SPECIAL NOTICE
99 -- Request for Information (RFI) USMC Intelligence Analysis System Advanced Analytics Capability
- Notice Date
- 4/8/2015
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- Contracting Office
- P.O. Box 190022, North Charleston SC 29419-9022
- ZIP Code
- 29419-9022
- Solicitation Number
- N65236_SNOTE_000B708E
- Archive Date
- 5/8/2015
- E-Mail Address
-
Contract Specialist
(shannon.britt@navy.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Contracting Office Address P.O. Box 190022, North Charleston SC 29419-9022 Description: Request for Information (RFI) USMC Intelligence Analysis System Advanced Analytics Capability DUE: 5/8/2015 The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center (SPAWARSYSCEN) Atlantic, Expeditionary Intelligence Solutions Portfolio, Distributed Common Ground Systems (DCGS) Marine Corps Integrated Product Team, Intelligence Analysis System (IAS) program is seeking information on commercial products that offer advanced analytics capabilities. Once eligible products are identified, additional information will be requested. System Need Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) intelligence analysts require a working environment where they can collect and organize data from disparate sources, conduct analysis of data, which may require visualizations of data, and disseminate relevant intelligence information to tactical operators in support of missions. Initial Data Population A capability is required to Extract Load Transform (ELT) multiple-intelligence data stores into one (1) data repository. The baseline-data ontology will be derived from the Modernized Integrated Data Base (MIDB) and the U.S. Marine Corps Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance-Enterprise (MCISR-E) ontology. The new database must accept this ontology and use open-architecture standards to allow for quick integration of new data sources, both structured and unstructured. System Functions The desired system must allow the analyst to execute each function associated with Planning and Direction, Acquiring Data, Processing and Exploitation, Production, and sharing Data, Information, and Intelligence, in accordance with Marine Corps Warfighting Publication 21, Intelligence Operations. The following sections describe each high-level function required: 1. Planning and Direction A capability is needed to assist the analyst in refining data pertinent to the operational environment, both conventional and unconventional, and must provide the ability to view information in a format that is easily understood. Some examples are map/charts/graphs/timelines/link charts, etc. This system must help the analyst identify gaps in the dataset and develop intelligence requirements that can be tracked within the system. The system should use predictive analytics and machine-learning to assist the analyst. 2. Acquire Data (Aggregating) The acquiring data phase encompasses assembling information from a network or disconnected internal and external data sources. The solution will allow data to be received by electronic message, automated ingestion using a rich set of Application Programming Interfaces/Software Development Kits (APIs/SDKs), such as audio, visual, and written data. At the time of data aggregation, the system must normalize the data into the ontology/system standards. The analyst needs the capability to receive, retrieve, and store data for local manipulation, tagging and sharing. 3. Processing and Exploitation Processing and exploitation involves the conversion of collected data into information suitable for the production of intelligence. Processing is largely a technical function that does not add meaning to the data, but is necessary to convert the data into a form that people understand. When resources are required to accomplish the processing and exploitation phase, it is crucial that processing requirements be prioritized. An advanced analytics capability would allow the intelligence analyst to locate data stored within the database, using simple searches for entities and documents. It will also allow for geospatial, temporal searches by data range, and complex algorithms. The analyst should be able to filter results based on data attributes defined within the ontology. An advanced analytics capability would support several types of terrain analysis. Terrain analysis includes, but is not limited to line of sight, terrain masking, and mobility studies. Pattern/trend analysis identifies common attribute values, social relationships, geospatial significance, and or temporal significance. Advanced analytics would provide the capability to analyze vast amounts of data to determine organizational structure, key leadership, support networks, social networking, and operational patterns. Cultural/socioeconomic graphics give the analyst a capability to show how entities are related and affect the social structures of an area. Geospatial analysis allows an analyst to combine multiple data layers on a map to obtain a complete picture of the area. Data layers include digital elevation, imagery, overlay graphics, Track Management System (TMS) tracks and other entities stored in the database. Advanced analytics supports tagging, creates new objects, associations and potential outcomes based on automated processes, and displays quantitative and qualitative results to allow the manual manipulation and approval by the analyst. The system must take into account subjective probability and confidence. 4. Production Production involves the evaluation, interpretation, integration, analysis, and synthesis of new and existing information to support or disprove a hypothesis presented. The capability should allow the intelligence analyst to manipulate and display data via maps, charts, reports, lists, timelines and temporal wheels. The intelligence analyst needs a local workspace to create and modify entities and associations that are not publicly visible to others until approved for release. The output of this work needs to be consolidated into a user-defined product. An automated mechanism is needed to capture and report changes to the data, such as documents uploaded, data enriched, or products created or published. This mechanism also needs to allow the analyst the ability to filter the changes and query for changes within a particular timeframe. This should be available at all times to support intelligence analysts as they rotate and prepare for shifts. 