SP8000-22-R-BAA2

NATIONAL DEFENSE STOCKPILE (NDS) INDUSTRY 

MATERIAL TEST (IMT) 

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Broad Agency Announcement

National Defense Stockpile Industry Material Testing 

DLA STRATEGIC MATERIALS 

SP8000-22-R-BAA2
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Table of Contents

1. BACKGROUND ....................................................................................................................... 3

2. AREAS OF INTEREST ............................................................................................................ 5

3. CORRESPONDENCE .............................................................................................................. 7

4. DUE DATES .............................................................................................................................. 7

5. QUAD CHART SUBMISSION INFORMATION ................................................................. 7

6. GENERAL WHITE PAPER INSTRUCTIONS .................................................................... 8

7. EVALUATION AND DISPOSITION OF WHITE PAPERS ............................................. 10

8. SMALL BUSINESS / SMALL DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS SUBCONTRACTING 

PLAN ..................................................................................................................................................... 10 

9. TECHNICAL AND COST PROPOSALS ............................................................................ 10

10. PROPOSAL FORMAT (FOR FULL TECHNICAL AND COST PROPOSALS) ....... 10

11. EVALUATION FACTORS ................................................................................................ 15

12. EVALUATION RATINGS ................................................................................................. 16

13. OTHER PERTINENT INFORMATION ............................................................................. 17 

EXHIBIT A: SAMPLE FORMAT OF PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT ........................... 19 

EXHIBIT B: PAST PERFORMANCE REFERENCES ...................................................................... 21 
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BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT (BAA) 

FOR DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY (DLA) STRATEGIC MATERIALS 

NDS INDUSTRIAL MATERIAL TESTING 

POINT OF CONTACT (POC):

David Kim, Contract Specialist 

DCSO-F2 

Andrew T. McNamara Building 

8725 John J. Kingman Road 

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6221 

Email: 

DCSO-F2Contracting@dla.mil

SP8000-22-R-BAA2 

Notice Type: Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) FY2022 and FY2023 Industry Material Test 

(IMT) Requirements. The Government may not pay the full-proposed cost or the Government may 

pay a percentage of the proposed cost for any future acquisitions under Broad Agency 

Announcement (NDS) IMT. This BAA remains open during the period beginning on the date it was 

originally posted on Systems for Award Management website (https://sam.gov) until September 

30, 2023. 

1. BACKGROUND

As administrator of the National Defense Stockpile (NDS) and on behalf of the President of the 

United States, DLA Strategic Materials is charged with acquiring and retaining stocks of strategic 

and critical materials. Additionally, DLA Strategic Materials is charged with encouraging the 

conservation and development of domestic sources of such materials, to decrease and preclude a 

dangerous and costly dependence by the United States upon unreliable foreign sources or a single 

point of failure for supplies of such materials during a National Emergency. 

As part of our efforts to encourage conservation and development of domestic sources of strategic 

and critical materials, DLA Strategic Materials sponsors industry materials tests, pursuant to 

section 98g of title 50, United States Code (U.S.C.). DLA Strategic Materials intends to expand 

this work, pursuant to 50 U.S.C. 98h-6(a)(3), to qualify existing domestic facilities and domesticallyproduced strategic and critical materials to meet defense and essential civilian requirements when 

existing domestic sources of supply are insufficient or vulnerable to a single point of failure. 

The BAA IMT program is developed by DLA Strategic Materials to encourage and enhance 

domestic production of strategic and critical materials, including startup and small businesses, by 

identifying, testing and certifying materials produced from U.S. domestic or foreign organizations 

for the National Defense Stockpile (NDS), and linking the Department of Defense (DoD) 

manufacturers to new potential material suppliers. 
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This BAA is to identify, test, and certify domestically produced strategic and critical materials 

from reliable sources to substitute for materials produced by foreign sources or sole source 

producers. The intent of testing and certification of IMT is to help producers of critical and 

strategic materials find investors and/or users to promote their domestic production. Interested 

firms are encouraged to determine if they have a material listed in the “Areas of Interest” of this 

BAA. Submission of other strategic and critical materials is also encouraged if the materials are 

considered to be of interest to Department of Defense (DoD) programs of record. 

The sample sent for testing can be in various types and forms, including gas, liquid or solid. The 

solid sample can be as powder, pellet, ingot or chunk, etc. The liquid sample can be in aqueous or 

organic phase, slurry, etc. The test specification and methodology can be based on the NDS’ 

requirements, industrial standards or producer’s preferences. The test results can be physical, 

chemical, structural, electrical, optical, such as particle size, surface area, density, viscosity, 

porosity, permeability, hardness, heat/electrical conductivity, thermal stability, magnetic strength, 

radioactivity, chemical composition, surface characteristics, morphology, optical index, etc. 

Tests can be arranged, managed and monitored by the Government or by Offerors. The 

Government will pay the full costs of tests arranged and managed by the Government or by 

Offerors. 

The properties of the results from the tests will fully and solely belong to the Offeror, with the 

Government keeping a copy as a record. The Government will ensure the full protection of the 

producer’s intellectual properties (IP) of the material and production technology/process. The 

Government will not share the material and production technology/process with any outside 

Government organizations or persons without the producer’s request and permission in advance. 

