Air Force seeks small businesses to help it exploit cyber threats

The Air Force is seeking information from small businesses on the capabilities they possess to assist with identifying, neutralizing and exploiting threats in the cyber realm to the service's people, weapons systems and networks.

In a sources sought notice published Feb. 27, the Air Force said that the effort, known as Forge 2, would support computer network defense, law enforcement, and counterintelligence operations and activities. Forge 2 would counter hacking and intrusions by foreign governments, international terrorists, or unaffiliated actors.

The Air Force wants a contractor with software development, quality assurance and technical writing capabilities that pertain to network and system administration support.

Other requirements involve end-point protection, network protection services, computer forensics, innovation integration, and coding and unit testing of products and features. The notice defines innovation integration as the weaponization of innovative concepts and principles into established frameworks.

The contractor also will furnish quality assurance testing of a system/network or application through all phases of the software development lifecycle, provide network/system administrative support for the 90th Information Operations Squadron Cyber Development laboratory facilities, and document all phases of the software development throughout the lifecycle and contribute to the software development process. 

In addition, the contractor also shall be able to respond to changes in the cyber environment to include exercise support, critical action teams for response to national intelligence/security matters and real-time military operations as needed.