5. Share Data and Intelligence Sharing data and information is the timely conveyance of intelligence to users via reporting or dissemination. Dissemination must be planned and supervised to allow for updating the Common Operating Picture (COP) and to pull all available data sources for enrichment. Enriched data must be shared for federated analysis and command and control programs of record to all, for sharing geo-located data via Track Management Service (TMS). The Advanced Analytics Capability must allow the intelligence analyst to share data and intelligence by sending it thru message, export or print, disseminating to adjacent or lower units, replicate/publishing to the database for retrieval by adjacent, higher, or lower units, or to formally report them to higher entities. Hardware Constraints This advanced analytics capability must operate on existing IAS Family of Systems (FoS) hardware suites. The IAS FoS tiered architecture allows for the system to be scalable from a single, stand-alone, portable workstation (Tier III); to a multi-user, online, moveable, intermediate suite (Tier II); to a multi-station, real time, service-wide, intelligence-communications link (Tier I). The suggested solution must operate within a VMware ESXi virtual environment and fit within the following constraints: Tier I: - System must use no more than 10 CPU Cores - System must use no more than 328 GB RAM - System shall not exceed more than 100TB of physical hard drive space Tier II: - System must use no more than 19 CPU Cores - System must use no more than 432 GB RAM - System shall not exceed more than 49TB of physical hard-drive space Tier III: - System must use no more than 4 CPU Cores - System must use no more than 8 GB RAM - System shall not exceed more than 750GB of physical hard-drive space Requested Information Respondents are requested to address the following questions with detailed information sufficient to inform requirements analysis prior to future procurement actions. The conditions under which the software will be displayed is described in Appendix A (USMC Tactical Intelligence Use Case). 1. Has this capability been fielded or employed by any other federal agency? 2. What is the estimated Technical Maturity Level (TRL1-9) of the capability in its currently available form? 3. Is this capability available via GSA schedule, ESI, Blanket Contract Agreements (BPA)? 4. Describe the Licensing Structure for this capability. 5. In order to develop an estimated range of costs, please provide the cost per unit or license? 6. Is there a recurring cost for annual maintenance, license renewals or software upgrades? If so, please describe the costs. 7. Where will the data reside? Are there any restrictions on data ownership or access from other systems? 8. Describe the (complexity of) skill set(s) required to perform the system administration tasks associated with this capability. 9. Describe the training required to gain basic proficiency (both user and administrator) associated with this capability. 10. Describe the degree to which the capability supports adding new data sources and data integrations. 11. Describe the replication/synchronization methods the capability employs. 12. Does the capability support the ingestion of existing documents and data in the following file formats: kml, shp, docx, pptx, pdf, xls, txt, rtf, csv13? 13. Is the capability certified for use on Secret Internet Network Protocol Router Network (SIPRNet), Non-Secure Internet Protocol Network (NIPRNet), Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System (JWICS), and Combined Enterprise Regional Information Exchange (CENTRIX)? a. If not, can it be certified? b. What level of effort would be required for certification on SIPRNet, NIPRNet, JWICS, and CENTRIX? 14. Please provide the list of software components needed to provide the described capability. 15. Please explain how the system is compliant or non-compliant with the hardware constraints described above. Administrative Data All information received will be treated as public knowledge, unless specified. Therefore, vendors should denote any proprietary aspects of the product in response to this RFI. Specific information sought includes: 1. Company information, including name, address, and website; 2. Whether the company is a manufacturer or distributor; 3. A point of contact for follow-up information, and the point of contacts phone number and email address; and 4. Product name, model, and current operating system. The submitted information will be evaluated for inclusion in IAS FoS projects. If an IAS FoS project on this type of capability is executed, the capability selection will be based upon factors outlined in subsequent procurement actions. Consequently, follow-up requests for feedback should not be made through the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) posting agency. Vendors will be contacted following submission for more detailed product information. Submittals A Microsoft Word document with this same announcement is located on SPAWARSYSCEN Atlantics e-commerce website: https://e-commerce.sscno.nmci.navy.mil On the SPAWARSYSCEN Atlantic e-commerce site, look for the SSC Atlantic yellow folder on the left. Open the folder, and under View By, select the Special Notices link. Look in the folder with the date of the posting. All documents associated with the FBO posting are available for download at the bottom of the posting. If unable to download the documents, please contact the technical point of