By Nov. 14, the Army expects White Papers from interested industry in response to its Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for innovative technologies that could be quickly inserted into military systems or programs that meet critical national security needs.
The Army Contracting Command-Aberdeen Proving Ground, Research Triangle Park Division issued the BAA on behalf of the Office of the Deputy Assistant of the Army for Research and Technology for the Army Rapid Innovation Fund (RIF).
The RIF was established the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2011, and the 2011 Defense Appropriation Act.
This BAA is primarily for the transition of technologies developed by small businesses, including those resulting from the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and DoD reimbursed Independent Research and Development (IR&D).
The goals of the RIF reflect DoD’s emphasis on rapid, responsive acquisition and the engagement of small, innovative businesses in solving defense needs. The BAA offered a list of Army requirements including: Force Protection-Soldier and Small Unit; Force Protection-Occupant Centric Platform; Overburdened-Physical Burden; Surprise/Tactical Intelligence- Mission Command; Human-Medical Assessment and Treatment; Force Protection-Basing; Human-Individual Training to Tactical Tasks; Surprise/Tactical Intelligence-Actionable Intelligence; Sustainability/Logistics-Basing; and Sustainability/Logistics-Transport, Distribute & Dispose.
The Army expects solutions to Army requirements can additionally, or simultaneously, address Joint Urgent Operational Need (JUON) challenge areas or other national security needs, the BAA said.
Funding would be by contract or other transaction. If a contract is chosen, a firm fixed price contract, or a cost type contract, will be used. Another transaction agreement may only be awarded if the use of a standard contract is not feasible or appropriate. The cost or price of awards will not normally exceed $3 million.
The period of performance will not be more than 24 months.
If the government issues an invitation to submit a full proposal, that proposal would be due 30 calendar days afterward. The service expects final selections will be chosen within four weeks after full proposals are submitted.