AIR FORCE

AIR FORCE
15.1 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Proposal Submission Instructions Revised Closing Date: February 25, 2015, at 6:00 a.m. ET INTRODUCTION The Air Force (AF) proposal submission instructions are intended to clarify
the Department of Defense (DoD) instructions as they apply to AF
requirements. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Wright-Patterson Air Force Base,
Ohio, is responsible for the implementation and management of the AF Small
Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program. The AF Program Manager is Mr. David Sikora, 1-800-222-0336. For general
inquiries or problems with the electronic submission, contact the DoD
SBIR/STTR Help Desk at [1-800-348-0787] or Help Desk email at
[sbirhelp@bytecubed.com] (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET Monday through Friday).
For technical questions about the topics during the pre-solicitation
period (12 December 2014 through 14 January 2015), contact the Topic
Authors listed for each topic on the Web site. For information on
obtaining answers to your technical questions during the formal
solicitation period (15 January through 25 February 2015), go to
http://www.dodsbir.net/sitis/. General information related to the AF Small Business Program can be found
at the AF Small Business website, http://www.airforcesmallbiz.org. The
site contains information related to contracting opportunities within the
AF, as well as business information, and upcoming outreach/conference
events. Other informative sites include those for the Small Business
Administration (SBA), www.sba.gov, and the Procurement Technical Assistance
Centers, www.aptacus.org/new/Govt_Contracting/index.php. These centers
provide Government contracting assistance and guidance to small businesses,
generally at no cost. The AF SBIR Program is a mission-oriented program that integrates the needs
and requirements of the AF through R&D topics that have military and/or
commercial potential. Efforts under the SBIR program fall within the scope of fundamental
research. The Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology, &
Logistics) defines fundamental research as "basic and applied research in
science and engineering, the results of which ordinarily are published and
shared broadly within the scientific community," which is distinguished
from proprietary research and from industrial development, design,
production, and product utilization, the results of which ordinarily are
restricted for proprietary or national security reasons. See DFARS 252.227-
7018 for a description of your SBIR/STTR rights. PHASE I PROPOSAL SUBMISSION Read the DoD program solicitation at www.dodsbir.net/solicitation for
program requirements. When you prepare your proposal, keep in mind that
Phase I should address the feasibility of a solution to the topic. For the
AF, the contract period of performance for Phase I shall be nine (9)
months, and the award shall not exceed $150,000. We will accept only one
Cost Volume per Topic Proposal and it must address the entire nine-month
contract period of performance. The Phase I award winners must accomplish the majority of their primary
research during the first six months of the contract. Each AF organization
may request Phase II proposals prior to the completion of the first six
months of the contract based upon an evaluation of the contractor's
technical progress and review by the AF technical point of contact
utilizing the criteria in section 6.0 of the DoD solicitation. The last
three months of the nine-month Phase I contract will provide project
continuity for all Phase II award winners so no modification to the Phase I
contract should be necessary. The Phase I Technical Volume has a 20-page-limit (excluding the Cover
Sheet, Cost Volume, Cost Volume Itemized Listing (a-j), and Company
Commercialization Report). Limitations on Length of Proposal The Technical Volume must be no more than 20 pages (no type smaller than 10-
point on standard 8-1/2" x 11" paper with one (1) inch margins. The Cover
Sheet, Cost Volume, Cost Volume Itemized Listing (a-j), and Company
Commercialization Report are excluded from the 20 page limit. Only the
Technical Volume and any enclosures or attachments count toward the 20-page
limit. In the interest of equity, pages in excess of the 20-page
limitation (including attachments, appendices, or references, but excluding
the Cover Sheet, Cost Volume, Cost Volume Itemized Listing (a-j), and
Company Commercialization Report, will not be considered for review or
award. Phase I Proposal Format Proposal Cover Sheet: The Cover Sheet does NOT count toward the 20 page
total limit. If your proposal is selected for award, the technical
abstract and discussion of anticipated benefits will be publicly released
on the Internet; therefore, do not include proprietary information in these
sections. Technical Volume: The Technical Volume should include all graphics and
attachments but should not include the Cover Sheet or Company
Commercialization Report (as these items are completed separately). Most
proposals will be printed out on black and white printers so make sure all
graphics are distinguishable in black and white. It is strongly encouraged
that you perform a virus check on each submission to avoid complications or
delays in submitting your Technical Volume. To verify that your proposal
has been received, click on the "Check Upload" icon to view your proposal.
