Sensors, ASA(ALT), Direct to Phase II
Ensuring Sensor Data Security and Integrity
Objective
The U.S. Army seeks a platform that secures the sensor data layer at the individual record level. The platform must also support experimentation that advances technology for Department of Defense and Army Data Strategy VAULTIS goals: Visible, Accessible, Understandable, Linked, Trustworthy, Interoperable and Secure.
Description
Via the solicitation, the Army requests vendors develop a cost-effective prototype platform that can flexibly work from tactical edge data fabric nodes. The platform must also operate at joint and external operational, strategic and enterprise levels.
It should work with a flexible application programming interface that has no limitation on the size of the data. Additionally, the Army has a related objective to experiment with the capture and holding of the sensor data’s immutable raw output, which prioritizes point-of-image or signal collection to ensure data integrity throughout its lifecycle and to the end user. The Army expects the integration of the following attributes:
- A unique encryption key for each submission.
- Integrated and always-on immutable data storage, audit and logging.
- Tamper-proof chain of custody for everything based on distributed ledger technology.
- Encryption using Advanced Encryption Standard-256 or better.
- Easy installation requiring minimal time, resources and ongoing maintenance.
Vendors must develop unique capabilities that ensure the Army becomes more data-centric and can conduct operations in contested environments. This will enable the Army to prevail on future battlefields.
Doing so will also allow us to project power in cyberspace and defend our networks, weapons and data from threats. For the Army to achieve data-centric operations, it requires the experimental integration of emerging technology, novel tactics, techniques and procedures, and enhanced data security engineering.
Phase I
This solicitation will accept Direct to Phase II proposals, where vendors could receive up to $2 million for a 24-month performance period. Proposers interested in submitting a DP2 proposal must provide documentation to substantiate that they have met the scientific, technical merit and feasibility equivalent to a Phase I project. Documentation can include data, reports, specific measurements and the success criteria of a prototype.
Phase II
The contractor shall integrate, test, demonstrate and deliver a lightweight and scalable prototype data provenance solution that secures all sensor data at the individual record level, offering one unique encryption key per record without performance compromises.
The platform must include database, replication, data audit (immutable) and encryption in a single integrated solution. The contractor shall demonstrate secure data management that incorporates U.S. Government sensor-collected data that is further enriched with commercial satellite remote sensing data and other publicly available information.
The contractor shall integrate a software-based knowledge management and data engineering solution that enables knowledge graphs. The secure data management solution must leverage ontology-driven knowledge graphs to support the use of a non-technical user class that can query data in natural language while obtaining a summarized response.
It must also support analytic visualization tools and provide an environment for data professionals to produce additional data analysis. Knowledge graphs and ontologies enable scalable and extensible data schemas for the Army’s 2040 strategic goals, which directly align to its Joint All Domain Command and Control strategy.
Ensuring data integrity through always-on auditing and individual record-level encryption will support the delivery of a trusted and cohesive picture from multiple sources while driving valuable communications to relevant traditional and nontraditional sensors or publicly available information. This is key to ensuring the Army gets value out of their experiments.
The software solution must be adaptable to new mission constraints, as the military designs new use-case experiments. To properly safeguard Army data, the contractor must store and process controlled unclassified information.
Phase III
The topic’s scope (specifically around creating a chain of custody and ensuring immutable data validity) and enabling technology is blockchain.
- Numerous academic (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, National Institutes of Health) and trade association research shows the efficacy of leveraging blockchain to create a chain-of-custody, immutable dataset from sensor data.
Commercial trends indicate blockchain as an incredibly promising technology for Internet of Things systems.Potential dual uses of blockchain to protect sensor data fidelity include:
- Healthcare and remote patient monitoring.
- Electric grid and other critical infrastructure.
- Smart homes.
- Autonomous vehicles.
Submission Information
All eligible businesses must submit proposals by noon, ET.
To view full solicitation details, click here.
For more information, and to submit your full proposal package, visit the DSIP Portal.
