Attachment 4 - IMCW SOO - Closed Call_8 Jul 25.pdf

Information Mastery in Cognitive Warfare LOE2 - Statement of Objectives (SOO)

Date: 8 July 2025

1.0 Background

The evolution of modern warfare from production focused industrial endeavor to a data rich environment has elevated information dominant capabilities as the foundational enabler of the decision advantage. Widespread accessibility of the internet and communication technologies enable ordinary citizens to influence strategic outcomes by disseminating information in near real time.

Competitors are increasingly moving away from conventional means and are using information as the primary tool to gain strategic advantages. In recognition of these imperatives, the USAF Strategy for Information Warfare was released outlining activities and investments for a unified implementation plan for the operational information environment. The USAF IW umbrella encompasses a range of capabilities, including Psychological Operations, Military Information Support Operations (MISO), Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), Cyber Operations, and Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations (EMSO).

The Operational Information Environment is a complex operating space in which adversaries, allies and neutral entities consistently conduct influence campaigns to shape the perceptions, beliefs, and behaviors of audiences towards actions favorable to their cause, and the US must compete in this complicated space to counter and further our own advantageous narratives. Understanding the adversary’s social-cultural and cognitive processes, shaping narratives, and being able to quickly and agilely handle information will remain paramount in the modern information landscape.

The Information Mastery in Cognitive Warfare Line of Effort

(LOE) addresses gaps related to understanding, developing and identifying information maneuvers and influence and the development of models at various scales with cognitive and social realism in order to be able to evaluate levers of influence and understand the connection(s) between offline and online behaviors. Influence is crucial for Joint All Domain Operations (JADO) across the competition continuum, including hybrid or grey-zone conflict, supporting all aspects of Diplomatic, Informational, Military and Economic (DIME) activities. Various strategic entities rely on influence to enable the joint force to operate within an adversary’s decision-making cycle. The LOE focuses on development and maturation of capabilities that provide warfighters the ability to integrate influence effects into military planning, targeting, execution and assessment.

2.0 Scope

The objective under this effort facilitates research to advance national security objectives in the information and cognitive domains.

This will require a multidisciplinary approach that incorporates systems engineering, experimental psychology and sociology, multi-scale modeling and simulation, computer science, multimodal analytics (text, video, image, speech), machine learning (ML), data analytics, and operations research. It will leverage expertise and techniques from these areas to develop innovative analytics, geo and population-specific Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs), and novel technologies to illuminate the salient features of and forecast the dynamics and potential outcomes of the information ecosystem and the cognitive battlefield of the socio-technical system (minds and machines), while adhering to ethical principles and considering the broader societal implications of cognitive warfare.

3.0 Technical Objectives

3.1 Defining and measuring Cognitive Warfare effects:

Contractor shall develop robust methodologies, metrics, and analytics to assess the effectiveness of cognitive warfare tactics and techniques including: decision-making impacts of disruption by tracking network level changes in emotion and/or sentiment, narratives, and social and network dynamics, and other methods of quantifying salient changes in the information environment and/or forecasting various outcomes (e.g., threat).

3.2 Understanding cognitive and social vulnerabilities and

attributing effects: Contractor shall develop methods to map and assess adversary cognitive and social vulnerabilities in the context of specific information operations; e.g., what cultural narratives or individual or group vulnerabilities can be leveraged to shape the environment in a way that favors blue force objectives and goals. This requires the capability to baseline adversary behavior, TTP’s and decision-making cognitive patterns to isolate the potential impact of executed blue TTPs and offensive information maneuvers as well as to understand the cultural and social influences that shape target audience responses to information maneuvers.

3.3 Developing Frameworks for characterization and training:

Contractor shall develop an information maneuver framework for IW professionals to enable rapid sensemaking and characterization of the information environment relative to specific events and messaging/topics. Contractor shall create planning tools and methods such as checklists and prompts that encourage critical thinking and information literacy from the emic perspective.

3.4 Countering adversary cognitive warfare: Contractor shall

support the development of cognitive security and cognitive resilience to cognitive warfare by exposing malicious information operations and messaging about adversary falsehoods and developing or leveraging tailored counter-narratives. This should include forecasting models that leverage AI/ML to analyze adversary IO patterns and forecast their likely targets, narratives, and influence objectives. This could include identifying and/or securing LLMs against the threat of data poisoning to ensure their reliability for military applications.

3.5 Leverage Emerging Technologies: Contractor shall conduct

research and development of AI- Enabled Cognitive Warfare Operations such as target audience analysis, persuasive narrative generation, automated narrative tracking and assessment and optimized human machine teaming for impactful IW planning and decision making.

3.6 Integrating Cognitive Warfare with other domains:

Conduct research to explore how to create the information advantage across information domains; e.g., synchronization of information maneuvers/plays to impact adversary decision-making (timing or decision). New methods and techniques should be developed to assess the combined impact of kinetic and non-kinetic operations. New/non-traditional measures of effectiveness (MOEs) and new measures of performance (MOPs) should be developed to assess how TTPs and cognitive exploitation techniques contribute to tactical, operational, and strategic outcomes.

