The Hatch Report: Weekly DoD RFI/RFP Rollup (Issue #35)
1) Joint Integrated Battle Manager (JIBM) Prototype
Guam Defense System Joint Program Office (GDS JPO) RFI
Seeking a JIBM prototype to serve as the C2 layer of the Guam Defense System, integrating data from existing DoD systems to enable defense against both ballistic and non-ballistic threats
Targeting initial capability demonstration in 3QFY26 and final prototype delivery in 4QFY26; awarded under a FFP pOTA with potential for follow-on production without additional competition
Participation limited to U.S. firms with facility clearance to process and store SECRET-level information and hardware
Response Deadline: July 2
2) Space Data Networking Experimentation (STAR-FISH CALL 014)
AFRL RFP
Seeks experimentation concepts to inform future Space Data Network (SDN) architectures, emphasizing hybrid DoD, allied, and commercial satellite constellations supporting resilient, dynamic space-to-ground data routing.
Award vehicle will likely be a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee contract (~$36M total estimated over FY25–FY27); initial base phase is 4 months with a 24-month unpriced option for Phase 2 depending on results
Opportunity supports RAPID, a USSF initiative exploring new operational concepts for dynamic, survivable space mission architectures
Response Deadline: June 23
3) Digital OnRamp AI Tools
DIU Special Notice
Seeks prototype AI tools to support DIU’s Digital OnRamp—a secure, AI-enabled platform that matches commercial and academic technologies to DoD needs
Issued under the TReX II OTA (only open to consortium members)
Response Deadline: July 1
4) Undersea Weapons Program (Raptor)
SCO Sources Sought
Seeks non-traditional partners for development of undersea weapons technologies, emphasizing capabilities like UUVs, electric propulsion, advanced batteries, and additive manufacturing
RFI document available only on the classified NRO ARC portal
Response Deadline: July 18, 2025
5) Foliage Penetration (FOPEN) Technology
USAF Sources Sought
Seeks ground-based sensors capable of detecting human movement within 2km through dense vegetation using advanced radar techniques (CFAR, adaptive filtering, change detection)
Early market research for potential field deployment at Manda Bay, Kenya—a key counterterrorism hub supporting U.S. and East African partner operations.
In 2020, al-Shabaab attacked Manda Bay, killing three U.S. citizens and damaging several aircraft.
Response Deadline: July 9
6) Resilient Software Systems Accelerator
DARPA Special Notice
DARPA will fund developers of “formal methods tools”—software that uses mathematical proofs to verify a system’s correctness and security—to partner with Defense Industrial Base companies and apply their tools to DoD systems
Each funded project will include a baseline red team assessment, formal methods integration, and a follow-up red team test to measure impact and effort
Opportunity is structured as a transition accelerator—aimed at scaling adoption of open-source tools that can proactively eliminate software vulnerabilities in legacy and future systems
Response Deadline: July 16
7) Autonomous AI Recruiter Services
USMA Sources Sought
Seeks small business input on providing AI-powered recruiting tools paired with a high school student engagement network to support West Point’s national outreach strategy.
Capability must include both autonomous digital recruiter functions and access to a pre-established network of prospective candidates.
Response Deadline: June 25
8) Tactical Zero Trust (TZT)
Army C5ISR Center Call for White Paper
Seeks innovative software-based approaches to secure data in use during tactical operations, particularly in DDIL environments where traditional protections fall short
Targets TRL 3–6 technologies, including PETs (e.g., homomorphic encryption, secure multiparty computation, trusted execution environments) and other novel methods that ensure CIA (confidentiality, integrity, availability) of actively processed data
Solutions must function under SWaP-C constraints, support future tactical architectures like Next Generation C2 (NGC2), and be adaptable across diverse, disconnected, and resource-constrained Army IT environments
Expected deliverable is a TRL 6 demonstration/proof of concept suitable for testing in Army tactical networks and transition into Programs of Record; base period of 12 months with up to three 12-month option periods
Response Deadline: June 30
9) Tethered Aerial Camera
Seymour Johnson AFB Sources Sought
Seeking a rugged, portable tethered UAS system (Fotokite or equivalent) for real-time aerial surveillance during emergency response operations
Must provide visible and thermal imagery, withstand adverse weather (IP55+), and operate in winds up to 25 mph with automatic fault detection and fallback safety features
Market research aims to identify qualified small business manufacturers or suppliers; responses must detail company status, technical capabilities, and relevant past performance
Response Deadline: June 25
10) Hardware-in-the-loop of Advanced Navigation & Guidance Sensors (HANGS)
782d Test Squadron Request for Enhanced White Papers
Soliciting prototype technologies to enhance HITL simulation for advanced navigation and guidance sensors—solutions must address at least two of four areas: multispectral scene generation, PNT/GNSS emulation, datalink/radio simulation, and high frame rate real-time execution.
Multiple OTAs expected; follow-on production eligible under 10 U.S.C. § 4022. Ceiling is $80M with funding from AFTC I&M and TRMC CTEIP, and potential pooling from other users.
Response Deadline: Rolling basis through May 2026
11) PROtein SEquencing (PROSE)
DARPA Draft Program Announcement
Aims to create new microsystems that can quickly and accurately read long, complex proteins—including synthetic or modified ones—at high speed and precision
Current technologies struggle to detect many modern biothreats, especially protein-based toxins without DNA/RNA; AI and synthetic biology make it easier for adversaries to design threats that evade detection
36-month, two-phase R&D effort combining new protein-reading components, advanced chip designs, and smart software; includes five milestone demos and possible follow-on production
Built-in support for testing, secure computing, and commercialization to help teams transition the tech beyond DARPA
Response Deadline: July 1, 2025 (comments on draft only)
Final Program Announcement expected: On or around July 3
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