[LINK] RFI to inform US plans to create live, virtual & on-orbit space cyber test and training events

[Stephen Loosley]

https://sam.gov/opp/40e5ba7b6fe24f018a6db028b92c301f/view
https://sam.gov/api/prod/opps/v3/opportunities/resources/files/70ee440b5af34889af498986e737031b/download?&token=


US Department of Defence: Request for Information  (RFI)

Threat Informed Space Environment for Cyber Test &Training Range:

Preparing Cyber Professionals for the Space Challenge of the Future

Contracting Office:          Space Systems Command
                                 Cross-Mission Ground & Communications Enterprise (SSC/ECXK)

1.0 General Information

Document Type:   Request for Information
Classification Code:         AC13: National Defense R&D Services;
Department of Defense – Military; Experimental Development

Disclaimer: THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) NOTICE ONLY. This RFI is for informational and planning purposes only and it does not constitute a Request for Proposal  (Snip)

Respondents wishing to respond to this RFI should send responses via electronic mail no later than 17 March 2022 at 4:00 PM Pacific Standard Time to the POCs listed in Section 4.0.

2.0 Description

PURPOSE

In accordance with Part 10 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, the U.S. Government (USG) is issuing this RFI in an effort to understand market availability and maturity of the ability to conduct live, virtual and on-orbit training events with congruent operating models supporting blue and red representations simultaneously for large-scale and team/mission-focused scenarios.  The operating models need to include accurate, physics-based environments for realistic training events.

BACKGROUND

The Secretary of the Air Force has established seven new operational imperatives, major focus areas for the Department of the Air Force in 2022:

    1. Defining Resilient Space Order of Battle and Architectures (defensive and offensive)

    2. Achieving Operationally-Optimized Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) / Air Force Joint All Domain Command and Control

    3. Defining the Next Generation Air Dominance System of Systems (sensors, communications, command & control, weapons, and uncrewed aerial vehicles)

    4. Achieving Moving Target Engagement at Scale (air, sea surface and ground mobile targets)

    5. Defining Optimized Resilient Basing, Sustainment, and Communications in a Contested Environment

    6. Defining the B-21 Long Range Strike Family of Systems

    7. Evaluating Readiness of the DAF to Transition to a Wartime Posture Against a Peer Competitor

The above imperatives will set the tone for the Department of the Air Force’s future and senior leaders across the Air Force whom have been appointed as operational and acquisition leads for each imperative to perform analysis within an aggressive timeline to generate FY24 recommendations for the Secretary by the end of March 2022.

Additional separate RFI’s may be issued in support of other imperatives.

Where possible, the Air Force would like to understand within your responses how your technology and operational concepts for this imperative could enable, connect, and contribute across all 7 imperatives. The DAF would also like to understand the scalability and adaptability of your proposed concepts.

Responses to this RFI will inform USG plans to create live, virtual and on-orbit space cyber test and training events as well as TTP development that will enable Cyber Professionals to exercise various mission set vignettes in a simulated environment with the ability to incorporate HWIL.

The DAF may desire to perform proof-of-concept evaluations and prototype evaluations. The DAF may desire to procure small quantities of hardware for qualification and continued testing.

3.0 Requested Information

Space Systems Command is requesting a one-page executive summary along with white paper submittals in contractor format addressing the topics below.

These white papers may be followed up with comments/questions from the government team within 30 days of receipt. The government may also request in person deep-dives at the vendor’s location or via VTC depending on COVID restrictions. Reviewers will include military, Government civilians, and support contractors.

The following topics to address are:

Ability to provide an environment which can be customized on demand to match intel-driven requirements and can be presented to an available Cyber Range or Training and Research environment

Ability to incorporate independent cyber tools into the cyber environment for cyber professionals to respond to/engage with various threat scenarios

Ability to incorporate cyber capabilities for terrestrial-based satellite control/ground stations and system-agnostic, space-based systems

Ability for blue and red cyber teams to simultaneously engage in scenarios

Ability to represent blue and red representations at various levels of fidelity from hardware-in-the-loop to network models of systems, to include representations of components and systems

Ability to connect and interface cyber environments to other cyber or other domain ranges or labs via the Joint Information Operations Range using open standards

Ability to operate environments at different classification levels (Unclassified to Top Secret//SCI/SAP) and switch classifications within a reasonable time between scenarios

Ability to generate multiple environments to support different scenarios and different users

