NeedipeDIA

The classified DIA NeedipeDIA site is now operational.  To view the list of needs visit the Ideas to Action website on Intelink and follow the NeedipeDIA link, or go to ACE and ARC.

To be an innovation leader, an organization must efficiently leverage ideas, practices, and capabilities created anywhere, especially outside the organization. DIA has enhanced its ability to efficiently leverage solutions from industry and academia. NeedipeDIA expands the ongoing dialogue between DIA and innovative solution providers (industry, academia, labs) to address mission critical needs, and creates a direct communication channel to the solution providers with emerging technology that enhances DIA's mission capabilities.

NeedipeDIA enables DIA to express capability needs, clearly and concisely, to a larger community of innovators and encourage participation from both establish partners and companies that have never before worked with federal agencies. The list of needs below is designed to communicate the solutions DIA is seeking, while providing an entry point into government acquisition through an Open Broad Agency Announcement (BAA).

The content on this webpage consists of a dynamic list of needs that is updated frequently. All individuals, companies, or academic institutions interested in receiving grants or contracts through the Open BAA, found on www.fbo.gov and www.grants.gov, must identify the specific need by number using the list below. Detailed instructions for expressing your solution(s) are found within the Open BAA.


PROPOSALS NOT FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS CONTAINED IN THE BAA WILL NOT BE EVALUATED.

We look forward to hearing from you.


More Information »

NeedipeDIA FAQ »

STEPS TO SUBMIT A WHITE PAPER:

  1. Click to read the Open BAA instructions.
  2. Identify one of the Needs from the list below that best matches your proposed solution.
  3. Prepare a white paper following the format requirements starting on page 8 of the Open BAA and use the most current coversheet. 
  4. Send your unclassified white paper to Ideas2Action@dodiis.mil or your classified white paper to Ideas2Action@coe.ic.gov if you have access to a secure channel.  


HINTS FOR A SUCCESSFUL REVIEW:



Properly aligning your capability to a mission need (below) is essential for successful review. Specifically:

  • If you can't articulate how your capability addresses the mission need, then you have probably selected the wrong mission need.
  • Section 4 of your white paper is used to route the proposed innovative method, process, or technology to the end-users closest to the mission need.  
  • The more specific the need, the better chance of aligning funds to support.  Specific needs are identified by longer strings of numbers, i.e., "3.1U1 Object Based Intelligence" is more specific than "3. New Analysis Technologies and Methods"
  • If you need clarity on a mission need, please ask and we will work to enhance clarity.
  • Mission relevance is the most important review criteria.
  • White papers should avoid technical jargon and product branding.
  • Mission review of needs 6 (Science and Technology) and 7.1 (Information Technology) is more technical. Feel free to expound on the technical merit of your approach.
  • For all other categories, white papers should speak to direct mission impact.  Technical merit will be formally established later during the proposal review stage.
  • NeedipeDIA is designed to support DIA's "Start Small. Scale Fast. Fail Cheap." approach.
  • Smaller (<$650,000) initiatives are preferred.
  • Quick win (within 6 months) initiatives are preferred.
  • For Category 6 (Science and Technology), longer projects (<18 months) may be warranted.
  • Other solicitations methods are used for Major Systems Acquisitions.
  • Open/Considering indicates a more general DIA mission area need, while Open/Active indicates an innovative solution is more urgent.

UPDATED NEEDS LIST AND STRUCTURE BELOW!  Please review and submit your white papers according to this new structure.  If you have already submitted white papers under the former structure, they will continue to be reviewed against those needs.

