A--Characterizing Nuclear Cyber Security States Using

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing a pre-solicitation notice for a requirement titled, - Characterizing Nuclear Cyber Security States Using Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning. (Note: This pre-solicitation notice is related to Sources Sought Notice ID No. NRC-FFR-RES-2022-0001.) The purpose of this acquisition is to research the feasibility and utility of applying artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) technologies to identify, characterize, and differentiate nuclear system states relative to plant events, especially cyber security events. AI/ML technologies have the potential to provide tools for identifying, characterizing, and differentiating events, especially cyber security events at nuclear power plants, i.e., the nuclear cyber security AI/ML use case or simply the AI/ML use case. For example, AI/ML may enable plant staff to monitor increasingly complex plant systems, detect normal and abnormal plant states, differentiate between states resulting from cyber attacks/events and states resulting from some other abnormal condition, and evaluate and respond to abnormal plant states resulting from a cyber event. Important note on the meaning of plant state: While network traffic volume and content may be measures of plant state, for this project, plant state includes all available measures of plant conditions, activities, and changes. For example, plant process control signals and sensor outputs, as well as plant component status indications are important measures of plant state. The AI/ML use case aims to leverage the diversity of plant state measures to detect and differentiate among plant states, especially those resulting from a cyber event. An example AI/ML use case might correlate pump start control signals with operator indications of a running pump, as well as actual pump flows, current demands, and related system pressures. This information may be useful in detecting an abnormal condition in the pump system and in differentiating a pump failure from a false indication of pump status resulting from a cyber event. The NRC seeks to prepare to regulate nuclear applications of AI/ML by conducting research aimed at developing insights and fundamental knowledge about AI/ML and the AI/ML use case. The research will establish a theoretical and experimental framework adequate for designing, testing, and demonstrating a basic/simple, though representative, AI/ML use case. As part of these efforts, the NRC seeks a contractor capable of partnering with the NRC to perform this research. The scope of the resulting contract will include all deliverables and due dates necessary to achieve the desired outcomes of the acquisition. The contractor will provide all required services (i.e., personnel, equipment, materials, etc.) to complete deliverables and ensure successful contract implementation and ultimate attainment of the objectives. Ideally, the contractor's programs and infrastructure would have the following capabilities: 1. Capability to represent, simulate, or emulate some basic nuclear power plant systems, states, performance, and operations, including integration with physical components, e.g., hardware-in-the-loop 2. Capability to represent, simulate, or emulate some basic nuclear power plant cyber security systems, states, performance, and operations 3. Capability to integrate power plant systems and cyber systems representations into a composite system representation suitable for research, testing, and evaluation of cyber events and the consequences of the attacks on plant systems 4. Capability to represent, simulate, or emulate cyber events on the composite system representation and measure/evaluate the consequences of the attacks on the composite system 5. Capability to develop and implement AI/ML technologies and approaches related to the capture and modeling of composite system states and the detection/identification of abnormal system states, e.g., states resulting from component failures or cyber attacks 6. Capability to collect, analyze, and visualize composite system state information and identify and differentiate normal and abnormal states, especially those states that may result from a cyber-attack 7. Capability to complete the research effort within 18 months of a contract award The contractor must provide a team of key personnel that as a whole possess the following qualifications: 1. Understanding of nuclear power plant operational domain including reactor systems, instrumentation and controls, normal and abnormal operating conditions, and other common commercial nuclear power plant structures, systems, and components. 2. Knowledge of nuclear power plant cyber security programs, postures, requirements, and controls. 3. Knowledge of nuclear power plant simulation. 4. Expertise in AI/ML approaches and technologies. 5. Experience integrating and researching the applications of AI/ML to cyber-physical systems. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the services required is 541715 - Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology). The Government intends to issue Request for Quotation (RFQ) No. 31310022Q0064, which will be posted on, or about, the week of June 13, 2022 as full and open competition under FAR Part 13. Closing date for receipt of quotations will be on, or about, 30 days thereafter. RFQ No. 31310022Q0064 will be distributed solely through the SAM.gov website (https://sam.gov) and FedConnect.net. All future information about this acquisition, including solicitation, and amendments will also be distributed solely through the SAM.gov website and FedConnect.net. Hard copies of the solicitation document and its related documents, as appropriate, will not be available. Because this RFQ will be posted on this website, interested parties are instructed NOT to call, send letters, e-mails or faxes requesting the RFQ. Interested parties are responsible for monitoring the SAM.gov website to assure that they have the most up-to-date information about this acquisition. The Government will not reimburse interested parties for any cost associated with responding to this business opportunity. Quoters must be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM) database to receive a government contract award. In accordance with FAR 4.1102, quoters are required to be registered in SAM.GOV at the time an offer or quotation is submitted to comply with the annual representations and certifications requirements. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code applicable (541715 listed above) to this acquisition must be in quoter's SAM registration. Note: Update SAM profile to include all applicable NAICS Codes associated with your company. Quoters may register for SAM online at www.sam.gov or by calling +1 (555) 000-0000.