[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 118 (Wednesday, June 21, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28305-28306]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-12932]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army
Solicitation for a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement
for the Transfer and Use of a Unique Infrared Laser
AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army's Aviation and Missile Research, Development,
and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) announces its intent to enter into a
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) and seeks
inquiries and proposals from potential partners. The goal of this CRADA
will be the transfer of a one-of-a-kind infrared laser from AMRDEC to
the partner's facilities and the cooperative demonstration of a new
remote sensing methodology using this laser.
DATES: Preliminary inquiries and comments from potential partners must
be received by August 1, 2017.
ADDRESSES: Submit inquiries and comments to U.S. Army RDECOM AMRDEC,
ATTN: RDMR-CST (ORTA), 5400 Fowler Road, Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898
([email protected]).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the proposed agreement, the Army's
AMRDEC plans to collaborate with a single academic or industrial
partner. Together, the AMRDEC and its CRADA partner will explore and
demonstrate the new trace gas remote sensing methodology based on
infrared/terahertz double resonance spectroscopy, as described in the
cited references below.
The double resonance technique requires a specially designed
infrared laser that produces powerful (100 mJ) short pulses (100 ps) of
wavelength tunable radiation (9-11 microns). A laser that uniquely
matches those requirements was fabricated by STI Optronics, Inc. as
part of a DARPA-funded Phase II SBIR contract and delivered to AMRDEC
in 2014.
The CRADA partner must have the resources to package, ship, and
install this laser in its facilities and operate it in partnership with
AMRDEC to demonstrate the double resonance spectroscopic technique in
either a simulated atmospheric chamber containing a trace gas and/or in
an actual outdoor laser test range in which a trace gas may be safely
released and detected.
Ideally, the partner will have a history of performing laboratory
and/or outdoor spectroscopic sensing and will have the necessary
infrastructure and expertise to operate this laser safely and reliably.
As necessary, the partner should be prepared to elicit funding from
other sources to support this project and may anticipate active support
from AMRDEC in the preparation of such proposals.
AMRDEC, with its CRADA partner, will create a structured and
collaborative environment to advance concepts and technologies for this
experimental proof of concept demonstration. The desired products of
the proposed collaboration are a successful demonstration of the double
resonance technique using this laser and quantitative validation of the
performance predicted in the cited references. When the CRADA ends, the
partner will retain ownership of the laser, which may be used for other
applications during and after the CRADA period.
The AMRDEC's contributions under the proposed CRADA will include:
(1) Scientific expertise in foundational molecular spectroscopy and
the double resonance technique developed by its researchers and
collaborators;
(2) Access to AMRDEC's laboratories and facilities where molecular
spectroscopic research is performed;
(3) Cooperation with the partner as they package, ship, and install
the laser at the partner's facility; and
(4) Cooperation in the preparation of proposals and mentoring of
researchers new to aspects of the proposed project.
The non-Federal party's contributions under the proposed CRADA will
include:
(1) Making arrangements and providing funding to package and ship
the laser from AMRDEC facilities and install the laser at the partner's
facility;
(2) Expert operation and maintenance of this unique laser in
support of the proof-of-concept demonstration of this double resonance
technique as well as other applications of the laser based on the
partner's unique expertise;
(3) Joint publications and/or patents and/or demonstration hardware
as well as sharing of the accumulated intellectual property through the
terms specified in the CRADA; and
(4) Writing and submitting research proposals for funding of this
project to external sponsors, with the full support of AMRDEC.
AMRDEC reserves the right to select for its CRADA partner one or
none of the proposals in response to this notice. AMRDEC will provide
no funding for reimbursement of proposal development costs. Proposals
(or any other material) submitted in response to this notice will not
be returned. Proposals submitted are expected to be unclassified and
have no more than 4 single-sided pages (excluding cover page and
resumes). AMRDEC will select proposals at its sole discretion on the
basis of:
(1) How well they communicate an understanding of, and ability to
meet, the proposed CRADA's goal; and
(2) How well they address the following criteria:
(a) Technical capability to satisfy the non-Federal party's
described contributions;
(b) Resources available for satisfying the non-Federal party's
described contributions; and
(c) Technical expertise/understanding of infrared lasers, ultrafast
laser spectroscopy, molecular spectroscopy, and remote sensing, as well
as the necessary infrastructure to support a collaborative research
project.
This is a technology transfer/development effort. AMRDEC has no
plans to procure the technology. Proposals should clearly discuss how
the concepts and technologies developed will be supported for the
duration of the CRADA and outline plans to use the laser and the
jointly
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developed capabilities after the CRADA ends.
Special consideration will be given to universities and small
business firms/consortia, and preference will be given to partners
located in the U.S.
The deadline for submitting proposals is August 15, 2017, and the
selected partner will be announced by September 1, 2017.
References
(1) Elizabeth A. Tanner, Dane J. Phillips, Christopher M. Persons,
Frank C. De Lucia, Henry O. Everitt, ``Infrared/Terahertz Double
Resonance Spectroscopy for Remote Chemical Sensing,'' Physical
Review-Applied 2, 054016 (2014).
(2) D.J. Phillips, E.A. Tanner, F.C. De Lucia, and H.O. Everitt,
``Infrared/Terahertz Double Resonance Spectroscopy of CH3F and CH3Cl
at Atmospheric Pressure,'' Physical Review A 85, 052507 (2012). Also
ArXiv 1202.0595.
(3) F.C. De Lucia, D.T. Petkie, and H.O. Everitt, ``A Double
Resonance Approach to Submillimeter/Terahertz Remote Sensing at
Atmospheric Pressure'', IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 45, 163 (2009).
Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-12932 Filed 6-20-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-03-P