DLA Strategic Materials strongly encourages respondents to identify the U.S. Government 

customer organizations (e.g., Program Executive Officer, acquisition program office) cognizant of 

the issues or challenges associated with a given strategic and critical material or its production 

process. This should be an organization / agency that has the technical or programmatic expertise 

for assessing the value of the strategic and critical material and its production process to potential 

DoD customers. DLA Strategic Materials further encourages respondents to provide information 

related to contracts (e.g., contract number, current / pending DoD or other contracts) and Programs 

of Record (including points of contact) related to a respondent’s proposal. 

DLA Strategic Materials’ need for this BAA stems from the rapidly expanding requirement to 

stabilize and restore strategic and critical materials supply chains compromised by diminishing 

manufacturing sources and material shortages (DMSMS). In many cases, DMSMS constraints are selfimposed by the defense acquisition process; namely, drop-in replacement, substitute, or 

qualitatively better strategic and critical materials are available, but DoD cannot accept these 

materials because DoD has not qualified such materials for use in defense systems. Qualification of 

substitute strategic and critical materials represents a substantial cost-avoidance to DLA Strategic 

Materials, reduces dependence upon unreliable foreign sources, and improves the overall health 

and competitiveness of the defense industrial base. 
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This BAA is issued under the provisions of Parts 35.016 and 6.102(d) (2) (i) and (ii) of the Federal 

Acquisition Regulation (FAR), which provides for the competitive selection of proposals submitted 

in response to this announcement. Accordingly, proposals selected for award are considered to be the 

result of full and open competition and fully compliant with Public Law 98-369, entitled “The 

Competition in Contracting Act of 1984.” 

This BAA is an expression of interest only and does not commit the Government to make an award 

or pay proposal preparation costs generated in response to this announcement. The cost of proposal 

preparation for response to a BAA is not considered an allowable direct charge to any resultant contract 

or any other contract. 

No contract award will be made unless funds are available. If the Government issues a contract award, 

the Government will issue a contract on a Firm Fixed Price, Cost Reimbursement, or hybrid (a 

combination of firm fixed price and cost reimbursement line items) basis. Prospective Offerors are 

reminded that only a duly warranted Contracting Officer may obligate the Government to an agreement 

involving expenditure of Government funds. Only the information provided in this notice is available. 

No formal solicitation will be issued. No award is expected to have a period of performance greater than 

a twelve-month base period and two one-year options periods for a total of three years, with a not to 

exceed value of $250,000 per contract. 

2. AREAS OF INTEREST 

Strategic and critical materials classes of interest for qualification research under this BAA are the 

following: 

(1) Energetic Materials: 

(a) Materials and production processes that increase the range, lethality, or safety of propellants, 

pyrotechnics, explosives, and initiating compositions used in ammunition1

(b) Materials and production processes that decrease the weight of ammunition 

(c) Materials and production processes that eliminate or decrease the use of hazardous materials 

in ammunition 

(d) Material and production process substitutes and / or drop-in replacements to relieve a single 

point of failure in a supply chain, dependence upon unreliable foreign sources of supply, or 

replacement of a legacy / obsolete material 

(2) Energy and Power Materials: 

1 For the purpose of this BAA, “ammunition” is defined as (1) small arms, mortar, automatic cannon, artillery, and ship gun 

ammunition; (2) bombs; (3) unguided rockets, projectiles, and submunitions; (4) chemical ammunition as permitted by the 

Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons Convention; (5) land mines; (6) demolition material; (7) grenades; (8) flares 

and pyrotechnics; (9) guided projectiles, rockets, missiles, and submunitions; (10) naval mines, torpedoes, and depth charges; (11) 

cartridge and propellant-actuated devices; (12) chaff and chaff dispensers; (13) guidance kits for bombs and other ammunition; (14) 

swimmer weapons; (15) explosive ordnance disposal tools; and (16) related ammunition containers and packaging materials. 
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(a) Materials that increase the energy density or safety of batteries in weapon systems, National 

Security Space systems, or commercial items incorporated into components utilized by a 

DoD program of record 

(b) Material and production process substitutes and / or drop-in replacements to relieve a single 

point of failure in a supply chain, dependence upon unreliable foreign sources of supply, or 

replacement of a legacy / obsolete material 

(3) Aeronautical and Astronautical Materials: 

(a) Metals, alloys, fibers, composites, or processes (e.g., heat treat) for such materials that would 

allow for new material systems to be used existing aerospace applications 

(b) Materials and production processes (e.g., additive manufacturing) that achieve current design 

requirements with a reduction in production steps or lead time 

(c) Materials with that combine thermal or solar conductivity with improved impact protection, 

transparency, or ultra-violet protection 

(d) Material and production process substitutes and / or drop-in replacements to relieve a single 

point of failure in a supply chain, dependence upon unreliable foreign sources of supply, or 

replacement of a legacy / obsolete material 

(4) Armor Materials: 

(a) Materials, including textiles, that decrease the weight of armor systems with like or improved 

ballistic performance 

(b) Materials, including textiles, that combine ballistic protection with other forms of defense 

