ONHS Report: FA875024S7002

NETWORKING THE FIGHT

Solicitation ID: FA875024S7002

Agency: AFRL/RI

Type: Presolicitation

Deadline: 2029-02-14T23:59:00 ET

Eligibility: Maybe (Dual Approval Required)

Funding: Approximately $70M total funding, with individual awards normally ranging from $1M to $24M. Anticipated funding per award varies by phase and technical area (TA): TA1 ($1M - $2.5M), TA2 ($0.5M - $2.5M), TA3 (single award, $3.5M - $13M).

Doc Type: BAA

Clearance: Top Secret

Program Manager: brian.kay.4@us.af.mil

Last Updated: 2025-11-24 13:18

Analyzed File: BAA 24-02 Amend 5 first repub.docx

Eligibility Reasoning

Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs)... cannot propose to this BAA in any capacity unless they meet the following conditions: FFRDCs must clearly demonstrate that the proposed work is not otherwise available from the private sector; and FFRDCs must provide a letter on official letterhead from their sponsoring organization citing the specific authority establishing their eligibility... FFRDC and Government entity eligibility will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Note: This is an AI-generated summary...

Summary

The Air Force Research Laboratory's 'Networking the Fight' (BAA FA8750-24-S-7002) is a broad agency announcement with approximately $70 million in total funding. It seeks to develop technologies that enhance information sharing at the tactical edge for Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2). The program's objective is to enable the secure, seamless, and resilient movement of data across multiple security domains (i.e., 'red-black' boundaries) and physical domains (air, space, ground), particularly in contested, degraded, and disconnected environments. The effort is focused on three technical areas (TAs): (TA1) Next Generation Cross Domain Solution Broker for managing existing cross-domain solutions tactically; (TA2) Highly Dynamic Red/Black Networking for resiliently routing classified data over unclassified networks by passing metadata; and (TA3) Modeling, Simulation, and Analysis (MS&A) to create a government-owned testbed to evaluate technologies from TA1 and TA2. The program is structured in a multi-phase approach designed to mature prototypes to a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 demonstration, emphasizing open standards, multi-vendor interoperability, and government-owned deliverables.

Overall Technical Areas

Cross-Domain Solution BrokerDynamic Red/Black NetworkingModeling, Simulation, and Analysis (MS&A)Secure Information SharingTactical Heterogeneous NetworksResilient Network ForwardingMission-Aware Network ManagementCDS Reconfigurability and DiscoverabilitySecure Metadata ManagementDigital Model DevelopmentNetwork Simulation and EmulationSystem Integration and PrototypingNetwork Quality of Service (QoS)Open Systems ArchitectureSecure Communication Protocols

Probable LBNL Areas

BSACSAEESAETALD

Focus Areas

Example Priorities:

Design and develop a discoverable, reconfigurable Cross Domain Solution (CDS) Broker that meets throughput and latency requirements needed for tactical deployment at scale and supports network Quality of Service (QoS).
The broker service will provide services on either side of guards to support capabilities not generally associated with a guard device, including data normalization, metadata pre-processing, and sharing control messages with peer instances of the broker service in other security domains.
Using the CDS Broker, operators must have the ability to add and/or configure new mission-selectable data flows quickly and easily to support composable filtration during mission.
NtF must provide a discoverable CDS broker service, defined as the ability of a network node to locate CDS service(s) that can pass mission-required information among all necessary security echelons and enclaves without violating security protocols of the network or compromising operational security.

Specific Technical Skills:

Cross Domain Solutions (CDS)Network Quality of Service (QoS)Service Discovery ProtocolsPublish/Subscribe ArchitectureTactical NetworkingData NormalizationMetadata ProcessingSystem IntegrationComposable FiltrationInformation Management Systems (IMS)

Potential PIs for this Area:

Name	Score	Organization
John Wu	0.70	CSA \| Scientific Networking (ESNET) \| Tech Adv and Engagement
Sean Peisert	0.70	CSA \| SciData \| Data Science Applications
Vinay Sawal	0.69	CSA \| NERSC \| Data Center Department
Dan Bonachea	0.69	CSA \| AMCR \| Computer Science
Ronal Kumar	0.68	CSA \| NERSC \| Data Center Department
Alexander Sim	0.68	CSA \| SciData \| Data Science Research
Gazi Mahmud	0.68	BSA \| Environmental Genomics & Systems Biology \| Molecular Ecosystems Bio
Sudip Dosanjh	0.68	CSA \| Computing \| National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC)
Karlo Berket	0.68	CSA \| SciData \| Data Science Applications
Shreyas Cholia	0.68	CSA \| SciData \| Data Science Applications

Example Priorities:

Design and develop message-oriented (e.g., mission level) resilient forwarding over Red/Black network boundaries that optimizes delivery assurance and mission impact and to optimize network hops by dynamically utilizing all available networks.
Provide the ability to pass metadata from the red side to the black side enabling the black network to make routing decisions and provide resilient forwarding over black networks.
Identification and distribution of metadata that can be captured and conveyed from red networks to black networks. This metadata must enable the black core to intelligently route (or forward) and handle multiple packets without compromising the disseminated information.
Provide the ability to optimize data flows across both red and black networks based on the prioritization of many simultaneous missions and applications.

