Artificial Intelligence Exploration (AIE) Opportunity DARPA-PA-18-02-01 Automating Scientific Knowledge Extraction (ASKE) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) as of 8/29/18 29Q: For DARPA-PA-18-02-01 Volume 2: Price Volume Template with associated Price Summary Spreadsheet is it allowable to use month(s) rather than hours as the Base Labor increment? 29A: Hours may be used as the Base labor increment. 28Q: Are human in the loop solutions of interest for ASKE? 28A: Yes 27Q: Would the Government accept a solution that derives system behavioral models based on data sets (both structured and unstructured)? 27A: The government will accept solutions that include structured data in addition to unstructured, but will not accept solutions purely based on inferring models from structured data. 26Q: Would the Government accept a solution that automatically generates answers to prognostic queries based on the derived system behavioral models? 26A: Such a solution is in scope 25Q: Can the Government provide clarification of what is meant by existing model code? An example would be helpful that illustrates the programming language(s), relationship to the mathematical model or formulae involved. 25A: The ASKE solicitation is looking for solutions that can extract information from the code written to instantiate a scientific model. Per DARPA-PA-18-02-01 (Section D), "The reference scientific model should be open-source, widely used in the specified scientific domain, and sufficiently complex (i.e., have variable declarations, type definitions, loops, sections of well documented code as well as undocumented code, etc.)." Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) is an example of such a scientific model-- https://dssat.net/ 24Q: Can you please clarify what indirect costs/f&a/g&a rates we should be using? Would it be the standard federally negotiated MTDC rates? Or is the rate different because the award type would be an Other Transaction (OT)? Also, how do we capture these indirect costs in the Volume 2 budget documents? 1
24A: Proposers should use the indirect rates that they would normally use in developing a proposal in response to a Government solicitation. Proposers may provide additional cost or pricing data to support their proposed price. The Government expects proposing organizations may include indirect costs and profit as part of their price for their Phase I and Phase II proposal submission. The Government anticipates that the indirect costs and profit, if proposed, would be added to the direct labor rates and other direct costs in accordance with an organization s accounting and estimating practices. For example, the direct labor rates proposed in the Price Summary Spreadsheet may include, or be burdened with, fringe, overhead, G&A and profit, when appropriate. 23Q: Can you clarify the open-source requirements? 23A: There are two sides to the IP restrictions for ASKE: i) Data used by performers (i.e. structured data, unstructured text, or code being read as data) and ii) software/code developed as part of ASKE. Data used by performers must be made openly available. Software/code releases free of IP restrictions are preferred. As explained in 14A, the US Government will receive license right to use the technical data or computer software. 22Q: Is availability meant to be broad (ex. worldwide public access) or limited to DARPA and its designated collaborators/contractors? 22A: Availability is meant to be broad. 21Q: Does the open source requirement preclude the use of proprietary components (ex. company-internal IP)? 21A: Solutions free of IP restrictions are preferred. 20Q: We are preparing a response for DARPA AIE ASKE TA2 and believe to have a robust technical solution, but the financials are proving difficult. Would a proposal which is ten months (rather than twelve months) in duration for phase II be considered by you and your team? 20A: ASKE efforts will be awarded as other transactions (OT). Therefore these contracts will be paid based on meeting the milestones laid out in the ASKE solicitation (DARPA-PA-18-02-01 Section E). Only proposals capable of meeting ALL milestones listed by the specified program month will be considered for funding. 19Q: Will DARPA consider later start dates for these projects? 19A: Unfortunately, due to the nature of AIE opportunities, DARPA is not able to consider later start dates for the ASKE projects. 18Q: Will DARPA consider a smaller award for Phase 1 than would be pursued by more established groups? 2
18A: DARPA will evaluate all conforming proposals submitted to DARPA-PA-18-02- 01. 17Q: In TA1, extract information from scientific model code. Is this to extract information from the scientific model or from the program code of scientific model? In the first case, we know or define the model structure. In the second case, we do not know the model structure but want to learn it from the software code. Could you clarify? 17A: ASKE is interested in approaches that can extract information from the software code used to instantiate a scientific model. The approach should generate a semantic representation of the scientific model from the software code. 16Q: In TA1.3, generate executable code from models modified at the semantic level. Should we assume that the model is from TA1.1 and TA1.2? Is this to generate computer language/code from natural language? Maybe the code is just to update the model after the modification at the semantic level. Would you please clarify? 16A: ASKE is soliciting approaches to generate executable code from semantic representations of the model in order to enable modifications/updates to an existing model by someone who did not originally author the model. It is assumed that the semantic representation of the model will come from addressing challenges TA1.1 and TA1.2.; however, it is acceptable for proposers to bring an external semantic representation of a scientific model. The intent is to generate computer language/code from natural language. 15Q: Will DARPA accept proposals where the ML algorithms are executables and source code is not provided? If not, will DARPA accept proposals where source code is provided, but that source code is proprietary and not made public or made open source? 15A: All executables and source code developed as part of ASKE must be delivered to the government open source. 14Q: Is there a free and open government use clause, or is this restricted to DARPA? 14A: The U.S. Government will receive license rights to use the technical data or computer software developed, generated, and/or delivered under the OT award. Those license rights apply to the U.S. Government not just to DARPA. As stated in the ASKE Opportunity notice, DARPA-PA-18-02-01, all deliverables are expected to be released under open-source licenses using standard best practices for versioning and usability. 3
