What the buyer needs
AI summaryThe United States Air Force is seeking information to identify vendors capable of providing trusted foundations systems. The agency is attempting to solve critical security vulnerabilities across software, hardware, and artificial intelligence systems. This initiative aims to enhance software assurance, secure computational systems against hardware threats, and leverage artificial intelligence to mitigate human design errors. The scope of work covers three primary research and development areas. First, the agency requires software assurance technologies that improve tool precision, recall, and scalability, alongside tools assessment, evidence-based assurance, and prototype demonstrations. Second, the agency is requesting solutions for processor and architecture design vulnerabilities, including tools to detect hardware Trojans and side-channel timing attacks while ensuring data integrity and code protection. Third, the project requires artificial intelligence techniques to support human-machine teaming, correct-by-construction design, and the continual assurance of learning-enabled components. Eligible respondents must be onshore organizations based exclusively in the United States. The agency requires the selected vendor to perform all work offsite at the vendor's own office location. The agency is currently looking for proposals to determine the budget and has not disclosed a specific funding limit or key dates in the initial request.
Scope of work
- Trusted, Secure, and Resilient Computational Systems
- Solutions for processor design trustworthiness challenges
- Solutions for computer architecture trustworthiness challenges
- Tools and methodologies for ensuring IC and system trustworthiness
- New computer architectures for secure and reliable computing
- Operating System level constructs for trustworthy computing bases
- Software Assurance (SwA) technology, tools assessment, and prototype demonstrations
- Trusted and Resilient Software-intensive Systems Engineering
How proposals are evaluated
| Criterion | Weight / scoring |
|---|---|
| Technical | Not specified |
| Capabilities and Related Experience | Not specified |
Minimum qualifications
- Registration in the SAM database
- Approved DD Form 2345, Militarily Critical Technical Data Agreement
- Government approved accounting system prior to award of a cost-reimbursement contract
- Personnel cleared for access to SECRET or TOP SECRET/SCI at time of award (if applicable)
- Facility clearance (if applicable)
Documents to include with your response
- White paper (2 to 5 pages, Sections A, B, and C)
- Approved DD Form 2345
- Standard Form 424, Research and Related Senior and Key Person Profile (Expanded)
- Research and Related Senior and Key Person Profile Worksheet
- Security Program Questionnaire
- Privacy Act Statement consent form for each Covered Individual
- OCI disclosure and mitigation plan
- Financial statements and ratios per DFARS 232.072-2(b) (FAR awards)
How to submit
- Method
- Addressed to the Technical Point of Contact (TPOC)
- Instructions
- 1 copy of a 2 to 5 page white paper, double spaced with font no smaller than 12 point (graphics/illustrations may be smaller).
Incumbent and award research
No incumbent history found for this requirement. The notice does not cite a current contract, and no earlier award from this buying office matches it.
Market context
Awards in the same category (Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)). This is not this requirement's award history.
Top vendors in this category: Department of Defense, NAICS 541715, since Oct 1, 2024
23,034 contract awards in this NAICS over the period.
- 1. LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION$5.3B
- 2. FLUOR MARINE PROPULSION, LLC$4.2B
- 3. LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP$3.8B
- 4. THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY APPLIED PHYSICS LABORATORY LLC$3.0B
- 5. THE AEROSPACE CORPORATION$2.2B
Source: USAspending.gov federal award data (U.S. federal public data). A contract is called the incumbent only when the notice or its documents cite it by number.