SILVERSWORD Sources Sought Final 20200909.pdf

AFRL/RDSM SILVERSWORD ID: 20201203 09 September 2020

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

AIR FORCE RESEARCH LABORATORY, DIRECTED ENERGY DIRECTORATE

AIR FORCE MAUI OPTICAL AND SUPERCOMPUTER SITE

SENSOR SCIENCE, INFORMATICS, & OTHER LEADING-EDGE VENTURES:

ESSENTIAL RESEARCH FOR SPACE WARFIGHTING, OPERATIONS,

RECONNAISSANCE, AND DETERRENCE (SILVERSWORD)

SECTION 1 - DISCLAIMER

This Request for Information (RFI) is issued for MARKET RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY to explore Research and Development (R&D) market capabilities and solutions to support the

Air Force Research Laboratory Directed Energy Directorate Space Electro-Optics Division

(AFRL/RDS) Air Force Maui Optical Site (AMOS) located in Maui, HI. It is not a Request for

Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), Invitation for Bid (IFB), or any obligation on the part of the Government to acquire products or services. Responses to this RFI are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Any and all costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely the respondent's expense and will not be reimbursed by the Government. Information provided by respondents MAY be used by Government in acquisition planning and may eventually be considered in future solicitations. Respondents should mark any proprietary information included in their response. DO NOT submit any classified materials.

Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future solicitations. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized in the applicable Government-wide Point of Entry.

It is the responsibility of the potential respondents to monitor these sites for additional information pertaining to this requirement.

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes for this action are:

541715 RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE PHYSICAL,

ENGINEERING, AND LIFE SCIENCES (except nanotechnology and biotechnology)

333314 OPTICAL INSTRUMENT AND LENS MANUFACTURING

SECTION 2 - PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Air Force Research Laboratory Directed Energy Directorate Space Electro-Optics Division

(AFRL/RDS) Air Force Maui Optical Site (AMOS) located in Maui, HI is seeking sources capable of supporting the site’s R&D mission. AFRL/RDS AMOS is responsible for the development of technology for Space Domain Awareness (SDA) applications. These technologies include 24/7 optical imaging and satellite custody, astrodynamics and uncorrelated track resolution, active characterization and ranging, non-resolved optical techniques such as spectral photometry and polarimetry, and the application of machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms. AMOS is one of the Air Force's premier optical sites undertaking the transition of Directed Energy and electro-optical technologies into operational units of the DoD through efficient use of this world-class resource. In most cases, research will be performed using site telescope and computing resources, but is not limited strictly to integration into the site assets.

Previously, this effort combined Research and Development (R&D) requirements across two geographically separated sites (AMOS-Maui, Hawaii and Starfire Optical Range (SOR) -

Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico). The Government is now focusing on the AMOS site only; however, there shall be the ability to leverage expertise, lessons learned, and abilities across separate contracts for efforts that are similar at AMOS and SOR sites.

SECTION 3 - SCOPE OF WORK

Expected Technical Areas are described below. Technical Areas cover work done both on-site and off-site relevant to Optics Division R&D facilities at Maui, HI. Interested parties will need the capability to perform across at least one of these Technical Areas. If a single contractor cannot show expertise across all technical areas, awards may be limited to those areas a contractor is qualified for. Technical Respondents may provide a Statement of Capabilities

(SOC) to one or more of the following five Technical Areas:

1. 24/7 Optical Space Domain Awareness (SDA) and Imaging Science

a. Daytime Image Reconstruction and Atmospheric Deep Turbulence Research

b. Daytime Custody of GEO Satellites

c. Closely-Spaced Object Detection and Characterization

2. Astrodynamics and Uncorrelated Target (UCT) Resolution

a. Data Association, Multi-Target Tracking (MTT) in Low-SNR Imagery and UCT resolution

b. Detection, Tracking, and Custody of Objects in Non-Traditional and Non-

Keplerian Orbits

c. Relative Motion Analysis, Maneuver Detection, and Rapid Orbit Determination in

