[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 35 (Tuesday, February 22, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9632-9633]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-03664]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2022-0105]


Cooperative Research and Development Agreement--Evaluation of 
Teledyne FLIR SF280HDEP

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of intent; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces its intent to enter into a 
cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) to evaluate and 
potentially modify target classification technology used in conjunction 
with electro-optical/infra-red (E.O./IR) systems. The Coast Guard is 
currently considering partnering with Teledyne FLIR, Inc. and solicits 
public comment on the possible participation of other parties in the 
proposed CRADA, and the nature of that participation. The Coast Guard 
also invites other potential non-Federal participants, who have the 
interest and capability to bring similar contributions to this type of 
research, to consider submitting proposals for consideration in similar 
CRADAs.

DATES: Comments must reach the Coast Guard on or before March 24, 2022. 
Synopses of proposals regarding future CRADAs must also reach the Coast 
Guard on or before March 24, 2022

ADDRESSES: Submit comments online at http://www.regulations.gov 
following website instructions. Submit synopses of proposals regarding 
future CRADAs to Mr. Jay Carey at his address listed in the FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT section.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this notice 
or wish to submit proposals for future CRADAs, contact Mr. Jay Carey, 
Project Official, Aviation Branch, U.S. Coast Guard Research and 
Development Center, 1 Chelsea Street, New London, CT 06320, telephone 
860-271-2600, email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Public Participation and Request for Comments

    We request public comments on this notice. Although we do not plan 
to publish responses to comments in the Federal Register, we will 
respond directly to commenters and may modify our proposal in light of 
comments.
    Comments should be marked with docket number USCG-2022-0105 and 
should provide a reason for each suggestion or recommendation. You 
should provide personal contact information so that we can contact you 
if we have questions regarding your comments; but please note that all 
comments will be posted to the online docket without change and that 
any personal information you include can be searchable online. For more 
about privacy and the docket, visit http://www.regulations.gov/privacyNotice. We do accept anonymous comments.
    We encourage you to submit comments through the Federal Portal at 
http://www.regulations.gov. If your material cannot be submitted using 
http://www.regulations.gov, contact the Coast Guard (see FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT). Documents mentioned in this notice and all public 
comments, will be in our online docket at http://www.regulations.gov 
and can be viewed by following that website's instructions. 
Additionally, if you go to the online docket and sign up for email 
alerts, you will be notified when comments are posted.
    Do not submit detailed proposals for future CRADAs to http://www.regulations.gov. Instead, submit them directly to the Coast Guard 
(see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).

Discussion

    CRADAs are authorized under 15 U.S.C. 3710(a).\1\ A CRADA promotes 
the transfer of technology to the private sector for commercial use, as 
well as specified research or development efforts that are consistent 
with the mission of the Federal parties to the CRADA. The Federal party 
or parties agree with one or more non-Federal parties to share research 
resources, but the Federal party does not contribute funding.
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    \1\ The statute confers this authority on the head of each 
Federal agency. The Secretary of DHS's authority is delegated to the 
Coast Guard and other DHS organizational elements by DHS Delegation 
No. 0160.1, para. II.B.34.
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    CRADAs are not procurement contracts. Care is taken to ensure that 
CRADAs are not used to circumvent the contracting process. CRADAs have 
a specific purpose and should not be confused with procurement 
contracts, grants, and other type of agreements.
    Under the proposed CRADA, the Coast Guard's Research and 
Development Center (R&DC) will collaborate with one or more non-Federal 
participants. Together, the R&DC and the non-Federal participants will 
identify the capabilities, benefits, risks, and technical limitations 
of enhancing the SF280HD-EP to operate in support of USCG missions.
    We anticipate that the Coast Guard's contributions under the 
proposed CRADA will include the following:
    (1) In conjunction with the non-Federal participant(s), assist in 
developing the evaluation test plan to be executed under the CRADA;
    (2) Provide the small unmanned aircraft system (SUAS) test range, 
test range support, facilities, and all approvals required for SUAS 
operation under the CRADA;
    (3) Provide airborne targets, operators, and associated equipment 
necessary to conduct the evaluation test plan;
    (4) Coordinate and receive any Unmanned Flight Clearance (UFC) for 
the evaluations to be executed under this CRADA, as required, to 
include: Privacy Threshold Analysis, Privacy Impact Assessment, 
Spectrum Approval with the Office of Information Assurance and Spectrum 
Policy (CG-65), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the 
National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Local 
Range

[[Page 9633]]

spectrum de-confliction/authorization entities
    (5) Collaboratively collect and analyze evaluation test plan data; 
and
    (6) Collaboratively develop a final report documenting the 
methodologies, findings, conclusions, and recommendations of this CRADA 
work.
    We anticipate that the non-Federal participants' contributions 
under the proposed CRADA will include the following:
    (1) Provide SF280HDEP system and all other equipment to conduct the 
evaluation described in test plan;
    (2) Provide all required operators and technicians to conduct the 
evaluation;
    (3) Provide shipment and delivery of all equipment required for the 
evaluation; and
    (4) Provide own travel, personnel, and other expenses as required.
    (5) Collaboratively collect and analyze evaluation test plan data; 
and
    (6) Collaboratively develop a final report documenting the 
methodologies, findings, conclusions, and recommendations of this CRADA 
work.
    The Coast Guard reserves the right to select for CRADA participants 
all, some, or no proposals submitted for this CRADA. The Coast Guard 
will provide no funding for reimbursement of proposal development 
costs. Proposals and any other material submitted in response to this 
notice will not be returned. Proposals submitted are expected to be 
unclassified and have no more than five single-sided pages (excluding 
cover page, DD 1494, JF-12, etc.). The Coast Guard will select 
proposals at its sole discretion on the basis of:
    (1) How well they communicate an understanding of, and ability to 
meet, the proposed CRADA's goal; and
    (2) How well they address the following criteria:
    (a) Technical capability to support the non-Federal party 
contributions described; and
    (b) Resources available for supporting the non-Federal party 
contributions described.
    Currently, the Coast Guard is considering Teledyne FLIR, Inc. for 
participation in this CRADA, because they have a solution in place for 
providing E.O./IR target auto classification. However, we do not wish 
to exclude other viable participants from this or future similar 
CRADAs.
    The goal of this CRADA is to evaluate the potential of modifying 
E.O./IR target auto classification technology. Special consideration 
will be given to small business firms/consortia, and preference will be 
given to business units located in the U.S.
    This notice is issued under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 15 
U.S.C. 3710(a).

    Dated: February 16, 2022.
Daniel P. Keane,
Captain, USCG, Commanding Officer, U.S. Coast Guard Research and 
Development Center.
[FR Doc. 2022-03664 Filed 2-18-22; 8:45 am]
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