AFRL Opens Call for Summer Faculty Fellowship Program Applications
DARPA Releases Young Faculty Award
DARPA DSO Issues Solicitation for Non-Escalatory Engagement to Reduce Dimensionality (NEED)
DARPA I2O Releases BAA for Influence Campaign Awareness and Sensemaking (INCAS)
DARPA MTO Quantum Apertures BAA
DARPA MTO Announces New Microsystems Exploration Topic
DARPA TTO Announces Off-Road Robot Autonomy BAA
Navy Announces Artificial Intelligence Tracks at Sea Prize Challenge
NGA Releases RFI to Modernize Data Evaluation Processes
CDMRP Releases Additional FY 2020 Solicitations
WHAT WE'RE READING
Interim Grades for Esper's Reforms
Army’s “Team Ignite” Unites Branch to Achieve Operational Advantage
What We Don’t Know About Military Innovation
VIEW FROM THE HILL
SASC Hearing Examines the Importation of Rare Earth Minerals and the Distribution of DOD CARES Act Funding
Congress continued examining critical threats to the supply chain, a key national security priority for many Members, as seen in an October 1
hearing held by the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support. The hearing, “Supply Chain Integrity,” featured one witness, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (USD(A&S)), Ellen Lord. Subcommittee Chairman Dan Sullivan (R-AK) began the hearing focusing on China’s strong grip on the rare earth minerals supply chain, which was an issue addressed in an
Executive Order (EO), discussed below, by President Donald Trump the previous day. The Chairman referenced the EO and the U.S. Geological Survey’s findings in his questioning, which found that the U.S. imports 80 percent of its rare earth minerals from China. When asked by the Chairman how the U.S. can deter China from having complete control over the critical minerals market, Lord replied that we need to begin the mining and processing of the minerals, as well as working alongside the Defense Logistics Agency for stockpiling. Lord also stated that the Department of Defense (DOD) is looking into clean substitutes for the minerals but will ultimately need appropriations funding from Congress to continue this re-shoring capability.
Subcommittee Ranking Member Tim Kaine (D-VA) devoted part of his time to question the Under Secretary on a recent Washington Post article, which alleged that DOD misused funding appropriated under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Congress appropriated $1 billion of CARES funding for DOD to procure personal protective equipment (PPE) and for related uses to address COVID-19 impacts. Lord stated that of the $1 billion, DOD invested $213 million for health and medical resources and $687 million for saving parts of the defense industrial base (DIB) threatened by COVID-19, health, or financial impacts. DOD released a statement after the article was published noting that this spending was executed within the guidelines set by Congress in the CARES Act.
HASC Holds Joint Hearing to Discuss Domestic and International Biological Security Concerns
The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) and the House Foreign Affairs Committee held a joint hearing to discuss preparation and readiness for major biological events including biological warfare and terrorism in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. During the hearing, “Strengthening Biological Security: Traditional Threats and Emerging Challenges,” committee members and panelists discussed biosecurity as a matter of national security and developing a biohazard strategy, such as the one proposed by Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), based on lessons learned from the current COVID-19 crisis. Discussion focused on the evolving threat of biological warfare and the need to enhance interagency collaboration to prevent potential shortfalls in response. Participants included:
- Mr. David Lasseter, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction, Department of Defense
- Mr. Vayl Oxford, Director, Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA)
- Mr. Jonathan Moore, Acting Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Department of State
- Mr. Phillip Dolliff, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nonproliferation Programs, Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, Department of State
Panelists noted the importance of readying the federal government to respond to a range of biological threats, calling for “whole of government” action to support mechanisms such as the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program. Committee members, including Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA), expressed interest in using datasets attained through federal response to COVID-19 to modernize biosurveillance efforts. The Committees also praised the Biological Threat Reduction (BTR) program, which has left a significant and positive international impact in the fight against COVID-19. Other members, such as Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA), harshly rebuked the lack of enforcement in the international biosecurity framework for biothreats and biosecurity during the COVID-19 crisis. Also, the witnesses called for greater accountability from adversarial nations, such as China and North Korea, that, according to the panelists, are constantly evolving in the biological warfare ecosystem without checks and balances.