(e.g., chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear) 

(c) Material and production process substitutes and / or drop-in replacements to relieve a single 

point of failure in a supply chain, dependence upon unreliable foreign sources of supply, or 

replacement of a legacy / obsolete material 

(5) Stable Isotopes: 

(a) Materials and production processes that increase the safety or efficiency of nuclear reactor 

coolant and waste storage systems 

(b) Material and production process substitutes and / or drop-in replacements to relieve a single 

point of failure in a supply chain, dependence upon unreliable foreign sources of supply, or 

replacement of a legacy / obsolete material 

(6) Paints, Coatings, and Surface Treatments 
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(a) Materials that improve corrosion resistance or provide like corrosion resistance with a

decrease in weight, coating thickness, surface treatments, or use of hazardous materials

(b) Materials with combined protection capabilities (e.g., ultra-violet, chemical, electromagnetic) to reduce the weight or thickness of coatings or reduce the number of required

coatings

(c) Material and production process substitutes and / or drop-in replacements to relieve a single

point of failure in a supply chain, dependence upon unreliable foreign sources of supply, or

replacement of a legacy / obsolete material

3. CORRESPONDENCE

All correspondence and questions on this BAA, including requests for information on how to 

submit a quad chart, white paper or proposal as well as submission of the same should be directed 

to DCSO-F2Contracting@dla.mil. Please reference BAA number SP8000-22-R-BAA2 in all 

correspondence and communications. 

4. DUE DATES

This BAA remains open from October 1, 2021 to September 30, 2023. White papers may be submitted 

from the date of opening through March 30, 2023, and will be reviewed and evaluated as received. White 

papers submitted after March 30, 2023 are “late” and will not be considered. After review of white papers, 

DLA Strategic Materials may request parties to submit proposals. All evaluations of white papers or 

proposals shall cease July 31, 2023. Any accepted white papers and/or proposals not awarded by the BAA 

end date of September 30, 2023 must be resubmitted by the Contractor under the newly issued BAA for 

evaluation and possible award. Each proposal request will include the date the proposal is due. 

5. QUAD CHART SUBMISSION INFORMATION

Offerors shall submit an unclassified Quad Chart, in Microsoft PowerPoint format and landscape 

orientation, to DLA Strategic Materials electronically to DCSO-F2Contracting@dla.mil Attachment 

A 

– Quad Chart Template is attached to this BAA for your reference. The Quad Chart should be

formatted as stated and include the following information:

 Heading (Times New Roman 24pt Bold)

o Title of Project

o Company

o BAA Requirement Number

 Upper Left Quadrant:

o Picture or graphic illustrating proposed materials to be tested
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 Lower Left Quadrant (Times New Roman 12pt Normal): 

o Material name, molecular formula 

o Material physical and chemical appurtenances, such as solid, liquid, gas, fine 

particle, 

o The sample quantity that will be submitted for test 

o The package of the sample materials, such as in a plastic bag, under pressure 

(at such Psi), vacuum 

o Hazardous and toxic information, such as flammable, explosive, acid etc. 

 Upper Right Quadrant (Times New Roman 12pt Normal): 

o Where the raw material source(s) is located, such as Nevada, USA 

o How the material will transition to existing military systems or programs 

o Technology / Manufacturing Readiness Level for the material production, 

such as laboratory scale, proto type, full production etc. (current level and 

anticipated level at project completion) 

 Lower Right Quadrant: (Times New Roman 12pt Normal): 

o Estimated cost if the test is arranged, managed and monitored by the offeror 

o Major test specification suggested, such as chemical composition, purity, 

particle size, etc. 

o Major test methods suggested, such as, ICP-MS, FTIR, GC-MS etc. 

o Material stability, such as sensitive to light, UV, moisture, oxygen etc. 

DLA Strategic Materials intends to utilize the Quad Chart for the purposes of efficiently describing the 

scope of an Offeror’s proposal. The Quad Chart shall not be used for the purposes of evaluating a 

proposal; however, Offerors that do not submit a Quad Chart will not be eligible for award. 

Virus Check: Perform a virus check before uploading the Quad Chart. If a virus is detected, DLA 

Strategic Materials will reject the file, and the Offeror’s proposal will be ineligible for award. 

Security: Do not lock or encrypt Quad Chart files. 

6. GENERAL WHITE PAPER INSTRUCTIONS 

DLA Strategic Materials requests interested parties to submit a synopsis of their proposal, commonly 

referred to as “white paper”. DLA Strategic Materials is seeking unclassified, white papers and proposals 

that do not contain proprietary information. Offerors are requested to submit white papers prior to the 

submission of a complete, more detailed proposal. The purpose of white papers is to minimize the labor 

and price associated with the production of detailed proposals that have very little chance of being 

selected for funding/testing. An interested party must submit a white paper in order to be eligible for 

further consideration. After review of white papers, DLA Strategic Materials may request certain parties 

to submit a full technical and price proposal; such a request does not guarantee contract award. Proposals 

submitted without the prior submission of a white paper will not be evaluated for award. All proposals 

submitted in response to this BAA will be considered based upon the evaluation criteria in this BAA. 

