Opportunity Information: Apply for BAA RV 10 01 003
Apply for BAA RV 10 01 003
- The Air Force Research Lab in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Call 003, Compact High Performance Atom Interferometer for Navigation (CHAIN) Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.800 Air Force Defense Research Sciences Program.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 26, 2010 and posted on Apr 26, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 24, 2010. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $4,500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
Call 003 under Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) RV 10 01 is an Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Space Vehicles Directorate opportunity focused on the Compact High Performance Atom Interferometer for Navigation (CHAIN) program. It sits within the Battlespace Environment Division, Topic 2 (listed under Battlespace Surveillance/RVBY in the call header, and described in the narrative as within the Battlespace Environment technology area for cold atom interferometers). The core aim is to advance cold atom interferometry and demonstrate how it can be engineered into a compact, high-performance navigation-grade sensing capability, specifically for ultra-precise measurements of rotation and acceleration. In practical terms, AFRL is looking for a team that can both study the underlying limitations of atom interferometers and actually build hardware that moves the technology toward a strategic-grade inertial measurement unit (IMU), with realistic packaging and supporting subsystems rather than a purely laboratory setup.
Technically, the call emphasizes three main thrusts. First is development of a strategic-grade atom interferometer IMU, meaning performance and stability that can compete with (or complement) high-end inertial sensors used when GPS is degraded or unavailable. Second is integration: the IMU is not expected to be a standalone physics experiment, but a system integrated with the required electronic controls and laser components needed to operate an atom interferometer. Third is a focused set of studies on what limits performance and miniaturization, including noise sources, stabilization approaches, and the constraints that appear when reducing size, weight, and power. The government is effectively asking offerors to identify the real engineering bottlenecks (for example, sensitivity to vibration, laser phase noise, magnetic field fluctuations, thermal drift, atom number and temperature limits, interrogation time constraints, and alignment/stability issues) and propose credible paths to mitigate them while shrinking the system footprint.
The planned effort is long-term. AFRL anticipates a 60-month period of performance per award, structured as 57 months of technical work plus 3 months for final report preparation. The anticipated total funding for the call is up to about $4.5M across fiscal years (FY10: $0.05M; FY11: $0.75M; FY12: $1.2M; FY13: $1.3M; FY14: $1.2M). That profile is described as an estimate rather than a contractual promise, and funding is explicitly subject to government discretion and availability. The opportunity is listed as discretionary in the posting metadata, but the call itself reads like a procurement action under the BAA construct, and AFRL states it anticipates using a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) contract, while reserving the right to use a different instrument best matched to the proposed research.
AFRL expects to make one award, though it reserves the right to make multiple awards or none. The anticipated award date is July 19, 2010. No cost sharing is required, eligibility is essentially unrestricted (open to any type of entity, subject to any clarifications in the full announcement), and the program is unclassified. The call also notes it is not ITAR-restricted, and there is no Government Furnished Property/Contractor Acquired Property identified. Another practical detail is that the government will not provide base support, so proposers should plan to execute using their own facilities and logistics.
Deliverables are a mix of reporting and hardware. On the documentation side, AFRL expects annual reports plus a final report. On the hardware side, the government expects delivery of one cold atom interferometer system, one modular controls system, and one modular laser system. The modular wording is important because it signals an interest in separable, upgradeable subsystems that can evolve (or be swapped) as the technology matures, rather than a monolithic prototype that cannot be easily reconfigured or maintained.
Proposal logistics are clearly specified. Proposals were due by 12:00 noon Mountain Daylight Time on May 24, 2010, with late submissions handled under FAR 52.215-1(c)(3). Offerors were instructed to monitor FedBizOpps (now SAM.gov in modern practice, but FedBizOpps is what the call cites) and/or Grants.gov for amendments. Submission required separate Management, Technical, and Cost volumes, with two copies plus one original, and an electronic copy on CD that includes the cost proposal in Microsoft Excel 2007-or-earlier compatible format. The call stresses that it is the offeror’s responsibility to ensure timely delivery and to allow time for mail/security processing at Kirtland AFB. It also states that submitting a proposal does not authorize starting work or incurring costs; work can begin only after a contract action is executed, and any pre-award costs are at the offeror’s risk.
The points of contact are split between technical and contracting. The technical point of contact is Mr. Paul M. Baker at AFRL/RVBYE, Hanscom AFB, MA (Paul.Baker@hanscom.af.mil). Contracting points of contact are at AFRL Det 8, Kirtland AFB, NM: Ms. Yolanda Gomez Pohl (Contract Specialist) and Ms. Jean Barnes (Contracting Officer), with the call providing phone, fax, and email details for both. The call also asks for a non-binding courtesy notice of intent to propose, sent to the contracting POC.