Rep. James Langevin (D-RI), Chairman of the HASC Intelligence and Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee, expressed frustration over significant cuts in the recent fiscal year (FY) 2021 budget request for the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program and similar programs. The House version of the FY 2021 defense appropriations bill would restore $135 million to the program, ensuring adequate interagency collaboration is maintained in such a critical time. More information about the hearing, including a recording of the livestream, is available here.
NATIONAL SECURITY NEWS
President Trump Declares a National Emergency to Address Critical Minerals Threat
President Trump declared the nation’s reliance on critical minerals from foreign adversaries as a national emergency and issued an
Executive Order detailing a series of federal actions aimed at eliminating vulnerabilities in the domestic supply chain for critical minerals. The “Executive Order on Addressing the Threat to the Domestic Supply Chain from Reliance on Critical Minerals from Foreign Adversaries,” issued September 30, focuses on 35 critical minerals and rare earth elements used to make military and commercial items such as airplanes, computers, cell phones, electricity generation and transmission systems, and advanced electronics. The order notes that for 31 of the 35 critical minerals, the United States imports more than half its annual consumption and has no domestic production capability for 14 of those critical minerals, making the country completely dependent on imports. Of particular concern is the United States’ reliance on China for 80 percent of its rare earth elements and the aggressive practices of China to control the worldwide market, eliminating American jobs related to mining and manufacturing. America is disproportionately reliant on foreign sources of gallium, used in semiconductors, and graphite, used in batteries.
Under the Executive Order, the Secretary of the Interior, in partnership with other federal agencies including the Departments of Energy, Commerce, and Defense, will conduct a full assessment of the threat and recommend executive and economic actions to expand, develop, and protect the domestic supply chain for critical minerals, including mining and processing. Within 60 days, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy is required to submit a report to the President describing the current state of federal research and development activities that relate to the mapping, extraction, processing, and use of minerals and that identifies future research and development needs and funding opportunities to strengthen domestic supply chains for minerals.
Federal agencies have already started making R&D investments to reduce vulnerabilities and build supply chain resilience for rare earths and critical minerals. These investments are expected to grow in the next few years. In August 2020, the Trump Administration released its annual research and development budget priorities memo for FY 2022 and explicitly identified critical minerals as a top cross-cutting R&D priority for federal agencies. Investments will include “developing recycling and reprocessing technologies, identifying substitute materials, and developing new and improved processes for critical mineral extraction, separation, refining, and alloying.” Even if there is a change in Administration, these priorities are not likely to change given strong congressional bipartisan support and interest in this issue.
Army Science Board Recommends FY 2021 Studies on Emerging Technologies, Multi-Domain Operations, and Space
The Department of Defense (DOD) published an
interim rule September 29 on implementation of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) framework for all solicitations and contracts. The proposed rule will be open for comments until November 30, 2020, when the Department will begin considering comments as it prepares a final rule.
The Army Science Board, the leading science advisory committee to the Secretary of the Army, proposed five studies for fiscal year (FY) 2021 at its meeting October 22 in support of requests from Army leadership and recommendations from the board. With prior approval of the Commanding General of Army Futures Command, the Army Science Board plans to conduct a study on “Leveraging Non-Traditional Research and Development Activities for Emerging Technologies” focused on helping the Army assess foundational science and key emerging technologies across Quantum Computing, Synthetic Biology, Hypersonics, and Convergent Manufacturing. Academia is included among the non-traditional sources to be reviewed in the study. In addition to developing criteria to assess nontraditional suppliers in each research area, the study will examine mechanisms Army Futures Command can use to catalyze the involvement of non-traditional suppliers and look inside the Army for talent and proven mechanisms that make the Army a smart buyer, purveyor, technology integrator, and operator in each research area to enable convergence with the Army Modernization Strategy.
The other four studies recommended by the board are:
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Architectures Analysis for Multi-Domain Operations (MDO): Define an effective methodology for the Army to employ modeling and simulation and experimentation to assess alternative operational and system architectures for implementing MDO, Joint All Domain Operations, and Joint All Domain Command and Control.