The Government reserves the right to make one, more than one, or no awards under this BAA. 
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Any responsible source capable of satisfying the Government’s needs may submit a white paper, which 

shall be considered by DLA Strategic Materials. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) 

and Minority Institutions (MI) are encouraged to submit white papers and join others in submitting white 

papers; however, no portion of this BAA shall be set aside for HBCU and MI participation due to the 

impracticality of reserving discrete or severable areas of research in this science. Foreign-owned firms’ 

participation is subject to foreign disclosure review procedures. Foreign-owned firms should immediately 

contact the contracting focal point for information if they contemplate responding. 

PROSPECTIVE AWARDEE(S) SHALL BE REGISTERED IN THE SYSTEM FOR AWARD 

MANAGEMENT (SAM) PRIOR TO AWARD, DURING CONTRACT PERFORMANCE, AND 

THROUGH FINAL PAYMENT OF ANY AWARD RESULTING FROM THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. 

INFORMATION ON SAM REGISTRATION IS AVAILABLE AT 

https://www.sam.gov/.

WHITE PAPER PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

(1) Offerors should submit white papers via email directly to the following email address DCSOF2Contracting@dla.mil.

Point of Contact: DCSO-F2Contracting@dla.mil

(a) White papers must be in the following format but do not require any special forms:

• Single PDF formatted file as an email attachment

• Page Size: 8 1⁄2 x 11 Inches

• Margins – 1 Inch

• Spacing– Single

• Font– Times New Roman, 12 point

(2) The white paper shall not exceed five pages plus a cover page and a one page addendum as

discussed below. The white paper shall include a title, BAA number, Offeror contact information

(point of contact (POC) name, phone number, email address, and company address)

(3) The white paper shall give the material name, molecular formula, physical and chemical

property, hazardous and toxic information, area of interest, potential defense or essential civilian

applications, and types of tests requested.

(4) A brief abstract with information explicitly pertinent to the proposed work must be provided in

the white paper. No Government furnished information, equipment, property or data will be

provided.

(5) As an addendum to the white paper, include biographical sketches (one page) of the key

personnel who invent, develop, improve or produce the material, highlighting their
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qualifications and experience. 

(6) The white paper shall indicate if the Offeror wants the testing to be arranged by the Government 

or by themselves. If the Offeror wants to find an analytic institution and arrange tests, the cost 

portion of the white paper shall contain a “not-to-exceed” cost amount of the proposed project to 

be completed. 

7. EVALUATION AND DISPOSITION OF WHITE PAPERS 

(1) Evaluation Process: Offerors are advised that invitations for complete proposals may be made 

on the initial white paper submission and the availability of funding. As stated above, the white 

paper will be evaluated for area of interest, potential defense or major civilian applications of 

the material, type of tests requested, and identification of hazardous and toxic. White papers 

evaluated to have significant merit may be invited to submit a complete detailed proposal. 

(2) Disposition Process: After completion of evaluation, the Offeror will be notified in writing of 

acceptability or unacceptability (via email). The Government may select white papers that 

are most promising for further consideration. 

8. SMALL BUSINESS / SMALL DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS SUBCONTRACTING 

PLAN

Large Business concerns will be required to submit a Small Business / Small Disadvantaged 

Business Subcontracting Plan if their white paper is selected for further consideration. The North 

American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 541715 - Research and Development 

in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology). The 

size standard for Small Business is fewer than 1,000 employees. 

9. TECHNICAL AND COST PROPOSALS 

The Government reserves the right to request full technical and cost proposals from all, some, 

or none of the Offerors submitting white papers. Any such request for full technical and priced 

proposals does not guarantee award. Decisions to select to fund certain proposals will be based on 

funds availability and the merits of the proposal. Additionally, to be eligible for a potential contract 

award, all prospective Offerors must meet certain minimum standards pertaining to financial 

resources, ability to comply with performance schedules, prior record of past performance, 

integrity, organizational structure, experience, operational controls, technical skills, facilities and 

equipment in accordance with FAR Part 9. Every effort will be made to protect the confidentiality 

of the proposal and any evaluations. The Offeror must mark the proposal with a protective legend 

in accordance with FAR 52.215-1(e), Instructions to Offerors 

– Competitive Acquisition (Jan 2004). NOTE: DLA Strategic Materials intends to award a firm 

fixed price, cost reimbursement, or hybrid type contract as a result of any proposal selected for 

award. 
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10. PROPOSAL FORMAT (FOR FULL TECHNICAL AND COST PROPOSALS) 

PROPOSALS THAT DO NOT COMPLY WITH ALL FORMATTING AND PAGE 

LENGTH REQUIREMENTS OUTLINED BELOW WILL BE RATED AS 

UNACCEPTABLE AND REJECTED.

Technical proposals are limited to thirty (30) single-sided pages. There is no page limit for the cost 

proposal. Submission of proposals shall be in the following format and provide the content requested 

within the “Areas of Interest” section of this BAA. Offerors’ proposals MUST be submitted in 

accordance with the instructions listed below. 

