1. Background. Headquarters Department of the Army (HQDA) Executive Order (EXORD) 057-14 (U) established the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence (CCoE)and designated the CCoE Commanding General (CG) as the Force Modernization Proponent for Cyberspace Operations, Signal Communications Networks and Information Services (Signal), and Electronic Warfare (EW); and established the Signal and Cyber Schools. The EXORD further directed the CCoE to partner with the Intelligence Center of Excellence (ICoE) for institutional intelligence support to Cyberspace Operations. To that end, the CG directed the establishment of an annual Prototyping Experiment to identify innovative solutions that can close critical capability gaps relating to Army Warfighting Challenge # 7: Conduct Space and Cyber Electromagnetic Operations and Maintain Communications - How to assure uninterrupted access to critical communications and information links (satellite communications [SATCOM], positioning, navigation, and timing [PNT], and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance [ISR]) across a multi-domain architecture when operating in a contested, congested, and competitive operating environment?
2. Intent. The CCoE will conduct an annual Cyberspace Operations, Signal, and EW Prototyping Experiment called Cyber Quest (CQ) to assess emerging technologies against associated Army capability requirements. This assessment will inform current capability development efforts by validating concepts and determining their doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership and education, personnel, and facilities (DOTMLPF) impacts. Cyber Quest will also serve as a venue to inform rapid acquisition capability requirements and technical risk mitigation. Army acquisition and capability development proponents can leverage Cyber Quest outcomes to validate selected candidate solutions for future participation in other Army/Joint exercises and experiments (i.e. Cyber Blitz, Army Capabilities Integration Center (ARCIC) Live Prototype Assessments (ALPA), Army/Joint Warfighting Assessments (AWA/JWA), the Joint Users Interoperability Communications Exercise (JUICE), etc.).
3. Cyber Quest 2019 (CQ 19). The CCoE seeks government, industry, and academic organizations that would be interested in demonstrating Cyberspace Operations, Signal, and/or EW solutions during Cyber Quest 2019, in order to address experiment objectives and focus areas listed below. Each focus area is aligned with the TRADOC Capability Manager (TCM) who is responsible for developing capability requirements that ultimately yield materiel solutions to the Warfighter.
4. Experiment Objective #1. Evaluate how Cyber Electromagnetic Activities (CEMA) capabilities can enhance Mission Command in support of Multi-Domain Operations. Supporting Focus Areas are listed below.
a. Cyberspace Situational Understanding (SU) Capability Requirements - TCM Cyber
i. Ingest, analyze, correlate, and display relevant cyberspace data frommultiple Joint, Army, and non-DOD sources into useful, actionable information for the Warfighter. Focus areas for data sources are:
• Network topology
• Network configuration
• Network health/status
• Threat intelligence
• Indications and Warnings
• Network Incidents
• Anomalous Network Activity
• Mission Impact
• Force Status.
ii. Cyberspace SU supporting Army CEMA should correlate and fuse existingand future cyber, movement and maneuver, command and control, intelligence, protection, and fires data to create a depiction, perception, and understanding of cyberspace that enables the delivery of operational effects.
b. Unified Network Operations (NETOPS) Capability Requirements - TCM Networks and Services
i. Integrate enterprise and tactical NETOPS capabilities into a comprehensive, single, tailorable view that includes tactical radio networks. System attributes should include network planning, modeling/simulations, traffic prioritization, and user troubleshooting assistance.
ii. Assess automated threat detection and alert capabilities that providea damage assessment of affected systems and remediation strategies.
iii. Identify capabilities that automate the movement of tactical network nodes from one organizational network to another.
iv. Provide LAN and WAN monitoring and management of multiple networks that include status and health of network components, servers, services, and cybersecurity. Provide predictive analysis and alerts of potential failures, networkoptimization, and recommend solutions. Provide roll-ups of NetOps data to higher echelons for consolidation.
c. Electronic Warfare Planning and Management Capability Requirements - TCM EW
i. Facilitate the planning and coordination of EW missions to include electronic warfare attack (EA), electronic warfare protection (EP), and electronicwarfare support (ES) during all phases of the operation.
ii. Ingest, correlate, and filter friendly, threat, and neutral emitter data to make viewing and management of the electronic magnetic spectrum easier.
iii. Incorporate an integrated Common Operational Picture (COP).
