[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 94 (Monday, May 16, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30264-30265]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-11417]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Army Science Board Request for Information on Robotic and 
Autonomous Systems-of-Systems (RAS) Technology Initiatives

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Request for information regarding support to Army RAS 
Competencies.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5 
U.S.C., Appendix, as amended), the Sunshine in Government Act of 1976 
(U.S.C. 552b, as amended) and 41 Code of the Federal Regulations (CFR 
102-3.140 through 160) the Department of the Army requests industry 
information on products, science and technology (S&T) research, 
operational concepts, and mission support innovations to support Army 
RAS competencies. No funds are available for any proposal or 
information submission and submitting information does not bind the 
Army for any future contracts/grants resulting from this request for 
information.
    The Army Science Board is requesting information from organizations 
external to the Army that will help the board complete its analysis and 
ensure that all viable sources of information are explored. Based on 
information submitted in response to this request, the Army Science 
Board may invite selected organizations to provide additional 
information on technologies of interest.
    To supplement the information developed in previous studies and 
otherwise available to the Board, organizations are invited to submit 
information on products or technologies to support RAS competencies and 
can be developed externally, either with support from the Army or from 
other sources.
    Specific information requested from industry on RAS products or 
technology (including Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) or Unmanned Ground 
Vehicles (UGV)) that companies are offering, or plan to offer, to 
government, civil or commercial customers is: Identification of the 
product and its capabilities; Description of the product or technology, 
including on-board processing architecture and functionality (e.g., 
vehicle guidance, navigation and control, sensor processing); 
Description of the current autonomous functionality and capabilities 
(e.g., waypoint navigation, sensor management, perception/reasoning); 
Description of plans to increase autonomy and changes, if any, to on-
board processing architecture/functionality enabling greater autonomy; 
Description of the Human-RAS collaboration capabilities, or planned 
capabilities, and changes, if any, to on-board processing architecture/
functionality enabling greater human-RAS collaboration; Assessment of 
utility of current, or planned, products or technologies to Army 
applications and missions.

ADDRESSES: Written submissions are to be submitted to the: Army Science 
Board, ATTN: Designated Federal Officer, 2530 Crystal Drive, Suite 
7098, Arlington, VA 22202.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: LTC Stephen K Barker at 
stephen.k.barker.mil@mail.mil">stephen.k.barker.mil@mail.mil.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Background. The Terms of Reference (ToR) provided by the Office of 
the Secretary of the Army directs the Army Science Board (ASB) to 
undertake a 2016 Study on ``Robotic and Autonomous Systems-of-Systems 
Architecture.''

[[Page 30265]]

    In accordance with the ToR, this study will analyze and identify 
the Army formations with the greatest potential to benefit from 
adoption of RAS technology in both the near term (7-10 years) and the 
long term (10-25 years). For each selected application, the study team 
should define the benefits of RAS, considering such factors as cost, 
manpower reduction, survivability, and mission effectiveness. To the 
extent possible, the team should make maximum use of existing platforms 
available in the Army, other Services, or commercially. Among the 
concepts being studied by the study team, for which it is seeking input 
are on relevant products and technologies are: Counter Integrated Air 
Defense (IAD) System; Counter Armor and Counter Fires System; Combat 
Aviation Wingman; Manned-Unmanned Armor Platoon; Multi-Mission Aerial 
layer System; Soldier Situational Awareness (SA) System; and Point of 
Need Sustainment. This is not an exhaustive list. Other concepts are of 
interest as well.
    Submission Instructions and Format: To respond to this request for 
information, interested parties should submit all information detailed 
below. Packages must be submitted by Friday, May 27, 2016 by 4 p.m. 
Eastern Standard Time. Submissions should briefly summarize the 
technologies within a maximum of four pages (as broken down in 
paragraphs b, c, and d below), excluding quad chart, figures, 
references and the cover page. No proprietary information should be 
included in the responses. Submissions require both a CD and a hard 
copy of the response. The size of the CD submission will be limited to 
20 MB. The hard copy format specifications include 12 point font, 
single-spaced, single-sided, 8.5 by 11 inches paper, with a 1 inch 
margin.

    a. Cover Page (1 page only):

    Title
    Industry

    Respondent's technical and administrative points of contact (names, 
addresses, phone and fax numbers, and email addresses).
    b. Abstract (1 page only): Summarize product or technology 
solutions and how they support Army RAS competencies. Respondents are 
encouraged to be as succinct as possible while providing sufficient 
detail to adequately convey the product or technology solutions.
    c. Product or Technology Description (4 pages maximum): Provide an 
enhanced view of the product or technology solution you are proposing, 
focusing on the advantages of the product or technology and its 
applicability to future Army RAS competencies. The description of each 
solution should include the current state of development and the 
predicted performance levels the product or technology should 
reasonably achieve. Of most interest to this study is a description of 
the current autonomous functionality of the product, the types of 
human-RAS collaboration that are supported by the product, any plans to 
increase autonomy and collaboration, and changes required to the on-
board processing architecture needed to enable these planned 
improvements.
    d. Applicability to Future Army RAS competency (1 page only): 
Identify and expound upon how the product or technology supports the 
seven Study Concept areas mentioned above, concentrating on the added 
capability this solution provides that currently does not exist.
    All Proposers should review the NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL SECURITY 
PROGRAM OPERATING MANUAL, (NISPOM), dated February 28, 2006, as it 
provides the baseline standards for the protection of classified 
information and prescribes the requirements concerning Contractor 
Development information under paragraph 4-105. Defense Security Service 
(DSS) Site for the NISPOM is: http://www.dss.mil/isp/fac_clear/download_nispom.html.
    Unclassified white papers/CDs must be mailed to the POC listed (see 
ADDRESSES and FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). Proposers who intend to 
include classified information or data in their white paper submission 
or who are unsure about the appropriate classification of their white 
papers should contact the POC for guidance and direction in advance of 
preparation at phone number (703) 545-8652.
    A listing of respondents and whether or not their submission was 
utilized will be made available for public inspection upon request. 
Open deliberation by the full committee is anticipated on or about July 
18, 2016 in Irvine, CA. This meeting will be preceded by standard 
Federal Register notification.

Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-11417 Filed 5-13-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 5001-03-P