Specific Technical Skills:

Red/Black Network ArchitectureNetwork Encryption (HAIPE, IPsec, TLS)Resilient ForwardingMetadata ObfuscationDynamic Routing ProtocolsNetwork Fault ToleranceTraffic PrioritizationAssured Delivery ProtocolsTactical Data LinksCipher Text Analysis

Potential PIs for this Area:

Name	Score	Organization
Sean Peisert	0.73	CSA \| SciData \| Data Science Applications
John Wu	0.69	CSA \| Scientific Networking (ESNET) \| Tech Adv and Engagement
Adam Slagell	0.69	CSA \| Scientific Networking (ESNET) \| Security
Vinay Sawal	0.69	CSA \| NERSC \| Data Center Department
Ronal Kumar	0.68	CSA \| NERSC \| Data Center Department
Dan Bonachea	0.66	CSA \| AMCR \| Computer Science
Georgios Michelogiannakis	0.66	CSA \| AMCR \| Computer Science
Angelos Ioannou	0.66	CSA \| AMCR \| Computer Science
Sunhee Baik	0.66	ETA \| Energy Analysis & Environmental Impacts \| Energy Markets & Policy
Aydin Buluc	0.66	CSA \| AMCR \| Computer Science

Example Priorities:

This Technical Area will establish a non-proprietary multi-vendor MS&A Testbed.
The scope will specifically be focused on: development and integration of digital models that implement Technical Area 1 & 2 designs, models for end-to-end ground/air/space nodes representing mission thread scenarios and conduct of analyses that assess performance across mission scenarios with and without NtF capability.
It is desired that white papers/proposals consider utilizing the following currently available tools: Advanced Framework for Simulation, Integration, and Modeling (AFSIM), Extendable Mobile Ad-hoc Network Emulator (EMANE), Tactical Network Modeler (TNM), and/or Common Open Research Emulator (CORE).
Combine mission-level simulations with network level simulations and emulations.

Specific Technical Skills:

Modeling and Simulation (M&S)Network Emulation (EMANE, CORE)AFSIMTactical Network Modeler (TNM)Digital ModelingTestbed IntegrationSystem Architecture ModelingPerformance AnalysisInterface Control Documents (ICD)Systems Engineering

Potential PIs for this Area:

Name	Score	Organization
Alexander Sim	0.70	CSA \| SciData \| Data Science Research
Zachary Needell	0.69	ETA \| Energy Analysis & Environmental Impacts \| Sustainable Energy Dept
Gregory Lemieux	0.69	EESA \| CESD \| Earth System Sciences
Michael Wetter	0.69	ETA \| Building Technology & Urban Systems \| Bldg Technologies Dept
Angelos Ioannou	0.68	CSA \| AMCR \| Computer Science
John Wu	0.68	CSA \| Scientific Networking (ESNET) \| Tech Adv and Engagement
Samuel Williams	0.68	CSA \| AMCR \| Computer Science
Sean Peisert	0.68	CSA \| SciData \| Data Science Applications
Vinay Sawal	0.68	CSA \| NERSC \| Data Center Department
Shawn Tornga	0.68	LD \| LD \| ONHS

Potential LBNL PIs (Overall)

Note on PI Matching: These suggestions are generated through an AI-driven semantic analysis of LBNL staff profiles.

Name	Score	Organization
Dipak Ghosal	0.76	CSA \| ESNET \| Tech Adv and Engagement · Tactical Heterogeneous Networks
Arpit Gupta	0.74	CSA \| ESNET \| Tech Adv and Engagement · Network Quality of Service (QoS)
Alexandre Bayen	0.74	ETA \| Energy Analysis \| Systems & Energy Tech Analysis · Modeling, Simulation, and Analysis (MS&A)
Zachary Needell	0.74	ETA \| Energy Analysis \| Systems & Energy Tech Analysis · Digital Model Development
Cory Snavely	0.74	CSA \| NERSC \| HPC Technology Department · Open Systems Architecture
Evangelos Chaniotakis	0.73	CSA \| ESNET \| Systems and Software · Network Simulation and Emulation
Meriam Gay Bautista-Jurney	0.73	CSA \| AMCR \| Computer Science · System Integration and Prototyping
Angelos Ioannou	0.73	CSA \| AMCR \| Computer Science · CDS Reconfigurability and Discoverability
Sean Peisert	0.72	CSA \| SciData \| Data Science Applications · Secure Information Sharing
Abdelilah Essiari	0.72	CSA \| SciData \| Data Science Applications · Cross-Domain Solution Broker

Fundamental Research Exemption (FRE)

The host environment is controlled and governed by CUI, ITAR, EAR restrictions.