Member Guide - NAMC | NAMC · PDF fileThis NAMC Member Guide is intended to assist members...
Transcript of Member Guide - NAMC | NAMC · PDF fileThis NAMC Member Guide is intended to assist members...
Member Guide
Revision 2: 17 OCT 2017
Revision 1: 06 JUL 2017
Original: 13 MAR 2017
PROPRIETARY
THIS GUIDE CONTAINS PROPRIETARY INFORMATION OF
THE NATIONAL ADVANCED MOBILITY CONSORTIUM AND SHALL NOT BE USED,
DISCLOSED OR REPRODUCED, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, FOR ANY PURPOSE,
WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE NAMC.
TITLE IN AND TO THIS DOCUMENT AND ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED
HEREIN REMAINS AT ALL TIMES IN THE NAMC.
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Revision History 17 OCT 2017 – Revision 2 Updated links throughout to point to the location on the new NAMC website.
Page 13: Added: In any instance where a subcontractor/teaming partner is going to perform
greater than 50% of the effort, the effort is closely reviewed to ensure it isn't set up as a "pass
through" effort, for example, to get to a company who may not otherwise be able to propose to
this effort because they are not a member, cannot become a member, etc. In those instances, if
the proposal is selected for award, the Government requires justification from the company to
support that it is not a pass-through effort and that the prime is also performing significant
activities in the effort. Efforts in which the prime is basically doing Program Management and
other administrative types of activities, is not acceptable.
Revision History06 JUL 2017 – Revision 1 Page 16: NAMC Members must submit a White Paper to submit a full proposal to that project.
Page 17: Upon the opening of the Annual Plan, communication is permitted until the closing of
the White Paper submission period; White Paper submission is a prerequisite for submitting a
full Prototype Proposal to that project within the Annual Plan.
Page 21: NAMC Members must have submitted a White Paper against the project for which
they wish to submit a proposal.
Page 23: NAMC Members must have submitted a White Paper against the project for which
they wish to submit a proposal.
Page 41: Inserted
Once the updated proposal has been reviewed, the Government may enter into negotiations
with the NAMC Member. These requests for clarification, further justification and additional
documentation will come through the NAMC CAO to the Member. The AO uses weighted
guidelines per DFARS 215.404-71 to determine if the proposed profit/fee is fair and reasonable,
therefore, NAMC Members should respond to any requests for justification of their proposed fee
per DFARS 215.404-71.
Page 41: Renumbered Section 7.3 Awards to Section 7.4 Awards
13 March 2017 – Final Version Released
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Table of Contents
LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR................................................................................ 5
INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 6
ORGANIZATION OF THE GUIDE .......................................................................................................................................... 6
ICONS USED IN THE GUIDE ............................................................................................................................................... 6
SECTION 1.0 THE DEFENSE MOBILITY ENTERPRISE.................................................................. 7
SECTION 1.1 DEFENSE MOBILITY ENTERPRISE .................................................................................................................. 7
SECTION 1.2 VEHICLE AND ROBOTICS ALLIANCE ............................................................................................................... 8
SECTION 1.3 NATIONAL ADVANCED MOBILITY CONSORTIUM ............................................................................................. 9
SECTION 1.4 OTHER TRANSACTION ............................................................................................................................. 10
SECTION 1.4.1 GROUND VEHICLE SYSTEMS OTHER TRANSACTION AGREEMENT .................................................................. 10
SECTION 1.4.2 PROJECT AWARDS .............................................................................................................................. 12
SECTION 1.4.3 CONFIDENCE LEVELS ........................................................................................................................... 12
SECTION 1.5 COST SHARE OR NONTRADITIONAL DEFENSE CONTRACTOR PARTICIPATION ....................................................... 12
SECTION 1.5.1 COST SHARE ..................................................................................................................................... 13
SECTION 1.5.2 SIGNIFICANT NDC PARTICIPATION ........................................................................................................ 13
SECTION 2.0 NAMC MEMBERSHIP ....................................................................................... 15
SECTION 2.1 NAMC MEMBER RESPONSIBILITIES ........................................................................................................... 15
SECTION 2.2 MEMBER RESOURCES.............................................................................................................................. 15
SECTION 2.2.1 LOGINS ............................................................................................................................................ 15
SECTION 2.3 MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS ......................................................................................................................... 16
SECTION 2.3.1 DME COLLABORATION DAYS ............................................................................................................... 16
SECTION 3.0 ANNUAL PLAN AND CYCLE ............................................................................... 17
SECTION 3.1 OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................................ 17
SECTION 3.2 ANNUAL PLAN CYCLE .............................................................................................................................. 18
SECTION 3.3 COMMUNICATION .................................................................................................................................. 20
SECTION 3.4 GOOD IDEA SUBMISSIONS ........................................................................................................................ 20
SECTION 3.4.1 SUBMISSION ..................................................................................................................................... 20
SECTION 3.5 DRAFT ANNUAL PLAN COMMENTS ............................................................................................................ 21
SECTION 3.6 WHITE PAPERS ...................................................................................................................................... 22
SECTION 3.6.1 SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................................ 22
SECTION 3.6.2 COVER SHEET .................................................................................................................................... 23
SECTION 3.6.3 CONTENT ......................................................................................................................................... 23
SECTION 3.6.4 FORMAT .......................................................................................................................................... 24
SECTION 3.6.5 FEEDBACK ........................................................................................................................................ 24
SECTION 4.0 REQUEST FOR PROTOTYPE PROPOSALS ............................................................ 26
SECTION 4.1 TECHNICAL VOLUME ............................................................................................................................... 28
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SECTION 4.1.1 TECHNICAL APPROACH ........................................................................................................................ 28
SECTION 4.2 STATEMENT OF WORK ............................................................................................................................ 29
SECTION 4.3 MANAGEMENT VOLUME ......................................................................................................................... 29
SECTION 4.3.1 KEY PERSONNEL ................................................................................................................................ 29
SECTION 4.3.2 TEAMING RELATIONSHIPS .................................................................................................................... 29
SECTION 4.3.3 RISK MITIGATION ............................................................................................................................... 30
SECTION 4.3.4 FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT ................................................................................................................. 30
SECTION 4.4 COST VOLUME ....................................................................................................................................... 30
SECTION 4.4.1 COST SUMMARY FORM ....................................................................................................................... 31
SECTION 4.4.2 COST NARRATIVE ............................................................................................................................... 32
SECTION 4.5 WARRANTIES AND REPRESENTATIONS ........................................................................................................ 33
SECTION 4.6 AD HOC RPP ........................................................................................................................................ 34
SECTION 4.7 TASK REQUESTS ..................................................................................................................................... 34
SECTION 4.8 SBIRS .............................................................................................................................................. 34
SECTION 5.0 SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS .......................................................................... 36
SECTION 5.1 BAA INFORMATION DELIVERY SYSTEMS (BIDS) ........................................................................................... 36
SECTION 5.2 ANNUAL PLAN WHITE PAPERS .................................................................................................................. 36
SECTION 5.3 ANNUAL PLAN PROPOSALS ....................................................................................................................... 36
SECTION 5.4 AD HOC RPPS, TASK REQUESTS AND SBIRS ................................................................................................ 37
SECTION 5.5 SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS (FILES, FILE FORMATS, SIZE RESTRICTIONS) ........................................................... 37
SECTION 6.0 EVALUATION CRITERIA .................................................................................... 39
SECTION 6.1 TECHNICAL APPROACH ............................................................................................................................ 39
SECTION 6.2 RESOURCES AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY .................................................................................................. 39
SECTION 6.3 COST/PRICE .......................................................................................................................................... 40
SECTION 7.0 SOURCE SELECTION ......................................................................................... 41
SECTION 7.1 SELECTION ANNOUNCEMENT LETTER ......................................................................................................... 41
SECTION 7.2 PROPOSAL UPDATE REQUESTS ...................................................................................................................... 42
SECTION 7.3 NEGOTIATIONS .......................................................................................................................................... 42
SECTION 7.4 AWARDS .................................................................................................................................................. 42
SECTION 8.0 DME ELECTRONIC BASKET ................................................................................ 43
SECTION 8.1 QUAD CHART ........................................................................................................................................ 44
8.1.1. SAMPLE QUAD CHART ................................................................................................................................. 45
SECTION 9.0 PROJECT REPORTING AND INVOICING .............................................................. 46
SECTION 9.1 PROJECT REPORTING .......................................................................................................................... 46
SECTION 9.2 PROJECT INVOICING............................................................................................................................ 46
SECTION 10.0 QUESTIONS/CONTACTS ............................................................................ 47
SECTION 11.0 ACRONYMS AND DEFINITIONS ........................................................................ 48
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Letter from the Executive Director
Dear NAMC Members,
Your questions and feedback shaped this NAMC Member Guide, produced as we enter our
fourth Annual Plan Cycle. Incorporating input from Members and guidance from our
Government partners, this guide should answer questions and guide you on how to respond to
opportunities such as the Annual Plan, RPPs, and Task Requests.