5. Experiment Objective #2. Assess emerging CEMA capabilities that provide the commander non-kinetic, non-lethal options in support of Multi-Domain Operations. Supporting Focus Areas are listed below.
a. Offensive Cyberspace Operations (OCO) Capability Requirements - TCM Cyber
i. Provide a tailorable survey platform of the electromagnetic spectrum with a focus on 802.11, cellular, and Bluetooth. The survey platform should generate Packet Capture (PCAP) files and a network map of the physical, logical, andcyber persona layers.
ii. Identify capabilities that can deny, degrade, disrupt, destroy, and manipulate secure networks, devices, and applications through the delivery of radio frequency enabled effects. Capabilities should provide the means to rapidly deliver lightweight (small packet size) effects in a tactical environment.
b. Electronic Warfare Capability Requirements - TCM EW
i. Electronic Attack (EA): As a form of fires, EA involves the use of electromagnetic energy, directed energy, or anti-radiation weapons to attack personnel, facilities, or equipment with the intent of degrading, neutralizing, or destroying enemy combat capability.
Capability Requirement: The system must be able to jam radio signals that leverage multiple frequency bands (High Frequency (HF) through Super High Frequency (SHF)), frequency hopping technology, and various waveforms.
ii. Electronic Warfare Support (ES): The Army needs a capability to search, intercept, identify, and locate sources of intentional and unintentional radiated electromagnetic energy to enable immediate threat recognition, targeting, and planning in support of future operations.
Capability Requirement: The capability must identify, categorize, DirectionFind (DF), and geo-locate radio frequency signals across multiple bands, (HF through SHF). EW sensors should be remotely managed by the planning and management tool.
6. Experiment Objective #3. Identify emerging cyberspace and EW capabilities and procedures that will protect and defend the force in support of Multi-Domain Operations.
a. Defensive Cyberspace Operations (DCO) Capability Requirements - TCM Cyber.
i. Identify capabilities that dynamically reshape cyberspace based on mission and threat - to include obfuscation, deception, and evasion. Characteristics of the capability include dynamic networks, platforms, runtime environments, software, and data.
ii. Assess technologies that have autonomous active cyber defense. The primary measure of effectiveness is the ability to orchestrate and automate functions utilizing a playbook to execute actions. These actions are based on intelligence using existing and future DOD capabilities. Automated functions could include a myriad of tailored response actions such as block, neutralize, deceive, redirect, etc., upon the real-time discovery of specific advanced or sophisticatedcyber threats tactics, techniques, and procedures. This capability includes sensor-based artificial intelligence that learns the network architecture and associated behaviors.
b. Electronic Protection (EP) - TCM EW.
Capability Requirement: Conduct spectrum management, spectrum analysis, and Assured Positioning, Navigation and Timing (APNT).
c. Protect the Network Capability Requirement - TCM N&S.
i. Tactical network Line of Sight (LoS), Beyond Line of Sight,(BLoS), and SATCOM transport systems that have embedded Low Probability of Intercept/Low Probability of Detection (LPI/LPD), and Low Probability of Exploitation (LPE) characteristics. Solutions must come in a variety of Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) configurations that can easily support mounted, dismounted or fixedstation operations without loss of capability.
ii. Improved tactical LoS and BLoS solutions that incorporate scalable mesh capabilities, spectrum awareness/agility, and advanced antenna technologies capable of supporting large amounts of spectrum within a small form factor.
d. Identity and Access Management Capability Requirement - TCM N&S.
Identify a means to manage and integrate digital identities for both Personal Entity (PE) and Non-Personal Entity (NPE) to securely access systems, devices,networks, applications, and services in all security enclaves. Additional capabilities include managing accounts provisioning, synchronizing directory services, or an association of various identities or attributes.
e. Protect and Extend the Network Capability Requirements - TCM Tactical Radio (TR).
i. Maintain tactical voice communications in a contested and congested environment. Identify handheld tactical radios that provide robust and resilientvoice communications in a Disconnected, Intermittent, and Limited (DIL) environment. Although radios should be optimized primarily for voice communications, data capabilities should be maximized whenever possible.
ii. Radios should use commercial encryption standards as a minimum, but support secure military communications requirements up to the SECRET classification level when needed. This can be achieved via an external radio attachment if necessary. The ability to selectively encrypt network transmissions up to the SECRET level willhelp facilitate partner nation interoperability. A vendor may pursue a varietyof technical solutions to maintain communications in a DIL environment to include, but not limited to, spectrum agility, multi-path transport, and frequency hopping. Radios need to minimize RF signatures in order to avoid detection.
iii. Radio performance should exceed that of currently fielded systems (e.g. SINCGARS (Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System), such as range andpropagation properties while operating in diverse operational environments.
iv. Radios need to form a mesh network and demonstrate scalability up to 12 radios.
v. Extend the tactical network using non-SATCOM capabilities such as aerostats and other rapidly deployable aerial assets. Capability must provide compatibility with existing waveforms (e.g. SINCGARS, Trellisware Scalable Manet (TSM), etc.), while minimizing Soldier manning and maintenance requirements.
vi. Identify tactical handheld radio capabilities that can acquire and maintain position and timing in a GPS denied environment.
vii. Assess vehicle mounted or man portable High Frequency (HF) radios that provide communication resiliency in a DIL environment.