3.7 Modelling and Simulation in the Operational Information

Environment. Contractor shall create high-fidelity multi-level models and simulations to explore potential courses of action, forecast adversary responses, and mitigate unintended consequences. These models shall include realistic cognitive and social models that forecast individual, collective and system/state/national level decision-making. The models and simulations should be able to be integrated into existing wargames and used in simulations for IW/ cognitive warfare training. Stand-alone training simulations or dashboards should include synthetic but realistic data, personas, networks/groups, and social media algorithms (e.g., the impact of algorithmic bias).

3.8 Information Warfare and Influence Playbooks and

Cognitive Warfare LLM Platform. The Cognitive Warfare LLM

Platform with built in AI assistance that will enable planners to develop information warfare related tactical objectives and tactical tasks in support of course of action development during both crisis and contingency planning. Contractor shall develop a Cognitive Warfare Platform that includes elements of 3.1-3.7, to deliver the following:1) platform that generates analytics and models, based on theoretical frameworks that assess influence, forecast threat, and predict audience behavior and provide recommendations 2) a framework of maneuvers that considers the individual, social group, community, and national levels and algorithm levels 3) data pipeline on maneuvers in a targeted geographic region and cultural foundations and 4) Digital playbook that outlines the gameplan or strategies to conduct and defend against specific maneuvers and examples for operators at both the unclassified and classified level. The contractor, with assistance from subject matter experts and information operators, develop playbooks that serve as a key source of information at all phases of PSYOP/MISO planning. . It should include the following: (1) repository of peer-reviewed social science experimental and review papers related to influence techniques and other relevant topics (2) flexible framework that lays out “the rules” of the Information Environment yet also includes an adaptative foundation that allows operators to find creative ways to work within set boundaries- or even intelligently challenge and evolve them over time. (3) TTPs that create first order effects and support operational planning at tactical, operational, and strategic levels.

that. Overall, the playbooks provide a roadmap for developing and implementing effective cognitive/information warfare strategies that are tailored for specific adversaries and locations.

4.0 Operations Security (OPSEC)

General Operations Security (OPSEC) procedures, policies and awareness are required in an effort to reduce program vulnerability from successful adversary collection and exploitation of critical information. OPSEC will be applied throughout the life cycle of the contract. The Critical Information and Indicator List (CIIL) and the XX OPSEC Plan will be provided upon request by AFRL/XX Information Protection Office. While working on the government installation, OPSEC guidance and OPSEC training will be provided by AFRL/XX Information Protection Office. This training will ensure contractors are familiar with XX’s CIIL and OPSEC Plan as it pertains to their contract.

The contractor shall apply OPSEC in their management of their current program IAW AFI 10-701 Operations Security.

All contractor personnel require a minimum of a Tier 1 background check (T1)/SF85 for any position that requires access to the internet, use of automated information systems to cover standalone computers or unescorted entry into restricted or controlled areas prior to reporting for duty in support of any requirement. The investigation is not for a security clearance; it is for a position of trust.

This is a mandatory requirement set forth in DoDM 5200.02_AFMAN 16-1405, Air Force Personnel Security Program. All documentation required for security certification shall be the responsibility of the contractor.

All documents, including papers, abstracts and posters shall be cleared by AF prior to public release.

Please include the highest Security Classification required for this effort within the SOW, even if the classification is UNCLASSIFIED

5.0 INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION

Please include the highest classification that this contract will be conducted at if access to NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION is required SCI (10e(1) or Non-SCI (10e(2), the SOW must include the following at a minimum):“Access to National Intelligence Information at the ______________ is required in performance of this contract”:

•“Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) Level” And/Or •“Non- Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) Level”

Contractors will complete the customer-provided Intelligence Oversight training as required by customer requirements and will report any Questionable Intelligence Activity (QIA), Significant/Highly Sensitive Matter (S/HSM), and/or Federal Crimes IAW procedures established in DoD Directive 5148.13, Intelligence Oversight, and AFI 14-104, Intelligence Oversight. For contracts involving cryptographic matters in addition to DoDD and AFI, Reference USSID 18: Legal Compliance and US. Persons Minimization Procedures

21 IS/SOO and AFRL Senior Intelligence Officer will require a brief specific explanation/justification be included in the PWS/SOO/SOW that indicates why the contractor will require access to SCI and non-SCI intelligence information to perform this work or they will not sign.

Example of PWS/SOO/SOW explanation/justification statement: The Contractor shall require access to National Intelligence information at the TS-SCI and non-SCI level in performance of this contract in order perform XX (program specific requirements) XX functions/duties as required in performance of this contract.