SBIR|STTR Help Desk: usarmy.sbirsttr@army.mil
Objective
The U.S. Army seeks a platform that secures the sensor data layer at the individual record level. The platform must also support experimentation that advances technology for Department of Defense and Army Data Strategy VAULTIS goals: Visible, Accessible, Understandable, Linked, Trustworthy, Interoperable and Secure.
Description
Via the solicitation, the Army requests vendors develop a cost-effective prototype platform that can flexibly work from tactical edge data fabric nodes. The platform must also operate at joint and external operational, strategic and enterprise levels.
It should work with a flexible application programming interface that has no limitation on the size of the data. Additionally, the Army has a related objective to experiment with the capture and holding of the sensor data’s immutable raw output, which prioritizes point-of-image or signal collection to ensure data integrity throughout its lifecycle and to the end user. The Army expects the integration of the following attributes:
- A unique encryption key for each submission.
- Integrated and always-on immutable data storage, audit and logging.
- Tamper-proof chain of custody for everything based on distributed ledger technology.
- Encryption using Advanced Encryption Standard-256 or better.
- Easy installation requiring minimal time, resources and ongoing maintenance.
Vendors must develop unique capabilities that ensure the Army becomes more data-centric and can conduct operations in contested environments. This will enable the Army to prevail on future battlefields.
Doing so will also allow us to project power in cyberspace and defend our networks, weapons and data from threats. For the Army to achieve data-centric operations, it requires the experimental integration of emerging technology, novel tactics, techniques and procedures, and enhanced data security engineering.
Phase I
This solicitation will accept Direct to Phase II proposals, where vendors could receive up to $2 million for a 24-month performance period. Proposers interested in submitting a DP2 proposal must provide documentation to substantiate that they have met the scientific, technical merit and feasibility equivalent to a Phase I project. Documentation can include data, reports, specific measurements and the success criteria of a prototype.
Phase II
The contractor shall integrate, test, demonstrate and deliver a lightweight and scalable prototype data provenance solution that secures all sensor data at the individual record level, offering one unique encryption key per record without performance compromises.
The platform must include database, replication, data audit (immutable) and encryption in a single integrated solution. The contractor shall demonstrate secure data management that incorporates U.S. Government sensor-collected data that is further enriched with commercial satellite remote sensing data and other publicly available information.
The contractor shall integrate a software-based knowledge management and data engineering solution that enables knowledge graphs. The secure data management solution must leverage ontology-driven knowledge graphs to support the use of a non-technical user class that can query data in natural language while obtaining a summarized response.
It must also support analytic visualization tools and provide an environment for data professionals to produce additional data analysis. Knowledge graphs and ontologies enable scalable and extensible data schemas for the Army’s 2040 strategic goals, which directly align to its Joint All Domain Command and Control strategy.
Ensuring data integrity through always-on auditing and individual record-level encryption will support the delivery of a trusted and cohesive picture from multiple sources while driving valuable communications to relevant traditional and nontraditional sensors or publicly available information. This is key to ensuring the Army gets value out of their experiments.
The software solution must be adaptable to new mission constraints, as the military designs new use-case experiments. To properly safeguard Army data, the contractor must store and process controlled unclassified information.
Phase III
The topic’s scope (specifically around creating a chain of custody and ensuring immutable data validity) and enabling technology is blockchain.
- Numerous academic (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, National Institutes of Health) and trade association research shows the efficacy of leveraging blockchain to create a chain-of-custody, immutable dataset from sensor data.
Commercial trends indicate blockchain as an incredibly promising technology for Internet of Things systems.Potential dual uses of blockchain to protect sensor data fidelity include:
- Healthcare and remote patient monitoring.
- Electric grid and other critical infrastructure.
- Smart homes.
- Autonomous vehicles.
Submission Information
All eligible businesses must submit proposals by noon, ET.
To view full solicitation details, click here.
For more information, and to submit your full proposal package, visit the DSIP Portal.
SBIR|STTR Help Desk: usarmy.sbirsttr@army.mil