7. Experiment Design. CQ19 will accomplish two main purposes: assess emerging technologies against documented Army Capabilities Needs Analysis (CNA) gaps and inform rapid acquisition capability priorities. The event will present an operational scenario with opportunities to highlight innovative capabilities within a live, virtual, or constructive (LVC) multi-echelon experimentation environment.
a. Operational Context. An Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) TacticalOperations Center (TOC), manned with Army and Joint CEMA staff role players, will be placed into a Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) wartime scenario overlay todrive at Army and Joint contextual learning demands. This will enable scenarios to use LVC injects to assess capability learning impacts in an operational relative environment. The scenarios are not the primary focus of the experiment, nor is accomplishing specific scenario objectives. The scenario is merely the backdrop that enables the operational assessment of concepts, capabilities, and learning demands in real-time. Therefore, the intent is to establish operational realism within a No Fear of Failure environment to evaluate innovative concepts and capabilities.
b. Technology integration. Industry and government sponsored solutions will be integrated with existing Army capabilities, supported by realistic operational scenarios, and substantive data injects. Together this environment will drive measurable outcomes and concepts. The challenges facing our warfighters are too complex to inform concept and acquisition decisions based solely upon a static display or demonstration of capability.
8. Key Events: Vendors, Government and Academic organizations interestedin participating in Cyber Quest 2019 should complete the Technology Submission form in Appendix A. Selected organizations will be invited to brief and demonstrate their capabilities in front of a technology selection committee the week of17 Sep 2018 at Fort Gordon, GA. Those organizations whose technologies have been selected for participation in Cyber Quest 2019 will be officially notified byemail NLT 1 Oct 18. Key dates are listed below.
a. Broad Agency Announcement published - 7 Aug 2018
b. Cyber Quest Industry Day - 24 Aug 2018
c. Deadline for White Paper submissions: 31 Aug 18
d. Technology/Paper Down Select Panel: 4 - 7 Sep 18
e.Technology Selection Board: 18 - 21 Sep 18
f. Vendor notifications: 1Oct 18
g. Coordinated Working Group #1: TBD (Nov 18)
h. Coordinated Working Group #2: TBD (Feb 19)
i. Coordinated Working Group #3: TBD(May 19)
j. Technology Integration: Mar - May 2019
k. Cyber Quest Execution: Jun 2019
*Note: The Cyber Quest Industry Day is currently scheduled immediately after TechNet Augusta 2018; Room: Lamar B/C; Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center, Augusta, Georgia. Please check for the AFCEA web site for the latest information: http://events.afcea.org/Augusta18/Public/enter.aspx.
9. Cyber Quest Technology Submissions: The following organizations may submit Technology Submission Forms: colleges and universities, non-profit research institutions, commercial firms, small business, small disadvantaged businessconcerns, historically black colleges and universities, and minority business enterprises and institutions. Collaboration among vendors and academia is highlyencouraged.
10. Technology Submission Requirements: Technology Submission Forms (Appendix A) will be the sole criteria used to select vendors that will be invited to brief their capabilities in front of the Technology Selection Board. The Technology Submission Forms will be evaluated for completeness and relevance to experiment objectives/focus areas being addressed. Submitted capabilities should bedeveloped at a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 or higher and any past integration efforts with Army tactical mission command or radio systems should be indicated.
a. Organizations may respond to one or more experiment objectives/focus areas listed in paragraphs four (4) through six (6). One Technology Submission Form is required for each technology or capability that is being submitted against a specific objective/focus area. For example, if a vendor has a capability that addresses two different focus areas, two separate Technology Submission Forms are required.
b. Technology Submission Form answersshould be provided in the fillable box provided after each question. Submitters should respond to all questions within the character limit of each answer box. All data entered on the submission form must be unclassified. A cover page should be provided with each Technology Submission Form that is marked with the BAA number, the organization's name, Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Number, and a protective legend IAW FAR 52.215-1(e).
c. Based on the areas of interest, a high-level description of the capability being addressed in the Technology Submission Form should include the following topics (as appropriate):
i. Hardware description.
• Quantity / per unit cost / per bundle cost.
• Physical interfaces.
• Expected performance parameters.
• Documentation/manuals/specifications/etc.
• Information Assurance status and/or Certifications.
