MODIFICATION
A -- JBI Client Development for C2 Systems
- Notice Date
- 12/5/2005
- Notice Type
- Modification
- NAICS
- 541710
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, AFRL - Rome Research Site, AFRL/Information Directorate 26 Electronic Parkway, Rome, NY, 13441-4514
- ZIP Code
- 13441-4514
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-BAA-04-05-IFKA
- Point of Contact
- Renee Arcuri, Contracting Officer, Phone (315) 330-4777, Fax (315) 330-8094,
- E-Mail Address
-
Renee.Arcuri@rl.af.mil
- Description
- The purpose of this modification is to update the areas of interest and to change the technical point of contact. The technical point of contact referenced in Section IV.5 and Section VII is changed to read: "Timothy Blocher, AFRL/IFSE, 525 Brooks Road, Rome NY 13441-4505, telephone (315) 330-3941, email Timothy.Blocher@rl.af.mil". Paragraph I. Funding Opportunity Description is revised to read as follows: "I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION: The Information Directorate, Joint Battlespace Infosphere (JBI) Program Office of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Rome Research Site, is soliciting white papers for the development and/or adaptation of C2 and Intel systems to be capable of exploiting the power of a JBI information management system (reference the following US Air Force [USAF] Scientific Advisory Board's "Report on Building the Joint Battlespace Infosphere Volume 1: Summary" for JBI concepts and definitions: http://www.rl.af.mil/programs/jbi/documents/JBIVolume1.pdf). The objective of this BAA will be to explore innovative technical solutions and to design, develop and demonstrate prototype software components for integrating existing C2 applications into a JBI information space that supports future Net Centric Operations (NCO) infrastructures such as the Air Force's ConstellationNet concept. Critical to achieving this objective it to ascertain how a JBI information space and a collection of well-designed client applications that utilize the information space can improve warfighter awareness, capabilities and interoperability without adversely impacting evolving C2 systems, data flow among these C2 systems, networks, common operating environments, and existing concepts of operation. JBI information management services enable an interoperable information space to aggregates, integrates, fuses, and intelligently disseminates relevant battlespace information to support decision-making at all echelons of a Joint Task Force (JTF), delivering "Decision Quality" information to the warfighter. It is intended to serve as an integrating substrate upon which legacy and emerging systems can be linked together to support transparent information exchange across the full spectrum of mission activities and functional domains. One of the primary goals of the JBI project is to develop an information interoperability infrastructure that connects disparate software applications or "clients," and facilitates information exchange between these clients creating a cohesive combat information management system. Another goal of the JBI project is to integrate existing C2 and Intel systems within an information space without replacing these systems. To that end, this BAA will provide the design considerations, software components and technical know-how to integrate pertinent existing clients within a JBI enabled information space. Contractors shall work with AFRL as concept and prototype component software designers and developers and shall provide integration support of their client adaptation concepts/components among specified C2 and Intel systems to achieve stated objectives. Final demonstrations will be conducted at one or more Government facilities. Several scenarios and targeted operational domains shall be considered during the period of performance and will be guided by input from potential end user representatives from across the operational Air Force community. Strongest consideration will be given to those proposals in which coordination with an end user is clearly established especially concerning solutions with respect to tactical domain problems. The goal should be to deliver a demonstration of the technology to the end user. Potential offerors will need to perform a subset of the following tasks: (1) Identify and document concepts, techniques and technologies for integrating existing USAF or Joint/Coalition systems/applications into a JBI information space with positive impact to the operation of these systems and minimal impact to the operator/warfighter. C2 and Intel systems and applications across the functional spectrum from the actual platform carrying out a mission/task to the Combatant Commander dictating strategies and tactics will be considered. (2) Identify and document transition opportunities and strategies for JBI information management services and adapted clients to meet warriors' needs. Describe approaches that balance the co-evolution of C2/Intel concepts and technologies in a manner that addresses critical accreditation, common operating environment, security, survivability, operation over unreliable communication links, system administration, long-term maintenance and other issues that plague designers of to-be-fielded systems. It is expected that transition will occur gradually and will only happen, if at each phase, client applications maintain a low profile/footprint with minimal overhead, yet provides added value to the warfighter. Added value is defined as either providing operators access to information or capabilities they never had before or providing better machine-to-machine interface flexibility and/or affordability than an existing interface governed by a rigid and costly ICD; or both. (3) Design, develop, test, integrate and demonstrate adapted legacy client components that form an information bridge between true legacy applications/systems for the creation of a JBI enabled infospace. Depending upon the scenario; targeted warfighter domain; participating legacy C2/Intel systems, applications, nodes and platforms; demonstration location; and capabilities of a JBI infospace, the following examples of legacy client components may be adapted and assembled: a. Embedded Components. Resides on a military platform such as an aircraft or vehicle, maintains a low software footprint and is strategically "wrapped" as another on-board feature that meets platform processing, look and feel (graphical or other presentation), weight restrictions and other stringent guidelines subject to accreditation. The embedded component shall communicate with other C2 nodes and data link gateways via standard tactical communication links. b. C2 Node Components. Resides on more capable military platforms that act as C2 nodes (UMAV, AWACS, JSTARS, or their ground stations etc) that have adequate bandwidth and access to a JBI configuration. These components interact with the CAPI and act as proxies for the more disadvantaged embedded components. C2 node components can aggregate or selectively control data flow to embedded components based on the information exchanged. They can also interact with either the data or information link side of the gateway components depending upon their task. c. Data Link-Information Link Gateway Components. These components act as translators, filters or aggregators between publishers/subscribers in a data link network and publishers/subscribers in an information link network. Consider a subscriber on an Information Link (infospace) who needs access to information whose ultimate source produced by a node on a Link-16 network. In this example, a subscription on an Information Link should theoretically be translated to a subscription on a data link and once received via data link subscription, properly translated and published to the information link for the subscriber and other consumers. d. Legacy Client Components. If processing power is available, add-on development is feasible, and the client application software can still be compliant in a common operating environment (e.g., Defense Information Infrastructure Common Operating Environment [DII/COE] or others) despite JBI client requirements, then JBI-Legacy client components would be preferred. These client components should integrate seamlessly into the host application and its underlying infrastructure. e. Native Client Components. Brand new components to showcase JBI infrastructure capabilities that either are not concerned with specific run-time environment restrictions, or other compliance issues, and are generally assumed to demonstrate a new capability not in a legacy system's arsenal. (4) For any specialized embedded software, hardware, networking or communications links that are proposed, it is up to the potential offerors to outline additional requirements to make demonstrations successful. For example, if a JTIDS terminal is required in which a small software process would be embedded to act as a datalink-infolink gateway client, document it, state the costs, and be cognizant of the fact that some demonstration locations will not have direct line of sight (LOS) to the JTIDS in the sky. If it is better to acquire or have access to datalink simulators, clearly describe your (and AFRL's) acquisition approach and any upfront costs. If you propose an embedded component that would provide an F15-E pilot a window into the infospace onboard the aircraft, describe your approach for "wrapping" the component and what other Government agencies AFRL/IF would need to coordinate with to ensure success. If you believe you have a complete end-to-end solution involving the aforementioned components in a variety of platforms and command hierarchies, you should clearly state any proprietary components and any limitations (cost or otherwise) associated with production or fielding of your proposed solution. In all cases, potential offerors should identify how they would interact with other Contractors awarded tasks under this effort in the absence of formal Associate Contractor Agreements (ACA)." All other information remains the same.
- Record
- SN00944780-W 20051207/051205211924 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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