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Modernizing Army Recruiting and Outreach for 2021 and Beyond: Support the Army in identifying recommended actions for the enhancement of future recruiting and educational outreach to youth in terms of motivation/incentive, eligibility, modernizing recruiting force capabilities, and educational outreach.
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Tactical Nuclear Weapons: Assessing a Re-Emerging Threat: Assess how tactical nuclear weapons and strategy and doctrine around them have evolved since the end of the Cold War and identify changes needed to prepare the U.S. and its allies to fight and win on a nuclear battlefield, harden new systems against nuclear effects, and identify new methods of nuclear deterrence.
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Refining the Army’s Continuing Role in Space Operations and Development: Examine the relationships between the U.S. Space Force and the U.S. Army, as well as Army forces for U.S. Space Command, the Army’s approach to Organize, Train, and Equip for the space domain, and how the Army of the future should utilize space capabilities.
The Terms of Reference for all five studies were to be sent to the Secretary of the Army following the Army Science Board meeting. Details will be posted here.
NSCAI Releases Third Quarter Recommendations to Maintain U.S. Leadership in AI
The National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (
NSCAI) released its third set of quarterly recommendations on how to maintain U.S. leadership in the development and adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). Established through the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), NSCAI is an independent commission with members representing industry, academia, and civil society organizations. It seeks to develop policy recommendations to advance the development of AI and ensure that it strengthens the American workforce, industry, innovation, values, and national security. NSCAI’s general focus areas for recommendations are centered around five lines of effort:
- Invest in AI Research and Development
- Apply AI to National Security Missions
- Train and Recruit AI Talent
- Protect and Build Upon U.S. Technology Advantages
- Marshal Global AI Cooperation
Under these lines of effort, the Commission proposed several new funding mechanisms and efforts to advance AI, including:
- Increasing DARPA’s investment by $75 million to focus on areas such as human-AI collaboration and teaming, convergence of AI capabilities, language understanding, real-time forecasting, and development of intervention options in natural disasters and other dynamic scenarios, and self-aware learning.
- Creating an “AI Innovator Award,” similar in nature to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) pioneer award or the DOD Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship to fund high-risk research over five years; as well as a team-based AI research award, similar in nature to the Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) program. Both programs would be supported by a partnership between NSF and a non-profit partner organization.
- Establishing AI testbeds to support academic and industry research.
- Supporting a “National Defense Education Act II,” providing $8.05 billion for NSF to fund 25,000 STEM undergraduate fellowships, 5,000 STEM graduate fellowships, and 500 postdoctoral positions over a five-year period.
Also, the Commission provided recommendations to ensure U.S. leadership in microelectronics (and recommended establishing a National Microelectronics Scholar Program funded at $60 million a year), biotechnology, and quantum, noting that these emerging technologies are all interdependent. The Commission provided recommendations on combating foreign malign information operations, more effectively adopting AI for national security missions, and establishing efforts to train and recruit AI talent across the government.
This is NSCAI’s final set of interim recommendations, as Congress wanted the Commission to provide initial recommendations quickly, before it submits its final report by March 2021. The report will encompass all NSCAI’s three interim recommendations reports. NSCAI’s third quarter report and summary, as well as previous reports, can be found here.
DOD Establishes Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy
The Department of Defense (DOD) established the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy (ASD(SP)), an additional step in the Department’s efforts to stand up the Space Force and increase its capabilities and preparations for potential conflicts in the space domain. The office, whose establishment was directed by Congress in the fiscal year (FY) 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), will oversee all space warfighting policy within the DOD including interagency and international engagement. The Department also announced that Justin Johnson will serve as the current interim ASD(SP) while Gregory Pejic will serve as the Principal Deputy ASD(SP) in an interim capacity. Prior to his role in ASD(SP), Johnson previously served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and has also served in policy roles in the House of Representatives and think thanks such as the Heritage Foundation. Pejic also served in the Department as an assistant to Deputy Secretary of Defense David Norquist.
