OUSD (R&E) CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Trusted AI and Autonomy; Advanced Computing and Software The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Applicants must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with the Announcement. Applicants are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: We are seeking digital engineering solutions (methods, processes, and tools) to transform the engineering, research, requirements, acquisition, test, cost, and sustainment communities. Examples include code inspection to facilitate cyber security, business management and process solutions, modelling and simulation, and data analysis/validation solutions to facilitate nuclear surety certification activities. DESCRIPTION: AFNWC's Digital Engineering Strategy has clear alignment with OSD's DE Strategy. Below are the goals that AFNWC has not only adopted, but incorporated into their acquisition strategy: 1. Formalize the development, integration, and use of models to inform enterprise and program decision-making 2. Provide an enduring, authoritative source of truth (ASoT) 3. Incorporate technological innovation to improve the engineering practice 4. Establish a supporting infrastructure and environments to perform activities, collaborate, and communicate across stakeholders to include Enterprise Protection/Defense 5. Transform the culture and workforce to adopt and support digital engineering across the lifecycle AFNWC is building a secure, cloud enabled Digital Engineering System (DES) which is the collective capability intended to provide capabilities for ICBMs. The DES supports Management & Operations (non-mission ops); Engineering Design; Test and Evaluation; Acquisition and Product Support/Maintenance. The DES is built upon on 3 key pillars: IT Infrastructure Services: In order to ensure AFNWC is able to deliver the next generation of nuclear deterrence, we need to have a resilient and scalable IT infrastructure to support our growing enterprise Data Integration: MBSE and DE drives integration of data and capabilities. AFNWC requires an environment that integrates data in a way that supports decisions through timely and accurate information Decision Analytics and Visualization: Establish the sources of data, analytic structures, and methods & implement the capabilities required to support decision-making and exercise situational control within the limits of understanding PHASE I: This is a D2P2 topic, and as such, no Phase I awards will be made. This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into a Phase II. Applicants are required to provide detail and documentation in their proposals which demonstrates accomplishment of a Phase I-type effort, including a feasibility study. This includes determining, insofar as possible, the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas appearing to have commercial potential. It must have validated the product-market fit between the proposed solution and a potential AF stakeholder. The applicant should have defined a clear, immediately actionable plan with the proposed solution and the AF customer. The feasibility study should have: -Identified the prime potential AF end user(s) for the non-Defense commercial offering to solve the AF need, i.e., how it has been modified; -Described integration cost and feasibility with current mission-specific products; -Described if/how the demonstration can be used by other DoD or Governmental customers. PHASE II: AFNWC is seeking a wide award of solution to enhance the DES. The three use cases below are of priority to ANFWC, but a wide range of innovative ideas are encouraged. 1) Enhance the usability of the significant quantity of data present in DES as a result of wide adoption digital engineering techniques o Using modern DE practices enable fine-grained control of classified information o Appling open architecture techniques to enable data exchange and interoperability o Appling DE practices to enable full discovery and traceability of data lineage as it changes over time o Automating data movement leveraging deployed Cross-domain Solutions (CDSs) to support high frequency data analytics and DevSecOps software development across multiple classifications which fully support SAP community requirements 2) Continue to drive to an end-to-end, automated, unified approach to certification and fielding of ICBMs systems requiring a human in the loop, only where necessary. Certification standards can be located within AFMAN 91-118 and DAFMAN 91-119 through https://www.e-publishing.af.mil/. o Reduce staffing burden through automated body of evidence generation and integration encompassing cyber, system safety, nuclear surety, system test, and program protection teams o Automating many of the routine processes need to ensure the system is safe, secure, and effective 3) Conduct research on the feasibility with demonstration on integrating real-time supply chain illumination into a MBSE engineering digital environment using industry standard application(s) o Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM) activities are conducted in separate, siloed systems that do not communicate/integrate into the DES except through manual inputs and SME recommendation o AFNWC is interested in identifying, developing and integrating an automated with human in the loop solution to incorporate SCRM data into AFNWC models The outlined use cases are not all-inclusive to AFNWC needs and a candidate is not required to cover all identified use cases. Below are some key information required to properly evaluate the applicability and feasibility of a proposed solution: How it will solve a DE challenge? How does the identified solution support AFNWC needs? How it will operate in an environment across different classification systems? How will this solution enable and/or support collaboration across multiple stakeholders (government, industry, and academia) that support different aspects of AFNWC systems? What is the proposed plan to meet cybersecurity requirements to support AFNWC needs? What is the intended transition plan post-PII? o The transition plan must include the proposed business model (licensing, PaaS, SaaS, etc.), any further development needed, sustainment needs for continued operations, and what would it take to support further development or capability increase as requirements change over time, etc. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The contractor will pursue commercialization of the various technologies developed in Phase II for transitioning expanded mission capability to a broad range of potential government and civilian users and alternate mission applications. Direct access with end users and government customers will be provided with opportunities to receive Phase III awards for providing the government additional research & development, or direct procurement of products and services developed in coordination with the program. The information and materials provided pursuant to or resulting from this topic are restricted under the ITAR, 22 C.F.R. Parts 120 - 130 or the EAR, 15 C.F.R. Parts 710 - 774. REFERENCES: 1. Certification standards can be located within AFMAN 91-118 and DAFMAN 91-119 through https://www.e-publishing.af.mil/ ; 2. DoD Data Strategy: https://media.defense.gov/2020/Oct/08/2002514180/-1/-1/0/DOD-DATA-STRATEGY.PDF ; DoD DE Strategy: https://ac.cto.mil/digital_engineering/ KEYWORDS: Data management; Digital Thread; Onthology; Configuration Management; Classified Systems; Certification; Cybersecurity