A sizable portion of the announcement is devoted to cost proposal requirements, reflecting the CPFF expectation and the government’s need to evaluate realism and traceability. Offerors must submit detailed cost element summaries by Offeror Fiscal Year (OFY), identify when their OFY begins and ends, and provide Excel versions of the required tables with formulas intact (not just hard-typed values). The cost instructions require breakouts and narrative basis-of-estimate support for direct labor categories (including labor qualifications/descriptions and escalation methods), indirect rates and allocation bases (with references to FPRA/billing/actual rates as applicable), subcontractor and interorganizational transfer proposals (including the same level of detail as the prime), travel details (purpose, destinations, number of trips, duration, and travelers), an itemized bill of materials with pricing basis, other direct costs such as consultants (including agreements and rate reasonableness), facilities capital cost of money if proposed (with DD Form 1861 by OFY), and the proposed fee. The instructions also call out compliance with FAR 52.215-22 on limitations on pass-through charges, including special disclosure requirements if more than 70 percent of total work is subcontracted and a description of the prime’s added value. There is also a specific reminder that New Mexico Gross Receipts Tax may apply, with guidance to identify the taxable base and calculation method if relevant.
Overall, this call is best read as AFRL looking for a single, sustained effort that bridges advanced physics and practical engineering: build and deliver a compact cold-atom interferometer-based inertial sensor system, integrate the enabling lasers and controls as modular subsystems, and produce rigorous analyses of what fundamentally and practically limits performance and size reduction. The end state is not just publications, but a delivered hardware prototype and an evidence-backed understanding of how to push atom-interferometric navigation sensors toward operationally relevant inertial measurement performance.
FAQs: AFRL CHAIN (Compact High Performance Atom Interferometer for Navigation) - Call 003 under BAA RV 10 01
What is this government opportunity?
This is Call 003 under Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) RV 10 01 from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Space Vehicles Directorate. The effort supports the Compact High Performance Atom Interferometer for Navigation (CHAIN) program and focuses on advancing cold atom interferometry into a compact, high-performance, navigation-grade sensing capability.
Which AFRL organization and topic area does this fall under?
The call sits within the Battlespace Environment Division, Topic 2. In the call header it is listed under Battlespace Surveillance/RVBY, and the narrative describes it within the Battlespace Environment technology area for cold atom interferometers.
What is the main goal of the CHAIN program in this call?
The core goal is to advance cold atom interferometry and demonstrate how it can be engineered into a compact, high-performance navigation-grade sensor for ultra-precise measurements of rotation and acceleration. AFRL is seeking both rigorous studies of performance limits and the development of hardware that moves toward a strategic-grade inertial measurement unit (IMU) with realistic packaging and supporting subsystems.
What kind of sensor capability is AFRL trying to achieve?
The call emphasizes a navigation-grade (and specifically "strategic-grade") atom interferometer IMU, targeting performance and stability that can compete with, or complement, high-end inertial sensors used when GPS is degraded or unavailable.
What are the main technical thrusts emphasized in the call?
The call highlights three primary thrusts: (1) development of a strategic-grade atom interferometer IMU, (2) integration of the IMU with the required electronic controls and laser components to operate an atom interferometer, and (3) focused studies on what limits performance and miniaturization, including noise sources, stabilization approaches, and constraints introduced by reducing size, weight, and power.
Is AFRL looking for only theoretical studies or actual hardware development?
AFRL is looking for both. The call expects offerors to study underlying limitations (including miniaturization constraints) and also build and deliver hardware that advances the technology toward an operationally relevant, compact inertial sensing system.
What kinds of performance limiters does the call expect offerors to address?
The announcement points to practical bottlenecks and limitations such as sensitivity to vibration, laser phase noise, magnetic field fluctuations, thermal drift, atom number and temperature limits, interrogation time constraints, and alignment/stability issues. Offerors are expected to propose credible mitigation paths while shrinking system footprint.
Is system integration required, or can the atom interferometer be a standalone lab experiment?
Integration is explicitly emphasized. The IMU is not expected to be a standalone physics experiment; it should be integrated with the electronic controls and laser components required to operate an atom interferometer.
What does "modular" mean in the context of this call?
The government expects delivery of modular subsystems (controls and lasers). The modular wording signals interest in separable, upgradeable subsystems that can evolve or be swapped as the technology matures, rather than a monolithic prototype that cannot be easily reconfigured or maintained.
What deliverables are expected?
Deliverables include annual reports and a final report, plus hardware delivery of: (1) one cold atom interferometer system, (2) one modular controls system, and (3) one modular laser system.
What is the anticipated period of performance?
AFRL anticipates a 60-month period of performance per award, structured as 57 months of technical work plus 3 months for final report preparation.
How much funding is anticipated?