Within this Guide, you will find an abundance of references to outside documents – each of
which should be reviewed for further understanding. This allows us to make current versions
available, incorporating changes at the discretion of our Government customer.
Further tools will be developed in the coming months, including an easier-to-navigate Member
website, new NAMC group forums, and a searchable membership directory. This enables clear,
consistent communication regarding policy changes, events and opportunities for membership
engagement.
It is an honor to serve you – to advocate on your behalf and to help you to present your
technologies in the most competitive manner to our customers. As always, feedback is
appreciated. The DME team remains on a continuous path to implement efficiencies and
improve processes, and this Guide is only one example. Our ultimate goal is to accelerate the
delivery of the most current technologies to our Warfighters.
On behalf of the NAMC Board of Directors, we wish you the best of luck in pursuit of this shared
goal.
Sincerely,
Tony Melita, Executive Director
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Introduction This NAMC Member Guide is intended to assist members make the most of their membership
and maximize the resources available to them as members. It details how to prepare proposal
responses within the Defense Mobility Enterprise’s (DME):
▪ Request for Prototype Proposals (RPPs) within the Annual Plan
▪ Request for Prototype Proposals (RPPs) which are Ad Hoc (out of cycle)
▪ Task Request
▪ Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
This document incorporates guidance, information and instructions differently than what is
typically found in an RPP. While it does not replace the RPP, the Government may choose to
reference this document in their RPPs under the DME.
Section 1 of the Guide provides general membership information intended to help you
understand the DME organization, relationships, components, and tools and resources available
to Members. Beginning with Section 2, the Guide details the Annual Plan process from
beginning to end, with an overview of the other proposal response opportunities which may be
competed through the consortium.
Throughout the Guide, look for icons which alert you to special information.
Government: Information with this icon will summarize steps
taken by various Government entities involved in the process.
Tips: This icon indicates important tips, techniques, and helpful
information which warrants emphasis or special attention.
References accompany this icon, with instruction on where the find
more in-depth, current information, and guidance.
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Section 1.0 The Defense Mobility Enterprise This section summarizes how the DME operates and the components that form it.
The DME is a single consortium of Government laboratories and agencies managed by the
Vehicle and Robotics Alliance Program Office (VRA PO) out of the U.S. Army Tank Automotive
Research Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC), and an industry/academic
component - the National Advanced Mobility Consortium (NAMC). The enterprise collaborates
under a Section 815 Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) as allowed by law. The OTA offers
flexibility which enables the Government, industry, and academia to quickly and effectively
provide innovative ground vehicle technology solutions to the warfighter.
The principle purpose of the NAMC’s Ground Vehicle Systems (GVS) OTA is to attract new
technologies and spur development of basic and advanced prototypes which are critical to the
DoD’s near and long term GVS technology goals and objectives. Through the NAMC, the
Government expects to:
▪ Increase advances in the development and maturation of manned and unmanned GVS
technologies
▪ Improve the performance of ground vehicle platforms
▪ Standardize the maturation and evolution of these systems as appropriate
▪ Improve the integration of the mission equipment package, and prepare for the transition of
GVS technologies into potential programs of record
The DME is designed to be flexible, responsive and extremely collaborative.
▪ Because of the collaboration with the Government, industry and academia have a better
understanding of emerging and future military requirements.
▪ The collaboration enhances the ability for focused planning and prioritized funding.
▪ The emphasis on significant nontraditional defense contractor (NDC) participation provides
opportunities for teaming and access to new providers and their technologies.
▪ The DME enables outreach to a diverse membership with well-defined business processes
and tools.
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The Vehicle and Robotics Alliance (VRA) consists of Government employees, offices and
agencies which voluntarily bring their ground vehicle and robotic technical needs, requirements,
and funding to the DME for a competitive engagement with NAMC Members.
The VRA Program Office (PO) is the Government organization created to manage, oversee,
and administer the OTA and to provide input to the Ground Vehicle and Robotics Government
Community on collaboration and future investment areas for research and development (R&D).
The OTA allows the Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition community to focus and acquire
manned and unmanned ground vehicle systems and component technologies by:
▪ Providing the focal point for identifying and understanding the Government’s current and
future needs
▪ Compiling and reporting the current and future research efforts from DoD Service roadmaps,
Research Area Managers, industry experts, Program Offices and Government labs and
centers
▪ Providing a unique contracting tool for Government agencies to help streamline their
investments
▪ Providing the Joint Ground Robotics Senior Steering Group with information on robotic
activities, collaboration opportunities, and Ground Robotics strategies
DoD Phases Lifecycle Acquisition for the GVS OTA
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Major decision points (including mileston decisions) authorize entry into the major acquisition
process phases:
▪ Material Development Decision – entry into Materiel Solution Analysis;
▪ Milestone A – entry into Technology Development;
▪ Pre-Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) Review
▪ Milestone B – entry into EMD;
▪ Milestone C – entry into Production & Deployment Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) for
Major Defense Acquisition Programs and Major Programs, Production or Procurement for
non-major programs that do not require LRIP; and
▪ Full Rate Production or Full Deployment
Each step in the process results in a decision to initiate, continue, advance, change direction in,
or terminate a project or program work effort or phase. The type and number of decision points
may be tailored to program needs. The Milestone Decision Authority approves the program
structure, including the type and number of decision points, as part of the program technology
development or acquisition strategy.
Independent and industry-led, the NAMC is a membership-based, nationwide alliance of
traditional and NDCs, academic institutions, and other research organizations involved with
R&D across the complete range of prototype, ground vehicle system, sub-system, and
component technologies.
The NAMC is a non-profit 501(c)3 corporation and has entered into an agency agreement with
the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) as its Consortium Administrative
Organization (CAO) on a work-for-hire basis. Tasks performed by the CAO include membership
management, contracting, accounting, event planning, and project administration as required.
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An Other Transaction (OT) is an instrument used by federal agencies for obtaining or advancing
research and for the R&D of prototypes. An OT is not a contract, grant, or cooperative
agreement, and there is no statutory or regulatory definition of "other transaction."
OTs for prototypes are acquisition instruments. OTs are not required to comply with the Federal
Acquisition Regulation (FAR), its supplements (i.e. DFARS), or other laws that are specifically
limited in applicability to procurement contracts. Though not necessarily applicable, the
Agreements Officer (AO) may consider applying the principles or provisions of any inapplicable
statute which provides important protections to the Government or the participants.
The DoD currently has the authority to make awards which are directly relevant to:
▪ Enhancing the mission effectiveness of military personnel and the supporting platforms,
systems, components, or materials proposed to be acquired or developed by the DoD, or
▪ Improving platforms, systems, components, or materials in use by the armed forces.
The NAMC may execute multiple contracts with the Government if needed;
these contract vehicles include grants, Cooperative Agreements and FAR
based contracts, as well as additional OTAs.
On July 1, 2014, the Army, through Army Contracting Command, Picatinny Arsenal (ACC-NJ),
executed an initial OTA with the NAMC covering a broad range of ground vehicle and system
technologies. Under this agreement, associated awards, and NAMC Project Agreements, the
Government, along with the non-Government members from the NAMC, perform coordinated
planning as well as R&D prototype efforts designed to encompass key components related to
GVS.
The GVS OTA is the formal/legal agreement between the Government and the NAMC. NAMC
Members receiving an award under the OTA receive a Project Agreement with terms and
conditions that are flowed down from the OTA. Upon award of a project, the NAMC and the
Member execute a Task Assignment detailing the specific milestones and deliverables of the
specific prototype project.
As a legal resource for the DME, the GVS OTA allows the Government to engage with NAMC
Members to undertake projects which develop and integrate prototype GVS and component
technologies under the objective areas described in the table on the following page.
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Modeling and
Simulation
Efforts to advance the state of the art in systems, subsystems, and
force effectiveness as well as reducing physical testing and life cycle
costs.
Autonomy Autonomy and autonomous perception, intelligent behaviors, Human
Machine Interaction (HMI) and Operator Controlled Units (OCU).
Collaboration
Autonomy and/or coordination algorithms, including those applied to
other platform types (aerial, surface, underwater) as they relate to GVS
collaboration as well as ground, air, and maritime vehicle teaming.
Platforms Interior compartments, exterior body, survivability, occupant protection,
fire suppression, material solutions, and thermal systems.
Mobility Chassis, wheels/track/legged/other, braking systems, and suspensions.
Powertrain Engine, drive train, energy storage, and electrical power generation and
distribution.
Survivability
Enhancement of the survivability of the GVS or the GVS Mission;
primary focus areas include blast protection/mitigation using structural
design or armor, fire suppression, laser protection, mechanical
countermine, lightweight structures, armor, etc.
Fuels and Lubes Technology advancements in fuels and lubes for operational efficiency,
increase power densities, alternatives, viscosity, and longevity.
Architecture,
Security, and
Modularity
Open architecture compliancy to existing standards, Vehicle
Management Systems, vehicle networks, architecture modeling,
physical, logical, and messaging interoperability (e.g. COE, JAUS and
IOP), safety systems, cyber-security and modularity of systems and
subsystems.
