benefit to the
government in achieving the goals of this program. Awards are subject to
the provisions of the FAR Subpart 9.5, Organizational Conflict of
Interest. All offerors and proposed subcontractors must affirmatively
state whether they are supporting any other JNLWD and/or Marine Corps
contracts through an active contract or subcontract. All affirmations
must state which office(s) the offeror supports, and identify the prime
contract number. Affirmation shall be furnished at the time of proposal
submission. All facts relevant to the existence or potential existence
of organizational conflicts of interest, as that term is defined in the
FAR 9.501, must be disclosed. The disclosure shall include a description
of the action the offeror has taken, or proposes to take, to avoid,
neutralize or mitigate such conflict. This BAA is an expression of
interest only and does not commit the Government to pay any pre-proposal
or proposal preparation costs. All responsible sources capable of
satisfying the Government's needs may submit proposals, which will be
evaluated. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and
Minority Institutions (MI) 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 due to the impracticality of
reserving discrete or severable areas of research related to Non-Lethal
Weapons developments.
ADMINISTRATIVE
INFORMATION: Offerors are required to obtain a pamphlet, BAA
M67854-05-R-5009 Proposer Information Package (PIP). The PIP provides
further information on proposal format, the submission process,
evaluation and funding processes, and other general information.
Proposals not meeting the format described in the pamphlet may not be
reviewed. Facsimile transmissions or electronic media transmissions of
the proposal will not be accepted, any so sent will be disregarded. All
administrative correspondence or questions on this BAA should be
directed to the following email address:
SmithP@jnlwd.usmc.mil
