Table of Contents
A. ACQUISITION STRATEGY AND IMPORTANT DATES
Summary of Important Dates
Multiple Target Surveillance (MTS)
Activity Monitoring (AM)
AVS TSRD Work Package Scope
Major Collaboration Required
Awards
Work Package 2: Multiple Target Surveillance (MTS)
Work Package 3: Activity Monitoring (AM)
Work Package 4: Other Advanced Video Surveillance Techniques
AVS TSRD Budget Estimates and Guidance
AVS TSRD High-Level System Issues and Requirements
AVS TSRD Incremental Annual
Capability and Performance Goals
CAGS System and Design
Document
Airborne Testbed Characteristics
Software Environment:
Status and Expenditure Reports
Systems and Software Documentation
TSRD Final Report
Presentation Material
Hardware and Software Deliverables
Software Deliverables in Support of Technology Transfer
Final Hardware and Software
Deliverables
TSRD Industry Briefing
TSRD Proposals Due Date
Notification of Potential Selection for the AVS Program
TSRD Briefings at the AVS SI Industry Briefing
Expected Award Date, Anticipated Period of Performance
Quarterly Program Meetings
Critical Design Review
System Demonstrations
Demonstration Coordination Meetings
Interim Status Reviews
AVS CONOPS Working Group
VOLUME I: Technical Proposal
VOLUME II: Cost Proposal
B. Budget Summary:
C. Budget Details: Include any other relevant details that support section A above.
D. Organizational Conflict of Interest
VIII. OTHER IMPORTANT ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
APPENDIX A - AVS ACRONYMS
PROPOSER INFORMATION PACKAGE (PIP)
Airborne Video Surveillance
(AVS)
Broad Agency Announcement
(BAA 97-42)
Defense Advanced Research
Projects Agency
(DARPA)
The information provided
in this Proposer Information Package (PIP), in addition to that provided
in the Commerce Business Daily (CBD) Announcement, BAA 97-42, constitutes
a Broad Agency Announcement as contemplated in FAR 6.102 (d)(2)(i).
Technical POC: Thomas Strat,
DARPA/ISO, tstrat@darpa.mil, FAX: (703) 696-2203 Contractual POC: Ms. Algeria
Tate, DARPA/CMO
A.
ACQUISITION STRATEGY AND IMPORTANT DATES
AVS
Program Acquisition Strategy
This solicitation will define and procure three to four AVS Technology Subsystem Research and Development (TSRD) Work Packages in the following categories:
These annual demonstrations
and mission evaluations will be jointly defined, designed, tested, integrated
by the AVS TSRD developers and the AVS SI. The demonstrations and mission
evaluations will use an AVS Airborne Testbed provided by the US Army CECOM
Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD).
High level data about the
program roles and responsibilities of an AVS SI is provided in this document
for reference only. It is designed to help TSRD offerors understand how
to structure their responses to this solicitation. Actual details and requirements
for AVS SI offerors will be published under another procurement. Additionally,
high level descriptions are provided of the AVS airborne testbed to inform
the TSRD offerors of available capabilities.
This acquisition strategy
has been adopted to maintain an aggressive technology focus for the AVS
program (the best TSRDs will be identified initially), while providing
a potential AVS SI with a much more detailed description of the TSRDs that
will be integrated into AVS systems. To this end, TSRDs offerors have been
required to submit a non-proprietary section of their proposal (Proposal
section R described in section VI of this document) that can be distributed
to all potential AVS SI offerors at the open of the AVS SI solicitation,
and TSRDs selected for potential program awards will be directed to brief
their proposed technical approaches and plans at an industry briefing for
the AVS SI procurement (described in section III ofthis document). It is
also anticipated that potential TSRDs will have ongoing discussions with
potential AVS SI offerors that will identify and resolve any problematic
intellectual property issues that may impede the achievement of AVS program
goals.
28 August 1997 Industry Briefing for AVS Technology Subsystem Research and Development (TSRD) Efforts
7 October 1997 AVS
TSRD Proposal Due Date, BAA 97-42 Closes
7 November 1997 (Estimated) Selected AVS TSRDs Notified of Potential
Selection for AVS Program. Selectees are requested to prepare
briefings on their technical approaches to present at an Industry
Briefing for an AVS SI Effort
14 November 1997 (Estimated) Release of solicitation for an AVS Systems
Integration (SI) Effort
21 November 1997 (Estimated) Industry Briefing for AVS SI Effort. Selected
TSRDs will Present Their
Technical Approaches
23 December 1997 (Estimated) Due date for AVS SI proposals. AVS SI
solicitation closes.
1 March 1998 Contract Awards for AVS TSRDs and SI. All participants
start preparations for prgroam
kickoff meeting
2 April 1998 AVS Program
Kickoff Meeting
In the very near future,
battlefield commanders will be able to rapidly task Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
(UAVs) and obtain large volumes of surveillance imagery. Some UAV surveillance
systems in early deployment have the capability to collect and provide
video imagery directly to ground exploitation systems and command posts.
Motion video data is proving to be quite powerful in these deployments
for a number of reasons. Some examples are:
In early deployed prototype
systems, video exploitation is completely manual, using two or more personnel.
A video payload operator must control the sensor and inspect the output
stream for quality. An imagery analyst then inspects the video stream and
exploits/disseminates either still frames or voice-annotated video "clips".
