Frequently Asked Questions

BAA 07-10: Integrated Crisis Early Warning System (ICEWS)

1. Can you give us any insight as to the possible amount or range of value for awarded contracts? Do you have an estimated value and a period of performance for this opportunity?

2. Do you plan to hold an industry day for ICEWS?

3. The BAA mentions a "Kickoff Meeting". Has a date and location been established yet? Is there a limit to the number of company attendees?

4. Is there an incumbent performing these requirements now under contract?

5. In addition to the data described in the BAA, can a team use other data it may have in its possession?

6. In addition to the data described in the BAA, can a team synthesize data that could, at a future time, be produced in a live setting but currently isn't?

7. Is it more important to DARPA to show efficacy of the models, or show efficacy of the models under the data constraints in the BAA?

8. Which is more important in ICEWS: building and testing new computational forecasting models, or building a system suitable for testing and evaluating existing computational forecasting models?

9. Is DARPA willing to consider radically divergent approaches to those evidenced in the current research?

10. University partners are typically unable to accept any restrictions on publications. Will the BAA indicated clause requiring prior written consent on all publications be able to be waived, with DARPA prior approval, for a university's participation on the program?

1. Can you give us any insight as to the possible amount or range of value for awarded contracts? Do you have an estimated value and a period of performance for this opportunity?
Each offeror must propose the cost and schedule required for their particular effort. As is stated in the BAA, cost and schedule is one of the evaluation criteria.

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2. Do you plan to hold an industry day for ICEWS?
There are no plans to hold an industry day. All questions about ICEWS will be answered by reference to the BAA and this FAQ.

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3. The BAA mentions a "Kickoff Meeting". Has a date and location been established yet? Is there a limit to the number of company attendees?
We have not established a date or location for the Kickoff meeting at this time. The BAA indicates that all "key members" in the effort should attend the Kickoff meeting. The assumption is that each contractor (Prime and Sub) will attend.

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4. Is there an incumbent performing these requirements now under contract?
No, ICEWS is considered a new start.

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5. In addition to the data described in the BAA, can a team use other data it may have in its possession?
As indicated in the BAA, DARPA will provide as Government-Furnished Information (GFI) data on where and when Events of Interest (EoIs) have occurred historically (dependent variables) for purposes of model building, calibration, and evaluation. Offerors are responsible for procuring all the input data (independent variables) needed to operate their models. Offerors are encouraged to nominate additional EoIs to consider for ICEWS. In doing so, proposals must identify and characterize the sources from which the ICEWS Government Team can procure the necessary data that will serve as the basis for evaluating the proposed modeling approach(es). DARPA will consider requests by offerors to use their own data on EoIs for evaluation purposes, so long as its accuracy, consistency, and source material can be identified and verified. DARPA reserves the right to inspect all data used in an offeror’s ICEWS system and may, at its discretion, reject the use of data it determines to be lacking in accuracy, precision, consistency, or credibility. Offerors proposing to use their own independently collected data for EoIs must indicate whether they are willing to share the data with other performing ICEWS teams.

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6. In addition to the data described in the BAA, can a team synthesize data that could, at a future time, be produced in a live setting but currently isn't?
One could make a compelling case that future data collection modalities may improve the quality of input data and, as a result, improve model performance. However, as stated in the BAA, performers will only be allowed to use actual, verifiable data from the past and present (up to a certain date) to generate the forecasts that will serve as the basis of the performance evaluation.

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7. Is it more important to DARPA to show efficacy of the models, or show efficacy of the models under the data constraints in the BAA?
DARPA will be rigorously evaluating the entire process used to derive the results (to include input data), as well as forecasting performance. The quality of the process by which one derives the results is as important as the quality of the results themselves. In order to evaluate the results, the entire process must be transparent and convincing.

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8. Which is more important in ICEWS: building and testing new computational forecasting models, or building a system suitable for testing and evaluating existing computational forecasting models?
DARPA is seeking innovative approaches for developing capabilities to forecast a wide variety of significant events often associated with instability. This could involve building novel new models, or adapting and integrating existing approaches in creative ways.

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9. Is DARPA willing to consider radically divergent approaches to those evidenced in the current research?
DARPA is interested in new and innovative approaches, but offerors need to clearly demonstrate the feasibility of the approach and achieve the performance standards subject to a realistic cost and schedule.

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10. University partners are typically unable to accept any restrictions on publications. Will the BAA indicated clause requiring prior written consent on all publications be able to be waived, with DARPA prior approval, for a university's participation on the program?
DARPA welcomes the participation of university professors, endorses the principle of academic freedoms, and encourages the publication of DARPA-funded, basic fundamental research. The following language from DFARS 252.204-7000, "Disclosure of Information (DEC 1991)," is typically found in DARPA contracts and may appear in contracts or agreements for icews, in this or similar form:

"(a) The Contractor shall not release to anyone outside the Contractor's organization any unclassified information, regardless of medium (e.g., film, tape, document), pertaining to any part of this contract or any program related to this contract, unless:

1. The Contracting Officer has given prior written approval; or
2. The information is otherwise in the public domain before the date of release.

(b) Requests for approval shall identify the specific information to be released, the medium to be used, and the purpose for the release. The Contractor shall submit its request to the Contracting Officer at least 45 days before the proposed date for release.

(c) The Contractor agrees to include a similar requirement in each subcontract under this contract. Subcontractors shall submit requests for authorization to release through the prime contractor to the Contracting Officer."

The pre-publication review process as outlined in the BAA at DARPA is generally more lenient than the FAR and is designed to meet DARPA's export control duties, ensure consistency with pre-defined security parameters, and protect all parties from inadvertent disclosure of proprietary information. Subject to the constraints published in the BAA, the ICEWS Program Manager intends to publish articles on ICEWS research and will encourage other performers to do so as well.

University professors who remain uncomfortable with the BAA pre-publication provision should consider performing on an individual consulting basis, rather than through their university employment.

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