Typically, your uploaded file will be virus checked. However, if your
proposal does not appear after an hour, please contact the DoD SBIR/STTR
Help Desk at [1-800-348-0787] or Help Desk email at
[sbirhelp@bytecubed.com] (8:00 am to 5:00 pm ET Monday through Friday). Key Personnel: Identify in the Technical Volume all key personnel who will
be involved in this project; include information on directly related
education, experience, and citizenship. A technical resume of the
principle investigator, including a list of publications, if any, must be
part of that information. Concise technical resumes for subcontractors and
consultants, if any, are also useful. You must identify all U.S.
permanent residents to be involved in the project as direct employees,
subcontractors, or consultants. You must also identify all non-U.S.
citizens expected to be involved in the project as direct employees,
subcontractors, or consultants. For all non-U.S. citizens, in addition to
technical resumes, please provide countries of origin, the type of visa or
work permit under which they are performing and an explanation of their
anticipated level of involvement on this project, as appropriate. You may
be asked to provide additional information during negotiations in order to
verify the foreign citizen's eligibility to participate on a contract
issued as a result of this solicitation. Voluntary Protection Program (VPP): VPP promotes effective worksite-based
safety and health. In the VPP, management, labor, and the Occupational
Safety and Health Agency (OSHA) establish cooperative relationships at
workplaces that have implemented a comprehensive safety and health
management system. Approval into the VPP is OSHA's official recognition of
the outstanding efforts of employers and employees who have achieved
exemplary occupational safety and health. An "Applicable Contractor" under
the VPP is defined as a construction or services contractor with employees
working at least 1,000 hours at the site in any calendar quarter within the
last 12 months that is NOT directly supervised by the applicant
(installation). The definition flows down to affected subcontractors.
Applicable contractors will be required to submit Days Away, Restricted,
and Transfer (DART) and Total Case Incident (TCIR) rates for the past three
years as part of the proposal. Pages associated with this information will
NOT contribute to the overall Technical Volume page count. NOTE: If award
of your firm's proposal does NOT create a situation wherein performance on
one Government installation will exceed 1,000 hours in one calendar
quarter, SUBMISSION OF TCIR/DART DATA IS NOT REQUIRED. Phase I Work Plan Outline | |
|NOTE: THE AF USES THE WORK PLAN OUTLINE AS THE INITIAL DRAFT OF THE |
|PHASE I STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW). THEREFORE, DO NOT INCLUDE PROPRIETARY|
|INFORMATION IN THE WORK PLAN OUTLINE. TO DO SO WILL NECESSITATE A |
|REQUEST FOR REVISION AND MAY DELAY CONTRACT AWARD. | At the beginning of your proposal work plan section, include an outline of
the work plan in the following format:
1) Scope
List the major requirements and specifications of the effort.
2) Task Outline
Provide a brief outline of the work to be accomplished over the span
of the Phase I effort.
3) Milestone Schedule
4) Deliverables
a. Kickoff meeting within 30 days of contract start
b. Progress reports
c. Technical review within 6 months
d. Final report with SF 298 Cost Volume Cost Volume information should be provided by completing the on-line Cost
Volume form and including the Cost Volume Itemized Listing (a-j) specified
below. The Cost Volume detail must be adequate to enable Air Force
personnel to determine the purpose, necessity and reasonability of each
cost element. Provide sufficient information (a-j below) on how funds will
be used if the contract is awarded. The on-line Cost Volume and Itemized
Cost Volume Information (a-j) will not count against the 20-page limit.
The itemized listing may be placed in the "Explanatory Material" section of
the on-line Cost Volume form (if enough room), or as the last page(s) of
the Technical Volume Upload. (Note: Only one file can be uploaded to the
DoD Submission Site). Ensure that this file includes your complete
Technical Volume and the Cost Volume Itemized Listing