Current Needs
Collapse All Expand All

Considering the myriad challenges posed by the strategic environment, DIA will continue enhancing its ability to perform long-term strategic analysis, including analysis of current and potential adversaries’ scientific, technological, and weapons capabilities, and improve the integration of all intelligence capabilities to better anticipate, monitor, and convey warning intelligence and policy-related opportunities.  As such, DIA seeks innovative methods and tools to build upon its warning apparatus at all levels.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

1.1 Prevent Strategic Surprise through Improved Acquisition Support

Improve intelligence support to acquisition through new methods, efficiencies and technical solutions to enable the Defense Intelligence Enterprise to improve its intelligence support to major DoD Acquisition programs, capabilities and requirements.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None















DIA is responsible for producing all source intelligence for DoD policy makers and warfighters.  All Source Intelligence is derived from all sources of information concerning foreign military and defense-related capabilities, intentions, plans, dispositions, and equipment that is required for the formation of U.S. strategy, policy, and military plans and operations at national, theater, and tactical levels. To support this mission, DIA seeks innovative tools and methods to advance its ability to provide leading edge all source intelligence to its broad range of customers.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

DIA seeks enhanced counterintelligence and security measures to ensure the physical security, operational security, and operational effectiveness of DIA personnel and operating locations. Included and of interest are measures to ensure the validity and credibility of intelligence information collected and reported to intelligence consumers.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: CLOSED
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

3.1 Counterintelligence (CI) Capability Development

DIA seeks development of new and improved counterintelligence capabilities with the goal of improving the timeliness, quality, quantity, and relevance of information gathered in support of counterintelligence consumers to exploit data collected by CI assets to yield information critical to Indications and Warnings and force protection.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

3.2 Security Support Solutions

3.2.1 Continuous Evaluation

DIA seeks innovative solutions to integrate existing DIA insider threat capabilities, technologies and data sources to comply with guidance from the Secretary of Defense to implement nationally mandated direction to enhance the way personnel are assessed for continued eligibility/access to classified information.  DIA will implement an enhanced periodic reinvestigation program by leveraging continuous monitoring and evaluation tools which are intrinsically linked to security, CI and insider threat efforts.   Proposals should include a strategy for addressing multiple aspects of personnel security to include automating processes to: provide a real time assessment of workforce risks; monitor data sources to flag pertinent information from an adjudicative and insider threat perspective; integrate publically available electronic information (e.g. social media) with traditional background information.  It is underscored that continuous monitoring and evaluation programs exist to ensure the integrity and trustworthiness of the enterprise and our people are the most important component.

  • Response Type:  BAA
  • Status:  Open/Considering      
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria:  None

DIA seeks development of new and improved intelligence collection capabilities with the goals of improving the timeliness, quality, quantity, and relevance of information gathered by DIA in support of human (HUMINT), and technical collection means including new models and methods for open source (OSINT), measurement and signature intelligence (MASINT), and counterintelligence (CI) practices.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering      
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

4.1 Human Intelligence Capability Development

DIA seeks development of new and improved human intelligence capabilities with the goals of improving the timeliness, quality, quantity, and relevance of information gathered by DIA in support of human intelligence consumers.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

4.2 Technical Collections Capability Development

DIA seeks innovative ideas and methods to exploit Science and Technology/Research and Development (S&T/R&D) advances to improve Agency operations. These approaches should help identify and transition new technologies in a timely manner to strengthen DIA capabilities and enable DIA to rapidly implement new and innovative approaches in order to outpace the application of low technology advances by our Nation’s adversaries.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

5.1 Forensic Technology Advancement for Documents and Digital Media

DIA seeks advances related to digital forensic techniques for collecting, processing, and exploiting documents, digital, and traditional media by enhancing the speed, volume, and clarity of information recovered.  DIA encourages proposals with new solutions that address any of the many challenges in this space, including: media acquisition, human language technologies, computer vision, digital signals processing, and data/process/user artifact analysis.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

5.1.1 Document and Media Acquisition

DIA seeks advances in the field of Document and Media Acquisition, to include Data Recovery from Damaged Sources, Non-Traditional Media Source Acquisition, Rapid Data Acquisition, and Methods to Counter Destruction of Document and Media Sources.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

5.1.2 Human Language Technologies

DIA seeks advances in the field of Human Language Technologies across any medium and modality, including, but not limited to Language/Dialect Identification, Machine Translation, Categorization, and Authorship Analytics.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering      
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

