[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 118 (Monday, June 23, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26595-26596]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-11455]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
[Docket Number USCG-2025-0150]
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement: Evaluation of EO/
IR Auto-Classification Technology To Improve USCG Operational
Effectiveness
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of intent; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) is announcing its intent to enter
into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with
Teledyne FLIR to evaluate their Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)
technology and address its ability to train models for needs specific
to USCG operations. The Research and Development Center desires to
identify the capabilities, benefits, risks, and limitations of Electro-
Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) systems for integration with other shipboard
systems. This will include testing of the technology and data
collection in dynamic environmental conditions. In addition to
increasing target classification efficacy, this work includes
developing detection and classification information sharing standards
with external command and control (C2) systems.
DATES: Your comments and related material must reach the Coast Guard on
or before July 23, 2025.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2025-0150 using the Federal portal at https://www.regulations.gov. See
the ``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' portion of the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for further instructions on
submitting comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions about this
notice of intent, call or email Mr. Christopher Davidson, Defense and
Safety Systems, U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center;
telephone 860-271-2600, email [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Table of Abbreviations
DHS Department of Homeland Security
U.S.C. United States Code
II. Background and Purpose
The U.S. Coast Guard's Research and Development Center (R&D Center)
plays a crucial role in advancing technologies and capabilities to
address the increasingly complex maritime environment. The R&D Center
assesses the feasibility and affordability of solutions, provides
operational and risk-management analysis, and collaborates with public
and private sector experts to leverage their knowledge. A key focus is
on keeping pace with rapidly advancing technologies, requiring
innovative methods in workforce development, system acquisition, and
sustainment to support current and future Coast Guard operations.
The Coast Guard aims to enhance its operations through the
integration of new capabilities and assessing the
[[Page 26596]]
effectiveness of these innovations in real-world environments is
critical. The R&D Center is interested in understanding how these
technologies can improve crew effectiveness and Coast Guard operations,
aligning with strategic goals to increase mission support efficiency
and expedite the adoption of new technologies.
III. Public Participation and Request for Comments
We request public comments on this notice. Although we do not plan
to respond to comments in the Federal Register, we will respond
directly to commenters and may modify our proposal in light of
comments.
We encourage you to submit comments in response to this notice of
inquiry through the Federal Decision Making portal at https://www.regulations.gov. To do so, go to https://www.regulations.gov, type
USCG-2025-0150 in the search box and click ``Search.'' Next, look for
this document in the Search Results column, and click on it. Then click
on the Comment option. In your submission, please include the docket
number for this notice of inquiry and provide a reason for each
suggestion or recommendation. If your material cannot be submitted
using https://www.regulations.gov, contact the person in the FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for alternate
instructions. To view documents mentioned in this notice of inquiry as
being available in the docket, find the docket as described in the
previous paragraph, and then select ``Supporting & Related Material''
in the Document Type column. Public comments will also be placed in our
online docket and can be viewed by following instructions on the
https://www.regulations.gov Frequently Asked Questions web page. We
review all comments received, but we may choose not to post off-topic,
inappropriate, or duplicate comments that we receive.
We accept anonymous comments. Comments we post to https://www.regulations.gov will include any personal information you have
provided. For more about privacy and submissions in response to this
document, see DHS's eRulemaking System of Records notice (85 FR 14226,
March 11, 2020).
IV. Discussion
CRADAs are authorized under 15 U.S.C. 3710a.\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 parties do not contribute funding.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 R&D Center will collaborate with one
non-Federal participant. Together, the R&D Center and the non-Federal
participant will conduct multiple data collection events interspersed
with data analysis and software changes addressing a variety of
relevant USCG maritime scenarios and conditions. The R&D Center is
planning several test events to collect data from sensors installed on
Coast Guard assets.
We anticipate that the Coast Guard's contributions under the
proposed CRADA will include the following:
1. Develop test plans to be executed to meet the objectives of the
CRADA.
2. Provide the test range, range support, and all approvals
required for testing and evaluation as required under this CRADA.
3. Coordinate and handle operating legal requirements for the
evaluations to be executed under this CRADA.
4. Develop a final report or brief that documents the methods,
findings, conclusions, and recommendations under this CRADA.
We anticipate that the non-Federal participants' contributions
under the proposed CRADA will include the following:
1. Provide the EO/IR system and all other equipment required to
conduct evaluation as described in the test plan.
2. Provide operators as required to conduct evaluation as described
in the test plan.
3. Collect and analyze data in accordance with the test plan.
4. Provide shipment and delivery of all non-Federal participants'
equipment required under this CRADA.
5. Provide personnel travel and other associated expenses as
required under this CRADA. 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 not 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 for
participation in this CRADA. This consideration is based on the fact
that Teledyne FLIR has the technical capability and expertise to
determine the efficacy of CNN technology to enhance USCG operational
capabilities. However, we do not wish to exclude other viable
participants from this or future similar CRADAs.
This is a technology assessment effort. The goal of the Coast Guard
for this CRADA is to evaluate CNN technology and determine
capabilities, benefits, risks, and technical limitations of enhancing
multiple EO/IR systems for potential integration with other shipboard
systems. Special consideration will be given to small business firms
and 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).
Dated: June 13, 2025.
M.P. Chien,
Captain, Commanding Officer, U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development
Center.
[FR Doc. 2025-11455 Filed 6-20-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P