External
Systems
Communications, payloads, and attachments such as robotic
manipulators and end effectors, explosive detection sensors,
mechanical countermine systems, perception sensors, and other
mission specific sensors.
Testing and
Evaluation
Testing, evaluation, and validation of manned and unmanned ground
vehicle systems for both general and specific mission tasks. Includes
testing theory, deterministic and non-deterministic testing, creation of
procedures and apparatuses, evaluation of systems and sensors,
testing of missions or functionality, and simulation.
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The Government reserves the right to select for funding any, all, part, or none of the proposals
received. Selection will be dependent upon the amount of Government funds available for the
specific project, as well as what provides the best value when considering current or evolving
requirements. The Government can refuse to fund prototype proposals or renegotiate proposals
if on the aggregate there is not sufficient NDC participation or cost sharing from a traditional
defense contractor.
Funding availability for each objective area in the Annual Plan is assigned a Confidence Level
(CL) by the responsible Agreements Officer Representative (AOR) for each individual project.
For planning purposes, values are associated with each CL category. These three categories
are used to show NAMC Members the possibility of funding a research effort and are only
estimates established by the responsible AOR at the time of project summary submission.
Project Designation Funding Confidence Estimation
CL-1 High confidence funds will be available
CL-2 Moderate confidence funds will be available
CL-3 Funding availability is unknown
Funding indications do not include any additional unexpected funding that
becomes available to use for project awards, such as funding proposals
from the DME Electronic Basket.
Every proposal requires either cost sharing equal to at least 1/3 of the total project cost, or
significant NDC participation. Failure to meet this requirement will jeopardize a company’s
qualification for receiving a task assignment award under the OTA, as the AO is required to
establish that such participation exists to legally execute a task assignment, which allows a
project to commence. For this reason, it is important that NAMC Members plan for meeting this
requirement as early in the submission preparation process as possible.
An NDC is an entity which is not currently performing and which has not performed, for a
period of at least one year preceding the issue date of request for project proposals, any
contract or subcontract for the DoD subject to full coverage under the cost accounting
standards prescribed pursuant to Section 1502 of Title 41 and the regulations implementing
such section.
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In any instance where a subcontractor/teaming partner is going to perform greater than 50% of
the effort, the effort is closely reviewed to ensure it isn't set up as a "pass through" effort, for
example, to get to a company who may not otherwise be able to propose to this effort because
they are not a member, cannot become a member, etc. In those instances, if the proposal is
selected for award, the Government requires justification from the company to support that it is
not a pass-through effort and that the prime is also performing significant activities in the effort.
Efforts in which the prime is basically doing Program Management and other administrative
types of activities, is not acceptable.
Cost share is a portion of the project or program costs not borne by the Government. It is the
member’s share of the cost of conducting the project/program. Proposed cost share should
generally consist of labor, materials, equipment, and facilities costs (including allocable indirect
costs). Total project cost, including cost share, must fall within the allocated budget.
A minimum cost share of 33% is required for traditional defense contractors
not teaming with an NDC. This is stated in the law; therefore, the
percentage is not negotiable.
Refer to the “Other Transactions” (OT) Guide for Prototype Projects” for
more information on Cost Share.
The significant NDC participation requirement represents a primary legislative intent behind the
OT authority. In addition to providing a more streamlined instrument to develop and test
prototypes, OTs are intended to seek out or attract NDCs that would otherwise be hesitant to do
business with the Government. ACC-NJ and its U.S. Army Armament Research, Development
and Engineering Center (ARDEC) Attorney-Advisor evaluates NDC participation to ensure that it
both includes NDCs to the maximum extent practicable and meets the statutory requirement for
significant participation (or fulfills the at least 1/3 cost share requirement).
Examples of supporting rationale to justify a significant contribution include:
▪ Supplying new key technology or products; ▪ Accomplishing a significant amount of the effort; ▪ Causing a material reduction in the cost or schedule, and/or ▪ Increasing performance.
The determination of significant participation by a NDC is an integrated assessment of the
factors listed above. To support their proposition for significant contribution, consortium
Members must provide substantiating rationale which demonstrates at least one of the above
factors is clearly met through their Warranties & Representations (W&R) forms (see Section
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4.5). Please note that only one of the above factors needs to be clearly met; meeting all factors
is not required, nor expected.
Refer to two key memoranda:
1) Policy Guidance Prototype Projects
2) NDC Memo Significant Participation
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Section 2.0 NAMC Membership
The primary role of NAMC Members is to propose R&D projects which develop and deliver a
physical and/or virtual model prototype(s) to potentially enhance the mission effectiveness of
military personnel and the supporting platforms, systems, components, or materials proposed to
be acquired or developed by the DoD or improve the platforms, systems, components, or
materials in use by the armed forces.
Responsibilities
▪ Respond to requests for updated proposals
▪ Provide additional information, revisions or clarification
▪ Prioritize and complete W&R forms
▪ Respect for OTA guidance, AOR determinations and differences between the OTA contract
and other vehicles
▪ Adhere to the security requirements of the consortium – including the Joint Certification
Program guidelines and those that come with safeguarding Distribution C, D and For Official
Use Only (FOUO) information
NAMC maintains several resources for members.
The NAMC website informs and prepares members for submissions of projects competed
through the consortium. Resources include memorandums with guidance, FAQ documents,
strategy documents from the Government, Annual Plan schedules, and connections to staff for
specific questions.
Quick Cards are located on the NAMC Member website and contain additional information, tips
and instructions on various phases of the Annual Plan cycle. Quick Cards are not
comprehensive; they are intended as an efficient reference tool.
Supplemental information as it pertains specifically to the Annual Plan is located in the
Reference Section of BIDS.
As a NAMC Member, you require two separate and distinct registrations; each has a unique
login and purpose. The two main logins are:
NAMC Website www.NAMConsortium.org
This website, exclusively for NAMC Members, provides resources including project
opportunities and results, training information, reference documents, a Member directory and
contact information.
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Distribution List: NAMC distributes important information (such as
RPPs) initially via email. Multiple recipients ensure important
information released by NAMC to the membership are not overlooked
or missed. To add additional employees to this distribution list, please
email their addresses and your request to
BAA Information Delivery System (BIDS) https://dme.acqcenter.com
BIDS is the primary tool used by the DME for the Annual Plan process submission steps. BIDS
requires a unique login, which is a shared company account to ensure you have a single point
for submission and archiving.
You are highly recommended to handle the account registration process in advance, and to
confirm that your login works, your login information is readily available to the person handling
the submission, and you are familiar with the website. Later in this guide we will describe the
documents submitted through BIDS as part of the annual plan process, with detail related to
each type of submission.
NAMC requires attendance at one Membership Meeting per year to remain a “Member in good
standing”. General Membership Meetings (GMMs) are typically held in person (with an option to
join telephonically) in the summer/fall coordinated with the Annual Plan Cycle kick off.
Other events may be scheduled in coordination with the GMM, such as the DME Collaboration
Days events, to provide members opportunities for networking, sessions with Government
representatives, and to display their abilities and achievements.
Annual Meetings are held in the spring virtually and coordinated with the release of the Annual
Plan. The Annual Meeting typically focuses on training.
DME Collaboration Days are a unique occasion for NAMC Members to hear about system and
component technology requirements from senior DoD leaders and technology managers. The
structure of the event supports NAMC Member interaction with industry and Government in
formal sessions and informal receptions; Members can also maximize visibility by participating
in poster sessions and Government-industry one-on-ones.
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Section 3.0 Annual Plan and Cycle
The DME Annual Plan and Cycle provides NAMC Members with a well-structured process and
documentation for understanding and responding to Government requirements through White
Paper and Prototype Proposal requests. The Annual Plan itself is a compendium of all customer
requirements for the fiscal year specified on the plan. It is the single source of requirements for
the majority of Government customer needs to be executed through the DME for the specified
fiscal year.
• NAMC Members are invited to submit White Papers which correspond to published topics.
These White Papers are evaluated by Government and receive a color rating and feedback
is released.
• NAMC Members should submit R&D prototype projects only; the OTA is an R&D
contractual vehicle and is not authorized for acquiring or providing services.
• NAMC Members must submit a White Paper to submit a full proposal to that project.
• NAMC Members will not be reimbursed for any costs incurred in the preparation of White
Papers or Prototype Proposals.
• NAMC Members who are invited to submit a proposal following the White Paper evaluation
must not interpret this as an authorization to proceed on projects.
• For a project to be considered for award under the GVS OTA, the project must develop
and deliver a physical and/or virtual model prototype(s) which can be used to enhance the
mission effectiveness of military personnel and the supporting platforms, systems,
components, or materials proposed to be acquired or developed by the DoD, or to improve
platforms, systems, components, or materials in use by the armed forces.
• NAMC Member proposals must clearly identify the prototype(s) which will be developed
and delivered during the performance of the project.
• NAMC Member proposals must include significant NDC participation OR at least 1/3 of the
total project cost in cost sharing per task assignment award.