5.1.3 Computer Vision

DIA seeks advances in the field of Computer Vision, including, but not limited to Object Detection, Object Recognition, Digital Biometrics, Scene Identification, Content Characterization, and Content Change Detection.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering      
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

5.1.4 Digital Signals Processing

DIA seeks advances in the field of Digital Signals Processing, including, but not limited to Signature Generation and Identification, Non-Visible/Audible Spectrum Analysis, Event Characterization and Storyboarding, and Novel Methods for Content Similarity.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

5.1.5 Data, Process, and User Artifact Analysis

DIA seeks advances in the field of Data, Process, and User Artifact Analysis via Digital Forensics methods, including, but not limited to Temporal/Geospatial reconstruction, Network Activity, Application Analysis, Social Media Analysis, Social Network Analytics, and Digital Persona Analysis.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None 

Core mission capacity will be improved by training and shaping the workforce to ensure critical competencies are either in place or available for augmentation. Additionally, DIA will target recruitment, training, and retention approaches to achieve optimal performance from multiple workforce generations, with diverse backgrounds, possessing various levels of technological and social networking skills.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: CLOSED      
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

6.1 Information Technology

DIA seeks innovative solutions to provide information technology, systems and services to the Defense Intelligence Community in support of warfighters, national policy makers, and defense acquisition authorities.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering      
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

6.1.1 Customer Support and Governance

DIA seeks innovative solutions to deliver the highest level of satisfaction to all consumers of DIA Information Technology (IT) services and products.  Solutions should provide front-line support and accountability for all customer and mission interaction outcomes through consistent and deliberate interactions and enable timely and effective decision-making, strategically aligning IT to mission with measureable outcomes and customer value.  Offerors should take into account that ideas will be part of a governance structure that guides DIA’s strategic planning, architected enterprise, portfolio management, and investment management activities. 

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

6.1.2 Software Development and Sustainment

DIA seeks innovative solutions and technologies to design, build, test, integrate and deploy cohesive, interoperable, and sustainable enterprise IT applications.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

6.1.3 Big Data, Data Management, and Analytics

DIA seeks innovative approaches and solutions to provide data integration engineering services for the DoDIIS Enterprise by ingesting, exposing, tagging and deploying mission-effective standardized data services and common analytical capabilities.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

6.1.4 Delivery Models (Agile, Continuous Integration, Extreme Programming)

DIA seeks innovative methods and approaches to provide services that support Enterprise-level development, testing and planning capabilities for the deployment of engineering solutions. 

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

6.1.5 Infrastructure, Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Cloud Management

DIA seeks innovative approaches and solutions to perform operations and maintenance for infrastructure, services and applications across the DoDIIS enterprise.  Solutions should work to troubleshoot and fix operational problems and provide global oversight and reporting of the operational status of these services, capabilities and infrastructure components to ensure proactive responses for our customers.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

6.1.6 Information Assurance and Cyber Defense

DIA seeks innovative approaches, methods, and technologies to improve information assurance (IA) and computer network defense (CND) services for the DoDIIS enterprise, DoD SCI, Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System (JWICS), and the broader Intelligence Community (IC).  Proposed innovations should aid in providing technical oversight and guidance at all levels on information technology fielding decisions, secure communications, and network security issues. 

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

6.1.7 IT Financial Management and IT Portfolio Management

DIA seeks innovative solutions and methods to improve business operations support, strategic advice, and oversight for the cross-community management of the Defense Intelligence Information Technology (IT) Program.  Offerors should take into account the need for the agency to provide cost estimates, cost analysis, and risk analysis developed in accordance with generally accepted principles independent of resource and/or program influence.  Proposed innovations should facilitate CIO cost analysis processes and procedures that feed IT cost and modeling data into the overarching Agency cost analysis program.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