Offerors shall submit one (1) electronic version (via e-mail) of the proposal in the following format: 

(a) Microsoft Word format; (b) 8.5" x 11" paper; (c) headers on each page to identify page content; 

(d) single-spaced, and (e) 12 point Times New Roman font with 1-inch margins around the page. Any 

project Gantt charts may be submitted on larger (e.g. legal paper), as required to be readable. There is 

no penalty for submitting shorter proposals, as long as the Offeror covers all required material. Proposals 

longer than 30 pages will be rated as unacceptable and rejected. 

The proposal should be clear and concise and shall include sufficient detail for effective evaluation 

and substantiating the validity of stated claims in the proposal. Offerors shall propose, recognizing 

that the Government has no prior knowledge of Offeror’s facilities and experience and will base its 

evaluation exclusively on the merits and content of the information presented in the proposal. The only 

exception is that the Government reserves the right to evaluate relevant past performance not included 

in the technical proposal. 

If an Offeror wants to find out the analytic institution, arrange and monitor the tests, the proposal should 

be submitted in two volumes: Technical (Volume I) and Cost (Volume II). If an Offeror wants the 

Government to find out the analytic institution and arrange the tests, Volume II (Cost Volume) will not 

be requested. The volumes shall be separate and complete so that evaluation of each may be 

accomplished independently. The volumes shall be written on a stand-alone basis so that its contents 

may be evaluated without cross-referencing. A separate technical and price proposal is required for 

any separate option proposed by Offerors. 

 Two separate volumes consisting of:

o Volume I – Technical Proposal 

o Volume II – Price Proposal 

 Volume I, Technical Proposal (30 page limit) 

o Shall consist of the Proposed Project and address the Evaluation Factors as 

contained within this BAA. 

o Shall contain a business case analysis (BCA) for the project and discuss how 

work conducted under the BAA will transition to support of DoD programs 

of record. 

o No pricing or cost information shall be contained in this volume. 

 Volume II, Cost Proposal (no page limit) 

o Shall contain price and pricing information in support of Volume I technical 

project. 

o The price proposal shall include all of the price information cited in Volume 
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II Section 5 related to the Project Task. 

VOLUME I – TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

Technical proposals are limited to thirty (30) single-sided pages. No pricing information shall be 

contained within the technical proposal. Technical proposals shall contain the following sections: 

Table of Contents: The table of contents shall specify, by page number, the location of information 

requested in these instructions. The Table of Contents does not count toward the 30 page limit. 

(1) Section I – Cover Page: The Cover Page shall provide the following information: (1) BAA 

number; (2) Proposal Title; (3) material name; (4) Area of Interest; (5) Point of Contact, including 

name, telephone number, e-mail address, and mailing address (no post office box); 

(6) Cage Code; (7) DUNs Number; (8) Contractor’s business type selected among the following 

categories: Large Business, Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), Other Small Business, 

HBCU, MI, Other Educational, or Other Nonprofit; and (8) Summary of the Costs. The 

information contained in Section I shall be limited to one page. The Cover Page counts towards 

the 30-page limit and shall be labeled as Page One (1). 

(2) Section II – Executive Summary: An Executive Summary of the Offeror’s proposed material 

is required. This summary shall be used to gain an understanding of the overall propose 

material(s). It should identify and highlight significant features, summarize innovative claims 

and unique contribution(s) of the proposal, and include the salient points of the proposed 

material, including its target applications and the expected outcome improvement associated with 

the material. The information contained in Section II shall be limited to one page. The Executive 

Summary page count towards the 30-page limit and shall be labeled as Page Two (2). 

(3) Section III – Performance Work Statement (PWS): The Offeror is required to submit a 

proposed PWS that accurately describes the test tasks requested for the material, is enforceable, 

and void of inconsistencies. 

The proposal shall include the material’s chemical and trade name, and molecular formula 

(if known), producer’s name if different from the Offeror. The proposal shall describe raw 

material source, production technology/process, operating condition. The proposal shall 

indicate the sample type (solid, liquid, or gas; powder, pellet, ingot, or chunk; aqueous or 

organic phase, etc.), sample quantity (kilogram or pound), suggested test tasks and 

methodology, and others (such as, sample in argon/nitrogen, under pressure/vacuum (Psi 

value), acid or base (pH value), sensitive to oxygen, moisture, light or UV; toxic, 

flammable, explosive, etc.) 

An Offeror can propose one or both of following two options for material test: 

Option One: Material Test Arranged by the Government: In this option, upon approval of the 

proposal, an Offeror shall submit the material to the Government, and the Government will 
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locate an analytic institution and arrange the test. 

Option Two: Material Test Arranged by Offeror: In this option, the Offeror shall find an analytic 

institution, determine the test tasks, and provide the Government the institution information 

(Name, Address, point of contact (POC) phone number), task and cost information. Upon 

approval of the proposal, the Government will provide the Offeror the funding for the test. The 

Offeror shall arrange the test and, after completion of the test, provide the Government a copy 

of test results. 

If, in the Government’s opinion, the Offeror’s PWS does not reflect these requirements, the 

Government will prepare/modify a PWS using information available in the Offeror’s proposal; 

this process may delay the award. The PWS must be a separate and distinct part of the proposal. 

