ARPA BAA 94-08 FOR SCALABLE COMPUTING AND MICROSYSTEMS

[David Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>]

Date: Fri, 11 Feb 1994 11:06:52 -0500
To: farber () central cis upenn edu (David Farber)
From: deyoung () ARPA MIL (Tice DeYoung)
Subject:
David,


     Attached here is the most recent solicitation from my office, CSTO,
for scalable computing under ARPA's HPC Program.  Feel free to
redistribute it to the interesting-people list.


Tice




RESEARCH IN SCALABLE COMPUTING AND MICROSYSTEMS SOL BAA94-08 DUE
041594 POC Tice  DeYoung,  Robert  Parker,  POCs,  ARPA/CSTO,  FAX:
(703)522-2668.




The Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) is soliciting proposals for
research on various scalable systems and microsystems aspects of high
performance computing in support of the goals of the ARPA High Performance
Computing Program, the Federal High Performance Computing and
Communications (HPCC) Program, and related basic research programs.  ARPA,
as the DOD lead agency for advanced technology research, will focus on
developing the high performance computing (HPC) and networking
technologies needed for Defense and overall Federal HPCC.  Proposed
research should investigate innovative approaches that lead to or enable
revolutionary advances in the state of the art.  Projects should also
increase knowledge or understanding rather than focus on specific system
solutions.  Wherever possible projects should be tied to demonstrations
providing a technology path for clearly identified classes of customers or
users.




SCALABLE HPC SYSTEMS  AND  MICROSYSTEMS:


Research for future generations of HPC systems and microsystems is sought
including but not limited to a new generation of computing concepts and
components scalable in performance to ten-Teraops and higher.




EMBEDDABLE  AND  ENVIRONMENTALLY-CONSTRAINED  HPC  SYSTEMS:


Research and development enabling the application of HPC commercial
scalable computing to new domains (i.e.  military embedded, space embedded,
workstations, wireless computing, dual-use, etc.).




SYSTEM OPTIMIZATION:


Architectural  concepts  and  enabling component (i.e. integrated circuits,
etc.)  design
leveraging advanced packaging (i.e. MCMs, etc.) technology to achieve
dramatic
improvement  in  one or more critical system parameters.




EVALUATION  OF  EARLY  COMPUTING SYSTEM PROTOTYPES:


As part of the on-going early evaluation component of the program,
proposals are sought to enable a broader range of applications on scalable
systems, evaluate emerging technologies, and provide researchers access to
new scalable systems.  System developers, even if not an existing
government contractor, should have a new technology expected to be
available in 6-18 months, have demonstrated a high level of expertise in
HPC technologies, and be willing to negotiate access to systems in return
for early evaluation results from the program.  Selection, including
negotiating an agreement, does not imply that any systems will be acquired,
but will establish rapid availability of experimental systems.  The
acquisition of such systems will depend on receiving and selecting
competitive proposals for their use, as well as availability of funds.


DESIGN  TECHNOLOGY:


Design technology enabling next generation scalable and embeddable HPC
systems and application areas is of interest including design for wireless
computing, computational prototyping, and constraint-driven (i.e.  energy
efficient, reliable, etc.) system design.  Design technology that exploits
the HPC scalable technology base in support of computational prototyping is
also specifically of interest.




INNOVATIVE  PROTOTYPING  TECHNOLOGY  and  SERVICES:


Innovative prototyping techniques and technologies are of interest that
can be rapidly configured to support cost-effective prototyping and concept
validation of high-performance scalable systems or components.  System
prototyping services are also sought as well as tools and services to
assist in creating an Information Infrastructure.






EVALUATION PROCESS:


Sources for research will be selected by a formal technical/ scientific/
business decision review process.  Individual proposal evaluations will be
based on acceptability or unacceptability without regard to other proposals
submitted under the announcement, however, all selected proposals may not
be funded due to budgetary or programmatic constraints.  Evaluation of
proposals will be performed using the following criteria which are listed
in descending order of relative importance:


(1) overall scientific and technical  merit,


(2) potential contribution and relevance to ARPA mission,


(3) offeror's capabilities and related experience,


(4) plans and capability to  accomplish  technology transition, and


(5) cost realism.


Note: (1) cost realism  will  only  be  significant  in proposals which
have significantly
under  or  over  estimated  the  cost  to  complete  their  effort, and (2)
proposals deemed
non-competitive in sections 1, 2 or 3 will not be reviewed further.






ADMINISTRATIVE  ISSUES:




Proposals may range from small-scale efforts that are primarily theoretical
in nature, to medium-scale experimental and prototyping efforts of hardware
and/or software, to larger-scale integrated systems efforts.  Proposed
efforts may involve single organizations, multiple research groups,
collaboration with ongoing projects, and/or industrial cooperation and cost
sharing.  While collaborative efforts and teaming to increase the strength
of research or to fill technical or manpower gaps are strongly encouraged,
teaming per se does not increase the selectability of a proposed effort.


No portion of this BAA will be set aside for Historically Black Colleges
and Universities (HBCU) and Minority Institution (MI) participation due to
the impracticality of reserving discrete or severable areas of research.
However, such institutions are encouraged to submit proposals or to join
others in submitting proposals.


Proposers should obtain a pamphlet, BAA 94-08 Proposer Information
Pamphlet, describing the process of proposal submission/evaluation which
includes: general information, additional technical information, submission
process, evaluation process, funding process, and proposal format.  This
pamphlet may be obtained by electronic mail, fax, or mail request to the
contact addresses given below.  Proposals not meeting the format described
in the pamphlet may not be reviewed.


The information in this announcement, in conjunction with the information
in the pamphlet, BAA 94-08 Proposal Information, constitutes a Broad Agency
Announcement as contemplated in FAR 6.102(d)(2).  Unless specified
otherwise herein, no additional written information is available, nor will
a formal RFP or other solicitation regarding this announcement be issued.
Requests for same 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 capable of satisfying the Government's needs may submit a proposal
which shall be considered by ARPA.  Administrative POC Jerry King,
ARPA/CSTO, Technical POCs: Tice DeYoung, Robert Parker.




Contact  addresses  for  this  BAA  are:


Electronic mail: baa9408 () arpa mil,


Fax:703-522-2668 (Addressed to: BAA 94-08),
Mail:


Attn.: BAA  94-08
ARPA/CSTO
3701 N. Fairfax Drive
Arlington, VA 22203-1714.




Last opportunity for submission of proposals under this BAA is: 4:00 p.m.,
Friday, April 15, 1994.  (Notes: PROPOSALS SENT BY FAX OR ELECTRONIC MAIL
WILL BE DISREGARDED.  Electronic mail and fax are preferred for
administrative questions and correspondence.  ARPA will use electronic mail
and fax preferentially for correspondence regarding BAA 94-08.) (0039)


SPONSOR:  Advanced  Research  Projects  Agency (ARPA), Contracts Management
          Office (CMO), 3701 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1714
SUBFILE: PSE  (U.S. GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENTS, SERVICES)
SECTION HEADING: A  Research and Development
PUBLICATION DATE: FEBRUARY 10, 1994
ISSUE: PSA-1031