6.2 Training and Professional Development

DIA’s Academy for Defense Intelligence seeks to grow and sustain a Learning and Performance ecosystem by continually refreshing a comprehensive Enterprise Learning Architecture that will link and migrate to IC cloud services as they move to full operating capability.  The Enterprise Learning Architecture must enable moment-of-need access to both technical and non-technical learning assts that will seamlessly train, transfer, and sustain mission essential knowledge, skills and abilities to employees throughout the Defense Intelligence Enterprise.  DIA is especially interested in integrative mobile learning solutions that enable learning agility and integration for a globally dispersed workforce.  New learning technology solutions must be adaptive and designed to take into account all moments of learning need from the classroom to the workplace.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Closed
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

6.3 HR Support Solutions

DIA seeks solutions that facilitate a wide range of HR services, such as payroll and benefits, career management, strategic workforce planning, military personnel support, behavioral health and psychological services, employee health and wellness, performance management and employee/management relations. Solution areas might include, but are not limited to, customer service solutions (online/in person), motivation techniques and performance management tools, awards and recognition processes, and procedures to cultivate a work environment with high retention.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

6.3.1 Medical Support Solutions

DIA seeks solutions that will provide a safe and healthful workplace that ensures workforce readiness, agility, and shared effectiveness. DIA may entertain solutions that track accidents, injuries, illnesses, near-misses, and emerging issues in occupational safety and health, environmental and regulatory compliance. Solutions may also include services in the areas of work/life issues (family needs, telework, financial/legal issues), behavioral health and employee assistance (crisis intervention, counseling, coaching), and evaluation and assessments (medical evaluations).

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

6.4 Facility and Services Solutions 

DIA seeks innovative approaches and methods to support our world-class facility planning, engineering, operations, and services to the defense intelligence enterprise. Solutions should ensure energy-efficient, safe, secure facilities along with tailored facility and service support.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

6.4.1 DoD Embassy and Consulate Services

DIA, as DoD Program Manager for State Department sponsored administrative support programs, may entertain solutions that deal with providing administrative support services and new embassy construction, maintenance, and repair to DoD military, civilian, contractor, and their dependents assigned to U.S. embassies.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None               

6.4.2 Facility Engineering

DIA may consider new capabilities that support asset management and planning, engineering and construction, and facility management. Solutions that may be entertained may be space planning and management expertise for personnel placement, reconfiguration, and relocation activities, furniture installation, security, movers. Areas of enhancing capabilities include managing leases, occupancy agreements, real property assets, manage and monitor the facility operation, maintenance and repair programs for DIA occupied facilities and manage utility consumption and efficiency for DIA.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None    

6.4.3 Facility Services

DIA may consider new methodologies, technologies, and processes to enhance support to events management services, morale, welfare and recreational functions, establish, operate and maintain the Defense Intelligence Agency's Records Management, Privacy Act, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Information Declassification Programs, as well as the Agency's Intelligence Information Reports (IIR) management and dissemination. Other areas of consideration include innovation solutions for comprehensive graphic design, web, multimedia, video teleconferencing, exhibits, printing, scanning, and project management services.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None    

6.4.4 Facility Operations

DIA may entertain solutions that will facilitate providing a safe and healthful workplace that ensures workforce readiness, agility, and shared effectiveness, track investigations of workplace injuries, accidents and illnesses at DIA, health and environmental consultation and training, and mailroom and courier services.  Additional solutions that may be entertained may be incident response, building security, safety, minor maintenance and repair, custodial, space activities, and procedures to mitigate and respond to all-hazard and threats.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

6.5 Logistics and Global Readiness Solutions

DIA seeks innovative solutions that help support the delivery of full spectrum, accountable logistics and ensure global readiness to provide timely intelligence to our Nation’s senior leadership, Intelligence Community partners, and the Warfighter, at all times in any location, through partnering with stakeholders on integrated, innovative logistics and readiness services.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

6.5.1 Operations Support

DIA may consider new methodologies, technologies, and processes to facilitate support for vehicle management, sustainment support to field elements, expeditionary support in an appropriately attributable manner to platforms performing contingency and joint operations, and solutions to provide logistics support and physical infrastructure worldwide.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None         

