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The Office of Naval Research (ONR) is interested in receiving white papers and full proposals for development of advanced technologies for low-observable/no-collateral damage neutralization of underwa... The Office of Naval Research (ONR) is interested in receiving white papers and full proposals for development of advanced technologies for low-observable/no-collateral damage neutralization of underwater mines and waterborne improvised explosive devices (WBIEDs). This research opportunity description provides: A) Program information (motivation, goals, and background); B) An operational vignette to provide context for Offerors; and C) Three separate topic area descriptions with technical considerations for white papers and proposals. A separate white paper is requested for each topic. 1. Program Information Development of Advanced Technologies for Low Observable / No Collateral Damage Neutralization of Underwater Mines and Waterborne Improvised Explosive Devices (WBIEDs) a. Motivation The U.S. Navy’s Expeditionary Mine Countermeasures (EXMCM) forces confront a wide range of hazardous and explosive threats like underwater mines and WBIEDs. ONR seeks to develop and demonstrate advanced BAA-6 payloads that enable EXMCM forces to neutralize underwater mines and WBIEDs without causing them to function as designed, which would give away the element of surprise, or cause damage to underwater infrastructure. A diver or Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) will deliver these payloads. Technologies developed will transition to the existing Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Maritime Expeditionary Standoff Response (MESR) program of record, which will field underwater capabilities required to counter naval mines, WBIEDs and other unexploded explosive ordnance (UXO) threats in the undersea and littoral marine environments. b. Goals The goals are to develop diver or ROV deployed payloads that are minefield suitable and controlled from extended ranges to improve the ability of EXMCM forces to do the following: 1. Neutralize underwater mines and WBIEDs in a manner that does not cause them to detonate, which is an observable event and one that is likely to cause damage to nearby critical infrastructure. A diver or autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) such as an ROV will deliver the neutralization device. 2. Inspect the mine or WBIED to determine location of internal components (i.e. battery, fuze, etc.). A diver or ROV/AUV will deliver the inspection device. 3. Communicate with the ROV over extended ranges (from over-the-horizon) including control over the ROV and remote initiation of neutralization payload. c. Background Navy EOD technicians and specialists are an integral part of the warfighting capability of the EXMCM force, enabling joint, naval and commercial maneuver in the maritime domain. Navy EOD technicians and specialists conduct missions at sea and in the littorals that include the detection and neutralization of a variety of explosive threats to facilitate friendly force maneuver in contested and benign environments. These missions are expeditionary and hazardous, therefore standoff distances, high reliability, size, weight and power (SWAP) are important considerations for fielded Underwater EOD capabilities, techniques and methods. 2. Low Observable and No Collateral Damage Neutralization Operational Vignette a. Situation: EXMCM forces are to conduct mine counter measures (MCM) operations to facilitate operational maneuver of an expeditionary force from sea to a land objective area in the next 96 hours. The battle space must be prepared in a low-observable manner to avoid loss of surprise for the friendly maneuver force and to enable minimal response from the enemy force. i. Enemy Order of Battle: In preparation for potential attack, the enemy force has emplaced: A small number of Very Shallow Water (VSW) (depth <40 feet sea water) mines and other obstacles and a small number ground and moored mines in Shallow Water (depth <300 feet sea water), in a challenging environment, where manned EXMCM diving and unmanned ROV operations are informed by precursory small AUV operations are among the viable tactical options; A number of more sophisticated moored and bottom mines in mine lines (approximately 10 per square nautical mile) in deeper water (depth >300 feet sea water) portions of the sea lane approaches to the land objective area, presenting an extreme environment to EXMCM forces, were manned diving operations are more complex and less likely. There is an oil de-bunkering station 1000 yards offshore with a buoyed mooring station, piping and shore connections and terminal that are part of the objective area. ii. Friendly Forces: An EXMCM Company will conduct the MCM mission from over the horizon and undetected by enemy forces. b. Mission: Friendly forces are tasked to plan, prepare for, and execute a surprise forcible entry operation to seize and hold the objective area and preserve for future use the oil de-bunkering and transfer capability at that location. c. EXMCM Forces Execution: Prepare the Battle Space, conduct MCM exploratory and clearance (neutralize the mines and WBIEDs without alerting enemy forces or damaging infrastructure) operations and remove threats. 