Support of Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) Characterization

d. Fusion of Disparate Sensor Data Types to Optimize for Timely, Precise, Accurate

Orbit Determination

3. Active Characterization & Ranging

a. Direct-Detect and Coherent LADAR Techniques to Range and Characterize GEO

Objects

b. Passive RF Techniques to Assist Orbit Determination and Satellite State Change

c. Laser Guidestar and Beam Control Research

4. Non-Resolved Optical Techniques

a. Multi/Hyper-Spectral, SWIR+Visible

b. Spectro-Polarimetry/Astrometry, Doppler Velocimetry

c. Thermal (LWIR) and Temporal (Event-Sensing)

5. Synthetic Cognition Technologies

a. Machine Intelligence for Autonomous Telescope Tasking and Command/Control

b. Applied Computer Vision for High Precision Space Object Detection in Passive

Optical Imagery

a. Deep Reinforcement Learning for Sensor System Control

b. Deep Learning for Spectral Signature Extraction and Exploitation

c. Computer Vision for Space Object Perception and Semantic Exploitation

d. Generative Adversarial Networks for Domain Adaptation and Simulation

Augmentation

e. Analytic Model Application Platform Development

f. Convolutional Neural Networks for Optical and RF Signal Exploitation

Technical Areas may contain topics that span levels of technology maturity, and can thus be approached as either SDA Basic Research, SDA R&D Concept Development and Analysis, or

SDA R&D Engineering.

SDA Basic Research involves the development of theory and the investigation of physical phenomena that have the potential to enable novel SDA applications and technologies. An examples of a topic at this level of technology maturity is research into deep turbulence of the atmosphere.

SDA R&D Concept Development and Analysis is comprised of a variety of technology maturation tasks. Simulation and analysis may be involved, as well as designing new experiments for understanding SDA technologies, so that new concepts can be properly articulated with requirements and be prepared for laboratory implementation. Examples of topics at this level of technology maturity include investigating event-based sensor technologies for multiple applications, developing novel Low-SNR Multi-Target Tracking (MTT) algorithms, signature development to understand physical/functional characteristics of satellites, extending optical/thermal imaging and photometric techniques into the daytime and full-dark, and extending optical sensing and image reconstruction techniques to perform across a sparse aperture comprising multiple geometrically-phased elements. Research efforts are driven by performance metrics defined for each area and cover both in-house S&T requirements and research priorities defined by mission partner customers. In addition, certain "operational" activities require these sorts of analyses in order to optimize operations or transition new SDA technologies to the operational mission at the site, or to the broader U.S. space enterprise.

SDA R&D Engineering involves transforming technological concepts and experimental designs into hardware and software through application of systems engineering principles.

In support of conducting R&D Concept Development, Analysis, or Engineering in one or more

Technical Areas, the contractor may (as required by project) be rapidly acquiring computer systems and other hardware, re-applying government-furnished or developing custom software, and planning for the eventual demonstration on, or transition of this technology to, the operational baseline that is sustained by the AMOS Site Technical Research and Operations

(ASTRO) contractor. The SILVERSWORD contractor(s) will be expected to act as the integrator(s) for demonstration and/or transition of the technology that they develop, requiring interaction with the ASTRO contractor. To facilitate integration, AFRL and the ASTRO contractor will provide interface control documents and diagrams, as well as specific information assurance requirements, to the SILVERSWORD contractor(s) at early phases of R&D to support effective program planning.

Due to the nature of the planned operational baseline (i.e. the eventual destination for the technologies developed in this contracted R&D), it is desired for the SILVERSWORD contractor(s) approaching certain Technical Areas to have proficiency in government cloud infrastructure and the ability to develop at multiple classification levels.

