Electronic Warfare Technology Challenges

Electronic Warfare Technology Challenges Request for Information (RFI) October 2015 Contact: The Electronic Warfare Community of Interest (EW COI), under the sponsorship of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OASD(R&E)). Email: usarmy.apg.rdecom-cerdec.mbx.i2wd-ewcoi-rfi@mail.mil. Synopsis: THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI). THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION ANNOUNCEMENT. The purpose of this notice is for the government to obtain market research information and gain an understanding of the marketplace. EW COI is seeking information from academia and industry regarding both internally-funded Independent Research and Development (IR&D) efforts and externally funded (contract or grant) efforts that map to six EW Technology Challenge areas. Knowledge of these efforts is of significant interest for identifying investments being pursued inside and outside the Services, and will help provide information on advanced technology options for incorporation into the overall EW COI Science and Technology (S&T) Roadmap. Disclaimer: This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation. In accordance with FAR 15.202 (e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. This is a pre-solicitation RFI and the EW COI is currently conducting market research only. No award is intended as a result of this synopsis. The Government will not reimburse costs incurred by Respondent in response to this RFI, or for participating in information exchange regarding details of the RFI. Due Date: 3PM EST on 30 November 2015. Pending a review of the responses, the quality of submission and the level of specification of the information provided, Government intends to down-select responses and may conduct follow up discussions (if needed) with Respondents. Please note however, the Government is under no obligation to conduct these follow-up Q&A sessions. Description: The 17 S&T COIs were established in 2009 by OASD(R&E) as a mechanism to encourage multi-agency coordination and collaboration in cross-cutting technology focus areas with broad multiple-Component investment. The COIs provide a forum for coordinating S&T strategies across the Department, sharing new ideas, technical directions and technology opportunities, joint planning programs, measuring technical progress, and reporting on the general state of health for specific technology areas. The principal products of the COIs are strategic plans and roadmaps with a 20 year horizon that capture technical goals and mission impact. Their analyses identify common S&T needs and the means by which they are being addressed, highlight development and investment gaps, and facilitate planning for future investigation and collaboration opportunities. These plans are used to guide long-term budget decisions and to influence near-term program priorities in each of the Components. The Electronic Warfare COI was formed to address the concern that rapidly evolving challenges to spectrum dominance threaten blue force lethality and survivability. By acting as the EW S&T collaboration body for the DoD, the EW COI will define a cross-cutting EW S&T investment strategy and recommendations. This involves the use of electromagnetic (EM) and directed energy to control the electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) or to attack the enemy while protecting our own EM systems against both intentional and unintentional interference. Technology efforts pertinent to these goals are organized under a taxonomy of six Technology Challenge (TC) areas. They are: EW COI Technology Challenge (TC) Areas 1. Cognitive/Adaptive Capabilities: Develop the ability to effectively outpace adversary decision and technical options. 2. Distributed/Coordinated/Net-Enabled Systems: Achieve spatially and temporally diverse responsiveness to dense and complex threat environments. 3. Preemptive/Proactive Effects: Prevent or disrupt the adversary's ability to engage our forces. 4. Broadband/Multispectral Components and Systems: Enable the widest possible spectral extent to our control of the electromagnetic spectrum. 5. Modular/Open/Reconfigurable Architectures: Achieve timely deployment or insertion of advanced EW capabilities in response to rapidly changing conditions. 