6.5.2 Enterprise Support

DIA may consider new methodologies, technologies, and processes to manage requisitioning, stocking, issuing, and inventorying of Agency supplies and equipment, distribution and warehouse operations,  property accountability, and solutions that support travel activities such as processing passports/visas, working with travel agents for official travel, and managing mass transit programs.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

6.5.3 Global Enabling

DIA may consider new methodologies, technologies, and processes to facilitate forward support to overseas IC and USG support elements to provide field-oriented training, logistics, information technology and financial management. Solution areas might include, but are not limited to, defense agreement policies and procedures and support for forward support platforms.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

6.5.4 Global Readiness

DIA may entertain solutions that include development of policies and procedures, development and execution of continuity training and exercises, and coordination and collaboration with partners and global force management to ensure operational readiness.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

6.5.4.1 Mission Services Operations Center

DIA may entertain new methodologies, technologies and processes to enhance capabilities to provide leadership and partners with 24/7 situational awareness of worldwide equities (intelligence and related products, personnel, facilities, products, equipment, and communications) in support of mission requirements and other statutory obligations.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

6.5.5 Global Deployment

DIA may consider new methodologies, technologies, and processes to enhance support to prepare Agency and partner personnel to rapidly respond to global contingencies and to manage and synchronize deployment processes and policy development to provide a standardized mechanism to support contingency responses worldwide.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

DIA’s performance management program will conduct end-to-end performance assessments to raise product and service standards. Performance management will be used to institutionalize a culture that encourages workforce behavior to improve products and delivery of services, increase transparency and accountability at all levels, and establish methods that use hard data and other criteria for meaningful assessment.  DIA seeks innovative methods and approaches to support this strategic goal.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering      
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None 

7.1.1 Increase Workforce Advancement and Screening Effectiveness

DIA seeks innovation talent management approaches and technologies. Specifically, DIA is seeking capabilities to optimize advancement by filling positions with the best candidates available, ensuring maximum productivity, quality of life, and career development. Specific positions require specialized skill sets that must be aligned to core competencies of individual candidates. Techniques must accurately derive applicant potential from biographical information, resumes, training history, leadership/management experiences, and breadth and depth of professional expertise. Capabilities should provide hiring managers a prioritized list of top candidates from many applicants according to customized criteria created by the hiring manager. Ideally, DIA seeks capabilities which can integrate with existing DIA systems rather than standalone software solutions. Potential solution should be scoped as proof of concept pilots rather than large scale systems. 

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering      
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None                 

DIA continues to strengthen existing and build new relationships with industry, IC partner agencies, and foreign partners to prevent strategic surprise and improve collection and analytical opportunities.  DIA seeks innovative methods and solutions to help expand outreach and partnerships with U.S. and partner-nation agencies, the scientific community, and industry to learn of S&T/R&D advances that significantly benefit defense intelligence operations. It is essential to continue the integration of collection, analysis, counterintelligence, science and technology, and resources to operate as one defense intelligence team.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Closed
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

8.1 Empower Partnerships for the Academy for Defense Intelligence

DIA’s Academy for Defense Intelligence seeks to expand outreach and partnerships with divergent Research & Development entities in order to anticipate developments impacting Workplace Learning and Performance practices. Specifically, those with experience in designing adaptive human performance solutions that easily adjust to changing organizational technologies.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None
  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: Open/Considering
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

2. Supports Contingency Response

Develop and implement a unified contingency response to facilitate rapid transition to support multiple, concurrent military contingency operations.