6.0 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY PROTECTION PLANS (STPP)

Contractor employees during the performance of this effort may be required to have access to Critical or Enabling Technology Elements (CTE/ETE), Controlled Technical Information (CTI) or other potential sensitive information. Contractor employees will be required to protect this information from disclosure to unauthorized personnel and companies. If a disclosure occurs, the contractor shall notify the Government program and security office within 24 hours of any security incidents involving the loss, compromise, or suspected compromise of CTE/ETE. The notification must be made through secure means (encrypted email, secure email, or secure/encrypted call) appropriate to the level of the information involved. Following notification to the government program or security office, the contractor shall assist with all inquiry and investigation reports, and, if applicable, participate in a damage assessment Security Risk Review:

Initial/Annual/New Research and Development (R&D) Senior/Key Person Profile: In accordance with CDRL A00X, the Contractor shall provide R&R Senior/Key Person Profile Worksheet(s) throughout the lifecycle of this effort as follows: 1) an initial report of all Senior/Key Personnel at the time of award; 2) an annual report of all Senior/Key Personnel providing support; and 3) ad hoc report when any new Senior/Key Personnel join the contract. Contractor shall obtain coordination from the Government on all ad hoc R&D Senior/Key Person Profile Worksheet(s) prior to the covered employee(s) receiving access to S&T information.

If, at any time, during performance of this award, the contractor/subcontractor learns that its Senior/Key Research Personnel are or are believed to be participants in a Foreign Government Talent Program or have Foreign Components with a strategic competitor or country with a history of targeting U.S. technology for unauthorized transfer, the contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer no later than 5 business days from the date at this information became known.

In the event a security risk is identified, and the Government determines the security risk exceeds the acceptable threshold, the Contracting Officer will promptly notify the Contractor of the Government’s recommended course of action, which may include full or partial termination of award. The Government will provide as much information/rationale as OPSEC measures allow for. In the event the Contractor wishes to challenge the Government’s decision, fundamental research awards will follow the OSD R&E Memorandum dated 6 Jun 2023. All other awards follow the Ombudsman procedures in DAFFARS 5352.201-9101.

Contractor shall flow down this requirement to all subcontractors involved in the performance of research under this effort.

7.0 COUNTERINTELLIGENCE (CI) MEASURES

Cooperate with DoD Counterintelligence entities to address threats related to foreign intelligence activities.

Report suspicious activity, insider threats, or other potential CI concerns to the appropriate DoD agency or security office in compliance with DoDI 5240.06 and related policies.

8.0 Communications Security (COMSEC) Compliance

Safeguard all communications and ensure compliance with DoDI

8523.01 (Communications Security).

Use approved encryption methods to protect classified and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) during electronic transmission.

Prevent unauthorized access to COMSEC materials and report any loss or compromise of such materials immediately.

Training and Awareness, The contractor shall:

- Provide OPSEC awareness training to all personnel, ensuring understanding of CI and COMSEC requirements, as well as their role in protecting critical information.

- Ensure personnel complete any government-mandated OPSEC or COMSEC training prior to beginning work and on an annual basis thereafter.

Incident Reporting:

The contractor shall immediately report the following to the Contracting Officer (CO), Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), or RSIS Security Office:

Any suspected or confirmed OPSEC, CI, or COMSEC violations.

Unauthorized disclosure, loss, or compromise of classified, CUI, or sensitive information.

Indicators of insider threats or foreign intelligence activities.

Reports shall comply with procedures outlined in AFI 10-701 and DoDI 5240.06.

Subcontractor Compliance:

The contractor shall ensure all subcontractors adhere to OPSEC, CI, and COMSEC requirements outlined in this PWS. Subcontractors must incorporate equivalent protections and training into their operations.

Non-Compliance:

Failure to comply with OPSEC, CI, or COMSEC requirements may result in suspension of access to classified information, work stoppage, or termination of the contract for default.

9.0 Additional Requirements

• Highest Security Classification: TS/SCI

• Deliverables

CDRL # CDRL NAME FREQ

A001 Scientific and Technical Reports – Final Report ONE/R A002 Funds and Man-Hour Expenditure Report MTHLY A003 Contractor Spend and Expenditure Plan MTHLY A004 Contract Funds and Status Report (CFSR) QRTLY A005 Status Report MTHLY A006 Presentation Material ASREQ A007 Computer Software Product – Source Code ASGEN A008 Material and Processing Digital Data Package

(MPDDP)

ASGEN

A009 System/Subsystem Design Description (SSDD) ASGEN A010 Technical Data Package ASGEN A011 Scientific and Technical Reports Annually

• ITAR: NA

• Available Base Support/Facilities: The contractor will be provided access to Buildings 441, 248, 33 and 852 to conduct research. Alternate work locations will be utilized during facility renovations.

• GFP/GFI: TBD

• Flight Test: No

• Human Use/Protection of Human Subjects: Yes

• Animal Use: No

• Hazardous Materials: No

• Radioactive Materials: No

• Period of Performance: 60 months technical plus 3 months for Final Report (63 month PoP)

• Estimated Funding Profile:

Fiscal Year FY 26 FY 27 FY 28 FY 29 FY30 Total

Total Amount $5.6M $5.6M $4.25M $4.335M $4.335M $24.12M

Notice to Offeror(s)/Supplier(s): Funds are not presently available for this effort. No award will be made under this solicitation until funds are available. The Government reserves the right to cancel this solicitation, either before or after the closing date. In the event the Government cancels this solicitation, the Government has no obligation to reimburse an offeror for any costs.