The proposed PWS must contain a summary description of the technical methodology as well as 

the test task description, but not in so much detail as to make the PWS inflexible. The PWS 

page(s) do not count towards the 30-page limit. The PWS should include the following 

sections: 1.0 Objective, 2.0 Scope, 3.0 Background and 4.0 Task/Technical Requirements. See 

exhibit A for sample formatting of PWS. 

(4) Section IV – Detailed Proposal Information: Offerors shall submit a complete technical 

proposal that demonstrates the materials proposed in the area of interest. The technical proposal 

is expected to contain written and visual information. It must be succinct, well written and 

presented in a clear straightforward manner. Proposals that merely restate or rephrase the white 

paper may be considered technically unacceptable and may not be considered further. The 

technical proposal shall specifically address the six evaluation areas: 

(1) transition from qualification material test to DoD programs of record, (2) relevance and 

contributions of the material to the area of interest, (3) overall scientific and technical merits 

of the material; (4) new and creative solutions or techniques for the material development or 

production, (5) offeror’s qualifications, capabilities and experience; and (6) past performance. 

The Detailed Proposal Information page(s) count towards the 30-page limit. 

(5) Section V – Business Case Analysis (BCA): The offeror may be required to submit a BCA that 

will discuss how the Offeror plans to transition materials from the qualification work undertaken 

by the BAA to the supply chains of DoD programs of record. This will include discussing the 

benefits to specific government program offices. Additionally any information that may assist 

the government in understanding how this will affect the market should be included. The 

Business Case Analysis page(s) count towards the 30-page limit. 

(6) Section VI – Deliverables and Schedule: If an Offeror is to arrange tests by itself, it shall submit 

to the Government a list of deliverables, including test tasks and completion dates, a schedule for 

project performance, and deliverables. Note that payment will be commensurate with receipt and 

approval of deliverable(s). The Deliverables and Schedule page(s) count towards the 30-page 

limit. 

(7) Section VII – Past Performance References: Offerors shall submit a list of past performance 

references that will be provided to the Government. See exhibit B for sample information. If 

Offeror is a startup or new company, the Government may waive the 
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requirement of its past performance references. Past Performance References page(s) do 

not count towards the 30-page limit.

(8) Section VIII – Resumes: Offerors shall include resumes of key personnel related to the 

material development and/or production. Resumes page(s) do not count towards the 30- 

page limit.

(9) Supplement – Safety Data Sheet (SDS): Offerors shall include the SDS of the material in 

the proposal if it is available. If the material is a completely newly developed one, so that 

no suitable SDS is available, Offerors shall provide as much as possible information about the 

material, particularly its hazardous and toxic areas. The Government reserves the right to 

reject a material if the Offeror neglects to provide the SDS. SDS page(s) do not count towards 

the 30-page limit. 

VOLUME II – COST PROPOSAL

If an Offeror proposes to arrange tests by itself, it must submit a Cost proposal. Cost proposals have 

no page limitation. Offerors shall submit at a minimum the information listed below relating to cost. 

Table of Contents: The table of contents shall specify, by page number, the location of 

information requested in these instructions. 

(1) Section 1 – Proposal Type and Value: The following information must be provided: name 

and type of materials, brief test task description, performance period, and total cost. 

(2) Section 2 – Work Breakdown: The cost proposal shall include a test breakdown structure and 

cost data in sufficient detail to support evaluation of reasonableness (e.g. direct labor by 

categories, indirect labor, indirect prices, travel, subcontract, services, materials, equipment, 

etc.). 

(3) Section 3 – Project Task: The cost proposal shall include at a minimum all of the cost 

information listed below: 

(a) Direct Labor: Individual labor categories or assigned persons with associated labor 

hours and unburdened direct labor rates. 

(b) Indirect Prices: Fringe Benefit, Overhead, G&A, Price, etc. (base amount and rate). 

(c) Travel: Number of trips, destinations, durations, trip 

justification (purpose), etc. 

(d) Material: Equipment, facilities, etc. 
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(e) Profit dollars and percentage rate. 

(4) Section 4 – Other Direct Prices: All other prices associated with the project should be itemized. 

(5) Section 5 – Payment Plan Schedule: Provide a proposed monthly invoice payment plan in 

accordance with the items listed in Section VI – Deliverables and Schedule, in the Technical 

Proposal. 

The Contracting Officer reserves the right to award without discussions. Unsuccessful Offerors may 

submit a written request to the Contracting point of contact for a debriefing in accordance with FAR 

15.506. 

11. EVALUATION FACTORS 

Proposals received as a result of the BAA will be evaluated in accordance with evaluation criteria 

specified herein through a peer or scientific review process. Written evaluation reports on individual 

proposals will not be evaluated against each other since they are not submitted in accordance with 

a common work statement and each proposal stands on its own merit. These criteria are listed in 

descending order of importance, and the non-price factors, when taken together, are significantly more 

important than price. 

Proposal Factor 1: Technical Acceptability. The Offeror must be determined acceptable under 

subfactors 1 – 5 to meet the overall technical acceptability of Factor 1. 

