DTRA RFI: Mission IT NextGen

Notice ID

HDTRA1240021

DTRA is looking for companies in the Big Data industry with the capacity and expertise needed to: 1) enhance, operate, and sustain DTRA’s data analytical mission information technology systems, tools/applications, and infrastructure; 2) provide expeditionary, forward deployed data analytical systems, access, and application tool(s) training and advisory expertise to Combatant Commands  (CCMD) with reach-back support capabilities; 3) enable data science/analytical solution development and delivery in response to emerging threats, user feedback and user requests for support; and 4) support military pre-deployment data analytic system/tool training and CCMDs’ priority training-exercises.

The MIT NextGen contract is a follow-on to the existing Mission Information Technology (MIT) contract, HDTRA1-23-F-0021, previous GSA contract 47QFCA-21-F-0070, providing DTRA the ability to rapidly develop and implement secure mission critical capabilities, to include Catapult, Attack the Network Tools Suite (ANTS), Voltron, and other technology-based solutions to counter and deter Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).

Core MIT consists of the Catapult data lake; tools or other functionality ingesting, indexing, processing or otherwise manipulating (a) Catapult data lake data, (b) federated source data, (c) or user-provided (aka “Bring Your Own”) data; the Catapult framework which provides interfaces for tools (aka Attack the Network Tool Suite (ANTS) to connect to it and shared services for core and non-core connected tools; and Catapult ‘storefront(s)’ or customer-facing web page(s) providing access to Catapult-connected tools. This core MIT capability is called Catapult Information System (CIS) and is a Program of Record (PoR).

Non-core MIT capabilities consists of DTRA’s data analytic tools are designed to attach to or rely on the Catapult framework, are exposed via the ANTS storefront. Additionally, tools include functionality that are enriched by the Catapult data lake, or Catapult’s shared services are consider non-core. These tools do not write altered data back into the data lake. Non-core Catapult components adhere to interface, security, and integration process standards as defined and published under the Catapult PoR.

CIS is a private cloud technology-based data analytics platform that supports validated requests and requirements from both authorized U.S. forces and mission partner organizations. CIS is a hybrid tactical combat support and intelligence analysis system processes more than 1,100 data feeds using a set of tools and services to provide national-level capabilities for data and information discovery, access, aggregation, correlation, visualization, analysis, sharing, and distribution for users up to and including the tactical edge. CIS supports detection and identification of improvised threats, threat networks and actors, command and control, operations, intelligence, and engagement for neutralizing, attacking, and defeating both current and emerging improvised threats and threat networks.

CIS architecture is based on National Security Agency’s (NSA) Ghost Machine cloud reference architecture. CIS architecture/framework represents an innovative evolution towards an analytical application architecture that allows analysts to search multi-source data on a single interface in seconds. CIS architecture enables quick discovery of information from multiple authoritative data sources, including Department of Defense (DoD), Intelligence Community (IC), Federal government, and other closed and open sources of both structured and unstructured data, and allows users to search through the data using keyword, temporal, and geospatial filters through Attack the Network Tool Suite (ANTS). Access to timely, accurate, and comprehensive authoritative data is critical to DTRA’s ability to provide real-time situational understanding and analysis needed for leadership to make rapid but informed decisions.

CIS Data uses a flexible Extract-Transform-Load (ETL) framework allowing for simple data access, system stability, scalability, and advanced analytical capabilities leveraging more than 1,100 data sources. The data flows into CIS consists of structured, semi-structured, and unstructured reports and information ingested from sources on NIPRNet, SIPRNet, or JWICS and processed for storage in the CIS Data Lakes. The CIS Data Lakes are single, secure, schema-less repositories, which preserve the original documents from sources prior to further processing, exploration, and exploitation…