UPDATE (22 February 2024): The RFI submission window has been extended through 08 March 2024. Thunderstorm 24-2 will now take place the week of 22-26 July 2024. The Thunderstorm 24-2 location is now confirmed as Fort Huachuca, AZ. A. INTRODUCTION The purpose of this request for information (RFI) is to identify technologies from private industry, Government research and development (R&D) organizations, and academia for inclusion in Thunderstorm 24-2. Thunderstorm 24-2 is an invitation-only field technology showcase taking place in an operationally relevant environment, with a collaborative atmosphere in which Government end users discover innovative technologies through hands-on engagement. The Department of Defense (DoD) and U.S. interagency partners use Thunderstorm to discover new technologies, enhance collaboration, and provide developers with immediate feedback to accelerate maturation of innovative capabilities. Thunderstorm 24-2 focuses on innovative solutions for persistent sensors and supporting technologies. Persistent sensing technologies play a critical role in Department of Defense (DoD) operations by enabling the continuous and real-time monitoring of various environments. These technologies can enhance situational awareness (SA) and contribute to better decision-making on the battlefield. The ability to persistently sense and gather data allows the DoD to detect threats early, monitor troop movements, and assess the evolving dynamics of the battlespace. This collected information is vital for formulating effective military strategies, ensuring the safety of personnel, and maintaining a strategic advantage in unpredictable operational environments. The Innovation & Modernization (I&M) office within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD (R&E)) sponsors and coordinates the Thunderstorm series of events with stakeholders from across the DoD. Thunderstorm 24-2 is conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Army Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Task Force and U.S. Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory. Thunderstorm 24-2 will take place 22-26 July 2024 at Fort Huachuca, Arizona Interested parties are welcome to submit their applications addressing their proposed technologies for Thunderstorm 24-2 by following the instructions and guidance provided in the following sections. The application deadline is now 5:00 PM EST on 08 March 2024. This RFI is NOT a solicitation for procurement or other acquisition proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI or to otherwise pay for the information solicited. B. BACKGROUND The I&M Innovation Discovery program coordinates the Thunderstorm series with the goal of fostering engagement between Government stakeholders and technology developers. Thunderstorm provides opportunities for developers to showcase their solutions in an operationally realistic environment in order for the Government attendees to discover potential new defense capabilities. The technology discovery environment facilitates opportunities for end user observations and feedback to be interjected early in the prototyping process, with the goal of informing and accelerating delivery of future capabilities needed by the DoD and U.S. interagency partners. Participation and attendance at Thunderstorm 24-2 is by invitation only. Thunderstorm 24-2 will take place at the Unclassified level. Participating in Innovation Discovery events like Thunderstorm may lead to follow-on collaboration, support for further development, and/or fielding of matured capabilities. Industry, academia, and Government R&D organizations are encouraged to submit applications addressing their innovative technologies for consideration to participate at Thunderstorm 24-2. C. DESCRIPTION Thunderstorm 24-2 is planned for 22-26 July 2024 at Fort Huachuca, Arizona . The event structure provides technology developers an opportunity to showcase their prototypes’ performance in a realistic operational environment. This event will concentrate on advancing the capabilities and/or capacities of Persistent Sensing technologies. Persistent Sensing enables the deployment of sensors capable of lingering on-demand in an area for the purpose of detecting, locating, characterizing, identifying, and tracking an object or area of interest and transferring the information in near- or real-time. Discovering and implementing the next generation of persistent sensing solutions ensures situational awareness to optimize DoD activities and protect the Warfighter, regardless of the threat or operating environment. Technology developers are encouraged to submit their prototype solution if it meets one or more of the listed capabilities. Innovative Persistent Sensors Small, Cost-Effective Sensors Leverage commercial off the shelf (COTS) sensors and components to enable more widespread use Affordable, easily producible especially at scale, while meeting performance needs Low-power solutions, including power-saving modes and/or harvests energy from the environment to extend sensor performance Fieldable across air, land, and sea (including sub-surface) without cumbersome manpower or logistical resources Can be integrated and employed by a variety of platforms and vehicles. For sensors mounted on unmanned aerials systems, the sensor can be employed by small (<55lbs) unmanned aerial systems (UAS) Small, cost-effective unmanned systems (UxS) with embedded sensors that can be used as an autonomous team to sense across an area of interest Novel microsensor capabilities Robust Sensors for All Operations Function in unique environments, including undersea, underground, arctic, riverine, or in the stratosphere Capable of