The Department of the Air Force has launched the Resilient Analytic Platforms for Intelligence Delivery, or RAPID, advanced research announcement, also known as ARA, valued at a total of $237 million for the development of secure information sharing technologies for the armed forces and the intelligence community.
The ARA is open for white paper submissions until February 2031, but the deadline for the earliest projected funding is Feb. 25, according to a notice posted on SAM.gov Wednesday.
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What Capabilities Is the Air Force Looking For Through the RAPID ARA?
DAF is soliciting white papers for the research, development, integration, testing and evaluation of technologies and techniques that will give intelligence and military personnel access to data, knowledge-based information and model-based inference engines. The department intends to collate multiple types of intelligence, including national and commercial geospatial, cyber, signal and human, into a single dashboard.
The ARA is also seeking artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to automate and improve the accuracy of intelligence analysis.
Additionally, according to the solicitation documents, all capabilities must integrate cybersecurity upfront and be maintained throughout the technology lifecycle.
What Are the Details of the Air Force’s RAPID Research Initiative?
DAF anticipates the awarding of multiple contracts, including Federal Acquisition Regulation-based procurement deals or other transaction agreements.
Each awardee may receive up to $99 million for the required capabilities. The period of performance is up to 36 months.
