Trusted and Elastic Military Platforms and Electronic Warfare (EW) System Technologies (TEMPEST)
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL/RYW) has issued an Advanced Research Announcement (ARA) for the Trusted and Elastic Military Platforms and Electronic Warfare (EW) System Technologies (TEMPEST) program. This ARA seeks white papers and proposals for research and development focused on identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities in avionics systems, enhancing cyber protection, providing simulation capabilities, developing platform architecture technologies, and expanding open system architecture (OSA) standards for Air Force and DoD weapon systems in multi-domain environments. This unrestricted opportunity has an estimated total program value of $808.5 million and anticipates multiple awards. The ARA remains open for calls until March 31, 2027.
Scope of Work
Individual calls issued under this ARA will focus on experimental programs related to:
- Prototyping, integrating, and demonstrating cyber security and cognitive avionics technologies.
- Developing and experimenting with new cognitive, cyber-hardened, and high-speed flexible system architectures.
- Integrating advanced cyber security, cognitive sensor technologies, and C4ISR capabilities onto weapon systems.
- Implementing OSA-based reference architectures.
Key technical areas of interest include Technologies for Assessing/Cyber-Hardened/Cyber-Resilient Platforms, Agile System Architecture Development/Integration, OSA for Trusted/Agile Platforms, Modeling & Simulation, RF Simulation, and Measuring Sensor System Performance. Work may involve development, experimentation, test, evaluation, assessment, prototyping, integration, ground/flight tests/demonstrations, and transition efforts.
Contract Details
- Type: Advanced Research Announcement (ARA) leading to FAR-based Cost-Reimbursement, Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ), Multiple Award Fair Opportunity, or Other Transaction (OT) awards.
- Total Estimated Program Value: $808,505,000.00
- Individual Award Range: $1,000,000.00 to $200,000,000.00
- Set-Aside: Unrestricted (open to businesses and educational institutions of all sizes).
- ARA Open Until: March 31, 2027
- Place of Performance: Wright Patterson AFB, OH
Submission & Evaluation
- The ARA operates on a "calls" basis, with each call specifying a one-step (proposals) or two-step (white papers then proposals) process.
- White papers are reviewed for technical approach consistency, government interest, and funding availability.
- Proposals are evaluated based on Technical Merit (ranked first) and Cost/Price (ranked second).
- Mandatory Submission Requirements: For proposals, offerors must submit a Research and Related Senior and Key Person Profile Worksheet (Appendix 2), Security Program Questionnaire (Appendix 1), and a Privacy Act Statement consent form (Appendix 3) for each "Covered Individual" (Senior/Key Personnel).
Important Notes
- Offerors must monitor SAM.gov for amendments and individual calls.
- Communication with technical points of contact is encouraged until proposal submission.
- Security classification (anticipated Top Secret for most awards) and export control may apply.
- Offerors must establish internal processes to address foreign talent programs, conflicts of interest, and research integrity, and disclose foreign components/talent recruitment.