AFRL posts advanced computing tech BAA

On January 28, the Air Force Research Lab updated a broad agency announcement (BAA) for : Advancing Computing Technology and Applications. AFRL recommends that white papers be submitted by May 29 for FY21 funding.

This announcement is for an Open, 2 Step BAA which is open and effective until 29 Sep 2024. Only white papers will be accepted as initial submissions; formal proposals will be accepted by invitation only. While white papers will be considered if received prior to 2359 Eastern Standard Time (EST) on 29 Sep 2024, the following submission dates are suggested to best align with projected funding:

FY21 by 29 MAY 2020
FY22 by 31 MAY 2021
FY23 by 31 MAY 2022
FY24 by 31 MAY 2023

Offerors should monitor the Federal Business Opportunities website at http://www.fbo.gov in the event this announcement is amended.

Seeking innovative research to explore and develop computational capabilities with greater sophistication, autonomy, intelligence, and assurance for addressing dynamic mission requirements imposed by Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) and Cyber applications and size, weight, and power (SWaP) constrained Air Force Platforms.

Of particular interest are emerging technologies that can provide revolutionary computational capabilities which enable greater system adaptability, autonomy, and intelligence while improving information availability throughout the C4ISR enterprise. This includes high performance embedded computing that supports on-board processing using advanced machine learning applications, robust and secure machine learning technology to strengthen and defend military applications of artificial intelligence and machine learning, non-conventional neuromorphic systems and applications, tools to increase the productivity of developing applications, methods and architectures that can provide dramatic improvements in the performance/cost of systems. Also of interest are technologies that can reduce warfighter decision latencies/response time, decrease system costs and system development times.

This BAA is a follow-on to BAA RIK-14-05 entitled Emerging Computing Architectures and Applications, which was closed on 18 April 2019.

BAA ESTIMATED FUNDING: Total funding for this BAA is approximately $99.9M. Individual awards will not normally exceed 36 months with dollar amounts normally ranging from $1M to $5M. There is also the potential to make awards up to any dollar value as long as the value does not exceed the available BAA ceiling amount.

Full information is available here.

Source: SAM