3. Topic Area Descriptions a. Topic 1: Low observable and no collateral damage neutralization ONR is seeking proposals to develop novel approaches for neutralization of naval mines, WBIEDs and UXO in the underwater domain. The following are technical considerations. i. Solutions should be compatible with the MK-66 Firing Device Base Coupler (FDBC). This BAA does not ask for new fusing solutions. ii. Solutions capable of reliable and effective neutralization offering a high probability of successfully rendering inoperative the threat’s ability to function as designed, thus preventing high-order detonation. Interruption of functions or separation of essential components span a range of explosives laden threats in the undersea domain. Possible methods include, but are not limited to: (a) penetration of ferrous and non-ferrous case materials with wall thicknesses varying from 1/8" up to 3/8" (edge thickness); (b) separation of explosive firing trains, disruption of internal components such as power sources, mechanical and/or electronic arming components; and (c) separation of bulk explosive material. iii. Novel attack technologies, methods, techniques or concepts are encouraged including both single sortie-single shot neutralization and single sortie-multiple shot neutralization concepts for simultaneous neutralization of mine-lines or multiple UXO clusters. A description of the methodology used to characterize and validate effectiveness should be included in the proposed development effort. iv. Innovative placement and attachment concepts for neutralizer payloads that enable ROVs (delivery platforms) to perform task and remain at lateral standoff distances of up to 10 meters away from influence actuated targets. Solutions that minimize static and induced magnetic signature and broadband acoustic emissions are required for components that touch or are very close to the target. The ROV will be equipped with manipulators with human-like capability to position the charge. This BAA does not request new manipulator concepts. v. Characterization of magnetic and acoustic influence signatures during operation will be required for prototypes transitioning beyond proof of concept, and accordingly, early design/development efforts should strongly consider influence signature attributes. vi. Design and interoperability of neutralizer payload attributes must be suitable for human scale and man deployable operation to enable high mobility, rapid deployment concepts integral to Navy Expeditionary EOD forces. b. Topic 2: Diagnostic sensors ONR is seeking proposals to develop novel approaches to determine the location of internal components of naval mines, WBIEDs and UXO in the underwater domain. The following are technical considerations. i. The solution should enable minimally invasive inspection of the threat to confirm the arrangement of internal components (e.g. spatial arrangement of electronics, power supplies, firing train and explosive compartments). ii. The solution should provide operators information needed to assess function of devices to determine best means of neutralization. Characterization of magnetic and acoustic signatures will be required for all proposed solutions. iii. The sensor should be able to identify the presence and spatial layout of internal components internal to ferrous and non-ferrous case materials with potential wall thicknesses up to 0.25". iv. The result should be a three-dimensional layout of the internal components. c. Topic 3: Cyber secure, high bandwidth communications and standoff command and control (SC-2) capabilities for undersea robotic platforms ONR is seeking proposals to develop novel approaches to enable long-range command and control of unmanned systems for neutralization of naval mines, WBIEDs and UXO in the underwater domain. This includes command initiated remote firing capability integrated into the neutralization product (Topic1) that enables SC-2. All communications and computer capabilities must be able to achieve US Navy Cyber security requirements. The following are technical considerations for command and control actuation and low observable communications. i. Command actuation technologies must be reliable and secure to enable operators beyond the horizon to initiate neutralization payloads and other electrically actuated subsystems. Although acoustic firing command and control systems are in use today, improved systems or alternative modalities (e.g. RF/acoustic, magneto-induction, etc.) capable of being adapted for expeditionary SWaP form factors and hardened through encryption are also of interest. Solutions must be highly reliable, and must possess secure, encrypted, and unique code protocols to enable positive control and initiation of electro-explosive firing systems with no chance of actuation by other human and/or environmental noise emissions. Compliance with explosives safety criteria as approved via the Weapons Systems Explosive Safety Review Board (WSESRB) will be a key requirement. ii. Communication technologies must enable secure command and control of ROVs (and relay subsystems) with little to no surface expression. Amendment 0001 (07 August 2020) - This amendment answers a question regarding the proposal cover sheet and rectifies an administrative oversight regarding the initial FedConnect solicitation upload. Amendment 0002 (03 September 2020) - This amendment extends the White Paper Due Date to 02 October 2020 and adjusts the Anticipated Schedule of Events accordingly. This amendment also adds three (3) new clauses/provisions, as detailed within the amendment document.