"Two people chained to a soda-straw view of the world" is an analogy used
in discussing this mode of control and exploitation.
DARPA is soliciting proposals
for the technology research and development portion of an Airborne Video
Surveillance (AVS) program to address some of these shortcomings and to
explore and evaluate ways of converting AVS systems from remotely
controlled surveillance sources returning video streams to semi-autonomous
active surveillance systems performing designated tasks.
Video (defined for AVS as
any EO or IR sensor producing image frames at greater than 1 Hz) is currently
the only widely available tactical sensor capable of providing both the
high resolution and rapid revisit rates required for comprehensive battlespace
awareness. Video sensors possess a number of advantages for tactical exploitation
as video data is human understandable, provides continuous coverage, can
track non scattering targets, provides motion information, and is currently
produced in large volumes (making it very available for AVS system development).
Bounding these advantages are a number of limitations including the narrow
field-of-view (FOV) of existing video sensors, the impacts of weather on
video collection quality and availability, the tedious nature of manual
video exploitation, the cumbersome data volumes, and the content perishable
nature of the video information content.
The operational limitations
of current video surveillance systems provide a number of technology challenges
that AVS is expected to address. The ability to deliver weapons to a target
location is dependent upon accurate geolocation, but the 30-100 meter pointing
accuracy of today’s systems falls far short of the 10 meter or less requirement
of modern weapons systems. Mapping of video imagery to other data sources
(such as digital terrain maps) is still a difficult and largely unautomated
field process. Today’s UAVs continue to be tasked like satellites and provide
no ability to compensate for their narrow FOVs by tracking multiple moving
targets. This in turn translates into sensor underutilization wherein image
analysts (IA) are only able to watch a single object or area at a time.
Finally, the volume of video data being collected swamps both the user
and the communication links. Combined with the lack of an exploitation
infrastructure to support video processing, this results in missions where
the time required for an operator to exploit video data is larger than
the video collection time cycle. With the future envisioned to bring 100s
of UAVs to the battlespace exploiting 1,000s of targets in 10,000s of square
kilometers, the exploitation burden will only increase.
Specifically, DARPA seeks
proposals to develop and demonstrate real-time Precision Video Registration
(PVR), Multiple Target Surveillance (MTS) , and automated Activity Monitoring
(AM) of sites (points, areas, lines of communications) using electro-optical
(EO) and infrared (IR) imagery similar to that available from current (e.g.,
Predator, Hunter) and future (e.g., Global Hawk, Dark Star, Outrider) unmanned
aerial vehicle systems. When combined with existing EO and IR target recognition
algorithms, AVS will provide the Warfighter with a comprehensive video
battlespace awareness capability.
II.
TECHNICAL OVERVIEW: MAJOR AVS TECHNOLOGY WORK PACKAGES
The goal of the AVS program
is to research, develop, and evaluate PVR, MTS and AM technology subsytems
and combine them to form a real-time airborne video surveillance system.
A solicitation for the systems integration effort will be issued at a later
date.
This system must be able
to operate in either single mode (one technology subsystem only) or multiple
mode (e.g., MTS and AM using PVR functions to locate moving vehicles and
activities).
Real operational scenarios
will dictate that these technologies, when combined with automated sensor
control and intuitive operator displays, will be employed in innovative
and unpredictable combinations. Therefore, it is important that all elements
of the AVS technology program work together in a modular, "toolkit" framework.
Since these systems must
be demonstrated and evaluated on an airborne platform, extensive infrastructure
(in the form of airborne testbed, airborne testbed systems, and ground
applications) will be provided as part of the program. The technology developers
must work closely with these other program participants.
The challenges, potential
candidate techniques, evaluation metrics, and specific performance goals
for each of these technologies are described below. It is expected that
offerors to each of these areas will be able to identify their current
existing capabilities and how they will achieve the desired AVS performance
goals.
The challenges in PVR are
in developing algorithms that are extremely accurate and robust with respect
to large variations in viewing geometry, variable atmospheric conditions,
and seasonal variations. Candidate approaches are envisioned to include
registering video frames to orthophotos and any other reference imagery,
recovering depth from sensor motions when reference imagery is inadequate,
and employing multiple look registration techniques for missions where
reference imagery is unavailable. Metrics for evaluating registration performance
should include root-mean-square (RMS) error of absolute geolocation of
targets , and the percentage of video frames correctly registered. Robustness
and accuracy are the primary goal for the PVR subsystem, but the PVR offeror
must design for and maintain real time performance on a processor system
to be supplied by the AVS Systems Integrator, while characterizing the
behavior of other metrics with respect to processing power (MIPS/FLOPS)
required for the the real-time process.
The goals for PVR are to perform registration of imagery (including imagery of moving targets) at 1 Hz with two classes of performance:
Multiple Target Surveillance
(MTS)
The challenge of MTS is to
provide the operator with a single display representing a virtual field
of view to simultaneously monitor and track a number of targets in the
larger field of regard possible by gimbaling the sensor. Specific requirements
are to predict the motion of targets from a small number of frames, reacquire
targets after sensor slewing, generate virtual video streams for each tracked
target and a composite field of regard image for video frames, and to track
humans and vehicles when they are moving or temporarily stationary. Candidate
approaches are envisioned to include signature correlation-based target
tracking, optimized sensor control algorithms, and Kalman filtering for
3D tracking, through maneuvering, and temporary occlusion. Metrics for
evaluating performance should include determining the number of targets
within an extended field of regard that can be simultaneously tracked,
target status and characteristics (e.g., velocity, contrast, size), and
a mean time between track drop interval indicating the duration that N
multiple targets can be simultaneously tracked.