New Air Force Chief of Staff CQ Brown Outlines Priorities
General Charles “CQ” Brown, who recently became Chief of Staff of the Air Force, described his priorities for the Air Force in a webinar with the Mitchell Institute’s Aerospace Nation. Gen. Brown was formerly Commander of Pacific Air Forces and Air Component Commander for Indo-Pacific Command (PACAF), and he noted this experience led him to appreciate threats Russia and China posed to the homeland, especially given that the U.S. has been in “a contested space with many cyber operations daily occurring.” Gen. Brown outlined his four action priorities for the Air Force:
- Empower Airman and their families to help lead the Air Force;
- Eliminate Bureaucracy;
- Prepare the Air Force for Competition with peer competitors with Russia and China and understand their motivations; and
- Design Implementation. Brown discussed merging the budget and strategies offices of the Air Force to improve planning and execution.
Following the discussion of his priorities, Brown expressed concern that the Air Force did not have sufficient funding to acquire all the weapons systems by 2030 to meet its “The Air Force We Need” strategy. General Brown has noted technical challenges he would like to address such as better harvesting data to inform tactical and strategic decisions and advancing manned-unmanned teaming in order to increase capabilities while lowering costs.
DOD Announces $600 Million for 5G Base Testing
The Department of Defense (DOD)
announced $600 million in awards for the first set of bases under the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering’s (USD(R&E)) Next Generation Information Communications Technology (5G ICT) initiative. Under this initiative, DOD seeks to bring in industry partners to conduct large scale experimentation and develop prototypes of dual-use 5G-enabled technologies. The first set of bases will focus on the following issues:
- Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), WA – Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality Training
- Naval Base San Diego, CA – 5G Smart Warehousing (Transshipment)
- Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, GA – 5G Smart Warehousing (Vehicular)
- Nellis Air Force Base, NV – Distributed Command and Control
- Hill Air Force Base, UT – Dynamic Spectrum Utilization
DOD previously announced, in June, a second tranche of bases that would conduct testing and experimentation of 5G-enabled technologies:
- Ship-wide/Pier Connectivity at Naval Station Norfolk, VA
- Enhancing Aircraft Mission Readiness at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI
- Augmented Reality Support of Maintenance and Training at Joint Base San Antonio. TX
- Wireless Connectivity for Forward Operating Bases (FOB) and Tactical Operations Centers (TOC) at the NTC at Fort Irwin and Fort Hood, TX
- Wireless Connectivity for FOBs and TOCs at Camp Pendleton, CA
- DOD 5G Core Security Experimentation Network at Joint Base San Antonio, TX and multiple remote locations
- Bi-directional Spectrum Sharing – DOD / Commercial at Tinker AFB, OK
USD(R&E) originally stated it would release requests for proposals (RFPs) for the second tranche of bases over the summer, though this has been delayed and the current timeline is unclear. More information on the Department’s strategy to advance 5G can be found here.
DOD Awards $87 Million for New Bioindustrial Manufacturing Innovation Institute
The Department of Defense (DOD)
announced an $87 million, seven-year award to the Bioindustrial Manufacturing and Design Ecosystem (BioMade) to establish the DOD’s newest Bioindustrial Manufacturing Innovation Institute (MII). BioMade, a nonprofit headquartered at the University of Minnesota and created by the Engineering Biology Research Consortium (EBRC), will stand up the new institute and lead private and public collaboration efforts to advance “sustainable and reliable bioindustrial manufacturing technologies.” This will include applications such as chemicals, solvents, detergents, reagents, plastics, electronic films, fabrics, polymers, agricultural products (e.g., feedstock), crop protection solutions, food additives, fragrances, and flavors. The Bioindustrial MII will join DOD’s eight existing MIIs focused on various manufacturing applications of relevance to DOD, national security, and economic competitiveness.