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The Annual Plan cycle is shown visually on the following page; this shows action items or
opportunities for involvement for NAMC Members. Each step for NAMC Members is detailed in
this guide. Below, we summarize the actions taken by other successful NAMC Members to
maximize their opportunities under the Annual Plan Cycle.
▪ Submit good ideas at the beginning of the cycle. These are reviewed by AORs prior to the
draft Annual Plan being posted.
▪ Review the draft Annual Plan and make comments.
▪ Review the final Annual Plan, identify topics of interest.
▪ Submit White Papers.
▪ Receive White Paper feedback.
▪ Upon recommendation, submit full proposal.
Reference the Annual Plan Cycle schedule for exact dates which
correspond to the current fiscal year.
The Annual Plan Cycle has built-in mechanisms to enable collaboration. Communication
between the AOR and NAMC Members are encouraged through formal processes and open
discussion periods.
NAMC Members can have open discussions with Government from the
Annual Plan release date, through white paper submission, and again from
RPP release through the submission of full proposals.
Formal opportunities for NAMC Member input occur at the beginning of the cycle through Good Idea
Submissions. This allows NAMC Members to suggest projects within the various GVS objective
areas for Government consideration – NAMC Member ideas could translate into Government-
funded projects in the Annual Plan. After the draft Annual Plan is published, comments by NAMC
Members on the specific projects/customer requirements are welcomed. This is a formal opportunity
to inform a customer on the state of technology in a specific area and potentially shape a customer
requirement based on NAMC Member independent R&D investments. This also allows the NAMC
Member to inform Government if they believe a proposal residing in the DME Electronic Basket may
meet their technology needs. Upon the opening of the Annual Plan, communication is permitted until
the closing of the White Paper submission period, which is a prerequisite for submitting a full
Prototype Proposal to that project within the Annual Plan. Communication opens again at the
release of the RPP and closes at the submission of prototype proposals.
Before entering a project idea into the Annual Plan, Government customers
are required to “shop the basket” to determine if an already competed
proposal meets their needs.
19 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
20 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
NAMC Members may communicate with the AOR upon release of the Annual Plan until White
Paper submission (communication closes for a period while White Papers are being evaluated),
and again from the time the RPP is released until proposal submission; however, these
communications must only take place via telephone or email (not face-to-face). The AOR may
or may not contact a company regarding a White Paper submission if clarification is needed and
to provide adequate feedback to the company.
AOR roles are dynamic and may change, which will outdate Point of
Contact (POC) information in published documents.
For the latest AOR contact information, log into BIDS. The current AOR will be listed by project.
Prior to the start of each Annual Plan cycle, NAMC Members have a unique opportunity to
suggest topics, with limited detail, which the Government may subsequently incorporate into the
Annual Plan as a Government requirement. If included in the Annual Plan, the “good idea”
becomes a “Government project requirement” and is open for competition. This process affords
members the opportunity to inform the Government on potential topics based on private
independent R&D investments; this influences requirements and shapes projects.
The Good Idea Submission phase is designed to be simple, requiring only a title, idea
description, and prototype description from the member. Four (4) things to remember:
1. All submissions must describe a physical or virtual model prototype which could be used to
evaluate the technical or manufacturing feasibility or military utility of a process, concept,
end item, or system.
2. All submissions are collected and then disseminated by the VRA PO to the appropriate
Government contacts.
3. The Good Idea Submission Phase should NOT be used to market your company or
services.
4. The Government does not release feedback to the NAMC on Good Idea Submissions.
Before submitting a “good idea”, review the TARDEC 30-Year Strategy Plan
and any other applicable strategy documents. These are on the NAMC
website and in the reference section of BIDS.
Good Idea submissions are done through the BIDS website (See Section 5.1). The website is
open for a limited period to allow submissions.
21 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
You may view your good idea suggestions at any time; however, once
submitted through BIDS, they cannot be edited.
Submission Action Items
1. Review the latest release of the Annual Plan schedule to determine when the Good Idea
Submission Phase begins
2. Log in to the BIDS website
3. Click “Suggestions” on the left side menu
4. Click “Suggest an Idea”
5. Choose an “Objective Area” from the drop-down menu
6. Enter your title (maximum of 100 characters), Good Idea description, and description of
deliverable prototype (maximum of 10,000 characters or roughly three to four (3-4) pages)
7. Click save – this will save it into the system
The Government reviews suggestions and submits approved projects for
inclusion in the Annual Plan. NAMC Members will not be notified if their
Good Idea translated into a project. This is by design to avoid potential
conflicts of interest in the future.
Following the Good Idea submission phase, the draft Annual Plan is made available in BIDS. At
this point, it is open for a limited period of time (typically two to four (2-4) weeks) for NAMC
Members to review and comment. This is another opportunity for NAMC Members to potentially
shape the individual customer requirements of interest to you with your comments to the
assigned AOR.
Project Comments are also submitted through the BIDS website (See Section 5.4).
1. Log in to the BIDS website
2. Access the draft Annual Plan on the left-hand menu
3. Click on “Projects” under the Annual Plan
4. Find the project of interest
5. Click “Add Comment” at the top of the page
Annual Plan comments should point out typos, pose questions on requirements, and identify
proposed requirements already met by proposals in the DME Electronic Basket. Annual Plan
comments are not to be used to promote your organization or technology.
The Government addresses the project comments, and then projects go
through technical, contractual and legal reviews. After modifications/edits
are certified, they are released in BIDS as the final DME Annual Plan.
22 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
Once the Annual Plan is finalized and released in BIDS, a catalog of project listings for the
upcoming fiscal year is published. The catalog includes project descriptions, anticipated
budget/funding qualified with CLs, and the assigned AOR who will serve as the point of contact
for the project.
All communications with the AOR must occur via email or telephone; face-
to-face meetings are not permitted by Government.
White Papers are intentionally structured to be concise. They are limited to five (5) pages total:
one cover page and up to four (4) pages of content, to include text and visuals (graphs, tables,
and figures). This page limit is strictly enforced to cause highly focused, concise responses, with
essential and important details.
Your goal through the White Paper is to succinctly show your solution meets the Government’s
requirements. The White Paper is essentially a fact sheet for the selected objective area project.
Background information, rationale, detailed elaboration, and other information not specifically
requested in the White Paper should not be included; instead, reserve this content for
incorporation into a full proposal.
▪ NAMC Members may only submit one White Paper as prime per project.
▪ NAMC Members must have submitted a White Paper against the project for which they wish
to submit a proposal.
▪ White Papers will not be accepted from non-NAMC Members.
▪ Government does not intend to make an award based on White Papers.
▪ White Papers are submitted through BIDS.
▪ White Papers should always be UNCLASSIFIED.
White Papers must be received by the due date and time specified in the
Annual Plan to be eligible for evaluation.
Submission instructions for White Papers are detailed in Section 5.2 of this guide.
DME Annual Plan Published
Review and Identify Relevant
Topics
Submit White Paper
Receive Feedback
Submit Full Proposal
23 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
White Papers must have a cover sheet which includes:
• Your project title
• Objective Area and project category identifier as shown in the Annual Plan (e.g. AUT 18-01)
• 100-word project abstract
• Primary point of contact, including name, address, phone and e-mail contact information
• A proprietary data disclosure statement (only if proprietary data is included)
Section Heading Section Description
A. Background and Discussion Briefly discuss your understanding, background and
insights with respect to the problem(s) posted by the
objective area topic.
B. Technical Overview
(Due to the importance of this section, it
should comprise the majority of the four
(4) pages of content allowed.)
Major Technical Tasks. Describe the problem being
addressed and engage in a technical discussion of the
solutions and innovations proposed.
Benefits of Proposed R&D. Briefly describe how your
research and proposed solutions will advance the state
of the art and generally benefit the DoD ground vehicle
systems community’s overarching goals and
objectives.
Technical Maturity. Summarize the current level of
maturity of the technology your project addresses.
Risk Assessment. Estimate which parts of the
research plan bear potential risk, and the
recommended mitigation approach for each.
C. Project Milestones, Deliverables and
Cost
Provide an overview of key milestones and deliverables
along with the total estimated cost of the project. A
table is recommended to effectively and concisely
present this material.
D. Participants Summarize the project team, qualifications, roles
(prime, sub, advisory), responsibilities, expected
percentage of project work, and their Nontraditional or
Traditional Defense Contractor status. A table is
recommended to provide this information in a
succinctly.
E. Requests for Government Equipment,
Facilities or Services
Briefly state any requests for Government equipment,
facilities, or services and describe how each will be
used. Describe backup plans if Government furnished
items are not made available. It is recommended that
discussions with the AOR take place before requests
are made through the White Paper.
F. Intellectual Property and Data Rights After reviewing the standard terms and conditions
covered in the OTA with respect to the intellectual
property rights for the technology and data resulting
from the proposed effort, discuss any exceptions.
