1. The Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3) Enterprise Center (NEC), in coordination with the Air Force Lifecycle Management Center (AFLCMC) and the Nebraska Defense Research Corporation (NDRC) through their Partnership Intermediary Agreement (PIA), provides opportunities for Industry, Universities, and other innovators to demonstrate concepts to the Government that align with our jointly-developed national network concept and related gaps. This Request for Information (RFI) will help inform the next cycle of concept demonstrations for the NEC and other potential Government sponsors. By issuing this RFI, the NEC in no way implies selection or preference in selection or commitment to any future contracting activities by the Government. At this time, the Government is not seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals related to this RFI. RFI responders are reminded that the Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the responding party’s expense. Responding to this RFI is not required to participate in any future Request for Proposal (RFP). Timing, available funding and acquisition pathways for future demonstration cycle RFPs have not been determined at this time.

2. The objectives of this RFI are to provide the NEC and other potential Government sponsors with a broad overview of recommended topic areas that include high Technology Readiness Level (TRL) capability demonstrations to improve or enhance existing NC3 systems tied to Decision Making and Force Direction, across the (in order of priority) INDOPACOM, EUCOM, and CONUS areas of responsibility. Additionally, we are interested in capability demonstrations that involve distributed, agile data stores and databases with high availability across multiple diverse transport paths, operating in potentially lossy, intermittent, or disconnected environments, that support graceful reconstitution and data synchronization when re-connected.

3. The Government requests responders submit information in the form of descriptions, white papers, and/or other documentation showing high TRL capabilities in use in a relevant or adjacent mission environment that could apply to the mission areas described in paragraph 2. Where appropriate, responses should highlight the existing NC3 system the concept would improve, the area of responsibility, a description of the potential solution and its TRL/MRL, recommended transition pathway / Government acquisition agency, an estimated timeline for implementation, and a broad description of Government Furnished Equipment needed for a demonstration. NDRC reminds responders to adhere to appropriate security classification guidance for all submitted materials – especially when characterizing enhancements or geographical locations of existing systems.

4. Submission Deadline. The submission deadline for this RFI is Friday, 2 Feb 2024. Responses submitted outside this window may not influence the next NDRC-run demonstration activity. Responders shall limit submissions to 2 pages in length per high TRL capability demonstration. Responses in bullet form and written in plain language are highly encouraged.

5. RFI Responses.

5.1. Unclassified responses may be submitted to the following email addresses:

5.1.1. jtaylor@ndrc.nebraskaresearch.gov and jfuemmeler@ndrc.nebraskaresearch.gov

5.2. Classified responses may be submitted to the following email addresses:

5.2.1. SIPRNET: james.m.taylor204.ctr@mail.smil.mil and james.l.fuemmeler.ctr@mail.smil.mil

5.2.2. JWICS: james.m.taylor@coe.ic.gov and james.l.fuemmeler@coe.ic.gov

5.3. To protect your company’s sensitive information, please send any documents containing your company’s properly marked proprietary information via encrypted files and relay the password separately.