Looking For Ideas In Multiple Areas

In an effort to advance and improve Air Force simulators, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Simulators Division is seeking proposals from small businesses.

The first phase of this effort will consist of Phase I SBIR awards. In the September/October timeframe, Phase I awardees from the current solicitation period will have an opportunity to submit proposals for a Phase II award that will build on what was learned and demonstrated in their Phase I effort. Additionally, the focus areas may be refined and another crop of Phase I proposals will be evaluated. Select companies with Phase I or Phase II proposals will be invited to present to an Air Force panel at the Simulators Pitch Day event Dec. 4 in Orlando, Florida.

The division is asking small businesses to “pitch” how they can help the Air Force in certain areas or topics including, but not limited to, the following:

• High-end weather effects within Simulator Gaming Environments
• Deployable, austere environment high-fidelity simulator
• Visual acuity and fidelity of objects at long ranges within the simulator environment
• Interoperability amongst networked simulators
• Simulator interoperability considering releasability of capabilities
• Cloud-based Simulators
• Performance-based training, data collection and analysis
• Artificial intelligence aided instruction in simulator
• Shortening the timeline for maintenance training

“We are not asking small business to go out and invent something new,” said Margaret Merkle, program manager in the Simulators Division. “We are asking if they have technology that we can leverage for the Air Force. Ultimately the idea is to connect with industry which will help us move into the latest technological space faster.”

Companies have until July 1 to submit their proposals.

Following the submission will be a two-week evaluation period and one-week contracting sprint.

On Dec. 5, regardless of whether the proposal results in an award or not, companies will be given an opportunity to present to a much larger audience at a media event. In attendance will be major, prime defense industry executives, venture capitalists and other service acquisition executives.

(Infographic provided with USAF news release)

FMI: www.af.mil