The goals for MTS are to:
The challenges for AM are
in developing robust activity monitoring systems for airborne video capable
of dealing with sensor motion and large variations in viewing geometry,
supporting multiple activity models (human, vehicle, site), screening out
scene motion noise (e.g., wind through trees), monitoring multiple modes
(points, Lines of Communication (LOC), areas), and addressing variable
scene content, atmospheric conditions, and imagery quality. Candidate approaches
are envisioned to include techniques of image stabilization, host motion
cancellation, activity detection, modeling, classification, and false alarm
rejection based on activity and scene models. Metrics for evaluating performance
should include probabilities of detection P(d) and false alarm P(fa) for
each monitoring task, and scene content and image quality metrics.
The goals for active monitoring are to:
AVS Technology Subsystem
Research and Development (TSRD) Summary
In the description of the TSRD work packages below, the following will be outlined:
Since AVS technology is new
and emerging, the goal of the program is to develop and mature AVS technology
while exploring and evaluating its use in realistic surveillance scenarios.
A successful AVS program, at closure, will have explored numerous Technology
Subsystem Research and Development (TSRD) approaches and matured the most
promising of them into demonstrable prototype systems that have clear benefit
to surveillance systems users. This clear benefit will be established by
mission-level AVS system evaluations. Simultaneously, the performance envelope
of TSRD subsystems will have been characterized with respect to variability
in real world conditions.
The TSRD work packages focus
on the research, development, test, documentation and characterization
of subsystems which will form the key functionality of the AVS system.
It is important that the product of the TSRD enable the creation of an
overall AVS environment which supports user's needs to easily configure
and link the technologies to address real world operational problems.
The TSRDs must simultaneously
focus on: a) significantly extending the state-of-the-art in the particular
area of interest; b) developing technology that has significant mission
payoff; c) developing robust subsystems and delivering them for integration
and demonstration; and d) establishing performance bounds (with respect
to variable mission conditions) on the developed subsystems.
AVS TSRD Work Package Scope
TSRDs will collaborate extensively
with the AVS SI to develop CONOPS, CAGS, and to conduct the scheduled integrations,
demonstrations and field experiments. The extent and general requirements
for the collaboration are outlined in the TSRD Work Package Scope section
above.
Awards
It is anticipated that, at minimum, three TSRD awards may be made, one in each of the following categories:
The following four sections
outline at a high level the technology categories of interest to the AVS
effort. More detailed descriptions of these areas will be provided at the
AVS Informational Briefing to Industry and will be posted on the AVS web
pages.
The PVR TSRD should develop
subsystems that allow the fast registration of visible and infrared video
imagery to accurately geo-referenced imagery or maps in order to allow
the precision (in the range of 2-10 meter error) geo-location of targets
in the video imagery. PVR should:
Some of the approaches and technology used in current prototype systems that are capable of achieving much higher accuracy are:
MTS will develop technology to allow airborne gimbal-mounted video sensors in visible and infrared bands to simultaneously track multiple targets in a UAV system’s field of regard. A representative, but not exhaustive list of MTS functions follows:
AM will develop technology to allow airborne gimbal-mounted video sensors in visible and infrared bands to continuously monitor delineated areas within the UAV’s field of regard to detect specific activities and alert the AVS operator about them. A representative, but not exhaustive list of AM functions follows:
DARPA is interested in any
proposed TSRD that will improve video surveillance technology and surveillance
mission efficiency. Offerors are encouraged to explicitly explain and enumerate
the benefits of, and goals for such proposed techniques and submit proposals
conforming to general TSRD rquirements and technical challenges listed
above.
AVS TSRD Budget Estimates and Guidance
The following table contains
"rough order of magnitude" (ROM) estimates of the budget that is anticipated
to be available for all of the TSRD work packages, as determined in preliminary
program planning efforts. The division of funding over these work packages
will depend in part on how many individual TSRD awards are made (3 or 4
are anticipated). The funds will not necessarily be divided equally across
the TSRD work packages awarded; offerors should bid costs consistent with
their proposed level of effort.
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1998:
(PVR): Laboratory demonstration
of accurate georegistration of individual video frames to controlled, accurately
georeferenced imagery of the collection site.
(MTS, AM): Laboratory demonstrations
of base technology on collected imagery.
1999:
(PVR): Laboratory demonstrations of orthomosaicing of multiple video frames. Airborne demonstrations of orthomosaicing of Class 1 data, with 80% of the video frames registered to within 2 meter RMS error.
(MTS): Laboratory demonstrations
of tracking and re-acquisition of targets from collected imagery.
(AM): Laboratory and airborne
demontrations of of point monitoring.
(All TSRD): Demonstrations
and evaluations of analyst HCIs for the TSRD systems.
2000:
(PVR): Airborne demonstrations
of multiple-frame orthomosaics, with 90% of Class 1 and 75% of Class 2
data registered to better than 2 meter RMS error.