Ability for mission planners/white teams to design and execute missions with an intuitive graphical user interface, record/playback scenarios, and export time-sequenced scenario data for further analysis

Ability to replicate and employ threats at scale either pre-planned or in real-time

Ability to create operating models that include accurate, space-based physics environments for realistic training events

Ability to support congruent operating models supporting blue and red representations simultaneously for large-scale and team/mission-focused scenarios


Other areas of interest:

    • Artificial intelligence and/or machine learning to automate red and blue representations to respond to tactics, techniques, and procedures throughout mission scenarios

    • Integration of data from sensor data libraries (such as the Unified Data Library) into mission scenarios for planning or during execution

    • Integration into a digital engineering ecosystem and incorporate digital engineering models into the cyber environment

    • Data collection and analytical tools for mission planners, cyber testers, and operators

    • Cyber capabilities for terrestrial-based satellite control capabilities/ground stations, and flight system-agnostic, space-based systems, which can be employed within the cyber environments

This RFI requests various approaches to include software-only solutions that can run on cloud infrastructure to hardware-delivered solutions.

4.0 Submission Details

All replies to this RFI should reference OI7-001, Threat Informed Space Environment for Cyber Test &Training Range: Preparing Cyber Professionals for the Space Challenge of the Future.

All respondents should provide a one-page executive summary as part of its response. Responses are to be on company letterhead. Submit only unclassified information using the appropriate networks. If classified information is imperative and should be submitted, then contact the POCs identified below.

Any information submitted by respondents to this RFI is strictly voluntary. Responses are requested no later than, < 17 March 2022 4:00 PM Pacific Standard Time. Responses received after identified closing date announced above may not be considered in the Government’s analyses.

Responses shall include a cover page with the following:

    • Submitter’s Name and Parent Company, if applicable
    • Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code
    • Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Identification Number
    • Business Address: Street Address, City, State, Zip code
    • Point of Contact Telephone Number
    • Fax Number, if applicable
    • Point of Contact Email Address
    • Point of Contact for further clarification or questions
    • Company Size relative to NAICS code 541715


Responses must be submitted via e-mail in Microsoft Word or PDF format.

The Government requests that the main body of the responses be no greater than 10 pages, with a maximum of 10 pages of attachments.

In addition, a cover page may be included to describe the respondent’s experience in the areas of interest described above.

All information in response to this RFI that is marked proprietary will be handled accordingly. The Government shall not be liable for or suffer any consequential damages for any proprietary information not properly identified. Proprietary information will be safeguarded in accordance with the applicable Government regulations.

SSC/ECX has entered into contracts the Aerospace Corporation, LinQuest, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), Tecolote Research, Integrity Applications Incorporated, QuanTech Services, Alpha Omega Group (AoG), Space EA systems, Exigo and Integrated Enterprise System Engineering Solutions (IESE).

These contractors support SSC/ECX by performing technical reviews, systems engineering and integration analyses, cost estimation, and other advisory services.

Respondents are hereby notified that all responses will be provided to SSC/EC support contractors for services to the U.S. Space Force. If the respondent disagrees to the release of its RFI response to any of the aforementioned firms, the respondent must clearly state this restriction in the cover letter accompanying the RFI response.

All Government and DoD contractor personnel, and FFRDC’s reviewing RFI responses will have signed non-disclosure agreements and understand their responsibility for proper use and protection from unauthorized disclosure of proprietary information as described in 41 U.S.C. 2101-2107.

All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.

Foreign firms are advised that they will not be allowed to participate in this acquisition at the prime contractor level; however, provided they are eligible to do business with the US Government they may be eligible to participate at the subcontractor level.

The research and test data produced under a resultant contract may contain Military Critical Technology List (MCTL) information whose export is restricted by Export Control Act (Title 22, U.S. Sec 2751, et seq.) or the Export Administration Act of 1979, as amended (Title 50, U.S.C., App. 2401, et seq.). Request certification and registration from the Defense Logistics Services Center (DLSC), Federal Center, 74 North Washington, Battle Creek, MI 49016-3412 as soon as possible.

For any questions concerning this RFI, reach out to the POCs identified below.

POINTS OF CONTACT

All inquiries should be directed to the points of contact below:

Primary: 2d Lt Gabriel Cabebe
gabriel.cabebe.1 at spaceforce.mil

Secondary: Major Andrew Penrod
andrew.penrod at spaceforce.mil

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