Proposal Subfactor 1: Transition from Qualification Industry Material Test to DoD 

Programs of Record: Will be evaluated based on the thoroughness of the Offeror’s BCA and the 

extent to which DoD programs of record — inclusive of the prime contractor or major 

subcontractors to such programs — and other DoD Components plan to integrate technical 

solutions from proposed qualification research into existing or planned DoD programs. 

Proposal Subfactor 2: Relevance and Contributions to the Area of Interest: Will be evaluated 

based on the degree to which proposed materials, source and production technology/processes meet 

requirements of DoD programs of record and essential civilian industrial base need. 

Proposal Subfactor 3: Overall Scientific and Technical Merits of the Proposed Effort: Will be 

evaluated for the degree to which the proposed test relies upon sound engineering and scientific 

practices to achieve proposed material. 

Proposal Subfactor 4: Capabilities, Related Experience, Facilities, or Techniques: Will be 

evaluated based on the degree to which the capabilities, related experience, techniques, or unique 

combinations thereof are likely to achieve proposed test material successfully. 

Proposal Subfactor 5: Qualifications, Capabilities and Experience: Will be evaluated based 

on the degree the proposed principal researcher/scientist/engineer, team leader or other key 

personnel, who are critical in achieving the proposed objectives, are likely to accomplish 
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proposed BCA objectives successfully. 

Proposal Factor 2: Past Performance: A past performance evaluation shall be conducted in 

accordance with FAR Part 9 and FAR Part 15.305(a) (2). This assessment is based on the Offeror’s 

performance on active and physically completed contracts supplying the same or similar services 

either commercially or with the Government. Evaluations of past performance will be based on the 

degree to which current and previous efforts indicate the probability of the Offeror successfully 

accomplishing the contract requirements as listed in the Performance Work Statement (PWS). 

The Government will consider the Offeror’s ability to consistently and timely develop or produce 

the material. In addition, the Government may review any other sources of information for 

evaluating past performance. Other sources may include, but are not limited to, past performance 

information retrieved through the Contractors Performance Assessment Reporting System 

(CPARS) and System for Award Management (SAM). While the Government may elect to 

consider data from other sources, the burden of providing detailed, current, accurate and complete 

past performance information rests with the Offeror. In the case of an Offeror without a record of 

relevant past performance or for whom information on past performance is not available or so sparse 

that no meaningful past performance rating can be reasonably assigned, the Offeror may not be 

evaluated favorably or unfavorably on past performance. Therefore, the Offeror shall be 

determined to have unknown past performance. In the context of acceptability/unacceptability, 

“unknown” shall be considered “acceptable.” Discussions may be held with the Contractor where 

past performance information is a factor preventing their proposal from being acceptable. 

Proposal Factor 3: Price: Will be evaluated based on the overall realism and reasonableness of 

the proposal and availability of funds. 

NOTE: Proposals submitted in response to this BAA shall be evaluated through a peer or scientific 

review process, as they are received. Any accepted white papers and/or proposals not awarded by 

the BAA end date of September 30, 2023 must be resubmitted by the Contractor under the 

newly issued BAA for evaluation and possible award. Proposals lacking technical merit or 

relevance to DLA Strategic Materials’ needs, or those proposals that may fall in areas wherein 

funds are not expected to be available, may be rejected without further action. Proposals 

stand on their own merit and will not be evaluated against other proposals. 

12. EVALUATION RATINGS 

The evaluation team will classify proposals into one of the following categories: 

Category I: Proposed material is well conceived, scientifically and technically sound, pertinent to 

the program goals and objectives, and offered by a responsible contractor with the competent 

scientific and technical staff and supporting resources needed to ensure satisfactory program results. 

The proposal’s BCA presents a clear timeline for delivery of the proposed material or technology 

solution to a DoD program of record. The DoD program of record and the prime contractor or the 

relevant major subcontractor to such a program certify their intent to integrate the proposed 

material or technology solution into the program. 
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A proposal may satisfy the aforementioned certification with official correspondence from a 

representative of a DoD program of record and the prime contractor or relevant major subcontractor, 

with this letter stating the intent to integrate the proposed material or technology solution into the 

program. This certification of intent may be conditional upon the success of the proposal’s work 

(i.e., whether the technology solution meets performance requirements of the program of record). 

Proposed materials in Category I are recommended for acceptance (subject to availability of funds). 

Category II: Proposed material is scientifically or technically sound but is of sufficiently low 

technology or manufacturing readiness that it cannot be readily integrated into a DoD program 

of record. The proposal’s BCA may present a clear timeline for delivery of the scale-up production 

of the proposed material or technology solution to a DoD program of record. The DoD program 

of record or the prime contractor or the relevant major subcontractor to such a program certify their 

intent to integrate the proposed material or technology solution. 

A proposal may satisfy the aforementioned certification with official correspondence from a 

representative of a DoD program of record and the prime contractor or relevant major subcontractor, 

with this letter stating the intent to integrate the proposed material or technology solution into the 

program. This certification of intent may be conditional upon the success of the proposal’s work 

(i.e., whether the technology solution meets performance requirements of the program of record). 

