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

Questions@NAMConsortium.org

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 Questions@NAMConsortium.org.

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 Proposals@NAMConsortium.org 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

to Proposals@NAMConsortium.org.

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

Proposals@NAMConsortium.org 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 Proposals@NAMConsortium.org 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

Proposals@NAMConsortium.org. 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 Proposals@NAMConsortium.org.

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

Invoices@NAMConsortium.org.

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

Questions@NAMConsortium.org.

You may also contact one of the staff members below:

Tony Melita, Executive Director Alissa Roath, Director of Operations

TonyM@NAMConsortium.org

(703)338-0294

AlissaR@NAMConsortium.org

(734)205-5920

Cindi Bousley, Membership Services Questions

CindiB@NAMConsortium.org

(734)995-3098

Questions@NAMConsortium.org

Proposals Invoices

Proposals@NAMConsortium.org

Invoices@NAMConsortium.org

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