  • Response Type: BAA 
  • Status: CLOSED      
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

3.0U0 Activity Based Intelligence (under Trunk Need “New Analysis Technologies and Methods”)

NGA seeks innovative capabilities and methods to extend Activity Based Intelligence (ABI) tradecraft. Activity Based Intelligence (ABI) refers to a concept formalized in 2010 by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence (OUSD(I)) in a white paper entitled Surveillance Employment Strategies for Irregular Warfare and followed up in subsequent USD(I) papers. ABI approaches intelligence problems by analyzing events and transactions (activity) in a spatial and temporal context, understanding available data and its underlying properties, and analyzing that data in a forensic fashion to enable network analysis, particularly against non-traditional hard targets (such as terrorists, non-state weapons proliferators, and narcotics networks). It also relies on the processing of large quantities of data, either manually or through automated means, in order to make data spatially discoverable to the analyst. In this way, ABI focuses on spatial correlations that may not be visible through logical or relational databases like M3 and TRIDENT.

NGA, consistent with the USD(I) papers, defines ABI as "a multi-INT approach to activity and transactional data analysis to resolve unknowns, develop object and network knowledge, and drive collection.”

In its simplest form, ABI focuses on analyzing events and transactions in a spatial environment to address intelligence problems by discovering or resolving unknown entities and their associated networks. ABI also facilitates the efficient use of limited collection resources by integrating multiple forms of intelligence in a common framework as early as possible, changing the paradigm of traditional "TCPED" and enabling analysts and collection officers to use other INTs in order to narrow the scope of data to be exploited manually.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: CLOSED      
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

3.0U1 Object Based Production (under Trunk Need “New Analysis Technologies and Methods”)

DIA seeks innovative methods for structuring information and knowledge into the smallest possible elements to maximize collaboration and reuse. Of particular interest are tools to normalize ontologies and automatically tag content with a high degree of accuracy and minimum training time.

  • Response Type: BAA 
  • Status: CLOSED
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

3.0U2 Advancements in Urban Warfare (under Trunk Need “New Analysis Technologies and Methods”)

DIA is seeking innovative intelligence tradecraft and capabilities to support the future of U.S. forces’ involvement in urban warfare.  Recent conflict has demonstrated the need to advance intelligence support for tactics, techniques, and procedures in support of an evolving warfighting function necessitated by urban conflict: Engagement. Support includes advances in the understanding of human terrain, influence operations rooted in open sources and social media, and strengthening linkages between strategic, operational, and tactical situational awareness.  According to the Army Capabilities Integration Center seminar of the same title, “future Megacity operations will require new capabilities, concepts, and doctrine” for U.S. forces operating in “a dynamic environment, changing not only block-to-block, but day-to-day… [amidst] multipolarity and rising state and non-state actors empowered by technology, potential adversaries [with] sanctuary in ungoverned areas and concealment in congested populated areas.”  Megacities are those metropolises of more than 10 million people with similar overarching characteristics. Nevertheless, each megacity is different in and of itself. In particular megacities located in developing countries are of special concern because they are described as ‘ill-structured,’ featuring a mixture of formal, informal and illicit structures complicated by rapid growth. Mega cities in coastal regions – in proximity to major ports and airfields – are of interest as they [are] influence points of entry.  Innovative capabilities supporting DIA’s efforts in this area of future analysis include but are not limited to Object Based Production (OBP) capabilities, Big Data capabilities, novel tradecraft approaches, novel intelligence fusion approaches, novel social-science modeling or predictive techniques. Via this need, DIA is not seeking additional studies. Rather, DIA seeks solutions that emphasize new tradecraft and include an evidence based evaluation of methods and practices.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: CLOSED
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

3.0U3 Crowd Sourcing Solutions (under Trunk Need “New Analysis Technologies and Methods”)

DIA seeks to acquire innovative crowd sourced information to better understand global, high priority defense and national security issues.  DIA expects the crowd’s insight and expertise on the topic(s) will be captured and made available for review.  Anticipated final deliverables should include such things as a final report, associated graphics/visualizations, and details on the sources used to justify assessments.  Once a contract is in place, specific unclassified research topics would be provided to initiate crowd sourced information acquisition over a predefined period of time.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: CLOSED
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

5.1U0 Personal Identification (under Trunk Need “Human Intelligence Capability Development”)

DIA seeks a small form-factor camera along with accompanying processing platform capable of identifying a person under deteriorated (i.e., low-light) conditions from standoff distances of 100m or more.