(MTS): Laboratory and airborne
demonstrations of tracking of three distinct targets.
(AM): Laboratory and airborne
demonstrations of point , area and LOC monitoring applications.
(All TSRD): Demonstrations
and evaluations of analyst HCIs for the TSRD systems.
2001 - 2002
Airborne demonstrations will
be conducted in conjunction with field exercises.
(PVR): Airborne demonstration
of multiple-frame orthomosaics to full specifications for both Class 1
and Class 2 imagery .
(MTS): Laboratory and airborne
demonstration of tracking of twelve targets.
(AM) Airnborne demonstrations
of point, LOC and area monitoring in user missions.
(All TSRD): Demonstrations
and evaluations of analyst HCIs for the TSRD systems.
2002:
Airborne demonstration in
conjunction with field exercises of tracking twelve live targets. Demonstrations
and evaluations of analyst HCIs for the systems are also required at this
time.
The following section presents
a brief overview of the high-level program roles and responsibilities for
the AVS SI effort. These descriptions are provided for informational purposes
only, in order to guide potential TSRD offerors in making innovative proposals.
The primary role of the AVS SI will be to take lead responsibility (with TSRD support) in the planning, coordination and carrying out of the scheduled integration of TSRDs into annual AVS demonstration and mission evaluations.
The AVS SI will develop templates
for, build and maintain this document, in collaboration with the TSRDs
and a government CONOPS working group. The CONOPS group will advise on,
and review, AVS plans. The TSRDs will contribute sections for each major
subsystem delivered for integration.
The AVS SI will provide to the TSRDs a standard architecture and API to allow them to efficiently develop TSRD segments and integrate them onto the AVS testbed. A CAGS Architecture and Detailed System Design document will be provided to the TSRDs by the AVS SI. CAGS will cover the following functions:
DARPA has arranged with the
US Army CECOM Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD),
Fort Belvoir, VA to provide the airborne testbed and all integration and
operation. A description of this testbed will be presented at the AVS Industry
Briefing. A brief description is provided here to guide TSRD designs and
planning.
The testbed will be a manned
airborne video testbed system, including EO/IR sensors, gimbal systems,
GPS/INS systems and communications links. An air/ground operations site
(Ft. AP Hill, VA) will be provided to support AVS development, integration,
test and demonstrations. The operation and ground-truthing of vehicle and
other activities required to develop the AVS system will be provided. In
early FY 98, the AVS testbed, sensors, and low level core software will
be available to support data collection efforts. Data collections will
be performed as required to support long-lead TSRD efforts. NVESD will
support all AVS design and coordination meetings to insure that air testbed
and ground operations are consistent with AVS program schedule, plans and
requirements.
The AVS SI will specify and
supply what accelerated processing is required to support Multiple Target
Surveillance and other AVS TSRD functions that require real time video
processing on the airborne testbed.
The following table outlines
the number of testbed flight days DARPA estimates that the testbedwill
be available to the AVS Team for either airborne mission flights or ground-based
system installation and verification.
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The remaining mission days
in FY99 through FY02 will be scheduled by the SI, and will be used for
TSRD integration and annual demonstrations and mission evaluations.
In systems integration and
demonstration operations, data will be collected to support TSRD requirements.
Airborne Testbed Characteristics
The aircraft will fly at
altitudes selected to mimic MAE and Low Altitude UAV performance. The nominal
range of AVS testbed operational altitudes will yield imaging slant ranges
from 5,000 to 15,000 feet AGL. This, combined with appropriate optics,
shall insure that the AVS system will be able to collect imagery that is
somewhat degraded due to atmospherics (moisture, haze) and simultaneously
mimic ground sampling distances (approximately 2 inches to 2.5 ft.) required
for AVS technology subsystem development.
The EO/IR sensor will be
a 512x512 InSb Focal Plane Array FLIR, with multiple FOV, computer controllable,
optics selected to cover a range of pixel ground sampling distances from
2 inches at a slant range (SR) of 5000 feet to 2.5 feet from a SR of 15,000
feet.
The AVS SI will be responsible
for providing ground station hardware and base software. Each individual
TSRD will be required to develop their deliverable subsystems to be compatible
with this subsystem. If the needs of a TSRD are not met by this subsystem,
that TSRD must provide the necessary compatible hardware and software needed
to integrate their deliverable into the existing ground station and airborne
testbed systems. The minimum configuration of the AVS Common Development
Environment is expected to include:
Summary of Deliverables
The following section details the deliverables required under the AVS TSRD effort. The deliverables are broken out in the following manner:
(a) Status Report (DI-MGMT-80368) and Funds and Man-Hour Expenditure Report (DI-FNCL-80331). These are to be delivered either in the specified format, or the specified information may be supplied in contractor-determined format.
This document will capture the low-level detailed system design of individual TSRD’s and, at a minimum, will provide the entire AVS Team with a stable set of API’s for TSRD functions that may be used by other AVS program participants. It shall also include subsystem test and evaluation plans and contain the results for such tests asare required prior to the TSRD delivery of subsystems for integration.
Scientific and Technical
Reports (draft and reproducible Final Report), DI-MISC-80711/T. These are
to be delivered either in the specified format, or the specified information
may be supplied in contractor-determined format.