The anticipated total funding for the call is up to about $4.5M across multiple fiscal years, with an estimated profile of: FY10 $0.05M; FY11 $0.75M; FY12 $1.2M; FY13 $1.3M; FY14 $1.2M. The profile is described as an estimate rather than a contractual promise, and funding is subject to government discretion and availability.
Is cost sharing required?
No cost sharing is required.
How many awards does AFRL expect to make?
AFRL expects to make one award, but it reserves the right to make multiple awards or none.
What is the anticipated award date?
The anticipated award date is July 19, 2010.
What type of contract or instrument is AFRL expecting to use?
AFRL states it anticipates using a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) contract, while reserving the right to use a different instrument that best matches the proposed research.
Is the program classified?
The program is identified as unclassified.
Is the opportunity ITAR-restricted?
The call notes it is not ITAR-restricted.
Is Government Furnished Property (GFP) or Contractor Acquired Property (CAP) provided?
No Government Furnished Property/Contractor Acquired Property is identified in the information provided.
Will the government provide base support (facilities/logistics)?
No. The call states that the government will not provide base support, so proposers should plan to execute using their own facilities and logistics.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as essentially unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any clarifications in the full announcement.
Where were offerors instructed to look for amendments or updates?
Offerors were instructed to monitor FedBizOpps and/or Grants.gov for amendments (FedBizOpps is what the call cites).
What was the proposal due date and time?
Proposals were due by 12:00 noon Mountain Daylight Time on May 24, 2010.
How are late proposals handled?
Late submissions are handled under FAR 52.215-1(c)(3).
What proposal volumes were required?
Submission required separate Management, Technical, and Cost volumes.
How many copies and what electronic media were required?
The call required two copies plus one original, and an electronic copy on CD. The electronic copy was required to include the cost proposal in Microsoft Excel 2007-or-earlier compatible format.
Are there any warnings about delivery timing or security processing?
Yes. The call stresses it is the offeror's responsibility to ensure timely delivery and to allow time for mail/security processing at Kirtland AFB.
Can an offeror begin work or incur costs after submitting the proposal?
No. The call states that submitting a proposal does not authorize starting work or incurring costs. Work can begin only after a contract action is executed, and any pre-award costs are at the offeror's risk.
Is a notice of intent to propose required?
The call asks for a non-binding courtesy notice of intent to propose, sent to the contracting point of contact.
Who is the technical point of contact (POC)?
The technical POC is Mr. Paul M. Baker, AFRL/RVBYE, Hanscom AFB, MA (Paul.Baker@hanscom.af.mil).
Who are the contracting points of contact?
The contracting POCs are at AFRL Det 8, Kirtland AFB, NM: Ms. Yolanda Gomez Pohl (Contract Specialist) and Ms. Jean Barnes (Contracting Officer). The call provides phone, fax, and email details for both.
What are the major cost proposal expectations?
The cost proposal instructions are detailed and emphasize realism and traceability, consistent with the anticipated CPFF approach. Offerors must submit detailed cost element summaries by Offeror Fiscal Year (OFY), identify when their OFY begins and ends, and provide Excel versions of required tables with formulas intact (not hard-typed values).
What details must be provided for direct labor in the cost proposal?
The instructions require breakouts and narrative basis-of-estimate support for direct labor categories, including labor qualifications/descriptions and escalation methods.
What indirect rate information is expected?
Offerors are instructed to provide indirect rates and allocation bases, with references to FPRA, billing, or actual rates as applicable.
What subcontractor detail is required?
Subcontractor and interorganizational transfer proposals must be provided with the same level of detail as the prime.
What travel information is required in the cost proposal?
Travel must be detailed by purpose, destinations, number of trips, duration, and travelers.
What material and other direct cost details are required?
The cost instructions call for an itemized bill of materials with pricing basis, and other direct costs such as consultants (including agreements and rate reasonableness).
Is Facilities Capital Cost of Money (FCCM) addressed?
Yes. If proposed, facilities capital cost of money should be supported with DD Form 1861 by OFY.
Is the proposed fee part of the submission?
Yes. The instructions include submission of the proposed fee.
Are there any pass-through charge limitations mentioned?
Yes. The call notes compliance with FAR 52.215-22 on limitations on pass-through charges, including special disclosure requirements if more than 70 percent of total work is subcontracted and a description of the prime's added value.
Are there any tax considerations mentioned?
Yes. The call reminds offerors that New Mexico Gross Receipts Tax may apply, with guidance to identify the taxable base and calculation method if relevant.
What is the practical end state AFRL is seeking?
The call reads as a sustained effort that bridges advanced physics and practical engineering: deliver a compact cold-atom interferometer-based inertial sensor system with modular laser and control subsystems, and provide rigorous analyses of the fundamental and practical limitations affecting performance and miniaturization.
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