  • Response Type: BAA 
  • Status: CLOSED      
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

5.1U1 Credibility Assessment (under Trunk Need “Human Intelligence Capability Development”)

DIA seeks application of various small form factor technologies for the collection, processing, and display of data as it relates to credibility assessment. Technologies may include, but are not limited to, thermal or multi-spectral camera systems, visible video, or any sensors that would collect non-contact data relevant to credibility assessment during interviews or questioning.

  • Response Type: BAA 
  • Status: CLOSED
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

5.1U2 Computational Modality (under Trunk Need “Human Intelligence Capability Development”)

DIA seeks a computational modality suitable for rapid processing of data streams relevant to biometrics and credibility assessment. Modality can rapidly identify and quantify mathematical incongruities in Euclidean geometries. Applications with non-Euclidean and Hilbert spaces would also be desired.

  • Response Type: BAA
  • Status: CLOSED
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None 
  • Q&A:

•What are examples of these data streams?  

•The data streams to be applied to this need are mathematical values derived from biometric originators.

•How is Computational Modality defined?

•Computational Modality is defined as any algorithm that will be used to compute the biometric indices needed to complete the stated objective.

•What are the use cases?

•The specific use cases for this need will center around facial recognition.

8. Enhances Technical Collection

Exploit Science and Technology/Research and Development (S&T/R&D) advances to improve Agency operations. Identify and transition new technologies in a timely manner to strengthen DIA capabilities.

  • Response Type: BAA 
  • Status: **MOVED** represented in Branch Need 4.2 Technical Collections Capability Development
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None

9.1U1 Next Generation Learning Environment (under Trunk Need “Increase Organizational Effectiveness”)

DIA seeks to improve the Training, Education & Development support infrastructure by creating a comprehensive Learning Environment of individualized and relevant learning material that is provided where it is needed and delivered on the learning platform that best suits the learner’s needs. The environment must allow the learner to seamlessly access a network of capable peers and/or mentors, train in multiple environments beyond the traditional schoolhouse learning domain to include Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), Communities of Practice, mobile learning, virtual worlds and serious games and simulation. The environment must link to individual development plans and associated occupational competency models so that learner competency progress is monitored and recorded in the Human Resource system of record.

Proposals receiving the most consideration will fully integrate the following four functional areas:

  1. Learning Management System (LMS e.g. “AGILE/Plateau”)

      •Hosts course catalogs for Intelligence Community (IC)

     •Manages course enrollment for IC 
  2. Learning Content Management System (LCMS e.g. “Blackboard”)

      •Hosts robust Schoolhouse Distance Learning capability

     •Provides faculty control of course materials and student interaction 
  3. Embedded Performance Support Solutions (EPSS)

      •Enables design and deployment of “Performance Support Brokers”

     •Enables learning “at the moment of need” within the workflow. 
  4. Advanced Analytics (AA)

      •Enables self-service access to Big Data integrated from multiple data systems (i.e EDW, Intelink, eZHR)

     •Includes self-service tool for users to rapidly build and sustain dynamic “evaluation dashboards” customized to provide effective feedback to learners, workplace learning professionals, senior management, and learner’s managers (where appropriate) on the progress of both individual and organizational Training, Education and Development efforts and initiatives.
  • Response Type: BAA 
  • Status: CLOSED – Please reference Need 6.2 Training and Professional Development and Need 8.1 Empower Partnerships for the Academy for Defense Intelligence for other training and development opportunities
  • Additional Evaluation Criteria: None
  • Q&A:

•What methods of training/education are currently provided [e.g. video, simulations, online, in the classroom, texts, assessment types, etc.] and how is it typically delivered [e.g. online or at a training center, etc.]?