BARDA Hosts Annual Industry; Releases New DRIVe EZ-BAA
On October 27, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) hosted its annual Industry Day virtually. The conference focused on BARDA’s COVID-19 response, highlighting investments in advanced research, development, and manufacturing of diagnostics, therapuetics, and vaccines. BARDA leadership encouraged industry and academia to continue submitting research proposals and technologies through the
CoronaWatch platform to facilitate conversations with appropriate program managers from BARDA, the Department of Defense (DOD), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), among others.
While the agency’s near-term priority continues to be pandemic response, Acting BARDA Director Gary Disbrow reiterated BARDA’s mission of supporting the development medical countermeasures to protect against chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats; pandemic influenza; and other emerging infectious diseases. Some areas of interest include: new technologies to counter the opioid epidemic, novel blood products for acute radiation exposure, approval of new theraputics for Ebola, modernizing influenza vaccines, and increasing advanced development of a novel antibiotic, among others.
In the coming months, BARDA anticipates launching new programs to reach these goals. For example, in the Division of Research, Innovation, and Ventures (DRIVe), new areas of interest (AOIs) include “Beyond the Needle,” focused on early stage technology for new modes of vaccine delivery, and Repurposing Drugs in Response to Chemical Threats (ReDIRECT). These AOIs--as well as the established AOIs: Early Notification to Act, Control, and Treat (ENACT); Infection Severity and Solving Sepsis; and COVID-19—were announced in a new DRIVe EZ broad agency announcement (EZ-BAA), on October 1.
Lewis-Burke Provides Resources on New CMMC, Sec. 889 Acquisition Regulations
Lewis-Burke has produced resources for new regulations that may broadly impact grants and contracts at the Department of Defense (DOD) and other federal agencies, mainly the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) and Section 889 regulations.
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CMMC: The CMMC is a new framework of standards for cybersecurity practices across academic, industry, and other Defense Industrial Base (DIB) organizations that contract with and support the DOD. Though CMMC rules have not been finalized (a timeline can be found in Lewis-Burke’s analysis), all DOD contracts and grants will be subject to CMMC requirements. Ultimately, organizations will have to be certified by a third-party assessor that they meet the specified CMMC requirements in a grant or contract by the time of award for that grant or contract.
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Section 889: This regulation refers to Section 889 of the fiscal year (FY) 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which prohibits federal agencies and federal contractors from using equipment from certain Chinese telecommunication companies, such as Huawei and ZTE Corporation. Under these requirements, agencies may not enter contracts with entities that use this equipment. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has also released guidance under Section 889 that recipients of federal grants may not use federal funds to procure equipment or services from the listed companies. These requirements apply to all federal contracts and grants.
Lewis-Burke will continue to track developments on both issues and can provide the full reports on the overview of the CMMC and Section 889 upon request.
FUNDING AND ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
AFRL Opens Call for Summer Faculty Fellowship Program Applications
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) opened its online application period for the fiscal year (FY) 2021 Air Force Summer Faculty Fellowship Program. The summer fellowship is an opportunity for faculty to experience “hands-on exposure to Air Force research challenges through 8- to 12-week research residencies at participating Air Force research facilities.” Interested applicants must hold a current, full-time appointment at a U.S. accredited baccalaureate-granting college, university, or technical institution. Applications, including reference forms and letters, must be submitted by
November 30, 2020 at 11:59 PM ET. Awards will be made in spring 2021. More information on the fellowship and application process can be found
here.
DARPA Releases Young Faculty Award
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Defense Sciences Office (DSO) released a research announcement (RA) for its Young Faculty Award (YFA) program. The YFA program aims to expose elite researchers in junior faculty or equivalent positions at academic and non-profit research institutions to the Department of Defense’s (DOD) mission, challenges, and needs. The RA includes 27 topic areas from across DARPA’s six technology offices.
DARPA will accept proposals from any “current tenure-track Assistant or Associate Professors and tenured Assistant or Associate Professors within three (3) years of their tenure appointment” at a U.S. institution of higher education, non-profit, science or technology research institution. Individual awards will include a maximum of $500,000 for a 24-month base period with an option to extend funding for up to $500,000 over a 12-month period. Full proposals are due by January 8, 2021 by 4:00 PM ET. The full solicitation can be found at www.grants.gov under solicitation number “DARPA-RA-2101.”
