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Opticaldiffuser

We present a scalable holographic system design targeting multi-user interactive computer graphics applications. The display uses a specially arranged array of micro-displays and a holographic screen. Each point of the holographic screen emits light beams of different color and intensity to the various directions, in a controlled manner. The light beams are generated through a light modulation system arranged in a specific geometry and the holographic screen makes the necessary optical transformation to compose these beams into a perfectly continuous 3D view. With proper software control, the light beams leaving the various pixels can be made to propagate in multiple directions, as if they were emitted from physical objects at fixed spatial locations. The display is driven by DVI streams generated by multiple consumer level graphics boards and decoded in real-time by image processing units that feed the optical modules at high refresh rates. An OpenGL compliant library running on a ...

[1] The facts alleged and arguments raised by this protest are virtually identical to those denied by our Office in Edmond Scientific Co., B-410179, B-410179.2, Nov. 12, 2014, 2014 CPD ¶ 336.

DOCUMENT FOR PUBLIC RELEASE The decision issued on the date below was subject to a GAO Protective Order. This redacted version has been approved for public release.

Edmond is mistaken. Our Office has determined that the value of a task order may include the value of options, including an option to extend services under FAR clause 52.217-8, when the value of the option (if exercised) is evident from the face of the solicitation. Serco Inc., B-406061, B-406061.2, Feb. 1, 2012, 2012 CPD ¶ 61 at 6-7. While the TOPR here required contractors to submit prices for the base period and option periods 1-4, it did not require submission of prices that would be used if the Army exercised its option to extend services under FAR clause 52.217-8, nor did it provide any formula for calculating these prices.[2] In this regard, Edmond’s reliance on the TOPR’s statement that “the total evaluated price for orders would include all priced line items for the base year and all option periods” is misplaced, since the option-to-extend period here is not to be priced in proposals nor included in the evaluation of proposals.

[2] The facts here are distinguishable from our decision in Serco Inc., supra, where the solicitation expressly provided for the evaluation of the value of the option to extend services. See also Major Contracting Servs., Inc., B-401472, Sept. 14, 2009, 2009 CPD ¶ 170 at 4 (where option to extend is not evaluated as part of the initial competition, contract extension is effectively a new procurement); Id. at 6 (rejecting argument that evaluating base year and option year prices is equivalent to evaluating price for option to extend).

Ron R. Hutchinson, Esq., Doyle & Bachman LLP, for the protester. Scott N. Flesch, Esq., Frank A. March, Esq., Department of the Army, for the agency. Lois Hanshaw, Esq., and Christina Sklarew, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision.

Protests filed with our Office in connection with the issuance or proposed issuance of a task or delivery order under a multiple-award contract are not authorized except where the order is valued over $10 million, or where the protester can show that the order increases the scope, period, or maximum value of the contract under which the order is issued. 10 U.S.C. § 2304c(e) (2012); see e.g., e-Management Consultants, Inc.; Centech Group, Inc., B-400585.2, B-400585.3, Feb. 3, 2009, 2009 CPD ¶ 39 at 6.

Edmond Scientific Company (Edmond), of Chantilly, Virginia protests the decision by the Department of the Army, Medical Research Acquisition Activity, not to set aside for small businesses a task order proposal request (TOPR) No. TOPR 14MC22318, issued under a multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (ID/IQ) contract for a variety of business-process and other support services. The protester argues that the Army's decision not to reserve this task order for small business participation lacked a reasonable basis, was an abuse of discretion, and violated Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 19.502-2(b), the so-called "Rule of Two."

Luminitdiffuser

GAO lacks jurisdiction to hear protest of task order solicitation where independent government estimate of task order’s value, exclusive of the value of option to extend services, is below $10 million and solicitation does not provide for evaluation of option to extend services.

Diffusers are playing an increasingly important role in optics as a means to either improve uniformity of light applied for illumination of an object, or to improve visibility of an image created by an optical system from a wider range of angles. Probably the most popular applications of the first kind are milky light bulbs commonly used as light sources in our houses or flat panel displays with backlight illumination used in portable computers. The best known application of the second kind is an ordinary wall used as a screen for slide or film projector. Other examples of this type are diffusers in the view finding systems of some photographic and film cameras and in a variety of rear image projection systems (like microfiche readers or rear TV projection systems, for example). It is obvious, in this context, that demand for diffusers will increase with expansion of such systems.

Diffusers play an important role in modern days display technology. Holographic diffusers offer effective control on various parameters of the diffused light like diffusion angle, uniformity of light etc. Present work reports a procedure for realization of a holographic diffuser through which multichannel restricted view display is achieved such that information can be conveyed to and viewed from multiple selective viewpoints only. Such type of diffusers will be helpful in enhancing security feature of the displayed information by enabling only authenticated persons to have access to the information. Fabrication process of the holographic diffuser is described and experimental results are discussed.

Edmond Scientific Company (Edmond), of Chantilly, Virginia protests the decision by the Department of the Army, Medical Research Acquisition Activity, not to set aside for small businesses a task order proposal request (TOPR) No. TOPR 14MC22318, issued under a multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (ID/IQ) contract for a variety of business-process and other support services. The protester argues that the Army’s decision not to reserve this task order for small business participation lacked a reasonable basis, was an abuse of discretion, and violated Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) § 19.502-2(b), the so-called “Rule of Two.” [1]

At issue here is whether the value of the task order will be above or below the $10 million threshold for our jurisdiction. The TOPR, as amended, provides for evaluation of price and non-price factors, and states that the evaluated total price of a proposal will be “the total of all the priced line items for the base year and all options.” Agency Report (AR), Tab 14, TOPR amend. 3, at 21, 22. The independent government estimate (IGE), which the Army calculated by including estimates for the base year, three one-year options, and one ten-day transition option, values the order at approximately $[deleted] million. AR, Tab 3, IGE, at 3.

[3] The protester also asserts that it expects its price will exceed the $10 million threshold and that this fact should be considered in addition to the Army’s IGE. Comments at 7, 8. We note that the agency has suspended the TOPR pending our resolution of this pre-closing protest, and therefore, has not yet received proposals. AR, Tab 15, TOPR amend. 4. Accordingly, we cannot rely on the value of submitted proposals to determine the value of the task order. See ICI Servs., Inc., B-409231.2, Apr. 23, 2014, 2014 CPD ¶ 132 at 3 n.3 (considering value of offerors’ submitted proposals for purposes of determining GAO jurisdiction).

In sum, the protester has not shown the agency’s IGE to be inconsistent with the terms of the TOPR or an inaccurate measure of the total value of the task order. Since that value is below $10 million, our Office does not have jurisdiction to consider the protest.[3]

Edmond argues that the IGE does not accurately represent the value of the order, because the TOPR also included FAR clause 52.217-8, which reserves for the government a six-month option to extend services. Comments at 8. In this regard, the protester relies on the statement in the TOPR that the total evaluated price would include “all option periods,” and maintains that “all option periods” must include the option to extend. Comments at 9; AR, Tab 14, TOPR amend. 3, at 21, 22. Edmond contends that including the value of the option to extend in the IGE--which in the protester’s view, should be valued at half the value of the third option year--would increase the task order’s value above the $10 million threshold. Comments at 9, 10.