Stratagem: Applying State-of-the-Art Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Approaches to Air Battle Management
FEDERAL AGENCY NAME: Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, AFRL - Rome Research Site, AFRL/Information Directorate, 26 Electronic Parkway, Rome, NY, 13441-4514
BAA ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Initial announcement
BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT (BAA) TITLE: Stratagem: Applying State-of-the-Art Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Approaches to Air Battle Management
BAA NUMBER: FA8750-20-S-7007
Synopsis follows but for complete information and documents go to: https://beta.sam.gov/opp/d708aba7ca784e58a7625718d84af3ad/view?keywords=intelligence&sort=-modifiedDate&index=opp&is_active=true&page=1
PART I - OVERVIEW INFORMATION
This announcement is for an Open, 2 Step BAA which is open and effective until 29 Sep 2023. 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 4 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST) on 31 Mar 2023, the following submission dates are suggested to best align with projected funding:
CONCISE SUMMARY OF TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENT: AFRL/RI is seeking innovative research to create a capability to develop new Artificial Intelligence-based capabilities that can reason in real-time about developments in the battlespace during wartime engagements and assist planners and decision makers responsible for reacting to those developments. As the Air Force begins to operate in contested environments against near-peer and/or peer adversaries, the demands on operational planners and warfighters will quickly increase, thereby requiring decision support assistance. In recent years, major developments in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for video game playing agents has suggested that some of these approaches could be considered as candidates to provide that form of decision support. The objective of this effort is three-fold. First, AFRL is looking to investigate and develop machine intelligence approaches for supporting and performing operations in complex adversarial environments. It is imperative to explore the use of existing decision support AI algorithms and machine learning methods applicable to developing strategies and playing complex games. Second, AFRL desires the capability to capture human expertise to augment warfighter capability through the use of game play in Air Force (AF) relevant "video games" via interactive components. We will record and learn from subject matter experts and end-user warfighters using these AF video games that are motivated by operational use cases. Finally, AFRL will apply forms of domain adaptation techniques to transfer AI strategies and/or machine learned models from video game play to AF relevant challenge problems/simulations. AFRL envisions developing AI approaches in unclassified game playing domains and attempting to perform transfer to either unclassified or classified scenarios in tools like Advanced Framework for Simulation Integration and Modeling (AFSIM) or others. In order to develop these capabilities, focus will be placed on using existing game playing engines and newly developed interactive "simulation" environments that can be played by operators, either supported by or against AI agents.
BAA ESTIMATED FUNDING: Total funding for this BAA is approximately $9.9M. Individual awards will not normally exceed 24 months with dollar amounts normally ranging from $300,000 to $2,000,000. 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.
ANTICIPATED INDIVIDUAL AWARDS: Multiple Awards are anticipated.
TYPE OF INSTRUMENTS THAT MAY BE AWARDED: Procurement contracts, grants, cooperative agreements or other transactions (OT) depending upon the nature of the work proposed. In the event that an Other Transaction for Prototype agreement is awarded as a result of this competitive BAA, and the prototype project is successfully completed, there is the potential for a prototype project to transition to award of a follow-on production contract or transaction. The Other Transaction for Prototype agreement itself will also contain a similar notice of a potential follow-on production contract or agreement.
AGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION: All white paper submissions and any questions of a technical nature shall be directed to the cognizant Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) as specified below (unless otherwise specified in the technical area) (email requests are preferred):
Stratagem TPOC:
Dr. Nathaniel Gemelli
AFRL/RISC
525 Brooks Rd
Rome, NY 13441-4505
Telephone: (315)330-3252
Email: nathaniel.gemelli@us.af.mil
Copies of white paper submissions should also be sent to:
Stratagem BAA MANAGER:
Mr. Warren Geiler
AFRL/RISC
525 Brooks Rd
Rome, NY 13441-4505
Telephone: (315)330-2122
Email: warren.geiler.1@us.af.mil
Questions of a contractual/business nature shall be directed to the cognizant contracting officer, as specified below (email requests are preferred):
Ms. Amber Buckley
Telephone (315) 330-3605
Email: amber.buckley@us.af.mil
Emails must reference the solicitation (BAA) number and title of the acquisition.
Pre-Proposal Communication between Prospective Offerors and Government Representatives: Dialogue between prospective offerors and Government representatives is encouraged. Technical and contracting questions can be resolved in writing or through open discussions. Discussions with any of the points of contact shall not constitute a commitment by the Government to subsequently fund or award any proposed effort. Only Contracting Officers are legally authorized to commit the Government.