Presentation Material, in
contractor format.
Hardware and Software Deliverables
The TSRD contractors shall
make multiple deliveries annually of their subsystem software to the AVS
SI. These deliveries must include all source code and associated documentation.
These deliveries will include all software subsystems developed under this
effort as well as all software necessary to configure, set up, and execute
the subsystems. These delivery items shall be delivered with government
purpose rights as defined in the DFARS.
The AVS TSRD’s shall receive
from the AVS SI multiple deliveries of such CAGS subsystems, TSRD subsystems
and TSRD modules as are needed (as determined by the DARPA program manager)
to support individual TSRD development. These deliveries must include all
source code and associated documentation. These deliveries will include
software subsystems developed under this effort as well as all software
necessary to configure, set up, and execute the delivered subsystems or
modules. These delivery items shall be delivered with government purpose
rights as defined in the DFARS.
These deliveries will be
provided in commonly agreed upon formats that will be specifically determined
in the program-wide system design effort leading up to the Critical Design
Review in late FY 1998.
Any proprietary and/or restrictive
limitations on these delvieries must be thoroughly explained and justified
in sections C and K of the proposal. If there are proprietary claims, the
TSRD offeror must explain how these affect their ability to deliver subsystems
and tool kits for integration into the AVS testbed system. Additionally
offerors must explain how AVS program goals are achievable in light of
these proprietary and/or restrictive limitations.
A copy of all software and
will be delivered to the Government Technical Representative, in mutually
agreed magnetic media format. These deliveries must include all source
code and associated documentation. These deliveries will include software
subsystems developed under this effort as well as all software necessary
to configure, set up, and execute the delivered subsystems or modules.
These delivery items shall be delivered with government purpose rights
as defined in the DFARS.
Disposition for all hardware
purchased under the contract shall be specified at the close of the contractual
effort.
The following meetings, reviews
and demonstrations are Program Deliverable Items (see Section IV of the
PIP for greater detail ):
The Critical Design Review
Annual System Demonstrations
Demonstration Coordination Meetings
Interim Status Reviews
In early November of 1997,
selected AVS TSRD offerors will be notified of their potential selection
for the AVS Program. Selectees will be requested to prepare and present
approximately 30-45 minute briefings on their technical approaches at an
AVS SI Industry Briefing to be held in the Arlington, VA area in late November.
Selectees will also be requested to provide any additional documentation
they deem necessary to augment the presentations. This briefing and documentation
is intended to provide salient design information and TSRD-specific CAGS
and other development requirements to potential AVS SI offerors.
To facilitate the rapid execution
of this work package, this task should have a separate and distinct statement
of work element and associated costs in the proposal. It is suggested that
this effort should involve no more than 1 person-month of labor and associated
travels costs for one person for one day to Arlington, VA.
This briefing should generally
cover the following:
The AVS program, in order
to facilitate intra-program collaboration and technology transfer, will
work at the unclassified level. The TSRD offerors should specify what unclassified
imagery or existing information may be used to support the AVS effort.
Although all TSRDs are to
utilize unclassified data in their deliveries and demonstrations, the PVR
contractor is encouraged to apply methods and conventions consistent with
those used in classified environments. Such conventions will permit the
various subsystems and final system to be more extensible in possibly accommodating
classified data in the future.
IV. PROGRAM SCHEDULE
Pre-award Significant Dates
28 August 1997 Industry Briefing
for AVS Technology Subsystem Research and Development (TSRD) Efforts
7 October 1997 AVS TSRD Proposal
Due Date, BAA 97-42 Closes
7 November 1997 (Estimated) Selected AVS TSRDs Notified of Potential
Selection for AVS Program. Selectees are requested to prepare
briefings on their technical approaches to present at an Industry
Briefing for an AVS SI Effort
14 November 1997 (Estimated) Release of solicitation for an AVS Systems
Integration (SI) Effort
21 November 1997 (Estimated) Industry Briefing for AVS SI Effort. Selected
TSRDs will Present Their
Technical Approaches
23 December 1997 (Estimated) Due date for AVS SI proposals. AVS SI
solicitation closes.
1 March 1998 Contract Awards for AVS TSRDs and SI. All participants
start preparations for prgroam
kickoff meeting
2 April 1998 AVS Program
Kickoff Meeting
TSRD Industry Briefing
On 28 August 1997, an unclassified
informational briefing to potential offerors of AVS TSRDs will be held
from 0900 to 1700 EDT at the Holiday Inn, 4610 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington,
VA. This briefing was the subject of a previous CBD announcement.
This briefing will cover
AVS program goals as well as past or ongoing government efforts which have
developed technology relevant to AVS goals and objectives. Notification
to DARPA of attendance must be made by 1500 EDT on 22 August 1997 via email
message to avs_program @darpa.mil or by fax to avs_program at 703 696-2201.
The message must include the following information: name of attendee(s),
title, organization, department or company division, phone, fax, and electronic
mail address. If requested attendance exceeds capacity, it may be necessary
to limit attendance and organizations will be so notified.
