FY14 Communications and Networking Discovery and Invention | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The FY14 Communications and Networking Discovery and Invention opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number ONRBAA13-008) is a discretionary Office of Naval Research (ONR) grant solicitation focused on advancing naval communications and networking technologies that support reliable, secure, and timely information sharing across widely dispersed forces. The program is rooted in the Sea Power 21 vision of getting the right information to the right place at the right time, with the understanding that command and control effectiveness and decision-making quality depend heavily on communications that are interoperable, survivable, and resilient under real-world operational stress. ONR frames the need in terms of the Navy's shift from platform-centric operations to network-centric operations, where ships, aircraft, ground units, and unmanned systems must function as connected nodes even when infrastructure is missing, mobility is high, spectrum is contested, and environmental effects (multipath, atmospheric impacts, interference) degrade links. The overall intent is measurable, mission-relevant technology progress that improves end-to-end connectivity and quality of service for mission-critical data exchange across naval, joint, and coalition networks in space, terrestrial, and undersea environments.

From a technical standpoint, ONR is seeking FY14 Exploratory Development/Applied Research efforts in budget category 6.2, meaning projects should move beyond basic theory into concepts that can be demonstrated and evaluated with clear performance gains. The solicitation highlights six main focus areas. First is the development of low-profile, conformal, multiband, multibeam digital phased-array antennas (for example across X/Ku/Ka bands) that reduce common array issues like beam squint, sidelobes, and scan loss, which directly affect link reliability and coverage. Second is high-bandwidth troposcatter communications, where ONR is looking for transformative approaches in array design, waveforms, and signal processing to improve performance and to increase aperture size or power efficiency, since troposcatter can provide beyond-line-of-sight connectivity without satellites but is often constrained by efficiency and propagation challenges. Third is underwater optical communications, specifically passive wavelength filter technologies for blue-green receivers in roughly the 450-550 nm range, aiming for practical receiver filtering with a wide field of view (around 20 degrees), low insertion loss, and high isolation; this reflects the operational desire for higher-rate underwater links that complement or outperform traditional acoustic communications in certain conditions. Fourth is spectrum coexistence between military and commercial systems, emphasizing innovative underlay/overlay strategies and spatio-temporal-spectral management and deconfliction so military waveforms can operate in increasingly congested electromagnetic environments without unacceptable interference or loss of performance. Fifth is dynamic network traffic scheduling and robustness improvements in nonstationary channels, calling for codes, algorithms, and protocols that keep throughput high and connectivity stable when the channel statistics are changing over time, as happens with moving platforms, contested spectrum, or rapidly varying propagation. Sixth is the use of machine learning for autonomous network management, targeting algorithms and protocols that can sense, decide, and adapt network behavior with minimal human intervention, a major need when networks are complex, distributed, and under attack or under heavy load.

Beyond these listed topics, ONR notes it is receptive to highly innovative ideas in other communications and networking areas that matter to the Navy and Marine Corps, so long as the proposal aligns with the broader mission of resilient, high-throughput connectivity for mission-critical operations. Practically, this means proposers can bring forward strong concepts outside the six bullets if they can show clear operational relevance and a credible applied-research path to measurable improvement.

Administratively, the opportunity was posted March 5, 2013, with an original and current closing date of June 28, 2013 (with white paper due dates governed by the BAA). ONR anticipated around six awards with an estimated total funding level of about $2,000,000. The CFDA number associated with this research area is 12.300 (Basic and Applied Scientific Research), and there is no cost sharing or matching requirement stated.

Eligibility is broadly open to responsible sources from academia and industry, with encouragement (but no set-aside) for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions to participate and partner. Certain federal entities are restricted from applying directly: Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (including DOE National Laboratories) are not eligible to receive awards, and Navy laboratories, warfare centers, and other DoD or civilian agency labs are also not eligible to submit white papers or full proposals directly. However, teaming arrangements are allowed, meaning these organizations may collaborate with eligible university or industry prime offerors if permitted by their sponsoring agreements. University Affiliated Research Centers may apply unless their contracts prohibit it. ONR also emphasizes that teams may be formed and that awardees should expect to cooperate within an integrated program environment, including exchanging software, data, and related information with other contractors and system integrators selected by ONR. Finally, some topics may involve export-controlled technology; in those cases, participation is limited to U.S. persons as defined under ITAR.

The full announcement is accessed through Grants.gov, and the agency contact for access issues is listed as Timothy Tripp, Contract Specialist, at 703-696-2099.

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