Category II proposed materials are recommended for acceptance but at a lower priority than 

Category I proposed materials. 

Category III: Proposed material is scientifically or technically sound but is of sufficiently low 

technology or manufacturing readiness that it cannot be readily integrated into a DoD program 

of record. Namely, the proposal’s BCA may present a clear timeline for delivery of the proposed 

material or technology solution to a DoD program of record. Neither the DoD program of record 

nor the prime contractor or the relevant major subcontractor to such a program certify their intent 

to integrate the proposed material or technology solution. 

Category III proposed materials are recommended for acceptance but at a lower priority than 

Category II proposals. 

Category IV: Proposed material is not technically sound and does not meet the requirements 

of a DoD program of record, inclusive of the program contractor or major subcontractors to such 

programs. 

Category III proposed materials are not recommended for acceptance. 
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13. OTHER PERTINENT INFORMATION 

(1) Responsibility Determination: To be eligible for award of a contract, all prospective Offerors 

must meet certain minimum standards pertaining to financial resources, ability to comply with 

performance schedules, have a satisfactory performance record, integrity, organizational 

structure, experience, accounting and operational controls, technical skills, facilities and 

equipment and be otherwise qualified. For additional information concerning standards of 

responsibility for prospective contractors, please refer to FAR Subpart 9.1. 

(2) System for Award Management (SAM): Successful Offerors not already registered in SAM 

will be required to register prior to award of any contract. Information on SAM registration is 

available at https://www.sam.gov/SAM. 

(3) Representations and Certifications: The Offeror shall complete and submit Representations 

and Certifications via SAM at https://www.sam.gov/SAM. 

EXHIBIT A: SAMPLE FORMAT OF PERORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS) 

The following is offered as the format for the PWS. 

(1) 1.0 - Objective: This section is intended to give a brief overview of the specialty area and 

should describe why it is being pursued, and what you are trying to accomplish. 

(2) 2.0 - Scope: This section includes a statement of what the PWS covers. This should include 

the materials and technology area to be tested, objectives/goals, and major milestones for the effort. 

(3) 3.0 - Background: The offeror shall identify appropriate documents that are applicable 

to the effort to be performed. This section includes any information, explanations, or constraints that 

are necessary in order to understand the requirements. It may include relationship to previous, current 

and future operations. It may also include techniques previously tried and 

determined ineffective. 

(4) 4.0 - Technical Requirements: 

(a) This section contains the detailed description of the material(s) to be tested, including 

material name, molecular formula, physical and chemical properties, hazardous/toxic information, 

sample quantity and package for test, requested test tasks, raw material source information, and 

production technology/processes. This portion of PWS should be developed in an orderly progression 

and have enough detail to establish the feasibility of accomplishing the overall program goals. The test 

tasks should be segregated into major tasks, such as physic analysis, chemical analysis, etc., and 

identified in separately numbered paragraphs according to the decimal system above. Each numbered 

major task should delineate, by subtask, the work to be performed. The PWS shall contain every 

task to be accomplished. 
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(b) The test tasks must be definite, realistic, and clearly stated. Use “shall” whenever the 

work statement expresses a provision that is binding. Use “should” or “may” whenever it is necessary 

to express a declaration of purpose. Use “will” in cases where no Offeror requirement is involved; e.g., 

power will be supplied by the Government. Use active voice in describing work to be performed. 

(c) Do not use acronyms or abbreviations without spelling-out acronyms and abbreviations 

at the first use; place the abbreviation in parenthesis immediately following a spelled- out phrase. This 

provides the definition for each subsequent reuse. As an option, a glossary may contain definitions of 

acronyms and abbreviations. 

(d) If presentations/meetings are identified in your schedule, include the following 

paragraph in your PWS: 

“Conduct presentations/meetings at times and places specified in the contract schedule.” 

(5) 5.0 - Responsibility: This section shall indicate if the Offeror or the Government will find 

out analytic institution and arrange the tests. If the Offeror does it, the Cost Volume (Volume II) 

and the analytic institution information shall be enclosed, including its name, overview, website, 

POC, phone number, email etc. 
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EXHIBIT B: PAST PERFORMANCE REFERENCES 

Please identify three companies/Government agencies that you have worked with in the prior three 

years. DLA Strategic Materials will contact these companies/agencies to obtain a reference for your 

company. 

1. PROJECT 1: 

a. Work Performed: 

b. Name of Company/Agency: _____________________________________________ 

c. Dollar Value: 

d. Point of Contact: 

e. Telephone Number: 

f. E-Mail Address: 

2. PROJECT 2: 

a. Work Performed: 

b. Name of Company/Agency: 

c. Dollar Value: _________________________________________________________ 

d. Point of Contact: ______________________________________________________ 

e. Telephone Number: ____________________________________________________ 

f. E-Mail Address: 

3. PROJECT 3: 

a. Work Performed: 

b. Name of Company/Agency: _____________________________________________ 

c. Dollar Value: 

d. Point of Contact: 

e. Telephone Number: 

f. E-Mail Address: 

END OF BAA