DARPA DSO Issues Solicitation for Non-Escalatory Engagement to Reduce Dimensionality (NEED)
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Defense Sciences Office (DSO) issued a Disruption Opportunity (DO) for its Non-Escalatory Engagement to reduce Dimensionality (NEED) program. The NEED program is seeking proposals for non-escalatory and de-escalatory engagement strategies of autonomous vehicles. Performers must work within the Urban Reconnaissance through Supervised Autonomy (URSA) Testbed and testing environments. Proposals are due by
November 13, 2020 at 4:00 PM ET. The full solicitation can be found on
https://beta.sam.gov/ under Notice ID “DARPA-PA-20-01-03.”
DARPA I2O Releases BAA for Influence Campaign Awareness and Sensemaking (INCAS)
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Information Innovation Office (I2O) released a broad agency announcement (BAA) for its INfluence Campaign Awareness and Sensemaking (INCAS) program. The INCAS program is seeking proposals to “develop techniques and tools that enable analysts to detect, characterize, and track geopolitical influence campaigns with quantified confidence.” Abstracts are due by
November 17, 2020 at 12:00 PM ET and proposals are due by
January 8, 2021 at 12:00 PM ET. The full solicitation can be found on
https://beta.sam.gov/ under Notice ID “HR001121S0008.”
DARPA MTO Quantum Apertures BAA
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Microsystems Technology Office (MTO) announced a broad agency announcement (BAA) for the Quantum Apertures program. The Quantum Apertures program seeks proposals that to overcome challenges that could prevent the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) from adopting quantum-based “Rydberg” sensor-based RF receivers using quantum engineering and “traditional” electro-mechanical-systems engineering. The technical challenges being addressed include:
- Improving sensitivity while maintaining coherence and transmissivity;
- Achieving fast, broad, and continuous tuning of the receiver channel frequency;
- Demonstrating a sensor array and angle of arrival (AoA) detection; and
- Receiving arbitrary waveforms.
The program will last a total of 48 months with four 12-month phases to address each technical challenge. DARPA anticipates awarding multiple awards for an approximate total of $45 million. The BAA is open to all government entities with the proposal due on December 8, 2020. The full solicitation can be found on https://beta.sam.gov/ under Notice ID “HR001121S0002.”
DARPA MTO Announces New Microsystems Exploration Topic
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Microsystems Technology Office (MTO) released a special notice under its Future Microsystems Exploration (μE) Announcement for research to exploit active gain through traveling wave interaction. The Traveling-Wave Energy Enhancement Devices (TWEED) research topic would seek proof of concept demonstrations to achieve “coupled- or traveling-wave interaction to achieve active gain in sub-THz/THz, acoustoelectric, or spin wave devices” that would enhance MTO’s understanding of travelling wave energy.
MTO will continue to issue μE Topics via targeted Pre-Solicitation Notices such as TWEED. These Pre-Solicitation Notices will focus on technical domains important to MTO’s mission pursuing innovative research concepts that explore frontiers in materials, devices, and systems. The full solicitation can be found on https://beta.sam.gov/ under Notice ID “DARPA-SN-20-66.”
DARPA TTO Announces Off-Road Robot Autonomy BAA
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Tactical Technology Office (TTO) released a broad agency announcement (BAA) to develop and demonstrate new autonomy capabilities for off-road ground combat vehicles. The Robotic Autonomy in Complex Environments with Resiliency (RACER) program specifically seeks to enhance automated vehicles’ off-road performance and overcome algorithmic and testing limitations. Building off existing on-road sensor processing approaches and algorithms, the RACER program will ultimately enhance off-road autonomy capabilities in diverse terrain environments.
DARPA TTO anticipates three awards with an anticipated phase I budget of approximately $19.5 million. “All responsible sources capable of satisfying the government's needs,” including institutions of higher education, are eligible to apply. Abstracts are highly encouraged and are due on November 4, 2020 at 4:00 PM ET. Full proposals will be due on December 18, 2020 at 4:00 PM ET. The full solicitation can be found on https://beta.sam.gov/ under Notice ID “HR001121S0004.”