• Size, weight, and power (SWaP).
• Antenna information.
• Frequency Bands.
ii. Software description.
• Operating system.
• Platform.
• Software interfaces.
• Base Station Controller.
• Information Assurance and/or Certifications.
• Compatibility with existing commercial protocols.
• Interoperability with commercial protocols.
•Application Programming Interface (API).
• Portability of software solutions.
• Documentation, manuals, specifications, etc.
• How will the discrete technology delivered under this topic
be sufficiently innovative and flexible to be integrated with other
technologies or into other Command and Control (C2) systems?
iii. Software Supportability and Sustainability.
• Licensingmodel: Is licensing per device, per user, etc.? Is the license one-time or recurring (e.g. annual)?
• Patching model: How are security updates published? Is a recurring (e.g. annual) support and/or maintenance fee required to access updates? What technical data is included with security updates? (e.g. what vulnerability was mitigated or corrected, and the method of mitigation or correction?)
• Product roadmap: Is a product roadmap available with target dates for future releases, milestones, planned features, and end-of-life for specific versions?
• Data rights: Are government data rights such as source code and technical data available, either included with the license or at additional cost?
• Third Party Software: Is any third party software either required or optional for full functionality such as Operating Systems, hardware drivers, database, other applications, or plugins? Provide data for 1-4 for each third party software requirement, if available.
iv. Functionality provided by the capability.
v. Operational Architecture View (OV-1) depiction.
vi. Technology Readiness Level (TRL). All responders must state the TRL of their technology (see attachment 1 for a definition of levels).
vii. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) restrictions if applicable.
viii. Security Classification requirements applicable to or pertaining to solutions (if known).
ix. Expected or perceived Use Cases for concept or capability proposed.
11. Vendor and Academic Community Participation: Vendors are not required to provide a turnkey solution for all areas of interest. Niche systems that provide a critical capability in the key areas of interest will be considered. Vendors will be required to sign a Vendor Demonstration Agreement (VDA) and support Cyber Quest 2019 planning and execution events at their own cost.
12. DOD Participation: The Cyber Battle Lab, Army Cyber Command (ARCYBER), Cyber Protection Brigade (CPB), TRADOC Capabilities Manager (TCM) Cyber, TCM Electronic Warfare (EW), TCM Tactical Radio (TR), TCM Network and Services (N&S), Requirements and Integration Division (RID), Capabilities and Analysis Division (CAD), Program Manager (PM) community and other appropriate organizations will be participating in this effort. Other federal and non-federal organizations may be invited to observe Cyber Quest 2019 as well.
13. US Government is not obligated by this BAA. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the preparation ofinformation provided in the white papers. The Government reserves the right touse information provided by respondents for any legal purpose deemed necessary. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed; the information provided will be used to assess the respondent's ability to address the capabilities called for in this BAA. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. This is not an announcement of an acquisition solicitation.
14. Technology/Paper Down Select Panel: All properly submitted responsesthat conform to the BAA requirements will be evaluated by a review panel comprised of technical experts from organizations that represent the Army operational,institutional, capabilities development, and acquisition communities. All government personnel are bound by public law to protect proprietary information. Note*: U.K. and Australian Foreign Exchange Officers that are assigned to the Cyber Battle Lab may participate in the review of submissions. If any of the information provided in your submission has ITAR restrictions, please indicate it on the submission form.
15. Contractor Support. The Government may use support contractor personnel to provide administrative assistance to federal employees regarding all aspects of any actions ensuing from this announcement, including the evaluation of Technology papers and subsequent proposals. However, federal employees will be responsible for actual reviews and evaluations. These support contractors will be bound by appropriate non-disclosure agreements (NDA) to protect proprietary and source-selection information and are not permitted to release any source-selection information to third parties, including others in their organization. By submission of a Technology Submission Form and/or subsequent Proposal, offerors are hereby consenting access to financial, confidential, proprietary, and/or trade secret markings in the Technology Submission Form, and/or subsequent Proposal to support contractor personnel.
16. Points of contact: Any questions on filling out the submission form should be directed to Mr. Horace Carney (horace.r.carney.civ@mail.mil) or Major Jason Broderick (jason.g.broderick.fm@mail.mil). Questions pertaining to the BAA electronic posting should be directed to Ms. Tara McAdoo (tara.l.mcadoo.civ@mail.mil), Mission and Installation Contracting Command, Fort Gordon GA, (706)791-1812. Submission forms should ONLY be sent to Ms. Tameko Brown ().
CyberQuest 2019 slides.
CITE: https://www.fbo.gov/notices/589df0de952c1657b82c95262e1251ab