withstanding harsh environments, including extreme heat/cold, diverse terrains, precipitation, high-humidity, high/low pressure, and debris (e.g., salt or dirt) Capable of active or passive over-the-horizon (OTH) sensing to detect maritime objects of interest in various sea states, levels of visibility, and weather conditions Sensors that work at high speeds and/or can detect/identify/track high-speed objects of interest Resilient to natural or intentional interference, such as anti-jamming and spoofing capabilities, mesh networking, network self-healing, the ability to jump between communication channels, and resistant to damage from optical battlefield threats Low-signature sensors while collecting and transmitting data to reduce the probability of a sensor, or its transmissions, being detected or disrupted in relevant operational conditions Capable of data transmission through difficult terrain, such as thick vegetation or mountain passes Innovative Sensor Solutions Collects on challenging and/or non-traditional signatures (e.g., heat, acoustics) Hyperspectral, multi-spectral, and polarimetric imaging Neuromorphic and intelligent event-based imaging sensor Innovative quantum sensing and quantum-inspired antenna design solutions Overhead Persistent Infrared Sensing Small-Scale Synthetic Aperture Radar capabilities Enhanced resolution that improves upon standoff distances Next-Generation Sensor Management Sensors capable of transmitting and transferring data beyond line of sight (BLOS) Connects and communicates autonomous to enable a single operator to control multiple sensing assets simultaneously to perform coordinated activities Smart Sensing: Onboard processing algorithms to inform monitoring, automatic target recognition, and only reporting on data of interest Autonomous operations for extended periods, especially in which the sensor can adjust to changing conditions to enhance redundancy to contribute to persistent sensing without human intervention, especially in conjunction with other autonomous assets Data compression and prioritization onboard the sensor to enable ‘real-time’ connectivity and situational awareness Interoperable with existing and next-generation DoD command and control systems Collaborative teaming with the operator in the loop and scalable to connect and operate as part of a large network of sensors or as a multi-uncrewed teaming application Antennas and receivers that enable long-range sustainable connectivity with remote sensors Zero-Trust connections between all network entities Technologies beyond the scope of the primary topic areas described above will be considered on a case-by-case basis and potentially admitted based on strength of application and relevance to the mission area. Technologies brought to the event should be at a technology readiness level (TRL) of 4 or greater (https://api.army.mil/e2/c/downloads/404585.pdf) although lower TRL capability will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Under the direction of the I&M Office, the Applied Research Laboratory at Pennsylvania State University (ARL/PSU) will lead Thunderstorm 24-2, with support and participation from the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). These organizations may also support the Government in the review of technology submissions (See Section H: Special Notice). After reviewing developer applications, the Government may contact candidates to invite them to Thunderstorm 24-2 or request additional details of their prototype technology to support the selection process. The Government may contact technology developers to participate in additional discussions or events with the Government beyond Thunderstorm 24-2 to support future development and DoD acquisition activities. Industry participation in Thunderstorm 24-2, and communications with the Government or its contractors associated with Thunderstorm, does not suggest or imply that the Government will endorse, procure, or purchase selected technology solutions. D. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS Submit showcase applications to the Thunderstorm program electronically. Please use the application provided in Appendix I or email
[email protected] to request an application template or if you have any questions. Thunderstorm technology applications must be submitted no later than 5:00 PM EST on 08 March 2024 . All applications must be submitted via email to
[email protected] and include the following information: Subject: Thunderstorm 24-2 Application Company name/business division/address/website Capability name Primary POC: name, email & phone number Applications shall be clearly marked with RFI number: I&M-24-2-RFI-01. You will receive an email within two business days verifying your application was received. Any application not meeting the criteria outlined above will not be considered. The application submitted under this RFI shall be limited to five pages. The first page must be a stand-alone Executive Summary and include a photo or diagram of the technology . Four additional pages are allowed for pertinent information. The application shall be formatted to print as typewritten on single-sided paper with one-inch margins on all sides and 1.5-spaced text. 12-point font or larger with normal (uncondensed) spacing. All applications shall be submitted MS Word file format. The first page must be an executive summary and as such stand alone for distribution to stakeholders. Each application must address only one technology solution; multiple applications addressing multiple systems may be submitted. If selected, technology developers must provide the capability for showcasing their technology. This includes delivery of their prototype to