24 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
The following formatting requirements apply:
▪ Font should be Times New Roman, no smaller than 10 point
▪ Single-spaced 8.5 x 11 inches (21.6 x 27.9 cm)
▪ Smaller type may be used in figures and tables, but must be clearly legible
▪ Margins on all sides (top, bottom, left, and right) should be at least 1 inch (2.5 cm)
White Papers submitted in accordance with the Annual Plan will be forwarded to the appropriate
AOR for review and evaluation. Reviewers will provide the offeror feedback based on the
technical merit of the proposed effort.
Technical merit is evaluated with a result of green, yellow or red.
The proposed solution has significant technical merit and has the potential to address the
project requirements. Certain aspects of the proposed solution may require refinement.
The proposed solution has some technical merit and may address some of the project
requirements. Many aspects of the proposal may require refinement.
The proposed solution does not have sufficient technical merit and is not likely to address
the project requirements.
After review, the Government will offer a Proposal Submission Recommendation, which is either
Yes or No. They may also provide narrative comments. Feedback for White Papers is released
to NAMC Members via the BIDS system.
NAMC Members must have submitted a White Paper against the project for
which they wish to submit a proposal.
NAMC Members whose White Papers are not recommended for proposal submission are not
precluded from submitting a proposal; however, the lack of a recommendation to submit a
proposal indicates the Government did not think the idea and approach would result in their
desired outcome. If this occurs, NAMC Members should seriously weigh the significant cost and
time commitment in submitting a response to the RPP, particularly given the low probability for a
return on that investment. Further, unless the proposal can be evaluated favorably against the
criteria set forth by the Government, the proposal will not be placed in the DME Electronic
Basket. NAMC Members must have submitted a White Paper against the project for which they
wish to submit a proposal.
25 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
The only form of feedback provided for White Papers is the BIDS feedback.
NAMC Members who advance to the RPP phase of the process do not have assurance of a
subsequent award. Submission of a White Paper is voluntary and does not entitle the submitter
to payment from Government or NAMC. Submitters are solely responsible for all expenses
associated with responding to the White Paper and any subsequent proposals.
The Government evaluates White Papers and provides feedback to
submitters through BIDS. The RPP is published and released to NAMC
Members.
26 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
Section 4.0 Request for Prototype Proposals Proposals are requested in the form of a Request for Prototype Proposal (RPP) for the Annual
Plan or Ad Hoc Project. For the Annual Plan process, the RPP document is released through
the NAMC Member website shortly after evaluation feedback is provided to White Paper
submitters through BIDS. For all RPPs, an email message is sent to the membership notifying
them of the release and is posted to the NAMC website.
When the RPP is released, the proposal preparation and submission process begins. The
proposal allows NAMC Members to detail their approach to accomplish prototype project
requirements.
NAMC Members may contact the AORs identified in BIDS with clarification questions. These
communications may continue once the RPP has been released through the due date for
proposal submission in BIDS. After that time, NAMC Members must submit any clarification
questions and/or concerns directly to NAMC via [email protected].
The Government will not review or comment on draft proposals at any time.
Most awarded projects will likely be incrementally funded. For this reason, it is in the NAMC
Members’ best interest to propose the prototype project by fiscal year with milestones outlined
within each. This approach should also be reflected consistently in the Statement of Work
(SOW) and Cost Summary Form.
NAMC Member proposals are considered valid for a period of 36 months from the due date of
the RPP (RPP close). Proposals are considered to be “in the basket” as of the date of the
Selection Announcement Letter (SAL) and will remain there until expiration (36 months from the
close of the RPP). (See Section 7.0 Source Selection and Section 8.0 DME Electronic Basket
for more information)
Respond to RPPProposal
Preparation Process Begins
Open Communication for
ClarificationRPP Submission
Evaluation and Awards
27 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
Your submission will include seven (7) separate files submitted through BIDS (for the Annual
Plan) or via email for Ad Hoc Projects.
File Type Size/Limit
Technical Volume 1 File in MS Word or Adobe Acrobat
(PDF) Format 10 pages, limited to 6 MB
Statement of Work 1 File in MS Word No page limit, limited to 1
MB
Management Volume 1 File in MS Word, PDF, or ZIP Format No page limit, limited to 6
MB
Cost Volume Part 1
Cost Summary Form(s) (1 file in MS Excel
format or multiple MS Excel documents
zipped into 1 file)
Limited to 6 MB
Cost Volume Part 2
Cost Narrative with Supporting
Documentation and checklist (1 file in MS
Word or PDF or multiple files in ZIP
format)
Limited to 6 MB
Warranties and
Representations for
NDC Form(s)
1 file in MS Word or multiple MS Word
documents in ZIP format Limited to 6 MB
Quad Chart (s) 1 File in PPT or PDF format Limited to 1 MB
All forms referenced for submission are on the NAMC Member website.
28 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
In each of the technical proposal sections below, you should fully address the Government’s
prototype project requirements as specified in the RPP. Your response should present the level
of emphasis necessary to meet those requirements. The description in this guide is general – be
sure to compare this with your specific RPP, as this guide may address sections and
subsections not appropriate for your project/proposed solution.
Most awarded projects will likely be incrementally funded. As such,
consider proposing each task of your prototype project by fiscal year and
with milestones outlined for each task.
This volume of the proposal submission must not exceed ten (10) pages and it should be
submitted as a separate document in MS Word or PDF formats. The technical proposal
response should demonstrate your understanding of the project requirements; you must provide
sufficient detail and analysis to support how your proposed approach will be conducted to meet
prototype project requirements. You should determine and present the level of emphasis you
deem necessary for each of the items below to ensure you fully address the project
requirements.
• Concise statement of what will be done at a high level
• Identify the physical and/or virtual prototype(s) which will be developed through project
performance
• Proposed approach to meet prototype project requirements, including testing conducted
• Technical detail and analysis to support how the proposed approach is a feasible solution to
meet project requirements.
• Task descriptions and associated technical elements provided in a logical sequence with
proposed deliverables clearly defined; this must show evaluators that their project award will
lead to a final product which achieves the project requirements
• Intellectual Property/Data Rights Assertions. It is anticipated that deliverables under the
proposed effort will offer no less than Government Purpose Rights or Unlimited Rights. If this
is not the intent, the proposal should address data rights associated with each item, and
possible approaches for the Government to gain no less than Government Purpose Rights
or Unlimited Rights. Rights in technical data for each project shall be determined in
accordance with the provisions of the GVS OTA, including DFARS Part 227, DFARS
252.227-7013, Rights in Technical Data – Noncommercial Items and related clauses in
DFARS Part 252.227.
• Provide a schedule (e.g. Gantt chart) which clearly shows the plans to perform the program
tasks in an orderly, timely manner. Proposed efforts must not exceed the length of time
called out in the project requirements, if identified in the requirements summary. Provide
each major task identified in the SOW as a separate line on the program schedule chart.
Each of the tasks should include milestones which relate to specific deliverables during the
task. Ensure the proposed tasks align with the associated costs in the cost proposal.
29 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
Your deliverables and the deliverable schedule will also be provided within the SOW
attachment, which is described in the next section.
NAMC Members must submit a SOW, which will be used as a starting point for the AOR in
preparing the Government SOW if the proposal is selected for award. Your SOW should be
consistent with your technical approach and your cost volume.
If your proposal includes the recommended approach by fiscal year, ensure consistency with
phases and milestones in the SOW. The SOW has no page limit; however, it has a file size limit
of 1 MB and it must be submitted in MS Word format. If applicable, complete the table in Section
8.0 of the SOW template for any items to be furnished to the Government with restrictions.
The SOW template is on the NAMC website
In the Management Volume, highlight the qualifications of the organizations and key personnel
involved in the project. This is your opportunity to demonstrate the skills of your project team.
The Management Volume does not have a page limit and must contain the following
information.
Identify all key personnel and submit resumes for individual personnel who will be involved with
the management, technical, oversight, and contracting/business operations. Include a project
organizational chart with all key personnel, their role on the project and the organization they
represent if there are teaming relationships (see Section 4.3.2).
For each key person, provide a concise, succinct resume which is no more than two (2) pages.
Begin the resume with the key person’s name, organization, and role on the project. Follow this
with a summary of their requisite qualifications, demonstrating they have the expertise to fulfill
their assigned project role. The balance of the resume should summarize the education and
experience of the key person.
Submit information regarding any teaming arrangements, interdivisional relationships, and
relationships with major teaming partners or subcontractors (or anticipated teaming partners or
subcontractors) which will be required to execute this project. NDC team members should be
clearly identified.
30 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
Include a summary table to identify each organization participating in the project, their role and
key contributions, their relative level of effort (as a percentage of the total project), and NDC
status if applicable.
Identify potential issues or project challenges anticipated, and provide mitigation strategies to
handle the complexities and minimize risks for each of the key risk areas noted below. Address
each topic in your risk mitigation section.
• Technical
• Cost
• Schedule
• Teaming arrangements
If this applies to your proposed project, identify and describe your proposed approach to
providing adequate facilities and equipment to fulfill project requirements and objectives. Detail
any special requirements or certifications (i.e. ISO standards) required to meet project
objectives and requirements. Demonstrate that the facilities and equipment you identified are
available and relevant for the technical solution being proposed.