TSRD Proposals Due Date
Complete proposals must be
submitted by 1600 EDT on 7 October 1997 to:
DARPA/ISO
Attn: Dr.Thomas M. Strat
3701 North Fairfax Drive
Arlington, Virginia 22203-1714
TSRD Briefings at the AVS SI Industry Briefing
On or about 7 November 1997,
selected TSRD offerors will be notified that they have been potentially
selected for award on the AVS Program. They will be instructed to prepare
and present a briefing about their TSRD at an Industry Briefing for potential
AVS SI offerors that will be held on or about 21 November 1997. The content
of this briefing is described in section III of this document. Pre-contract
cost authorizations will be made to cover this SOW element.
Expected Award Date, Anticipated Period of Performance
The expected award date for
all categories is 1 March 1998. Although the length of individual efforts
should vary with level of difficulty and number of tasks, base contracts
for each work package will be awarded through FY00, with optional periods
of performance to be awarded, based on performance, in FY01 and FY02.
Quarterly Program Meetings
Quarterly AVS program-wide
coordination meetings will be the most important schedule element for the
AVS Program. In these, plans and designs for the next major programmatic
milestone (either demonstration or field exercise) will be reviewed, updated,
and approved by the customer. Results from previous evaluations will be
presented and all major design documents will be updated, presented, and
reviewed. These meetings will be held at various sites throughout the country.
The program sponsor, program steering committee, NVESD AIRBORNE TESTBED,
AVS SI and each TSRD contractor will attend these meetings. For costing
purposes, proposers should assume that 75% of these meetings will be held
on the east coast, at or near NVESD, at either Fort Belvoir or Fort A.
P. Hill, VA. The remaining meetings will be held at west coast locations.
Note that these quarterly meetings are Program Deliverable items and are
therefore referenced in Section III of this PIP.
At this meeting, all teams will also work together to develop a program-wide plan aimed at achieving a successful airborne system demonstration in the fall of 1999.
Note that this meeting is
a Program Deliverable item and is therefore referenced in Section III of
this PIP.
1999 - Laboratory and airborne demonstrations and mission evaluations of integrated single- and multiple-mode TSRD missions. Demonstration of initial operational capability of the AVS testbed and CAGS system.
2000 - Laboratory and airborne demonstrations and mission evaluations of integrated single- and multiple-mode TSRD missions, showing incremental improvement in capability and robustness.
2001 - Laboratory and airborne demonstrations and mission evaluations of integrated single- and multiple-mode TSRD missions, showing incremental improvement in capability and robustness. These demonstrations will be coordinated, as possible, with field exercises.
2002 - Final laboratory and
airborne demonstrations and comprehensive mission evaluations of TSRD missions,
showcasing system capabilities and robustness. These demonstrations will
also be coordinated, as possible, with field exercises.
Technology subsystem developers
should plan to conduct and report on experiments and evaluations of their
subsystem's evolving capabilities. These experiments should be designed
to:
Proposals from TSRD subsystem
developers should include detailed descriptions of major capability goals,
performance goals, informal evaluations and formal evaluations for their
individual subsystems at the major AVS integration and evaluation dates
above. These plans should include estimates of the amount and kind of data
needed to conduct evaluation. These goals and evaluation plans will be
reviewed and coordinated in program-wide meetings after program initiation.
V. EVALUATION CRITERIA
Proposals and abstracts will
be selected through a technical/scientific/business decision process with
technical and scientific considerations being most important.
Evaluations of the TSRD submissions
Criteria A-D are primary
evaluation criteria for TSRD submissions and are listed in order of priority.
(A) The quality and technical merit of offeror's technical solution, including:
(E) The cost realism and value of proposal to government, including:
VI. PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND DELIVERY
Independent organizations
and teams are encouraged to submit proposals in any or 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 a prime contractor or integrator, chosen by DARPA.
An original and eight (8)
copies each of the Technical and Cost proposals must be submitted to:
BAA 97-42
DARPA/ISO
Attn: Dr. Thomas M. Strat
3701 North Fairfax Drive
Arlington, Virginia 22203-1714
Proposals are due by 1600
EDT on Tuesday, 7 October 1997
PROPOSALS SENT BY FAX OR
E-MAIL WILL BE DISREGARDED.
Proposals shall consist of
two separately bound volumes. (Do not use 3 ring binders.) Volume I shall
provide the technical proposal and management approach. Volume II shall
address cost.
Proposals shall contain a
Table of Contents, in both Volumes I and II.
The proposals shall be prepared in the following format:
Note: Proposals with less
than the maximum number of allowed pages will not be penalized. Proposals
exceeding the page limit will not be reviewed. Offerors are encouraged
to submit concise, but descriptive, proposals.
VOLUME I: Technical Proposal
Volume I of the proposals
shall include the following sections, each starting on a new page. Page
limits apply to all submissions.
Cover Page: This must include:
AVS TSRD: Multiple Target Surveillance (MTS)
AVS TSRD: Activity Monitoring (AM)
AVS TSRD: Other AVS Techniques
A. Executive Summary: (Limit:
2 pages) The summary should include: (1) a visionary system description
that supports the goals of the BAA, (2) innovative ideas proposed, (3)
the expected impact of the effort if successful, (4) description of capabilities
to be demonstrated, and (5) the major project deliverables.
