Nanoscale Architectures for Coherent Hyper-Optic Sources (NACHOS)

The summary for the Nanoscale Architectures for Coherent Hyper-Optic Sources (NACHOS) grant is detailed below. This summary states who is eligible for the grant, how much grant money will be awarded, current and past deadlines, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers, and a sampling of similar government grants. Verify the accuracy of the data FederalGrants.com provides by visiting the webpage noted in the Link to Full Announcement section or by contacting the appropriate person listed as the Grant Announcement Contact. If any section is incomplete, please visit the website for the DARPA Microsystems Technology Office, which is the U.S. government agency offering this grant.

Nanoscale Architectures for Coherent Hyper-Optic Sources (NACHOS): PROGRAM OBJECTIVES AND DESCRIPTIONThe objective of the NACHOS program is to develop novel, ultra small lasers that are sub wavelength in all three dimensions, including the feedback structure integrated with the gain medium. Specific program goals include: . Gain and feedback structures smaller than the wavelength of emitted light, sub wavelength in all three dimensions. Defect free media and low-loss feedback structures. Structures with lithographically defined placement and size . Full computational modeling . Sub wavelengthinjection laser operating CW at room temperature with the free space emission wavelength that is less than or equal to 1.55 micronsProposals which do not provide a well defined path to sub wavelength lasers are discouraged and will not be considered for this program. DARPA may consider compelling proposals with highly innovative technical approaches that fall short of the above program goals. Those offering such proposals should provide unambiguous physical arguments, based on data, simulations, and calculations, leading to estimates of practical and fundamental performance limits in operational parameters of the envisioned NACHOS laser.The NACHOS program will be conducted in three Phases, each having definite and measurable milestones, the most critical of which will be referred to as Go/No-Go (GNG) metrics. The period of performance for each of these Phases and the milestone schedule will be proposed by bidders within their technical proposals and will be factors considered as part of the source selection process. In general, a shorter phase is preferable, but each Phase should clearly be adequate in duration to meet its objectives with reasonable risks and costs. Proposals should discuss plans for managing these factors.DARPA seeks innovative proposals in the following areas:I. Demonstration of scalable gain medium; II. Demonstration of effective sub wavelength feedback structures; III. Modeling.Additional information on these technology areas is provided in the Areas of Interest section of the BAA 06-42 Proposer Information Pamphlet referred below.PROGRAM SCOPEThe Nanoscale Architecture for Coherent Hyper-Optic Sources (NACHOS) program will consist of a Phase I (duration of Phase I should be specified by proposers in the full proposal), followed by a Phase II and Phase III (duration of Phase II and Phase III should be specified by proposers in the full proposal), for those efforts that appear to have the greatest potential for production, insertion, transition or overall benefit to DoD. Offerors wishing to participate in Phase II and Phase III should include them as options in their proposal. Multiple awards are anticipated. Collaborative efforts/teaming are encouraged. A web site (http://www.davincinetbook.com/teams) has been established to facilitate formation of teaming arrangements between interested parties. Specific content, communications, networking, and team formation are the sole responsibility of the participants. Neither DARPA nor the Department of Defense (DoD) endorses the destination web site or the information and organizations contained therein, nor does DARPA or the DoD exercise any responsibility at the destination. This web site is provided consistent with the stated purpose of this BAA. Cost sharing is not required and is not an evaluation criterion but is encouraged where there is a reasonable probability of a potential commercial application related to the proposed research and development effort. The technical POC for this effort is Henryk Temkin, fax: (703) 696-2206, electronic mail: [email protected] QUESTIONSA "Proposers Questions," website will be posted for BAA 06-42 on the DARPA, Microsystems Technology Office solicitations page (www.darpa.mil/baa/#eto). If you would like to have a question answered and posted on this site, please send your question to the following address: [email protected]. GENERAL INFORMATIONProposers must obtain a pamphlet entitled "BAA 06-42, Nanoscale Architectures for Coherent Hyper-Optic Sources (NACHOS), Proposer Information Pamphlet" which provides further information on the submission, evaluation, and funding processes, proposal abstract formats, proposal formats, and other general information. This pamphlet may be obtained from the FedBizOpps website: http://www.fedbizopps.gov/, Grants.gov website: http://www.grants.gov/,World Wide Web (WWW) at URL http://www.darpa.mil/ or by fax, electronic mail, or mail request to the administrative contact address given below. Proposals not meeting the format described in the pamphlet may not be reviewed. In order to minimize unnecessary effort in proposal preparation and review, proposers are strongly encouraged to submit proposal abstracts in advance of full proposals. The proposal abstract must be submitted to https://www.tfims.darpa.mil/baa on or before 4:00 p.m., local time, Friday, September 15, 2006. Proposal abstracts received after this time and date may not be reviewed. Upon review, DARPA will provide written feedback on the likelihood of a full proposal being selected and the time and date for submission of a full proposal. Proposal abstracts should not be submitted via grants.gov - the "Apply" function will be available for submission of full proposals should University offerors choose to submit in this way. Proposers not submitting proposal abstracts must submit a full proposal to https://www.tfims.darpa.mil/baa, or via grants.gov for Universities wishing to use the "Apply" function, on or before 4:00 p.m., local time, Tuesday, January 05, 2007 in order to be considered during the initial round of selections; however, proposals received after this deadline may be received and evaluated up to one year from date of posting on FedBizOpps and Grants.gov. Full proposals submitted after the due date specified in the BAA or due date otherwise specified by DARPA after review of proposal abstracts may be selected contingent upon the availability of funds. This notice, in conjunction with the BAA 06-42, Proposer Information Pamphlet, constitutes the total BAA. No additional information is available, nor will a formal RFP or other solicitation regarding this announcement be issued. Requests for the same will be disregarded. The Government reserves the right to select for award all, some, or none of the proposals received. All responsible sources capable of satisfying the Government's needs may submit a proposal which shall be considered by DARPA. Input on technical aspects of the proposals may be solicited by DARPA from non-Government consultants /experts who are bound by appropriate non-disclosure requirements. Non-Government technical consultants/experts will not have access to proposals that are labeled by their offerors as "Government Only". Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Minority Institutions (MIs), and Small and Small Disadvantaged Businesses are encouraged to submit proposals and join others in submitting proposals; however, no portion of this BAA will be set aside for these organizations participation due to the impracticality of reserving discrete or severable areas of research in deep ultraviolet avalanche photodetectors. All administrative correspondence and questions on this solicitation, including requests for information on how to submit a proposal abstract or full proposal to this BAA, should be directed to one of the administrative addresses below; e-mail or fax is preferred. DARPA intends to use electronic mail and fax for correspondence regarding BAA 06-42. Proposals and proposal abstracts may not be submitted by fax or e-mail; any so sent will be disregarded. DARPA encourages use of the WWW for retrieving the Proposer Information Pamphlet and any other related information that may subsequently be provided.EVALUATION CRITERIAEvaluation of proposals will be accomplished through a technical review of each proposal using the following criteria, which are listed in descending order of relative importance:(l) Overall scientific and technical merit; (2) Potential contribution and relevance to the goals of the BAA; (3) Relevance of intermediate milestones and GNG metrics; (4) Realism of the proposed schedule; (5) Offerors capabilities and related experience; and (6) Cost reasonableness and realism. Cost/Price reasonableness will be made prior to award. The administrative addresses for this BAA are:Fax: (703) 696-2206 (Addressed to: DARPA/MTO, BAA 06-42), Electronic Mail: [email protected] announcement and the Proposer Information Pamphlet may be retrieved via the WWW at URL http://www.darpa.mil/ in the solicitations area.