The Cost Volume has two parts: the Cost Summary Form (in MS Excel format) and the
Supporting Narrative (in MS Word, PDF or ZIP format). Each part is described in this section.
Two mandatory points to adhere to in the preparation of the Cost Volume:
1) The Cost Summary Form template provided on the NAMC website is mandatory. It must be
used without modification.
2) The Cost Narrative must include detailed documentation for the costs.
Failure to comply with these two mandatory requirements will result in Government being
unable to determine fair and reasonable costs. In this case, no project award will be made.
All cost proposals must be submitted as either Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) or Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee
(CPFF), unless the specific RPP states that another contract type is being sought.
As the CAO for the NAMC, NCMS is required to provide a cost analysis summary to the AO. In
this role, NCMS is acting on behalf of and at the direction of the Government. NCMS will
execute a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) with the NAMC Member if desired.
The Government does not accept cost proposal documentation that is
not submitted via [email protected] or the BIDS website.
31 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
The following options are available for submission of proprietary cost volume information:
1. Submit per the RPP requirements and specifications within this guide.
2. Request a Defense Contracting Management Agency (DCMA) cost validation -- this may
take two to three (2-3) months to complete.
3. Request a Defense Contracting Audit Agency (DCAA) audit -- this may take up to six (6)
months.
NAMC Members who select Options 2 and 3 above should expect a significant delay in cost
analysis -- this could impact source selection and result in a delayed award. If a NAMC Member
intends to use DCMA or DCAA for proposal rate review, this must be communicated in the
proposal submission.
For additional information on the role of the CAO, refer to Government
memorandum “Cost Proposal Analysis by NCMS”. Also, reference the
Cost Proposal Analysis and the Cost Summary Form (in MS Excel).
The Cost Summary Form is provided as an MS Excel template on the NAMC website. This
form is mandatory. All worksheets and formulas which exist in the template must remain intact
and calculate accurately to be considered valid. Any Cost Summary Forms submitted with
incomplete data or supplemented worksheets intended to take the place of the template
worksheets will not be passed on to the Government for review. If multiple Cost Summary
Forms are submitted, they may be zipped into one file.
Some companies have a variety of rates for indirect costs; in this case, supplemental
explanations on the cost summary form are allowed and may be included in the rows below the
tables. In these instances, place a lump sum in the table and include the explanation below the
table.
All costs should be entered into the Cost Summary Form, with only overall top level integrated
baseline included in the Technical Proposal. Additional information, such as corporate cost
breakdown sheets, may be submitted as supporting documentation in the Cost Proposal
Narrative (See Section 4.4.2 Cost Narrative).
Instructions for each component of the Cost Summary Form are included at the top of the
worksheets. This information is not duplicated within this guide and should be read carefully.
The instructions for filling out the Cost Summary Form found within the worksheets supersede
information contained in this guide.
▪ The Cost Summary Form may be modified to add additional rows as needed to any of the
sub worksheets; however, columns should not be added. Manipulating columns on certain
sheets may affect other tables within that same sheet.
32 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
▪ If summing formulas need to be adjusted due to the addition of rows or other minor
changes, make sure that the pre-populated formulas are still intact and the data linked back
to the summary worksheet is updated as originally intended.
▪ If a start date is unknown, you should estimate a reasonable start date for your project. If
selected for award, the actual start date will be adjusted by Government if necessary.
▪ While there is no price limit on projects, it is recommended that the Government’s stated
estimated budget amount is considered when preparing the Cost Summary Form.
▪ Cost by Year can be entered in the indirect worksheet tab. To enter other overhead rates,
add a row or use the “Other” line. Provide supplemental information describing these costs
in the Cost Narrative with Supporting Documentation file.
▪ Costs may be submitted based on the company fiscal year, or the Government fiscal year,
whichever is applicable.
A separate Cost Volume is required for all subcontractors performing work valued at
$150,000 or more on the project. Any subcontractor which meets this threshold must
provide a complete Cost Volume, including a Cost Summary Form and a Cost
Narrative with Supporting Documentation. Subcontractors over this threshold must
provide the same level of detail as the prime provides in their own Cost Volume and
must submit their cost information prior to the proposal submission deadline.
If subcontractors consider the information on the Cost Summary Form proprietary, they may
submit their information directly to the CAO instead of through the NAMC Member serving as
prime on the submission. For Annual Plan projects, the subcontractor may email their cost
information instead of uploading in BIDS. In this case, the subcontractor should identify
themselves as a subcontractor, and include the control number identifier provided or create a
control number to link their submission. These proprietary forms should be submitted via email
In the Cost Narrative, outline and provide a narrative explanation of the costs included in the
Cost Summary Form (MS Excel file). Include all supporting documentation, justification and
supplemental information for the items in the Cost Summary Form. A check list which
corresponds to the tabs/information required in the Cost Summary Form workbook is provided
on the NAMC website and must be signed and submitted as part of the Cost Narrative volume.
If all the requested information is not included in the original submission, the CAO is not able to
determine the costs proposed are fair and reasonable. This will delay award.
Please see the Cost Volume Checklist which is required to be submitted as
part of your Cost Narrative file.
33 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
The W&R form serves two important purposes.
1. If the prime contractor is an NDC, the W&R certifies their status as an NDC.
2. If the prime contractor is a traditional defense contractor and one or more of their
subcontractors is an NDC, the prime contractor completes the W&R form to support the
Government’s significant NDC participation determination.
One (1) W&R form is completed for each NDC. If the NDC is the prime, they need only indicate
they are an NDC and sign the document.
Considered Significant Participation: NOT considered Significant Participation:
Supplying a new key technology or products,
without which the prototype cannot be
developed successfully.
Providing a readily or commercially available
part or service
Accomplishing a significant amount of the
effort in terms of the cost associated with
work provided by the NDCs.
Having costs associated with NDC
participation on the prototype project which
equate to less than 1/3 of the total burdened
cost.
Causing a material reduction in the cost or
schedule when quantified in terms of cost
savings or schedule savings.
Using preferred or regular vendors and citing
general estimates or wide ranges of savings
without sufficient detail to back up the claims.
Increase in performance demonstrated
qualitatively or quantitatively by the NDCs
participation
Outsourcing work that is not tied closely to
the actual sought-after enhancement of the
prototype.
The integrated assessment encompasses a complete evaluation of every NDC for which W&Rs
are provided. In some cases, one (1) NDC will clearly establish significance. In other cases, it
may require the participation of multiple NDCs to provide enough rationale to establish a
cumulative significance. Cost alone may by quantitative degree define the significance in some
proposals (approximately 1/3), and may also support the qualitative significance of the
contribution in other instances. For example, a NDC supplying a new key technology that
comprises 20 percent of the total effort may be easier to support as being significant than a
NDC supplying new key technology that comprises only 10 percent of the total effort.
Furthermore, if the relative cost of the total NDC contributions is low, it is subjected to closer
scrutiny and a very detailed supporting rationale should be provided in the W&R. Lastly, when
evaluating a NDC’s contribution, the closer that contribution ties into, supports, or is the primary
34 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
innovation/enhancement of the overall prototype project, the more significant that contribution
will be considered. This is particularly relevant when it applies to the factors involving new key
technology and increase in performance. Overall, NAMC Members should strive to provide
thorough, clear and concise rationale in the W&R to support determinations that their NDC
participation is significant.
It is highly unlikely your NDC’s contributions will be viewed as
significant without a succinct explanation of the technology contribution
by the NDC and why it is important to the project.
Requests for classified and/or special need projects may be solicited outside the Annual Plan as
an Ad Hoc RPP. Approximately two (2) weeks prior to the RPP release to the NAMC
Membership, a notice will be posted on the Federal Business Opportunities (Fed Biz Ops)
website (www.fbo.gov) and the “Intent to Announce” will be emailed to the membership. Once
the RPP is released, a message will go out to the membership and the RPP document will be
posted to the NAMC website. NAMC Members then submit proposals directly to
[email protected] in accordance with the RPP instructions in this guide. All other
audit and evaluation procedures remain unchanged.
Evaluation criteria may differ from the Annual Plan, in this instance, the
evaluation criteria can be found in the RPP document.
Different from other RPPs competed within the consortium, Task Requests are projects which
are deemed to be of common benefit to both industry and Government. These projects are
awarded to the NAMC as prime contractor and include multiple NAMC Members as
subcontractors through the course of the project. Task Requests may organize a Community of
Interest (COI), a subset of NAMC Members who provide feedback, participate in discussions
and monitor the progress of the project on a voluntary basis. Current COIs can be found on the
NAMC website. To participate, NAMC Members submit a letter of interest to the identified
contact for approval.
Through its CAO, a NAMC Project Manager is assigned to organize, track, and perform on the
project, acting as a partner to Government. NAMC Members are recommended by Government
as subcontractors on the Task Request through a competitive process similar to an RPP,
although the evaluation criteria may differ from the Annual Plan.