B. Vision: (Limit: 3 pages)
This must describe a hypothetical, yet relevant, advanced concept. Explain
how the proposed technology development would contribute to improved Battlespace
awareness, and how it could be incorporated into current or hypothetical
military or intelligence information systems. What minimum level of AVS
competence would be needed to realize the vision? What additional technology
beyond the scope of the proposed effort would be necessary to realize the
vision?
C. Deliverables and Products:
(Limit: 4 pages) This section must enumerate the deliverables of the proposed
effort, and the due date for each. The list must include those deliverables
specifically required by this BAA, plus any additional deliverables that
are offered.
D. Schedule and Milestones:
(Limit: 3 pages) A summary of the schedule and milestones for the proposed
effort. Milestones must be specific and goal or performance oriented.
E. Statement of Work (SOW):
(Limit: 5 pages) This section must detail the scope, background, objective
and approach of the proposed effort and describe the content and timing
of specific tasks to be performed and specific utilization of subcontractors.
Include here a detailed listing of the technical tasks/subtasks organized
by contract year. Also identify which personnel and subcontractors (if
any) will be involved. The SOW will include proposal Sections C, D, H,
I, and J by reference.
F. Technical Rationale: (Limit:
9 pages) The technical rationale section must include technical arguments
to substantiate claims made in Section A, a technical approach description
consistent with Section B, and a comparison with other ongoing research
indicating both advantages and disadvantages of the proposed effort/approach.
Include a discussion of design decisions made.
G. Demonstration Plan: (Limit
3 pages) This section will describe all laboratory and airborne demonstrations
to be conducted as part of the proposed TSRD effort. It will clearly state
the purpose of each demonstration, and state expected performance levels.
If support from other organizations is expected or required as part of
any of these demonstrations, these expectations must be stated. Additionally,
any expected data issues and requirements need to be addressed in this
section.
H. Evaluation Plan: (Limit:
4 pages) This section describes the critical experiments to be performed
by the TSRD developer, the data to be used, the evaluation metrics to be
applied, and the software instrumentation and test plans to facilitate
repeatable experimentation. This section must include a description of
the metrics (especially for enabling technology efforts) that will be used
for evaluating the impact of the proposed effort, and the performance goal
needed to achieve the vision described in Section B.
I. Management Plan: (Limit:
2 pages) This section describes the overall approach to management of this
effort, including a very brief discussion of the organization, use of personnel,
project/function/subcontractor relationships, government research and facility
interface, and planning, scheduling and control practices.
J. Technology Transition
Plan: (Limit: 2 pages) This section should contain a clear description
of how results will be made sharable throughout the AVS program and what
use these results might be to other groups. In addition, this section should
address specific innovative approaches the offeror will take to facilitate
technology transition. The technology transition plan should identify the
potential recipients and describe the overall approach to delivering results,
products and technology.
K. Claims: (Limit: 1 page)
Include here a summary of any proprietary claims to results, prototypes,
or systems supporting and/or necessary for the use of the research, results,
and/or prototype. Any claims made in other parts of the proposal (such
as Sections A and C) that would impact the claims in this section must
be cross referenced. If there are proprietary claims, the TSRD offeror
must explain how these affect their ability to deliver subsystems and toolkits
for integration into the AVS testbed system. Additionally offerors must
explain how AVS program goals are achievable in light of these proprietary
and/or restrictive limitations. If there are no proprietary claims this
section shall consist of a statement to that effect.
L. Facilities: (Limit: 1
page) Include here a description of the facilities that would be used for
the proposed effort.
M. Security Plan: (Limit:
1 page) To the maximum extent possible, the AVS program will operate at
the unclassified level. However, if a proposer has significant justification
for using classified data for their proposed effort, the proposer must
state what level of security is required to carry out the effort. If access
to classified information is required, provide information specific to
secure facilities, including storage and disposal of classified materials,
security personnel (officer) and procedures to be employed. Also include
the clearances in place and those that would be required to carry out the
project. Discuss limitations foreseen. (Reference AVS Unclassified, GFE
section in Section III).
N. Experience: (Limit: 3
pages) This section describes relevant capabilities, accomplishments, and
work in these or closely related areas along with the qualifications of
proposed subcontractors.
O. Key Personnel: (Limit:
1 page) Include a listing of key personnel along with the amount of effort
to be expended by each person during each calendar year. If multiple proposals
are being submitted in response to this BAA, separate personnel listings
are needed for each proposal. If any key personnel are listed in multiple
proposals, a clear indication of these individuals' division of time between
contracts if multiple awards are made is required.
P. Resumés/Qualifications:
(Limit: 1 page per key person) This section contains a concise summary
of the qualifications of listed key personnel along with other major sources
of support for them. (This section is not included in the page limit.)
Q. Bibliography: Include
here a bibliography of relevant technical papers and research notes which
support the technical ideas in this proposal. (This section is not included
in the page limit.)
R. Non Proprietary TSRD Description
Supporting AVS SI Solicitation: (Limit: 6 pages) This section shall, in
general, include the information described in "TSRD Briefings at the AVS
SI Industry Briefing" described in section III of this document. This section
shall be non-proprietary and it will be distributed to all potential AVS
SI offerors via the WWW and other means at the opening of the AVS SI solicitation.
(This section is not included in the page limit. It will not be included
in the proposal evaluation.)
