NEXT-GENERATION AIRBORNE DIRECTIONAL NETWORKING

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: Next-generation Airborne Directional Networking

BAA NUMBER: FA8750-20-S-7003

PART I - OVERVIEW INFORMATION

This announcement is for an Open, 2 Step BAA which is open and effective until 29 Sep 2023. 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 2 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST) on 29 Sep 2023, the following submission dates are suggested to best align with projected funding:

FY20 by 15 Nov 2019
FY21 by 5 Jul 2020
FY22 by 4 Jul 2021
FY23 by 3 Jul 2022

Offerors should monitor the Federal Business Opportunities website at http://www.fbo.gov in the event this announcement is amended.
CONCISE SUMMARY OF TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENT: Seeking innovative research, development, integration, test, evaluation and delivery of technologies/techniques for next-generation, highly-directional, networked aerial layer communications.

Directionality allows focusing a greater amount of radiated energy on an intended receiver, improving interference resistance and/or increasing link capacity. Further, it reduces the amount of energy radiated in directions other than towards the intended receiver, reducing interference with other network nodes (self-fratricide) as well as observability (lower probability of detection/intercept), towards enabling/restoring critical communications functions.

BAA ESTIMATED FUNDING: Total funding for this BAA is approximately $49.8M. Individual awards will not normally exceed 24 months with dollar amounts normally ranging from $100k to $900k. 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.

TYPE OF INSTRUMENTS THAT MAY BE AWARDED: Awards of efforts as a result of this announcement will be in the form of contracts, grants, cooperative agreements or other transactions (OT) depending upon the nature of the work proposed. In the event that an Other Transaction for Prototype agreement is awarded as a result of this competitive BAA, and the prototype project is successfully completed, there is the potential for a prototype project to transition to award of a follow-on production contract or transaction. The Other Transaction for Prototype agreement itself will also contain a similar notice of a potential follow-on production contract or agreement.

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 MANAGER:
Richard Butler
AFRL/RITF
525 Brooks Rd
Rome, NY 13441-4505
Telephone: (315) 330-4372
Email: richard.butler.10@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
Telephone (315) 330-3605
Email: Amber.Buckley@us.af.mil

Emails must reference the solicitation (BAA) number 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.

AMENDMENT 1 TO BAA FA8750-20-S-7003

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 I, Overview Information:
   1. Updates FBO reference to Beta SAM website;
      
2. Part II, Full Text Announcement:
   1. Section IV.3.c., updates the mailing instructions;
   2. Section IV.4.b and IV.4.c. updates clause dates;
   3. Section IV.4.e, updated the link to reference the Beta SAM website;
   4. Section VI.1, updates the RI Specific Proposal Preparation Instructions Beta SAM link;
   5. Section VI.7, updates the applicable provisions;
   6. Section VII, updates the AFFARS Ombudsman clause date

No other changes have been made.

SEE ATTACHMENT FOR FULL ANNOUCEMENT DETAILS.

AMENDMENT 2 TO BAA FA8750-20-S-7003

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 I, Overview Information:
   1. Provides clarification on white paper submission dates;
2. Part II, Full Text Announcement:
   1. Section IV.1, clarifies the white paper submission dates;
   2. Section IV.2, updates content and format language;
   3. Section IV.3.a, updates the classification guidance;
   4. Section IV.4, adds paragraph g;
   5. Section V.2.a, updates Review and Selection Process language;
   6. Section V., adds paragraph 4 regarding adequate price competition;
   7. Section VI.1, updates the Proposal Formatting language;
   8. Section VI.7, updates the applicable provisions;
   9. Section VII: updated the OMBUDSMAN and clause date.

No other changes have been made.

SEE ATTACHMENT FOR FULL AMENDMENT DETAILS.

AMENDMENT 3 TO BAA FA8750-20-S-7003

The purpose of this modification is to update the following:

1. Part I, Overview Information:
   1. Removes the request to hold white papers;
   2. Updates all references of BetaSAM to SAM.gov;
2. Part II, Full Text Announcement:
   1. Section IV.1, removes the request to hold white papers;
   2. Section VI.1, updates the Proposal Formatting language;
   3. Section VI.4.d, adds language;
   4. Section VI.7, updates the applicable provisions;
   5. Section VII: updated the OMBUDSMAN.

No other changes have been made.

SEE ATTACHMENT FOR FULL AMENDMENT DETAILS.

Amendment No. 4 to BAA FA8750-20-S-7003

The purpose of this amendment is to:

1. Section III, Eligibility Information, adds the following paragraph 5 for S&T Protection:

5. In accordance with AFRLI 61-113, S&T Protection, Contractors/Recipients are required to submit with their proposal a Standard Form 424, "Research and Related and Senior and Key Person Profile (Expanded), as well as a Security Program Questionnaire, which are included in the RI-Specific Proposal Preparation Instructions and can be accessed at:

https://sam.gov/opp/e628c811fafe041accdddf55fb8539bf/view?keywords=AFRL-BAA-GUIDE&sort=-relevance&index=&is_active=true&page=1. Always reference the

newest versions of these documents. Complete and submit the required forms with your proposal to the technical point of contact (TPOC) listed in Section VII-Agency Contacts AND AFRL.RIOF@us.af.mil.

Contractors will be required to provide documentation of their Security Program Plan for initial Institution S&T Protection Program Review. The purpose of requesting the plan is to evaluate the offeror's capacity for protecting the Government's S&T and failure to demonstrate a plan adequate to meet the needs of the requirement may be grounds for considering the proposal unawardable. In the event a security risk is identified and the Government has determined the security risk exceeds the acceptable threshold, the Contractor/Recipient will be notified and informed of the termination/decline of award. The Government will be only required to provide a general statement of the reasoning due to Government OPSEC measures.

After award, the Contractor/Recipient will be required to re-submit the Standard Form 424 as an annual requirement to the points of contact listed above.

No other changes are made.

AMENDMENT 5 to BAA FA8750-20-S-7003

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:

a. Section III.3, adds paragraph 4;

b. Section IV.f.5, removes the last sentence regarding options;

c. Section VI.1, updates the Proposal Formatting language;

d. Section VII, updates the provisions;

No other changes are made.

SEE ATTACHMENT FOR FULL ANNOUNCEMENT DETAILS.