U.S. Army I2WD posts RFI for technical forensics and exploitation support

By Loren Blinde January 31, 2016

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On January 28, the U.S. Army Intelligence and Information Warfare Directorate (I2WD) posted the following request for information (Solicitation Number: W56KGU-16-R-0001). Responses to this RFI are due by 29 February 5:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time.

The purpose of this RFI/Sources Sought is to identify potential active certified 8(a) sources that can provide the Intelligence and Information Warfare Directorate (I2WD), Exploitation Analysis & Response (EA&R) Division, Prototyping & Forensics (P&F) Branch with technical forensics and exploitation support services. This effort will be a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee term basis. Travel is on a Cost basis in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 16.302. The period of performance for this effort is twelve months from the date of award. This effort is anticipated to be awarded in the June 2016 timeframe. The preponderance of the work requires a professional-grade work force.

The scope and purpose of this support is to provide the requisite administrative; program management; and technical, engineering and integration services and products necessary for the EA&R Division to meet its mission and customer needs. Minimum requirements for this support include intelligence-based reporting, briefings and technical assessments in support of the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) mission; operational test assessments, reporting/briefings and foreign area officer expertise in support of the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) mission; research, reporting and briefings in support of the Global Threat Integration Program (GTIP) mission; and research-based reporting, briefings and assessments to support the Brutal Ascent mission.

The primary support requirements are:

Program Management. This shall include, but is not limited to: scheduling, planning and attending meetings; visiting vendor locations; and participating in demonstrations and program reviews. The Contractor shall assist the Government in preparing project plans, schedules, demonstrations, requirements and test plans as they relate to Contractor’s area of expertise and experience.

Purchasing. The Contractor shall procure software and/or hardware necessary to support the requirements of this contract in an efficient and timely manner as directed and approved by the Government.

Examples include lab benches, work bench seating, storage lockers, books and photograph tables. All Information Technology (IT) related purchases must be made in accordance with U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center (CERDEC) IT policy.

Operational Testing Assessments, Reporting, Briefings and Foreign Area Officer Expertise. Under the SOUTHCOM Science Technology and Experimentation Division, I2WD supports both SOCOM and SOUTHCOM Commanders by identifying critical technological requirements to counter security threats in the Western Hemisphere. The I2WD P&F Branch provides firmware analysis, radio frequency signals analysis and replication support for test and evaluation. The Contractor shall coordinate delivery of threat materials from SOUTHCOM’s area of responsibility to I2WD for exploitation. The Contractor shall manage technical investigations to support maritime domain awareness; information sharing; Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance capabilities; humanitarian assistance and disaster response; unmanned systems exploitation; renewable and alternative energies; environmental security; and any other technology that may be identified as a candidate for partner nation capacity building or collaborative research, development, testing and engineering.

GTIP Support. The Contractor shall support the GTIP mission, which is to provide collaborative and integrated threat and technology assessments in support of customer requirements. The Contractor shall perform the duties listed in support of GTIP requirements that include, but are not limited to, conducting open-source research and technical exploitation of potential threats; technical characterization and firmware analysis of recovered threat devices; and high-priority exploitation of newly recovered threats not previously seen in the U.S. area of responsibility.

Brutal Ascent. The Contractor shall author or procure country, area and regional reports in support of task orders for investigations requested by the U.S. Government. The requirements for Brutal Ascent support include documented study or publications, technical assessments, supporting surveys for targeted country, area, or regions in question and the applicable business sector(s) within its borders. Survey efforts may include assessments of probable near-term upgrades to telecommunications infrastructure and proliferation of technologies between countries. The Contractor shall apply oversight to ensure that produced surveys remain consistent and coherent.

Headquarters, Department of the Army (HQDA) Staff (ARSTAFF) Support. The Contractor shall provide support to the ARSTAFF elements. The I2WD mission includes providing subject-matter expertise with regard to Policy, Technical Assistance, Systems Engineering and Management.

The Contractor shall provide I2WD and ARSTAFF with oversight of the U.S. Army’s Counter-Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED) strategy, Weapons Technical Intelligence (WTI), Electronic Warfare (EW) and Intelligence Analysis. The Contractor shall be responsible for synchronizing policy, budgeting and programmatic support of Department of Defense (DoD) stakeholders and other Government agencies.

Rapid Equipping Force (REF) and Asymmetric Warfare Group (AWG) Support. The Contractor shall serve as a liaison between REF, AWG and I2WD to provide knowledge and resources to rapidly support the Warfighter. The Contractor shall assist I2WD in continually gathering information on current and future risks. The Contractor shall assist with the development of solutions to mitigate and combat these risks.
Program Executive Office (PEO) Soldier Support. The Contractor shall provide scientific, technological/equipment, logistical/operational research and exploitation to support the PEO Soldier. The Contractor shall conduct analysis, assessments and provide advice, recommendations and training in support of the mission.

The U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM)/U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Support. The Contractor shall provide support to FORSCOM and TRADOC, to include subject matter expertise on C-IED policy, systems engineering and management. The Contractor shall provide oversight of WTI, Electronic Warfare and Intelligence Analysis of C-IED strategy.

Joint Staff Interagency Support – Non-Technical Best Practices. The Contractor shall perform services in support of “Non-Technical Best Practices.” The Contractor shall conduct physical site surveys of facilities or locations of interest for the purpose of establishing threat assessments of unmanned aerial systems vulnerabilities. The Contractor is responsible for performing the site survey, preparing pre/post-survey documents and coordinating with the requesting activity.

G-38 Support, Adaptive C-IED, and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Solutions (ACES). The Contractor shall provide Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance to the HQDA G-3/5/7, G-33 Department of the Army Military Operations – Operations Readiness and Mobilization Division (G-33 DAMO-OD): Adaptive C-IED/IED EOD Solutions (ACES Division, G-38 DAMO-ODA).