•Methods currently provided include standard instructor-led classroom training in training centers as well as asynchronous training on-line. Classroom based training includes practical exercises and simulations including video applications as specified by learning objectives derived from standard instructional design principles. Online delivery can take place via Saba (formerly Centra), Adobe (IC) Connect and Blackboard in various IT domains for synchronous and asynchronous distance/distributed learning.

•How does DIA certify or assess that the training was completed satisfactorily and how is actual proficiency assessed?

•DIA currently certifies training completion using both SuccessFactors (formerly Plateau) and Meridian Learning Management Systems.  Evaluation and assessments are tailored to support mission requirements and include the Learning & Development industry standard Kirkpatrick Level 1 to 4 framework where appropriate. Actual proficiency is generally assessed by front-line supervisor expectations using a variety of informal and formal means to include the personnel appraisal process and individual development plans linking to a growing collection of updated career roadmaps based on Office of Personnel Management Occupational Job Series guidelines and proficiency definitions.

•What types of training are provided/desired - is it general training on procedures or job etiquette [e.g. info security or sexual harassment and other soft skills] or is it much more nuanced and in-depth than that [e.g. trade-craft and job specific skills]?

•Training covers a wide variety of subject matter from tradecraft to administrative support. Desired development and review of training offerings are prioritized by a disciplined governance process designed to effectively respond to rapidly changing mission requirements. Budget austerity drives innovative training and performance support design approaches that leverage a wider-variety of workplace learning assets to include webinars, coaching, mentoring, informal “brown-bag” seminars and communities of practice. These learning assets complement or replace more costly classroom/on-line formal training that is easily forgotten if not immediately applied to mission needs.

•What improvements would DIA like to see - or current gaps that the training doesn't cover or 'do'?

•DIA would like to provide more workplace-centric performance support and performance improvement services to increase agility and speed to proficiency linked to specific mission needs. These performance improvement services will mitigate and replace less efficient and less effective formal classroom training and on-line eLearning which occurs outside mission-driven workflow and is easily forgotten if not immediately applied in the workplace. Costly and limited Instructional System Design (ISD) resources can then be focused on insuring quality development of the fewer, but more critical skills requiring mastery in a safe, classroom/simulated environment for safety reasons before application in actual mission settings.

•What analytics are desired? [e.g., tracking of students' progress and results, efficacy of the training materials]

•DIA is developing data visualization tools and advanced analytic capacities to synthesize training relevant data from multiple, disparate data sources using a variety of survey tools such as QuestionMark Perception, SharePoint and Vovici.  Analytics must measure accessibility, relevance and quality of training opportunities with regard to impact on specific mission results as defined by DIA functional managers.

•What does the future of education/training at the DIA mean to you in terms of content, delivery, and assessment?

•The future of education/training at DIA must provide content that is up-to-date, correct and accessible to a globally dispersed workforce at both the speed - and moment - of learning need. Education and training content delivery must be agile and delivered on-demand via multiple technology and non-technology channels. Education and training business processes must be based on Human-Centered design principles that can rapidly recover from disposable technologies and effectively adapt to emerging technologies in concert with changing mission needs assessed through dynamic, real-time feedback loops.

10.0U0 Gateway “Alpha” Participants (under Trunk Need “Empower Partnerships”)

DIA seeks “alpha” participants in the Open Innovation Gateway. GAP activities will not be funded and do not obligate the government for future acquisition.  More information on the Open Innovation Gateway can be found at http://www.dia.mil/Business/Innovation.aspx

GAP submissions will be evaluated based on the additional criteria listed below.

  • Response Type: BAA 
  • Status:  CLOSED

Additional Evaluation Criteria:  1) Perceived mission value of proposed solution; 2) Perceived mission value of demonstration use case; 3) Ability to provide unclassified data to support demonstration use case; 4) Visual appeal of solution (provide screenshot in white paper); 5) Viability of plan to integrate with Open Innovation Gateway services in 60 days; 6) Ability to conform to DIA and IC ITE authentication, authorization, and auditing services; 7) Ability to present capability to industry audience on Innovation Day