ONHS Report: FA875024S7007

Signals Intelligence Focused Technologies for Exploitation and Reporting (SIFTER)

Solicitation ID: FA875024S7007

Agency: AFRL/Information Directorate

Type: Presolicitation

Deadline: 2029-09-28T15:00:00 ET

Eligibility: DOE Site Office Approval Required

Funding: Total funding of approximately $99.9M. Individual awards will normally range from $1,000,000 to $5,000,000.

Doc Type: BAA

Clearance: TS/SCI

Program Manager: David Rose

Last Updated: 2025-11-24 13:05

Analyzed File: 24-07 amend 4 first repub 2025.docx

Eligibility Reasoning

Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs)... cannot propose to this ARA 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 to propose to Government solicitations and compete with industry... This information is required for FFRDCs proposing to be prime contractors or sub-awardees.

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

Summary

The Department of the Air Force, through the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Information Directorate, has issued an Advanced Research Announcement (ARA) titled 'Signals Intelligence Focused Technologies for Exploitation and Reporting (SIFTER)' (FA8750-24-S-7007). The program, with a total estimated funding of $99.9 million through September 2029, seeks innovative research to enhance the exploitation, dissemination, and analytics of signals from adversarial systems. Key technology areas of interest include: Electronic Intelligence (ELINT), SIGINT analytics, autonomous processing, resilient exploitation in contested environments, and Cyber-SIGINT cross-domain collaboration. The effort emphasizes onboard processing for ISR platforms, high-speed signal detection, multi-sensor data analytics, and compliance with Open System Architecture (OSA). This is an open, two-step announcement, accepting white papers initially, with formal proposals by invitation only. Individual awards are anticipated to range from $1 million to $5 million over periods up to 60 months.

Overall Technical Areas

Signal Processing AlgorithmsSignal Information ExploitationHigh-Speed Signal DetectionOnboard ISR ProcessingCross-Domain Data AnalyticsOpen System Architecture (OSA)Electronic Intelligence (ELINT)Radar Signal GeolocationSIGINT AnalyticsPattern-of-Life AnalyticsAutonomous SIGINT ProcessingResilient System ArchitecturesCyber-SIGINT IntegrationMIMO Threat Analysis

Probable LBNL Areas

BSACSAEESAETALDPSA

Focus Areas

Example Priorities:

Technologies for Electronic Intelligence: Focuses on the development, demonstration, and evaluation of technologies to detect/identify/geolocate radar signals, addressing emerging requirements for modern, mobile, and multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) threats.
Technologies for Signals Intelligence Analytics: Focuses on the development, demonstration, and evaluation of technologies to aggregate SIGINT focused multi-intelligence data sets to facilitate advanced and pattern-of-life analytics along with exploitation capabilities against challenging target sets.
Technologies for Autonomous Processing: Focuses on the development, demonstration and evaluation of technologies to address autonomous/automated SIGINT focused multi-intelligence architectures for exploitation and reporting to shorten the kill chain and increase defensive posture.
Technologies for Resilient Exploitation: Focuses on the development, demonstration and evaluation of technologies to address resilient SIGINT focused multi-intelligence architectures for exploitation and reporting within near-peer Denied, Degraded, Interrupted and Limited battlespace (DDIL) environments.
Technologies for Cyber-SIGINT Cross Domain: Focuses on the development, demonstration and evaluation of technologies to address cyber awareness and operations through cross domain collaborative SIGINT sensing and analytics.

Specific Technical Skills:

Technologies for Electronic Intelligence: Focuses on the development, demonstration, and evaluation of technologies to detect/identify/geolocate radar signals, addressing emerging requirements for modern, mobile, and multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) threats.Technologies for Signals Intelligence Analytics: Focuses on the development, demonstration, and evaluation of technologies to aggregate SIGINT focused multi-intelligence data sets to facilitate advanced and pattern-of-life analytics along with exploitation capabilities against challenging target sets.Technologies for Autonomous Processing: Focuses on the development, demonstration and evaluation of technologies to address autonomous/automated SIGINT focused multi-intelligence architectures for exploitation and reporting to shorten the kill chain and increase defensive posture.Technologies for Resilient Exploitation: Focuses on the development, demonstration and evaluation of technologies to address resilient SIGINT focused multi-intelligence architectures for exploitation and reporting within near-peer Denied, Degraded, Interrupted and Limited battlespace (DDIL) environments.Technologies for Cyber-SIGINT Cross Domain: Focuses on the development, demonstration and evaluation of technologies to address cyber awareness and operations through cross domain collaborative SIGINT sensing and analytics.

Potential PIs for this Area:

Name	Score	Organization
Sean Peisert	0.70	CSA \| SciData \| Data Science Applications
Gazi Mahmud	0.68	BSA \| Environmental Genomics & Systems Biology \| Molecular Ecosystems Bio
Shawn Tornga	0.68	LD \| LD \| ONHS
Stijn (Stan) Wielandt	0.68	EESA \| EG \| Geophysics Dept
John Wu	0.68	CSA \| Scientific Networking (ESNET) \| Tech Adv and Engagement
Alexander Sim	0.67	CSA \| SciData \| Data Science Research
Edward Bethel	0.67	CSA \| SciData \| Data Science Research
Emil Rofors	0.67	PSA \| NSD \| ANP
Alex Newkirk	0.67	ETA \| Building Technology & Urban Systems \| Bldg & Industrial App Dpt
Andre Santos	0.67	EESA \| CESD \| Integrated Ecosystem Sciences

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
Jason Lowe-Power	0.74	CSA \| SciData \| Data Science Applications · Resilient System Architectures
Alexander Sim	0.73	CSA \| SciData \| Data Science Research · Cross-Domain Data Analytics
Tiffany Connors	0.73	CSA \| NERSC \| Data Center Department · Cyber-SIGINT Integration
Carl Grace	0.73	PSA \| Engineering \| Electronic Engineering · High-Speed Signal Detection
Bruce Nordman	0.72	ETA \| Building Tech. & Urban Sys. \| Bldg Technologies Dept · Open System Architecture (OSA)
Yuankun Xu	0.72	EESA \| EG \| Geophysics Dept · Radar Signal Geolocation
Josh North	0.72	EESA \| CESD \| Earth System Sciences · Pattern-of-Life Analytics
Alexandre Bayen	0.72	ETA \| Energy Analysis \| Systems & Energy Tech Analysis · Signal Information Exploitation
Stijn (Stan) Wielandt	0.72	PSA \| Engineering \| Electronic Engineering · Electronic Intelligence (ELINT)
Emil Rofors	0.71	PSA \| NSD \| ANP · Signal Processing Algorithms

Fundamental Research Exemption (FRE)

Any employee who is not a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident will be restricted from working on any resultant contract unless prior approval of the Department of State or the Department of Commerce is obtained via a technical assistance agreement or an export license. Violations of these regulations can result in criminal or civil penalties.