Navy Announces Artificial Intelligence Tracks at Sea Prize Challenge
The Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWC PAC), in coordination with the Office of Naval Research’s STEM Coordination Office, announced the Artificial Intelligence Tracks at Sea Challenge. The prize challenge seeks proposals to “augment unmanned surface vehicles’ (USV) maritime contact tracking capability.” The Navy ultimately seeks to develop a computer vision system that will “plot the tracks of shipping traffic exclusively using the passive sensing capability of onboard cameras.” NIWC has announced that a total of $200,000 will be available for multiple awards under this challenge. Teams may submit proposals until
December 2, 2020 at 3:00 AM ET.
This challenge is open only to students at accredited higher education institutions. The prize of $200,000 will be dispersed among seven winners with $55,000 for the first-place awardee. More information on the challenge can be found here.
NGA Releases RFI to Modernize Data Evaluation Processes
The National Geospatial Agency (NGA) released a request for information (RFI) pertaining to technologies and tools to understand how well its data is satisfying customer requirements. Specifically, the RFI seeks new or existing methodologies to assess the performance of collected data and measure key performance parameters specifically for GEOINT topographic data products. Ultimately, responses to the RFI will help inform the “goodness of fit” of products and increase efficiencies for NGA’s Data Discovery requirements and may lead to a future Request for Proposals (RFP). Responses to the RFI are requested via email to Kyle.P.Cadwallader@nga.mil and Harry.L.Lanfersieck@nga.mil by November 20, 2020 at 10:00 AM CT. The full RFI can be found on https://beta.sam.gov/ under Notice ID “DataDiscovery.”
CDMRP Releases Additional FY 2020 Solicitations
The Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) is accepting research proposals for the following fiscal year (FY) 2020 research topics:
All open funding opportunities are available here. Interested applicants can subscribe for real-time updates, including forthcoming solicitations here. For example, CDMRP released a pre-announcement for anticipated funding opportunities under the FY 2021 Breast Cancer Research Program.
WHAT WE'RE READING
Interim Grades for Esper's Reforms
In a
Defense One op-ed, Mackenzie Eaglen, a resident fellow from the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), reviews Mark Esper’s past fifteen months as Secretary of Defense. Esper’s focus throughout his tenure has been on addressing threats from China. He identified cuts in the defense budget to fund more China-focused projects; established a China Strategy Management Group; and pushed to invest in research funding for areas such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), 5G, and hypersonic weapons in the fiscal year (FY) 2020 Defense budget. Eaglen argued that Esper has not fully prioritized Department efforts, noting that Services are conducting less important missions and using resources that could be better suited for other purposes. Eaglen applauded Esper for his work amid a global pandemic and under the uncertainty of President Trump but concludes that he has left a lot of work for the Department next year, regardless of who is in office. Read more
here.
Army’s “Team Ignite” Unites Branch to Achieve Operational Advantage
Breaking Defense reports how “Team Ignite,” the Army’s conduit between the research enterprise and the warfighters, is increasing collaboration to change the business of research. Team Ignite is focusing on key areas including artificial intelligence, networks, autonomy, and synthetic biology, to prepare the Army for the “2035 battlefield.” Less focused on the specific technology, Team Ignite serves as a mechanism and process for bringing together many pieces of the Army to innovate and define the future of how the Army does business. Read more
here.
What We Don’t Know About Military Innovation
Defense One assesses the Department of Defense’s (DOD) acquisition innovation efforts. The article notes that DOD has always chosen between two extremes in its acquisition efforts: speed through and make mistakes or prolong the process for months to get things right. Recently, DOD has chosen to prioritize speed, giving rise to concerns from the House Appropriations Committee over the lack of budget discipline and transparency. The authors argue that while there is value to rapid prototyping and technology, it may bring about risks of building “a bridge to nowhere” without considering doctrine, education, facilities, personnel, and other key considerations. Read more
here.