contact below, and the documents will be emailed. The technical point of contact is David Lawrence: David.a.lawrence1@navy.mil (843)-218-5284. A NOTE REGARDING THIS RFI: This RFI is for information gathering and planning purposes only, and should not be construed as a Request for Proposal (RFP) or solicitation of an offer. The Government DOES NOT intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI, or otherwise pay for the information solicited. E-mail your non-technical, contract-related questions to the Contract Specialist at shannon.britt@navy.mil ______________Appendix A_______________ Scenario Upon receipt of a mission from Higher Command, a Commander drafts an operational plan (OPLAN). From this OPLAN, all subordinate-staff sections, notably the intelligence staff, begin the process of mission analysis. The analyst works within a Collect Process Analyze Disseminate (CPAD) framework for the majority of the work. The most common type of work done by the analyst is outlined below. RFI The analyst receives a request to begin collecting data regarding a specific RFI. The intelligence analyst begins using the various IAS software applications to gain all relevant data on the topic. The analyst also sends out requests to additional USMC analytic and collections entities to provide all relevant data on the topic, and if needed, requests assistance from national-level entities. The analyst constantly reviews the incoming data to ensure applicability, confidence, and accuracy. The analyst then compiles information-derived-collection efforts to begin analysis and create a product that answers the RFI. The analyst and approving authority authorizes the release of that product and exports or saves the final product for dissemination to intelligence consumers and other intelligence systems. The analyst always retains the ability to review and update information, as required by the mission or events. The analyst then disseminates the product. The analyst retains the capability to search based upon all published RFIs as well as completed (published) products. The current system requires the analyst to search using outside databases and programs that are not contained within the IAS. The system does not provide the ability to track and view the progress of RFIs and other requests made. The proposed solution should allow the analyst to query data that is organic to the IAS prior to going to outside resources and should contain a RFI workflow process which allows the Supervisor, Analyst and the consumer the ability to view the process of the request. Targeting The analyst begins working thru an already well-defined target package template, according to their unit Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). The template typically includes recent reporting on the target, biographical information on the target, a graphic or image of the target, target associations, effects-analysis documents, recommended-effects means, and video or audio attachments. The analyst selects data records and designates them into a target-package product, for approval. The targeting list and package are constantly updated with mapping capability to show where the target was last reported. The analyst has the capability to move data freely between products (targeting lists), collected information, RFIs, tactical reporting, and published products, as detailed below. The current system requires the analyst to create the template, which takes time away from the analysis needed on the possible target. The proposed solution should present the analyst with a targeting section that is only accessible to individuals with the correct permissions. The section should include a target-package template and a baseball-card template that are preset, but should allow the analyst to make changes to the template to conform to SOP. Tactical Reporting When the analyst receives urgent tactical reporting in real time, the analyst annotates in the INTEL JOURNAL (outlined below), the key information from the report (Ref, MCRP 2-25A) and inputs that information into the advanced analytics capability database for use within the CPAD process. The analyst has the ability to later filter and search for Intel reports based on text-search logic, time, or location. Tactical reporting may also take the form of a message received or chat group monitored as an operation is underway, directly following completion of the mission, or during after-action-review debriefing. The reports received from chat messages and email conversations are entered by the analyst into the advanced analytics capability database using the proper report format located in the advanced analytics capability reporting tool. The current system requires the analyst to wait for the information to be placed into the system by outside entities. It is not local to the IAS system. This creates a gap in actionable intelligence while the analyst waits for the report to be emailed or placed into a larger database that can be searched to locate the report. Currently, there is no available database within the IAS system. The proposed solution should give the analyst the ability to enter tactical reports into the database as information is received from different sources. The solution should provide the analyst with easy-to-fill-in templates for each of the report types, in accordance with the format found in the USMC MCRP 2-25A. Reconnaissance Reports Guide. MIDB Interaction Advanced analytics capability provides a means to locally work data and information into intelligence for eventual integration with MIDB. MIDB is the current DoD source of Nationally Validated Military Information. The analyst has the capability to search and select records through the COP, found on the IAS Global Command and Control System-Joint (GCCS-J)-Integrated Imagery and Intelligence (I3) baseline. The analyst has the ability, upon leadership validation to nominate that record (e.
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