DOC NIST RFQ: develop AI and ML Techniques for Supporting 5G/6G Networks, Quantum Networks, & Applications over Emerging Networks

Notice ID:  NIST-RFQ-24-6701710

The Transformational Networks and Services Group (TNSG) in the Smart Connected Systems Division, Communications Technology Laboratory (CTL) at the National Institute of Standards and Technologies (NIST) develops foundational network science, network measurement science, standards, and best practices to support the transformation of industries critical to national priorities such as industrial automation and smart transportation. TNSG’s research efforts include fifth and sixth generation (5G/6G) core networks, edge, and distributed AI (Artificial Intelligence) and their applications to networking, AI-based autonomous networking, optical and quantum networking, cloud computing, information-centric networks, and automated driving.

The purpose of this requirement is to obtain contractor services to develop AI and ML (machine learning) techniques (including models and algorithms) for supporting 5G/6G networks, quantum networks, and applications over such emerging networks; create new AI-based architectural concepts for such networks; and develop test methods and tools for evaluating the new techniques.  The Contractor shall design, evaluate, and demonstrate new models and algorithms for supporting edge and distributed AI, AI-based network architectures, assurance of end-to-end (E2E) network service qualities, management of E2E interservice interference, and advanced routing for 5G/6G networks and quantum networks. More specifically, the Contractor shall provide research support and design distributed optimization and learning algorithms for the following:

• New edge and distributed machine learning for supporting 5G/6G networks and applications.
• Optimal resource allocation for E2E quality-of-service (QoS) assurance over 5G/6G networks.
• Efficient entanglement routing in quantum networks.

The Contractor shall work closely with a team of CTL scientists who are working on 6G core networks, where this project is located. The Contractor shall assist in the design and implementation of a 5G core network testbed, tests and data collection, and evaluation of the new AI/ML algorithms for supporting networking functions and selected applications (such as automated driving). The Contractor shall also support collaborations with internal and external collaborators.

Requirements

The Contractor shall provide all support for project oversight, administration, and technical execution of this contract. The Contractor is responsible for maintaining accurate records of project activities. All deliverables shall be Section 508 Compliant, as applicable.   The Contractor shall perform the following services:

1. 5G/6G Core Networks and Algorithms Support Services
2. Develop and Evaluate Edge and Distributed Learning Techniques:The Contractor shall extend the Federated Learning algorithm developed by TNSG to increase performance, provide theoretical and experimental evaluations of the new algorithms, including defining the necessary evaluation metrics, and investigate how edge learning can be used to enable new applications, including spectrum sharing and remote driving.
3. Design E2E QoS Assurance Algorithms:The Contractor shall extend the E2E QoS assurance methods developed by TNSG to increase performance, define metrics and develop algorithms for measuring E2E interservice interferences, develop algorithms for automatically analyzing the risks of network events, and provide theoretical analyses and numerical evaluations of the new algorithms.
4. Develop Entanglement Routing Algorithms for Quantum Networks:The Contractor shall analyze limitations of current entanglement routing techniques, develop a new algorithm for entanglement routing between concurrent source-destination pairs via untrusted repeater nodes, and provide theoretical analyses and numerical evaluations of the algorithm …

The period of performance shall be one (1) year from date of award, from August 29, 2024, through August 28, 2025.

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