Description:
TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Human Systems
OBJECTIVE: This is a Pitch Day Topic, please see the above Pitch Day Topic instructions for further details. A Phase I award will be completed over 5 months with a maximum award of $158K and a Phase II may be awarded for a maximum period of 15 (or 27 month) and $750K. The objective of this topic is to explore Innovative Battlefield Air Operations Family of Systems Technologies that may not be covered by any other specific SBIR topic and thus to explore options for innovative solutions that may fall outside the Air Force’s current fields of focus but that may be useful to the US Air Force. This topic will reach companies that can complete a feasibility study and prototype validated concepts in accelerated Phase I and II schedules. This topic is specifically aimed at later stage development rather than earlier stage basic science and research.
DESCRIPTION: Air Force Materiel Command is the lead MAJCOM for capabilities development and full life-cycle acquisition management of equipment items to ensure interoperability of common use Battlefield Airmen (BA) equipment and capitalization on opportunities for synergies across BA mission areas. The Battlefield Airmen Branch (Program Office) has a primary mission to rapidly respond to Battlefield Airmen requirements by fielding effective and timely solutions that ensure agile, lethal, sustainable, and interoperable capabilities to defeat any threat to our great nation. The Air Force wishes to stay at the cutting edge of Battlefield Air Operations technologies and is looking to partner with innovative small businesses that may have solutions to Air Force challenges in any of the listed technology areas. For example a couple of specific capability gaps with what appear to be rapid acquisition solutions are: Macro Weather Sensor – The Battle Field Airmen Branch recently fielded the Micro Weather Sensor/Advanced Micro Weather Sensor for the AFSOC Special Operations Weather Teams. It is a tactical, portable, unattended ground-based weather sensor that provides the full suite of real time ground based weather along with cloud heights up to 10,000 feet. The recently signed Battlefield Air Operations Family of Systems also established a requirement for portable environmental observations that “shall replicate the automated gathering and reporting of the same environmental data measurements and environmental parameters provided by the current AN/TMQ-53 for autonomous, stand-alone (Service Level D) airfield support.” First Person Manual View Drones for Expeditionary ISR – The Battlefield Air Operations Family of Systems Table 5-33 lists over 20 development thresholds for unmanned systems, most focused on unmanned air systems. The upcoming SOCOM Technical Experiment 19-1 (5-9 November 2018) will include as many as 50 UA systems that meet various AFSOC requirements for unmanned air systems. Multiple platforms will be required to support the special tactics mission sets. Hands-Free Water Desalinization – Guardian Angel has the task of world-wide recovery. Over 2/3 of the world is covered with salt water and GA has many water jumps missions each year. The current COTS solutions require manual pumping in order to create enough water to sustain hydration. Additionally the drinking water produced by hand pump desalinization devices only support a small number of people. Since the number of survivors in need of hydration cannot be known ahead of time, creating sufficient drinking water is an urgent need. Furthermore, the requirement for a rescue team member to pump the desalinization system takes a person out of the fight. ATAK Application / Plug-in for Air Force Special Operations – The Special Operations community uses ATAK as an application that provides situational awareness and capability supporting all special tactics missions. The Battle Field Airmen Branch is looking for android applications or ATAK plug-ins that support the special tactics mission sets. (i.e. FIRES, Special Operations Weather, Para-rescue, Assault Zones, Enabling Capabilities) The Air Force is interested in exploring innovative technology domains that may not be covered in the technological area with other SBIR topics, thus this topic is intended to be a call for open ideas and technologies that cover other related Battlefield Air Operations topics that may not be currently listed (i.e. the unknown-unknown). This topic is meant for innovative solutions to be adapted in innovative ways to meet DoD stakeholders’ needs in a short timeframe and at a low cost.
PHASE I: \Validate the product-market fit between the proposed solution and a potential USAF stakeholder and define a clear and immediately actionable plan for running a trial with the proposed solution and the proposed AF customer. This feasibility study should directly address: 1. Clearly identify who the prime potential AF end user(s) is and articulate how they would use your solution(s) (i.e., the one who is most likely to an early adopter, first user, and initial transition partner). 2. Deeply explore the problem or benefit area(s) which are to be addressed by the solution(s) - specifically focusing on how this solution will impact the end user of the solution. 3. Define clear objectives and measurable key results for a potential trail of the proposed solution with the identified Air Force end user(s). 4. Clearly identify any additional specific stakeholders beyond the end user(s) who will be critical to the success of any potential trial. This includes, but is not limited to, program offices, contracting offices, finance offices, information security offices and environmental protection offices. 5. Describe the cost and feasibility of integration with current mission-specific products. 6. Describe if and how the demonstration can be used by other DoD or governmental customers. 7. Describe technology related development that is required to successfully field the solution. The funds obligated on the resulting Phase I SBIR contracts are to be used for the sole purpose of conducting a thorough feasibility study using scientific experiments, laboratory studies, commercial research and interviews. Prototypes may be developed with SBIR funds during Phase I studies to better address the risks and potential payoffs in innovative technologies.
PHASE II: Develop, install, integrate and demonstrate a prototype system determined to be the most feasible solution during the Phase I feasibility study. This demonstration should focus specifically on: 1. Evaluating the proposed solution against the objectives and measurable key results as defined in the phase I feasibility study. 2. Describing in detail how the solution can be scaled to be adopted widely (i.e. how can it be modified for scale) 3. A clear transition path for the proposed solution that takes into account input from all affected stakeholders including but not limited to: end users, engineering, sustainment, contracting, finance, legal, and cyber security. 4. Specific details about how the solution can integrate with other current and potential future solutions. 5. How the solution can be sustainable (i.e. supportability). 6. Clearly identify other specific DoD or governmental customers who want to use the solution.
PHASE III: "The Primary goal of SBIR is Phase III. 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. NOTES: a. Due to the large amount of expected interest in this topic, we will not be answering individual questions through e-mail, except in rare cases. Instead we will be holding a teleconference to address all questions in an efficient manner. This topic will be updated with the final call-in details as soon as the date is finalized. In the meantime, feel free to use the SITIS Q&A system. b. We are working to move fast, please double check your CAGE codes and DUNS numbers to be sure they line up, if they are not correct at time of selection, a Phase I award will not be issued.
REFERENCES:
1: "A Revolution in Acquisition and Product Support." Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, 2013, Retrieved 20 October from www.wpafb.af.mil/Portals/60/documents/lcmc/LCMC-Revolution-in-Acquisition.pdf?ver=2016-07-01-110338-350.
2: "The Heilmeier Catechism." DARPA, Retrieved October 20 from https://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/heilmeier-catechism
3: "Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Homepage", Retrieved October 20 from https://www.wpafb.af.mil/aflcmc/
KEYWORDS: SOF, Special Operations, ISR, Battlefield Air Operations, Weather, Assault Zones, Airfield Survey, SUAS, Unmanned Systems, FIRES, Para-rescue, Visual Augmentation