6. Advanced Electronic Protection Techniques and Technology: Allow unfettered operations in the increasingly dense electromagnetic spectrum environment. Requested Information: The EW COI requests specific information regarding research and development efforts that pertain to the EW COI Technology Challenge areas, and will only review the following information: - Section 1. Description of company or academic institution and expertise as pertains to EW. - Section 2. List of IR&D and externally funded efforts mapped to the EW technology challenges described above. For externally funded efforts identify the funding organization. - Section 3. Description of each IR&D and externally funded effort with explanation for why the program maps to its associated Technology Challenge area(s). List the planned funding ($K) for each identified effort in 2016 (specify either by government fiscal year or calendar year). Specification of current Technology Readiness Level (TRL) including justification and evidence for maturity assessment. - Section 4. Projected technology roadmap in accordance with a current and/or sample funding plan to achieve a fielded capability for each effort o Be sure to specify which parts of the plan are currently funded vs. which parts are not funded o Future cost estimates, ROMs and information regarding funding amounts are NOT required for this RFI All compliant submissions must contain section headings and provide the information requested under the section in order to be evaluated. Solutions already fielded by any Service should not be submitted. Additionally, technologies lower than TRL2 should not be submitted for this RFI. Submission Requirements: All assumptions, including any assumed government support, shall be clearly identified. Multiple submissions for different component technologies will be accepted. All documents shall be marked accordingly. Submission of proprietary and other sensitive information shall be marked and identified with disposition instructions (submitted material will not be returned). All respondents to this RFI MUST BE US CITIZENS. All emailed questions and RFI responses shall contain the subject line: R&D ADDRESSING EW COI RFI. Responses are required in soft copy Adobe .pdf format. Documents shall not exceed 10 (ten) pages in length - excluding title page and table of contents. An original hardcopy and one electronic copy of each proposal shall be submitted. - An individual proposal submission from an offeror shall be classified either UNCLASSIFIED or SECRET.Proposals shall be marked and appropriately wrapped, delivered in hard copy (one each) and magnetic media (one each) [Adobe Portable Document Format suggested]. Submit proposals, via appropriate means, to the following address: - Unclassified responses must be submitted via email to: usarmy.apg.rdecom-cerdec.mbx.i2wd-ewcoi-rfi@mail.mil. And mailed to: I2WD ATTN: EW COI-RFI 6003 Combat Drive, Rm A2118 APG, MD 21005 - Classified responses shall be submitted via SIPRNet to: usarmy.apg.cerdec.mbx.i2wd-ewcoi-rfi@mail.smil.mil. Responses submitted by contractors that contain U.S. classified military information (CMI) generated in conjunction with a DOD program should be classified in accordance with the applicable Security Classification Guide (SCG). Please include a copy of the SCG with the submission. Only U.S. citizens are authorized to respond to this RFI. - For shipping of SECRET material to I2WD you can choose one of two options - USPS or Fed Ex: PLEASE MAKE SURE A TRACER DOCUMENT / DA FORM 3964 IS ENCLOSED a. USPS registered or express to Aberdeen Proving Ground Inner Wrapping Outer Wrapping I2WD I2WD ATTN: EW COI-RFI ATTN: Security 6003 Combat Drive, Rm A2118 6003 Combat Drive APG, MD 21005 APG, MD 21005 b. FEDEX Overnight to Aberdeen Proving Ground Inner Wrapping Outer Wrapping I2WD I2WD ATTN: EW COI-RFI ATTN: Security 6005 Combat Drive 6005 Combat Drive APG, MD 21005 APG, MD 21005 If you need to send material of a higher classification contact the security office at APG 443-861-0482. Any additional information you may need can be provided. - FFRDC Support: We intend to use the National Security Engineering Center (an FFRDC operated by MITRE) as part of our pool of EW subject matter experts. To ensure timely processing of documents relevant to their roles in this RFI, we request you provide us your Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) template should one be required above and beyond existing NDAs. Questions and requests for clarification of information must be submitted to: usarmy.apg.rdecom-cerdec.mbx.i2wd-ewcoi-rfi@mail.mil no later than 3PM EST 03 November 2015. Requests must be submitted only to the email address specified above. Any other forms of request for additional information will not be honored. Clarification may be in the form of Distribution D: Distribution authorized to Department of Defense (DoD) and U.S. DoD contractors only or SECRET information. This controlled information will not be disseminated without appropriate proof of respondent's access to such materials.