VOLUME II: Cost Proposal
In general, the cost proposal
should provide for a phased program over the duration of the project, supported
by detailed breakdowns. Volume II of the proposal shall consist of a (A)
Budget Cover Page and not more than 20 additional pages of detail, B) Budget
Summary, part 1 and 2, C) Budget Details, and D) OCI Statement. Details
of any cost sharing to be undertaken by the offeror should also be included
in the cost section. An SF1411 is required for the submission of your proposal.
| Financial Year |
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Period of Performance | 1 Mar. - 30 Nov. | 1 Dec. - 30 Nov. | 1 Dec. - 30 Nov. | 1 Dec. - 30 Nov. | 1 Dec. - 30 Nov. | |
| Base | $ XXX | $ XXX | $ XXX | $ XXX | $ XXX | |
| Option1 | ||||||
| Option 2 | ||||||
| … |
Part 1 (one page): Detailed
breakdown for all costs by calendar year:
C. Budget Details: Include
any other relevant details that support section A above.
Each cost proposal shall
contain a section which identifies the offeror's Taxpayers Identification
Number (TIN), DFARS 204.7202-3; Corporate and Government Entity (CAGE)
code, DFARS 204.7202-1; and Contractor Establishment Code (CEC), DFARS
204.7202-2. The codes provided shall be those of the offeror and not of
the principal place of performance, if the two are different.
D. Organizational Conflict
of Interest
Each proposal shall contain
a section satisfying the requirements of the following: Awards made under
this BAA are subject to the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation
(FAR) Subpart 9.5, Organizational Conflict of Interest. All offerors and
proposed subcontractors must affirmatively state whether they are supporting
any DARPA technical office(s) through an active contract or subcontract.
All affirmations must state which office(s) the offeror supports and identify
the prime contract number. Affirmations 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 FAR 9.501, must be disclosed. This disclosure shall include a description
of the action the Contractor has taken, or proposes to take, to avoid,
neutralize or mitigate such conflict. If the offeror believes that no such
conflict exists, then it shall so state in this section.
1. Technical or contractual
questions shall be emailed to <baa97-42@darpa.mil>. If the offeror does
not have access to email, technical and contractual questions may be faxed
to (703) 696-2201. However, email is preferred. Refer to FAQ file for answer.
2. DARPA provides the Proposer
Information Package (PIP), as well as a BAA 97-42 FAQ file and supporting
documentation on the World Wide Web. The URL: http://www.darpa.mil/baa.
The Airborne Video Surveillance Program may be found under the Information
Systems Office (ISO) page.
3. Facsimile and Electronic
mail: If the offeror does not have access to the WWW, a request for the
PIP may be emailed to baa97-42@darpa.mil or faxed to 703 696-2201, ATTN:
BAA97-42 INFORMATION. Clearly indicate the items requested. The message
must include the name of the POC, phone number, fax number, and surface
mail address to insure proper delivery. Information will be surface mailed.
Be aware that surface mail will require more response time than other methods.
4. Surface mail: If the offeror
does not have access to e-mail, WWW or a FAX machine, written requests
may be sent to: BAA 97-42 INFORMATION, 3701 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington,
VA 22203. Clearly indicate the items requested. The request must include
the name of the POC, phone number, and surface mail address to insure proper
delivery. Information will be surface mailed. Be aware that surface mail
will require more response time than other methods.
VIII. OTHER IMPORTANT ADMINISTRATIVE
INFORMATION
DARPA intends to use E-mail
for some correspondence regarding BAA 97-42; however, proposals may NOT
be submitted by fax or e-mail. PROPOSALS SENT BY FAX OR E-MAIL WILL BE
DISREGARDED. The Government reserves the right to select for award all,
some or none of the proposals received in response to this announcement.
All responsible sources may submit a proposal which shall be considered
by the Agency. 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 technology for exclusive competition among
these entities.
This PIP, along with the
Commerce Business Daily (CBD) announcement, constitutes a Broad Agency
Announcement (BAA) as contemplated in FAR 6.102 (d)(2)(i). Prospective
offerors MUST also refer to this PIP before submitting a proposal. DARPA
anticipates that initial contractor selections will be made during the
first quarter of the Government Fiscal Year 1998.
Protection of Information:
It is the policy of DARPA 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 to assist in administrative
functions only.
APPENDIX A - AVS ACRONYMS
AGL Above Ground Level
AM Activity Monitoring
API Application Program Interface
AVS Airborne Video Surveillance
CAGS Core Air/Ground System
CDL Carrier Data Link
CONOPS Concepts of Operations
EO Electro-Optical
FOV Field of View
GFE Government Furnished Equipment
GPS/INS Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System
HCI Human Computer Interface
IA Imagery Analyst
IR Infrared
LOC Lines of Communication
LOS Line of Sight
MAE Medium Altitude Endurance
MTBF Mean Time Between Failure
MTS Multiple Target Surveillance
NVESD Night Vision & Electronic Sensors Directorate (USA)
PVR Precision Video Registration
RMS Root-Mean-Square
ROM Rough Order of Magnitude
SCR Signal-to-Clutter Ratio
SEI Systems Engineering and Integration
SEP Spherical Error Probability
SI Systems Integrator
SNR Signal-to-Noise Ratio
SR Slant Range
TCT Time Critical Targets
TSRD Technology Subsystem Research and Development
UAV Unmanned Aerial Vehicle