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B -- REQUEST FOR INFORMATION SOL TORFI DUE 012900 POC Harry M. Oeters,937-257-5666 ext 4549 WEB: TORFI-Request For Information, http://www.pixs.wpafb.af.mil/pixslibr/TORFI/TORFI.asp. E-MAIL: Oetershm@pkwsmtp.wpafb.af.mil, Oetershm@pkwsmtp.wpafb.af.mil. Background "17. REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI): The Directorate for=20 Exploitation, National Air Intelligence Center (NAIC/DX) is=20 soliciting information/white papers in support of future=20 program development. This is not a solicitation for=20 proposals, nor will any contracts be awarded as a result of=20 receipt or review of submitted information/papers. NAIC/DX=20 is preparing to initiate an effort which will result in the=20 development and fielding of a ""virtual all source data=20 storage and access capability"" known as the All Source Data=20 Services Center (ASDSC). The ASDSC will address the=20 following Intelligence Community (IC) problems: =B7 No integrated all-source solution exists. =B7 No single point of access for multi-INT data is available. =B7 Required/needed data is difficult to share/access. =B7 Process to access many types of data in a variety of=20 systems is cumbersome and repetitive. =B7 Projected costs associated with cont! ! inuing multiple=20 single-source archival systemswill be unaffordable. =20 The ASDSC project will develop a robust information=20 environment and the supporting services which will enable=20 virtual all-source data access. NAIC/DX will build the ASDSC=20 as part of recapitalization of current systems to continue=20 meeting mission requirements. It will be extendible to=20 production partners, mission partners, and intelligence=20 users and will be beneficial to not only Intelligence=20 Production, but also Information Operations and Intelligence=20 Preparation of the Battlespace.=20 =20 The ASDSC concept is for a multi-component, multi-phase,=20 development and integration effort at NAIC to build a modern=20 information repository, and the tools to index, access, and=20 use the stored information. Current plans propose a=20 three-phased effort addressing internal, limited external,=20 and community-wide capabilities. The thrust of the ASDSC=20 effort is the s! ! tandardization of data structures and access=20 to the data within the structures. The ASDSC concept=20 integrates all-source data storage, exploitation, and=20 retrieval activities into a single program, facilitating=20 fusion and integration of multi-INT data. It will leverage=20 and incorporate common efforts to avoid duplication (JIVA,=20 NIMA United States Imagery and Geospatial Information=20 Services program, etc.). The ASDSC will provide access to=20 and the utilization of a standard set of exploitation tools=20 (Government and Commercial-off-the-shelf). =20 The internal NAIC ASDSC activity is composed of developing=20 and implementing the following:=20 =B7 Search and retrieval tools (defined as tools that will=20 search and retrieve data and information across=20 heterogeneous distributed data sources, be they structured,=20 semi-structured, or unstructured). =B7 Gateways (security). =B7 User profiles. =B7 Network services. =B7 Library schema. =B7! ! Library application program interface (API). =B7 Tools API. =20 The ASDSC will provide a state-of-the-art storage capability=20 to accommodate all data types consisting of both data and=20 textual information. It will store raw and processed=20 intelligence and finished intelligence products. The goal is=20 to facilitate data access and establish means to support ""virtual"" analysis and production. Access will be available=20 to external production partners, mission partners, and=20 intelligence users. Reengineering of current ""INT""=20 processing and exploitation tools will be necessary for=20 operation within this new data environment. Communications=20 connectivity will be enhanced to provide links to allow=20 external access to selected processing and exploitation=20 tools in a common operating environment. Concurrent to the=20 internal NAIC activity are efforts to extend this capability=20 across the intelligence and operational communities. The=20 de! ! liverables to the user (intelligence production elements,=20 customers, mission partners) will be the search and=20 retrieval capabilities of the ASDSC consisting of a=20 comprehensive package including the following: =B7 Search and Retrieval tools across heterogeneous=20 information sources. =B7 User profiling (Push/Pull methodology). =B7 Tools API. =B7 Library Schema (Library API). =B7 Documentation specifying standards and specifications=20 necessary for software, hardware, and data within the ASDSC=20 environment. =B7 Installation and configuration services. =B7 Training. A central aspect of this work will be the development of=20 metadata and data structure standards that will provide a=20 consistent data infrastructure across all participating=20 nodes of this architecture. The desired end state is to enable intelligence=20 organizations and users from the operational, policy, and=20 acquisition communities, no matter their physical location,=20 to! ! collaborate in a dynamic information environment. This=20 will greatly increase analyst and user access to data,=20 improve search efficiency and effectiveness, and reduce the=20 intelligence production and data response timelines. =20 The ASDSCis a significant systems integration and migration=20 effort and will consist of several phases beginning with=20 internal systems and extending to external delivery of the=20 ASDSC capabilities. This RFI is intended to assist NAIC/DX=20 in determining current business practices and methodologies=20 relative to integration and migration. The current=20 operational environment at NAIC consists of the following: =B7 Multiple exploitation packages developed independently. =B7 Multiple sources of information. =B7 Multiple media formats for data ingest and dissemination=20 (hardcopy, flat files, magnetic tape, etc.). =B7 Diverse data sets (formats, specifications, content,=20 etc.). =B7 Multiple and diverse hardware sui! ! tes (SUN, SGI, WIN-NT,=20 mainframe). =B7 Multi-contract, multi-division efforts. =20 Keys areas of interest, relative to an ASDSC development and=20 integration activity, to be addressed in the RFI responses=20 are: =B7 Possible management approaches/methods. =B7 Organization structure. =B7 Processes and process controls. =B7 Configuration management. =B7 Level of difficulty assessment. =B7 Potential techniques. =B7 What integration processes are available in industry and=20 how would the most desirable processes be identified for=20 this effort? =B7 Means of identifying and instituting appropriate levels of=20 business process reengineering (BPR). =B7 Schedule issues and estimates. =B7 Technology trends that would impact (positively or=20 negatively) this effort. =B7 Key technology risk areas. =B7 State of expertise in industry today including but not=20 limited to: =B7 Metadata standards. =B7 Web protocols. signed non-disclosure agreements. The=20 ! ! resulting recommendations from the review panel may be used=20 to Intelligence Center (NAIC/DX) is soliciting=20 information/white papers in support of future =B7 Interoperability. =20 Disclaimer: This is an RFI synopsis, not a notice of IFB, RFP, or RFO=20 issuance. No solicitation exists, therefore do not request=20 a copy of the solicitation. Also, the Government will not=20 pay for the information solicited in this RFI. If a=20 solicitation is released it will be summarized in the CBD.=20 It is the responsibility of the potential offerors to=20 monitor that site for release of any solicitation or=20 synopsis. Foreign participation on any future solicitation=20 relating to the ASDSC is not authorized.=20 =20 All information received from this RFI will be used and=20 compiled for planning purposes. The results of this RFI may=20 be reported outside of NAIC. Any proprietary information=20 submitted should therefore be marked appropriately and will=20 be p! ! rotected from disclosure. All responses or questions=20 regarding this RFI should be submitted to Mr. John Ross,=20 NAIC/DXR, 4180 Watson Way, WPAFB, OH 45433-5648, Phone: =20 (937) 257- 2958, E-mail: jpr52 @naic.wpafb.af.mil. The=20 information received wi ll be reviewed by a panel of subject=20 matter experts from NAIC, Federally Funded Research and=20 Development Centers (FFRDC), and for-profitcontractors who=20 have signed non-disclosure agreements. The resulting=20 recommendations from the review panel may be used to=20 formulate future contractual actions by NAIC. " Posted 12/29/99 (D-SN412170). (0363)

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