Per DARPA-PA-18-02 (section 7.2.3), "Based on the terms of a negotiated OT agreement, the Government acquires a license right to use the technical data or computer software. Regardless of the scope of the Government's rights, awardees may freely use their same data/software for their own commercial purposes (unless restricted by U.S. export control laws or security classification). Therefore, it is anticipated that technical data and computer software developed under an award will remain the property of the awardee, and the Government will receive the license rights to the technical data or computer software, as negotiated under the terms of the OT agreement." 13Q: Are "third-wave" ML the target of this FAQ or will applications of existing ML architectures be considered? 13A: Proposals describing solutions that use existing machine learning architectures will be considered as long as the objectives laid out in the ASKE solicitation (DARPA-PA- 18-02-01) are successfully addressed by the proposed approach. 12Q: What is the requirement for co-funding if the proposer is a small business or a startup? 12A: There is no requirement for providing cost share if the proposer is a small business because small businesses meet the definition of nontraditional defense contractor as defined by 10 U.S.C. 2302(9) and, thus, meet one of the conditions required under 10 U.S.C. 2371b. Additionally, an OT for prototype under 10 U.S.C. 2371b can be awarded without the cost share requirement when all significant participants in the transaction other than the Federal Government are small businesses (including small businesses participating in a program described under section H. R. 2810 213 9 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638)) or nontraditional defense contractors. 11Q: Are proposals that include a university or National lab in conjunction with a small business preferred over the same proposal from a small business without a university or national lab? 11A: No. Proposals will be evaluated on their own individual merit against the evaluation criteria stated in DARPA-PA-18-02 to determine how well the proposal meets the program objectives. The inclusion of a university or National lab may be considered a strength and advantageous to the Government if their inclusion enhances the technical merit of the proposal and a team s ability to achieve the objectives of an AIE Opportunity. As described in DARPA-PA-18-02 (section 6), proposals are evaluated based on their overall scientific and technical merit, potential contribution and relevance to the DARPA mission, and price. 4
10Q: It appears that two proposals are required to address both TAs. Are paired proposals preferred over proposals from companies that propose only one TA? 10A: No. All proposals are evaluated individually based on their own merits against the evaluation criteria stated in DARPA-PA-18-02 to determine how well the proposal meets the program objectives. Proposers are not required to submit to both TAs, but are allowed to submit to both should they have solutions to address each TA. Per DARPA- PA-18-02-01 (Section I.C), "posers may address one or both technical areas. Please note that proposers shall address only one TA per proposal." 9Q: Can a bidder submit multiple proposals for a single TA? 9A: Multiple proposals for a single TA from the same institution/organization will be accepted as long as each proposal includes a distinct solution that addresses the objectives laid out in the ASKE solicitation (DARPA-PA-18-02-01). 8Q: Does DARPA have a preference for the specific areas mentioned in TA2 as opposed to areas not mentioned in TA2? 8A: DARPA is interested in the challenges listed in TA2. Proposals may present a solution that addresses multiple challenges in a single proposal. Proposals that only address challenges not listed in the solicitation may not be considered. 7Q: The ASKE Opportunity announcement states the final Phase 1 report is due in Month 5. However, the opportunity also states that Phase 1 would last 6 months, not 5. Does DARPA anticipate the final Phase 1 report a month before Phase 1 ends, or is it a typo? 7A: We are requiring the final Phase 1 report a month before Phase 1 ends. This provides the DARPA team sufficient time to evaluate the results of the effort prior to the end of Phase 1 and allows enough time for the contracting procedures that may exercise the Phase 2 option before the period of performance ends in month 6. 6Q: We are unable to determine exactly how to apply or which is the preferred submission method. How do we submit a proposal? 6A: See Section 5 of the AIE Program Announcement (DARPA-PA-18-02) for proposal submission instructions. Per DARPA-PA-18-02 (Section 5), Responses to all AIE Opportunities shall be submitted through one of the following methods: (1) electronic upload (DARPA-preferred); or (2) direct mail/hand-carry. Proposers must submit all parts of their submission package using the same method DARPA encourages 5
proposers to submit UNCLASSIFIED proposals via the DARPA Submission website at https://baa.darpa.mil/. 5Q: Does the Presolicitation posted as solicitation number DARPAPA180201 contain requirements similar to an existing contract or will this be a new requirement? 5A: DARPA-PA-18-02-01 is a new AIE Opportunity issued under the Program Announcement for AIE, DARPA-PA-18-02. Selected proposals that are successfully negotiated will result in the award of an Other Transaction (OT) for Prototype agreement that will not exceed $1,000,000. See Section 3 of the AIE Program Announcement (DARPA-PA-18-02) for information on awards that may result from proposals submitted in response to this notice. 4Q: Are foreign individuals/organizations eligible to propose to DARPA-PA-18-02? 4A: Yes, as stated in DARPA-PA-18-02, all responsible sources capable of satisfying the Government's needs may submit a proposal that shall be considered by DARPA. Proposers must meet the eligibility criteria in both DARPA-PA-18-02 (Section 4) and the AIE Opportunity to which they are applying. Per DARPA-PA-18-02, non-u.s. organizations and/or individuals may participate to the extent that such participants comply with any necessary nondisclosure agreements, security regulations, export control laws, and other governing statutes applicable under the circumstances. 3Q: Will solutions that straddle both technical areas be considered? 3A: As stated in DARPA-PA-18-02-01 (Section I.C), proposals should only address one TA. Multiple proposals are allowed. Per DARPA-PA-18-02-01 (Section I.C), Proposers may address one or both technical areas. Please note that proposers shall address only one TA per proposal. 2Q: What are the relevant or target domains of interest? 2A: A compelling proposal from any domain will be considered. However, the ASKE program is primarily interested in models that address complex economic, political, social, environmental, or hybrid systems. A proposal that addresses these domains is preferred. 1Q: What source languages for data will be used for the ASKE program? 1A: We will focus only on English-language sources in ASKE. 6