SECTION 4 - SYSTEM SUPPORT SPECIFICATIONS

The site operates small to medium-sized optical telescopes, including systems ranging from fixed arrays of ~35mm cameras to the DoD’s largest telescope with a ~3.7m aperture. The systems support a variety of visible, near, mid, and far infrared sensors and imagers (~400nm-14um), including laser beam directors projecting low to medium power laser beams to ground, air and space, control systems with fast steering mirrors and 1,000-channel class adaptive optical systems (including laser beacons), and instruments to characterize atmospheric transmittance and strength of turbulence.

Developed analytic and exploitation modules must have a viable path to enterprise deployment via containerized microservices or a specified hosting service. All passive sensor systems must have a viable path to automated collection (if applicable) to enable integration with autonomous tasking software.

SECTION 5 - RESPONSES

Please provide information on R&D objectives listed in Section 3, Scope of Work. Identify any non-traditional approaches to satisfy the Government’s objectives. Also, identify any potential uses of Commercially Available Off-the-Shelf (COTS) Items to satisfy the Government objectives. Suggested content of responses to this RFI:

1. Technical Capabilities:

a. Overview of your technical capabilities

b. Capabilities mapping to one or more of the 5 Technical Areas

c. What type of capabilities do you excel at for those Technical Areas (Basic

Research, Concept Development & Analysis, Engineering)

Tech Area 1 TA 2 TA 3 TA 4 TA 5

Basic

Research

Concept Dev

& Analysis

Engineering

(Helpful graphic to include in SOC: Overview of 1.b. and 1.c.)

d. Ability to follow through on a project through operational integration

e. Ability to rapidly procure and/or develop hardware and software to meet research objectives

f. If applicable, any experience with government cloud architecture, government information assurance policies and procedures, etc.

2. Feedback on the Government’s requirements, contract type, schedule, objectives, and/or overall strategy.

3. Data Rights: Specify the most appropriate level of data rights for the objectives and/or the level of data rights your potential proposal would assert in accordance with 252.227-

7017.

4. Previous Research: An outline of projects previously performed relevant to the anticipated scope of this research effort. Include any related research that addresses similar objectives within the commercial or educational environment.

5. Facilities: Description of how AMOS facilities would be used to perform research to satisfy R&D objectives to include any potential requests for use of additional government property.

6. Socioeconomic Status: Please include this information, along with cage code, on the cover page of your SOC.

The SOC is limited to 5 pages.

Questions regarding this RFI shall be submitted by email to the Program Manager, Capt Zachary

Funke, and the Contracting Specialist, Ms. Leandra Lee-Bass.

Submit your response to this RFI, to include the Statement of Capabilities, in Microsoft Word or

Portable Document File (PDF) format through the DoD SAFE (Secure Access File Exchange) website: https://safe.apps.mil/. DoD SAFE is a service to exchange large unclassified files. In order for a guest to create a drop-off (upload file(s)), they must first receive a drop-off request from an authenticated user (Government POC). Once the authenticated user generates a drop-off request for you, you will receive an email with a link to submit your drop-off. Optionally, the recipient may provide you with a request code. In that case, click the Drop-off button on the

SAFE home page and enter the Request code. A drop-off request is valid for 14 days.

Frequently asked questions about DoD Safe can be accessed at: https://safe.apps.mil/about.php.

Identified below are the authenticated users who can generate the drop-off request for this RFI:

Program Manager: Capt Zachary Funke / zachary.funke.1@us.af.mil

Contract Specialist: Ms. Leandra Lee-Bass / leandra.lee-bass.1@us.af.mil

Please submit your response no later than 12:00 p.m. MST on 14 October 2020. In the subject line of the e-mail and/or on DoD SAFE, and on all enclosed documents, reference

“AFRL/RDSM SILVERSWORD ID: 20201203” Do not submit classified material.

https://safe.apps.mil/ https://safe.apps.mil/about.php mailto:zachary.funke.1@us.af.mil mailto:leandra.lee-bass.1@us.af.mil