NOCA - SOARING OTTER.pdf

Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Number

FA8650-21-S-1017

SOARING OTTER

BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT TITLE: SOARING OTTER

BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Notice of Contract Action (NOCA)

BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER: FA8650-21-S-1017

TECHNICAL POC: Kelly Miller, AFRL/RYA, (937) 713-8598, email: kelly.miller.9@us.af.mil, AFRL mailing address: 2241 Avionics Circle, Bldg. 620, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433-7303.

CONTRACTING POC: (Primary) Jennifer Skalski, AFRL/RYKSR, (937) 713-9837, email:

jennifer.skalski@us.af.mil, (Alternate) Matthew Mayles, (937) 713-9849, email:

matthew.mayles@us.af.mil, mailing address: 2130 Eighth Street, Bldg. 45, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH

45433-7251.

This announcement does not request any proposals at this time. The following topic is an anticipated requirement for AFRL/RYA for FY21-FY25. A BAA solicitation requesting proposals for this topic is anticipated to be published January 2021.

The funding listed reflects the estimated requirement funding only. This estimate is not a guarantee of funding. Funding is uncertain and is subject to change. Changes in funding availability may occur at

Government discretion.

Program Description: The Air Force (AF) is increasingly employing the science of autonomy to solve complex problems related to global persistent awareness, resilient information sharing, and rapid decision making. Current autonomy approaches include a growing spectrum of techniques ranging from the well-understood to the truly novel: Machine Learning (ML), Artificial Intelligence (AI), many varieties of Neural Networks, Neuromorphic Computing, Data Exploitation and others. Together with the rapid progress of autonomy algorithms and methodologies is the equally rapid progress of hardware and software designed to support the efficient execution of autonomy. These computing solutions bring new capabilities, but also new challenges, including how best to develop applications with them, and how to integrate them into larger systems. The application space for autonomy is rapidly growing, with critical technologies like target identification and recognition, Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) and UAS route planning. Finally, how best to integrate and test these new solutions within reasonable constraints of cost and risk is still not well understood, and there is need for a well-defined progression from lab prototype, through realistic System Integration Lab (SIL) testing, finally through field and flight testing for Technology Readiness Level (TRL) increase.

SOARING OTTER will be a one step, Closed BAA to advance, evaluate and mature Air Force autonomy capabilities, leveraging the latest advancements in both the fundamental science of autonomy and ML and the most modern computing technologies designed to support them. The scope includes the following six main topic areas:

Autonomy Development and Testing: Develop novel approaches to solving autonomy problems using the latest techniques in ML, neural networks, AI and other fields. Constantly seek to leverage the newest developments from both government and industry; mature existing approaches toward greater mailto:kelly.miller.9@us.af.mil mailto:jennifer.skalski@us.af.mil mailto:matthew.mayles@us.af.mil

SOARING OTTER

levels of robustness and determine early what is required for the eventual successful transition of these autonomy technologies to the warfighter.

Evaluation of Autonomy Capabilities: Provide neutral 3rd party evaluation of algorithms from

Government, Academia and Industry. Provide unbiased analysis of alternatives for algorithms being produced by the Government, Industry and Academia to provide actionable information to AFRL about which algorithms are performing best against objective criteria, as well as determine which solutions are most ready for maturation and integration into systems. Design and perform trade studies to identify best-of-breed solutions and make recommendations to the Government for their application and further maturation.

Novel Computing Approaches: This area will focus on compact computing solutions that push processing to the edge for real or near real time solutions to support the warfighter. Assess the latest emerging computing architectures from government and industry, together with the latest approaches to efficiently developing applications using these technologies.

New Application Spaces: Evaluate emerging Air Force priorities and user requirements, to determine where autonomy can bring the greatest benefit, focusing on ISR.

Open System Architectures for Autonomy: Assess existing and emerging Open System Architectures

(OSAs) as fundamental elements of future autonomous systems.

Autonomy Technology Integration and Testing: Plan and execute paths by which new autonomy technologies can be rapidly integrated into larger systems for lab, SIL and field/flight testing.

Maturing System Support: Plan and execute technology transition and system transition activities for operational partners. System deployment support and participation, system integration, testing, and assessment support activities.

Additionally, this BAA will address the issues both individually and collectively. No R&D conducted under this program will be done in isolation, but rather in full consideration of how the new technologies can progress toward full integration with large, complex systems, ready to transition to support of the warfighter.

The contractor will be expected to deliver all software and/or hardware as required, and all associated data developed and/or used in the execution of this effort, unless clearly stated otherwise in the proposal. It is anticipated that a BAA providing more details into this program will be released January

2021; the solicitation will be made available at www.fedbizopps.gov. Direct any questions to the

Contracting or Technical point of contacts identified in the announcement.

Security: 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 List

(CIL) and the RY OPSEC Plan will be provided upon request by AFRL/ RYOY Information Protection Office.

While working on the government installation, OPSEC guidance and OPSEC training will be provided by

AFRL/RYOY Information Protection Office. This training will ensure contractors are familiar with RY’s CIL and RY’s OPSEC Plan as it pertains to their contract. The contractor shall apply OPSEC in their http://www.fedbizopps.gov/

SOARING OTTER

management of their current program IAW AFI 10-701 Operations Security and WPAFB Supplement to

AFI-10-701.

All DoD contractors (including subcontractors) shall supplement their current security practices by requiring any personnel involved in executing this contract where critical program information (CPI) has been identified to protect the CPI to the standards articulated in the Program Protection Plan and in accordance with DoDI 5200.39. Upon contract award, all identified DoD contractors (including subcontractors) shall acknowledge and meet the requirements stated by the Program Manager for the protection of CPI. The DoD contractor must immediately notify the U.S. Government upon the discovery of any nonconformance with CPI protection.

Funding: Anticipated Program Funding: $98,000,000 (FY 21-FY25).

Anticipated Contract Type: It is anticipated that one Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) C-type contract will be awarded in support of the SOARING OTTER effort.

Period of Performance: 63 months (60 months for technical effort and 3 months for final reporting)

Classification Level: Top Secret/SCI

Set Aside: None

THIS IS NOT A CALL FOR PROPOSALS. DO NOT SUBMIT PROPOSALS AT THIS TIME. ANY PROPOSALS

RECEIVED WILL BE DISCARDED.