the venue showcase and personnel for installation and integration into the overall event. The technology developer operates the system during the event and uninstalls the system upon completion. The PSU/ARL and GTRI staff plans, coordinates, and assists with the associated logistics of the technology showcase, and provides limited assistance for the installation and integration efforts based on available resources. The team will not assist with engineering changes to the showcased technology or system. The Thunderstorm team will provide venues, supporting infrastructure and operational and technical personnel, based on availability of resources. Costs specific to running the technology developer’s equipment, as well as the technology developer’s travel costs will be at the technology developer’s expense. Invited technology developers must be prepared to be self-sufficient during the execution of their showcase and not dependent on venue resources. If you have questions regarding the submittal, please contact:
[email protected] . DO NOT SUBMIT CLASSIFIED INFORMATION in the application. Thunderstorm 24-2 will be held at the unclassified level. Capabilities may contain Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and may be subject to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or Export Administration Regulations (EAR) restrictions. It is incumbent on the participants to ensure that these restrictions are outlined in their application and adhered to during the event. DO NOT SUBMIT ACQUISITION PROPOSALS. Submit applications and white papers only. No contracts will be awarded based solely on this announcement. Submission of an application does not guarantee an invitation to participate in Thunderstorm 24-2 or any other DoD event. E. BASIS FOR SELECTION TO PARTICIPATE Submissions will be reviewed by Innovation & Modernization and appropriate supporting government organizations and support contractors. Innovation & Modernization will determine whether a submission will be accepted for invitation to the field technology showcase. Selection of respondents to participate shall be based on the extent to which the technology represents a particular class or level of capability that can be provided to interested DoD organizations and/or interagency partners. Other considerations include: Relevance to event focus area Completeness of application and supporting information Technical maturity Relevance of or adaptability to DoD or interagency partner operations/missions Relevance to current or future operational needs F. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Technology developers shall ensure that all proprietary information, documentation, and equipment are appropriately and clearly marked. Be advised that lessons learned from these showcases may be broadly disseminated through official channels within the Federal government and partner government agencies associated with the Thunderstorm program. If selected for participation, technology developers may be requested to provide additional information that will be used in preparation for the event. G. USE OF INFORMATION The purpose of this notice is to gain information for potential use at Thunderstorm 24-2 and/or future collaboration for development of technology capabilities. All proprietary information contained in the response shall be clearly marked. Any proprietary information contained in response to this request will be properly protected from any unauthorized disclosure. The government will not use proprietary information submitted from any one firm to establish future capability requirements. Participants shall agree to confer and consult with the Thunderstorm team prior to the publication of any press release directly or indirectly related to Thunderstorm. The Thunderstorm team shall confer and consult with any participants prior to the publication of any press release that directly includes a written or visual reference to the name of their organization, employees, or technology. Participants will not use the name, logo, or images of any U.S. Government organization, employee, or contractor without prior approval from the relevant organization. H. SPECIAL NOTICE University affiliated research centers (UARCs), federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs), and/or contractor consultant/advisors to the government will review and provide support during evaluation of submittals. When appropriate, non-government advisors may be used to objectively review a particular functional area and provide comments and recommendations to the government. All advisors shall comply with procurement integrity laws and shall sign non-disclosure and rules of conduct/conflict of interest statements. The government shall take into consideration requirements for avoiding conflicts of interest and ensure advisors comply with safeguarding proprietary data. Submission in response to this RFI constitutes approval to release the submittal to government support contractors. I. FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION (FAR) 52.215-3 Per FAR 52.215-3 Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes (Oct 1997): 1. The government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI notice or to otherwise pay for the information. 2. Although "proposal" and "technology developer" are used in this RFI, your responses will be treated as information only. It shall not be used as a proposal. 3. In accordance with FAR Clause 15.209(c), the purpose of this RFI is to solicit technology candidates from R&D organizations, private industry and academia for inclusion in future Thunderstorm technology discovery events sponsored by OUSD(R&E) Innovation and Modernization.