SBIR projects are not competed; they are the only direct funded awards permitted on the GVS
OTA. The GVS OTA allows for SBIR Phase II Enhanced and Phase III awards to be made
without further competition, as they are considered to have fulfilled the competition requirement
in previous phases. If NAMC Members are currently performing on or have recently closed out a
35 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
SBIR, they may request their Government customer to contact the VRA PO to discuss awarding
a future phase through the GVS OTA. Upon approval of the Award Package by the AO, NAMC
issues a request for proposal to the NAMC Member. While this request will not be assigned a
formal RPP number, the NAMC Member who prepares and then submits their proposal directly
to NCMS shall do so via email at [email protected] in accordance with the RPP
instructions in this guide.
After the AOR reviews the proposal and costs, discussions between the AO, AOR, and the
NAMC Member may be necessary until an agreed-upon SOW and Proposal (with sufficient cost
and price information per the NAMC Member Guide) exists.
36 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
Section 5.0 Submission Requirements
BIDS is a custom software solution which organizes the DME Annual Plan Cycle. NAMC uses
the BIDS system to collect all submission documents, including White Papers and responses to
RPPs against the DME Annual Plan. In turn, Government downloads all collected documents
submitted by NAMC Members to evaluate and award.
NAMC Members must submit all White Papers and Prototype Proposals through BIDS by the
due dates and times specified within the BIDS system. NAMC Members are strongly
encouraged to familiarize themselves with BIDS and to upload their documents into BIDS in
advance of the BIDS deadlines. Problems encountered with BIDS must be addressed prior to
the deadline. Late submissions are not permitted and no exceptions are made.
The instructions in this section describe how to submit a White Paper for the DME Annual Plan
using BIDS. Additional information is available on a White Paper Submission Quick Card.
Quick Cards are provided on the NAMC website as a reference tool for
Members as they navigate the submission process.
To start a White Paper submission in BIDS, follow these steps:
▪ Log in at https://dme.acqcenter.com.
▪ If this is your first time, register for an account. It is recommended that the BIDS login
include the company name and is shared across the organization for single point document
archiving.
▪ If the White Paper has been submitted under an individual’s login, continue using the same
login throughout the cycle. Submissions and the associated paper trail cannot be moved to
an organizational login if one is subsequently created.
▪ White Papers submissions are limited by page number and file size
When you submit your Annual Plan proposal using BIDS, be prepared with the following:
▪ Proposal which meets the requirements specified in the RPP
▪ Six (6) files (seven (7) including the optional quad chart) ready for upload in the format
required
▪ Ability to certify that no classified information is included in your submission
Emailed proposals will not be accepted. BIDS is programmed to only
accept submissions prior to the due date and time; it will not accept late
submissions.
37 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
To start a proposal submission in BIDS:
▪ Log in at https://dme.acqcenter.com
▪ Click Submissions (menu bar) or My Submissions (side bar) to go to a list of everything you
have submitted under this log-in (including White Papers).
▪ Open the appropriate White Paper and click the Create Next Submission button at the top.
▪ Submit the proposal using the same login credentials as the White Paper submission.
▪ Submit any time before the deadline and edit information or replace documents until the due
date.
▪ If a file is resubmitted, the server automatically deletes the initial file when it is replaced; this
happens upon upload, prior to submission.
▪ Zip files are allowed with 6 MB size limits.
▪ If you need assistance reducing file sizes, contact the BIDS Help Desk by clicking “Help
Request” on the bottom of the right sidebar in BIDS.
Separate login/password credentials are required for BIDS and the
NAMC Member website. Your BIDS login should be for your
organization, not an individual, allowing you to share it for single point
document archiving.
Out-of-Cycle RPPs such as Ad Hoc, Task Requests and SBIRs are submitted via email to the
NAMC CAO. All submissions are due by the date specified in the RPP and should be sent to
[email protected]. NAMC Members will receive confirmation their submission
was received.
The table on the following page details the file types, formats, and size restrictions for each type
of submission.
38 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
SUBMISSION FORMAT
FILE
SIZE
MAX
PAGE LIMITATION
White Paper
Succinctly show how your
solution meets Government’s
requirements.
MS Word (.docx or .doc) or
Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) file or
ZIP file
1MB
Not to exceed five (5)
pages, including the
defined cover page
Technical Volume
Include as much information as
possible, and include more
details as needed in the
Management Volume or Cost
Volume.
MS Word (.docx or .doc) or
Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) file
Include the control number
assigned to your White Paper
submission in the header or
footer of every page of the
document.
6MB
Not to exceed ten (10)
pages and submitted as a
separate document. If you
choose to include a cover
page, it will not be counted
against the page count.
Statement of Work
This is submitted as a separate
attachment and is used as the
SOW in the task assignment if
the proposal is selected for
award.
MS Word (.docx or .doc) 1MB
None, A template is
available for download on
the NAMC website.
Management Volume
Include a summary table of
each project organizational
participant.
MS Word (.docx or .doc) or
Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) file or
ZIP file
6MB
None. Resumes for key
personnel are limited to two
pages each.
Cost Volume PT 1:
Cost Summary Form(s)
MS Excel (.xlsx or .xls) or
multiple MS Excel files in a
ZIP file
6MB Workbook(s) Only
Cost Volume PT 2: Cost
Narrative
All necessary separate
attachments referenced within
the Cost Summary Form as
supporting documentation
should be provided within this
file.
MS Word (.docx or .doc) or
Adobe (.pdf) or ZIP file 6MB
None. In addition, please
include a signed copy of the
Cost Volume Checklist.
Signed W&R Forms MS Word (.docx or .doc) or
ZIP file 6MB
One for each NDC on the
team.
Quad Chart(s)
(Optional/by request per
project)
MS PowerPoint (.ppt) or
Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) 1MB
Two (2) Slides, Quad Chart
(see Section 8.1 for
template), one (1) public
release and one (1)
proprietary if desired
39 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
Section 6.0 Evaluation Criteria The standard evaluation criteria, which apply to most prototype projects competed through the
consortium, are provided below. The RPP document should always be referenced for any
variance as Ad Hoc and Task Request RPPs may have unique criteria.
Unless stated otherwise in each project’s description in an RPP, request for proposal (SBIR), or
task request solicitation, the relative order of importance of the criteria is as follows:
a) Technical Approach is significantly more important than Resources and Intellectual
Property.
b) Resources and Intellectual Property is more important than Cost/Price.
The Government will evaluate the technical approach by assessing and providing narrative
rationale on the ability to clearly explain the feasibility, achievability, and completeness of the
technical approach that will be employed to meet or exceed each project requirement and
milestone, as presented in the technical proposal and SOW to include the following:
a) Ability to clearly identify risk(s) and proposed mitigation of identified risk(s) (technical, cost,
schedule, teaming arrangements);
b) Ability to provide a complete description and logical sequence of proposed tasks and
associated technical elements with clearly defined deliverables and schedule (e.g. Gantt
chart) that clearly shows the plans to perform the program tasks in an orderly and timely
manner that does not exceed the designated length of time, if identified in the project
description;
c) Proposed approach to provide facilities and equipment that may be necessary to fulfill
project requirements;
d) Proposed testing approach to fulfill project requirements and possession of required
certifications as may be stated in the project description
The Government will evaluate this factor by assessing and providing narrative rationale on the
following:
a) Technical, academic, and professional knowledge and experience of the offeror and their
proposed personnel (and any proposed teaming partners) as related to knowledge and
experience necessary to perform this project
b) Alignment of proposed intellectual property assertions with the Government’s required level
of rights as stated in the project description (or the terms and conditions of the OTA if
specific requirements are not stated in the project description)
c) Reasonableness and affordability of assertions made by the Offeror, if a cost is associated
with obtaining specific rights
40 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
The Government will evaluate this factor by assessing and providing narrative rationale on the
following:
A cost realism will be performed on each proposal to determine if the cost proposal elements
are complete, reasonable, and realistic. For this OTA, cost realism refers to evaluating the
individual cost elements to determine if sufficient supporting documentation has been provided
and if each cost element appears (1) to have been sufficiently proposed, (2) to be excessive
based on the Government’s requirements, or (3) to be insufficient based on the Government’s
requirements.
In addition, the price evaluation will focus on the appropriateness and the relevance of the
proposed price in relation to the offeror’s proposed approach and may be used as a negotiation
point, if necessary.
41 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
Section 7.0 Source Selection Awards are intended to be made to respondents with proposals that represent the best value to
the Government, with appropriate consideration given to the evaluation factors. The following is
a depiction of the steps in the source selection process, from proposal evaluation to award or
basket placement.
Upon approval of the Government source selection decision, the Government issues a
Selection Announcement Letter (SAL) which lists all proposals submitted against the competed
prototype project and the proposal rating assigned to each submission.
