ARPA BAA 94-28 - NIE [why ARPA can not generate nice mail is beyond me , but here it is djf]

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

Posted-Date: Fri, 13 May 1994 14:16:58 -0400
Date: Fri, 13 May 1994 13:28:04 -0400 (EDT)
Sender: ietf-request () IETF CNRI Reston VA US
From: BLeiner () arpa mil
Subject: ARPA BAA 94-28 - NIE
To: ietf () isoc org
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I thought some of you might find this of interest.


Barry


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THIS IS NOT THE OFFICIAL COPY. THAT APPEARS IN THE CBD.


Appeared 10 May 94


NATIONAL-SCALE INFORMATION ENTERPRISES (NIE) SOL BAA94-28 DUE
082294 POC
Randy H. Katz, Barry M. Leiner, ARPA/CSTO, FAX: (703)522-2668.
The Advanced
Research   Projects   Agency   (ARPA)   is  soliciting  proposals
for  its
National-scale  Information  Enterprises (NIE) Program. The goal
of the NIE
Program  is  to  develop revolutionary new computing systems'
technology to
enable  applications  developers  to  demonstrate  prototype
solutions  to
National Challenge problems. The technology is based on those
developed for
High  Performance  Computing  and  Communications  (HPCC) but
exhibits more
extensive capabilities for ubiquitous information access, dynamic
discovery
of   and  adaptation  to  new  resources,  linkage  of  objects
and  their
dissemination and distribution over internetworked distributed
systems, and
trusted  system operation on behalf of users and applications. To
drive the
development  of these technologies, the program supports
integrated systems
technology   demonstration   projects   for   selected  National
Challenge
applications.  In  particular,  the  program  will  develop  the
underlying
technology  base  for  the  fundamental  enabling  applications
of Digital
Libraries  and  Electronic Commerce. This BAA focuses on research
interests
in  the  following  three  technical  areas:  1) Information
Infrastructure
Services:   These  are  the  bitway-enabled  technologies  that
provide  a
ubiquitously  available,  network-aware,  adaptive  interface
upon which to
construct  complex  applications.  These  include,  but are not
limited to,
universal information infrastructure access points, dynamic
partitioning of
applications  logic  among heterogeneous nodes, mechanisms for
applications
to  negotiate  for  and  adapt  to  the  available  quality of
service, and
mechanisms  for a common authentication, authorization,
accounting/banking,
usage  metering,  and  charging infrastructure for networks. 2)
Information
Infrastructure   Software  Development  Tools:  Innovative
mechanisms  and
development  tools  are  needed  to  support  the  rapid
development of new
services  and  services-enabled applications composed from
modular building
blocks.   Techniques   of   interest  include,  but  are  not
limited  to,
self-describing service interfaces and modules that can negotiate
with each
other   to   reach  a  common  communications  protocol,  new
methods  for
encapsulating  existing  services  for  more  dynamic and
adaptive use, and
mechanisms  such as advanced Yellow Page services for resource
registration
and  discovery  of  available  services  and  service  building
blocks in a
complex,   internetworked   environment.   3)   Information
Infrastructure
Applications  Demonstrations:  The  program will demonstrate
technology for
applications  like  Digital  Libraries and Electronic Commerce
which enable
larger  scale applications requiring capabilities for large
repositories of
network-linked  objects,  adaptation  to  a  changing resource
environment,
usage  metering, accounting, and payment, and privacy-enhanced,
secure, and
trusted  processing  on  behalf  of  users  and programs. The
purpose is to
validate   developed   technologies   through   use  by  modest-
sized  user
communities   to  drive  the  evolution  of  services.  Proposals
will  be
considered in independent areas as well as across multiple areas.
Technical
Points  of  Contact:  Randy  H.  Katz,  Barry  M. Leiner. The
focus of this
solicitation  is  on  revolutionary  prototype  information
infrastructure
services  and their pilot demonstration. It is expected that
these services
will  form  the  foundation  for  a generation beyond that which
is already
envisioned   to   exist   within   the   next  three  years.
Nevertheless,
collaborative  university/industry research and development is
desirable to
ensure  technology  transfer.  Teaming  arrangements  and  cost
sharing are
encouraged   where   appropriate,   especially   when   coupling
services
developments  to  applications  demonstrations.  However,
teaming  is  not
essential  in  all  of  the technical areas of research. Further
details on
individual  topic areas are available in the BAA 94-28 Proposer
Information
Pamphlet. PROGRAM SCOPE: Proposals for individual efforts should
not exceed
three years in length. Technologies which have a broad impact
will be given
highest  priority. Contract awards are expected to be made during
the first
half  of  fiscal  year  1995. Total funding is expected to be
approximately
$30,000,000  over  three years. Multiple awards will be made.
Collaborative
efforts  and teaming are encouraged where appropriate. GENERAL
INFORMATION:
In order to minimize unnecessary effort in proposal preparation
and review,
proposers  are  strongly  encouraged  to submit brief proposal
abstracts in
advance  of full proposals. An original and four (4) copies of
the proposal
abstract  must  be  submitted  to  ARPA/CSTO,  3701  North
Fairfax  Drive,
Arlington,  VA 22203-1714, (ATTN: BAA 94-28) on or before 4:00
PM, June 17,
1994. Proposal abstracts received after this date may not be
reviewed. Upon
review,  ARPA  will  provide  written  feedback on the likelihood
of a full
proposal  being  selected.  Proposers  must submit an original
and four (4)
copies  of  full  proposals  by  4:00  PM,  August 22, 1994, in
order to be
considered.   Proposers   must   obtain  a  pamphlet,  BAA  94-28
Proposer
Information,  which  provides further information on areas of
interest, the
submission,  evaluation,  funding processes, proposal and
proposal abstract
formats.  This  pamphlet  may  be obtained by fax, electronic
mail, or mail
request  to  the  administrative contact address given below.
Proposals not
meeting  the  format  described  in  the pamphlet may not be
reviewed. This
notice,  in  conjunction  with the pamphlet BAA 94-28 Proposer
Information,
constitutes the total BAA. No additional 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. All
responsible sources capable of satisfying the Government's needs
may submit
a  proposal  which shall be considered by ARPA. 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
research in
NIE.  Evaluation  of  proposals  will  be  accomplished through a
technical
review  of  each proposal 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) plans and capability to accomplish technology transition, (4)
offeror's
capabilities  and  related  experience,  and  (5)  cost realism.
Note: Cost
realism  will  only  be  significant  in proposals which have
significantly
under   or   over   estimated  the  cost  to  complete  their
effort.  All
administrative correspondence and questions on this solicitation,
including
requests  for  information on how to submit a proposal abstract
or proposal
to  this  BAA,  should  be  directed to one of the administrative
addresses
below,  e-mail or fax is preferred. ARPA intends to use
electronic mail and
fax   for  correspondence  regarding  BAA  94-28.  Proposals  and
proposal
abstracts  may  not  submitted by fax, any so sent will be
disregarded. The
administrative  addresses for this BAA are: Fax: 703-522-2668
Addressed to:
ARPA/CSTO,  BAA  94-28,  Electronic Mail: BAA9428 () arpa mil Mail:
ARPA/CSTO,
ATTN: BAA 94-28, 3701 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1714
(0126)


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: MAY 10, 1994
ISSUE: PSA-1092