For the purposes of the proposal selection, each proposal will be assigned one of the following
ratings:
▪ Good: The proposal demonstrates a thorough approach that is expected to meet, with a
high degree of confidence, or in some areas exceed, project requirements and objectives
▪ Acceptable: The proposal demonstrates an adequate approach that is expected to meet
project requirements and objectives
▪ Unacceptable: The proposal does not demonstrate an approach that is expected to meet
project requirements and objectives. The path does not appear feasible, and/or does not
provide the Government with a desired new or enhanced capability
42 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
Upon receipt of the SAL, the CAO notifies each offeror as to whether their proposal is slated for
funding, for basket placement, or is not accepted. Proposals slated for the basket will reside
there for 36 months from the close of the RPP it was solicited against.
NAMC Members will receive a request to update their proposal when a Government customer
has expressed interest in funding it, in part or whole. Members will be contacted by the CAO
with this request, which will include specific submission instructions and may include a
Government SOW and/or other attachment(s). NAMC Members are given 14 days to update
and resubmit their proposal including costs where reasonable. All proposal update requests will
require an updated W&R form, one (1) for each impacted NDC.
The W&R form submission should be prioritized and returned as soon as
possible.
The above information is required in order for the Government to gain legal approval of their
Determination & Findings (D&F) document. This is mandatory before an award can be made.
Upon review of the updated proposal, the Government will decide whether or
not to fund the proposal. Negotiations with the NAMC Member may or may
not be required prior to award.
Once the updated proposal has been reviewed, the Government may enter into negotiations
with the NAMC Member. These requests for clarification, further justification and additional
documentation will come through the NAMC CAO to the Member. The AO uses weighted
guidelines per DFARS 215.404-71 to determine if the proposed profit/fee is fair and reasonable,
therefore, NAMC Members should respond to any requests for justification of their proposed fee
per DFARS 215.404-71.
The CAO is notified by the Government in a Technical Direction Letter (TDL) which directs the
NAMC to enter into a Project Agreement and issue a Task Assignment to the NAMC Member.
The awarded Member will be sent a Project Agreement and Task Assignment to review and
execute. An exception to the NAMC Member executing a Project Agreement is if the NAMC
Member already has an executed Project Agreement and the terms and conditions of the OTA
have not been revised since the Agreement’s execution. The Project Agreement can be
requested in advance (during the proposal update) to accommodate time it may take for legal
review. Both documents should be reviewed carefully and turned around expeditiously.
43 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
Section 8.0 DME Electronic Basket After the Government’s source selection document has been approved, the Government will
issue a SAL to the CAO. The SAL will provide rating information for all proposals submitted in
response to a RPP. Upon receiving a SAL, the CAO will notify NAMC Members listed in the SAL
of the Government’s rating decision. Proposals selected for placement in the DME Electronic
Basket will remain there for consideration, selection and award under the GVS OTA until 36
months from the close of the RPP. This is unless the submitting NAMC Member requests in
writing beforehand to have it removed, the NAMC Member that submitted it as prime
discontinues their membership, or the Government issues a TDL.
Once proposals are in the DME Electronic Basket, they lose their ratings and are available to be
reviewed and selected in whole or in part by the VRA Program Director, VRA OTA Manager,
AORs, or other Government customers designated by the VRA Program Director upon request
to the AO. Once in the basket, a proposal may be identified for award by the Government
based on need and availability of funding. The request to pull a proposal from the basket will be
accompanied by AOR rationale as to why it is in the Government’s best interest to select that
proposal for award from the basket. The Government reserves the right to request that the
NAMC Member who submitted the identified proposal update their proposal to reflect the
Government’s intent to fund only some tasks or all of the identified proposal. The VRA PO
requires that all Government customers “shop the basket” before soliciting a new prototype
project.
Requests to scale or otherwise adjust the original proposals must be
minor in nature and not significantly impact/rework the proposal
submitted in response to the RPP.
Upon the Government’s decision to fund a proposal from the basket, the CAO will receive
notification of the Government’s intent to pursue a task assignment award. The CAO will in turn
notify the NAMC Member who submitted the proposal. Such exchanges of information shall be
subject to protection as set forth in Article VIII of the GVS OTA, “Confidential Information”. Upon
conclusion of any proposal updates, negotiations, and legal approval of the D&F, the
Government will issue a TDL to the CAO whereupon NAMC will enter into a Project Agreement
with the indicated NAMC Member or team as required and issue a Task Assignment.
If a NAMC Member who has proposal(s) in the basket discontinues their membership, any
proposal(s) contained within the basket for which they are the prime contractor will be removed.
Any proposal(s) contained within the basket for which they are the subcontractor will remain in
the basket if the prime contractor is still a NAMC Member.
44 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
NAMC Members with proposals residing in the basket are encouraged
to market their own projects to potential Government customers. All
requests to view any proposal in the basket should be directed to the
VRA PO.
The CAO will manage the basket for the Government. The quad chart will include a reference to
the RPP, project identifier, an abstract of the project, the date of the RPP close, the date the
project was placed in the basket and the primary proposer’s organizational contact information.
The Government places all highly rated projects in the DME Electronic
Basket until funding becomes available. NAMC Members whose proposals
are being considered for funding will receive notification of the
Government’s intent to pursue a task assignment award through a proposal
update request.
NAMC Members should submit a quad chart(s) at the time of full proposal submission. If the
Government places the proposal in the basket, the quad charts will be made available along
with the proposal for review and consideration for future funding. If a NAMC Member does not
submit a quad chart at the time of proposal submission, one will be requested upon receipt of
the SAL.
• Offerors shall prepare one-page (8 ½ by 11 inches) a non-proprietary and/or a proprietary
quad chart.
• The format for the quad chart(s) is a PowerPoint (.ppt) or PDF file that is 1MB or less in size.
• Non-proprietary quad charts will be posted on the NAMC Member website. Proprietary quad
charts will be posted on a separate Government-only website.
• Quad charts should be emailed to [email protected].
Quad charts are an important marketing tool for NAMC Members.
Active outreach to Government increases the likelihood of having a
basket proposal funded.
Quad charts are requested by the Government for proposals that are
approved for inclusion in the DME Electronic Basket, this is the resource
Government customers use to “shop the basket”.
45 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
46 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
Section 9.0 Project Reporting and Invoicing
The OTA requires quarterly and annual (cumulative) project reports based on the Government
fiscal year be submitted to the NAMC via its CAO. Annual reports are due by December 1st for
the previous fiscal year (October 1 – September 30). Subject invention reports (DD Form 882)
are also required as per the Project Agreement.
Additional reporting requirements may be outlined in the SOW or Contract Data Requirements
List (CDRL) as specified by the AOR for the specific project.
Invoices shall not be submitted to NAMC more than once per month and should include a
required report or details of what milestones were met during the billing period.
Invoices are checked for completeness and uploaded to Wide Area Workflow (WAWF) for AOR
approval before payment is released.
EFT Payment of project invoices is available upon request.
All invoices and required reports shall be routed through the NAMC and should be emailed to
47 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
Section 10.0 Questions/Contacts During the White Paper evaluation phase until RPP release, and once a proposal is submitted in
response to a RPP, communications between NAMC Members and the Government regarding
the specific project are strictly prohibited.
The Government requires that NAMC be the only point of contact for NAMC Members; this
ensures consistent and proper oversight and integrity of all processes.
Please submit any questions you may have for the Government via
You may also contact one of the staff members below:
Tony Melita, Executive Director Alissa Roath, Director of Operations
(703)338-0294
(734)205-5920
Cindi Bousley, Membership Services Questions
(734)995-3098
Proposals Invoices
48 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
Section 11.0 Acronyms and Definitions
Acronym Definition
ACC-NJ Army Contracting Command, Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey
AO Agreements Officer
AOR Agreements Officer’s Representative
AP Annual Plan
BAA Broad Agency Announcement
BIDS BAA Information Delivery System
BOS Basis of Selection
CAO Consortium Administrative Organization
CAS (414) Cost of money as an element of the cost of facilities capital
CDR Critical Design Review
CDRL Contract Data Requirements List
CL Confidence Level (1, 2, 3)
CPFF Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee
DCAA Defense Contracting Audit Agency
DCMA Defense Contracting Management Agency
D&F Determination & Findings
DME Defense Mobility Enterprise
DoD Department of Defense
FAR Federal Acquisition Regulation
FBO Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps)
FFP Firm Fixed Price
FOUO For Official Use Only
FY Fiscal Year
GMM General Membership Meeting
GVS OTA Ground Vehicle Systems OTA
NAMC National Advanced Mobility Consortium
NDA Non-Disclosure Agreement
NDC Nontraditional Defense Contractor
OT Other Transaction
OTA Other Transaction Agreement (Contracting Vehicle)
PDR Preliminary Design Review
POC Point of Contact
R&D Research and Development
RPP Request for Prototype Proposals
49 | P a g e P R O P R I E T A R Y
Acronym Definition
SAL Selection Announcement Letter
SBIR Small Business Innovative Research
SOW Statement of Work
TARDEC Tank Automotive Research & Development Engineering Center
TDL Technical Direction Letter
VRA Vehicle and Robotics Alliance
VRA PO Vehicle and Robotics Alliance Program Office
W&R Warranties and Representations
WAWF Wide Area Workflow