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PFI has five broad goals, as set forth by the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act of 2017 ("the Act", S.3084 - 114th Congress; Sec. 602. Translational Research Grants): (1) identifying and supporting NSF-sponsored research and technologies that have the potential for accelerated commercialization; (2) supporting prior or current NSF-sponsored investigators, institutions of higher education, and non-profit organizations that partner with an institution of higher education in undertaking proof-of-concept work, including the development of technology prototypes that are derived from NSF-sponsored research and have potential market value; (3) promoting sustainable partnerships between NSF-funded institutions, industry, and other organizations within academia and the private sector with the purpose of accelerating the transfer of technology; (4) developing multi-disciplinary innovation ecosystems which involve and are responsive to the specific needs of academia and industry; (5) providing professional development, mentoring, and advice in entrepreneurship, project management, and technology and business development to innovators.

The Information Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL/RI), Rome Research Site, is soliciting white papers under this announcement for innovative technologies to enable the effective management of information for military operations. Focus: The objective of this BAA is to develop and demonstrate middleware to bridge the tactical and enterprise domains, realizing decentralized IM services built upon client-based protocols for use at the tactical edge that can coexist and interoperate securely with the server-based IM services that are well-suited for deployment in enterprise-scale environments. To improve the exchange of information between enterprise and the tactical edge networks and applications, these services need to be capable of operating in contested/congested environments and be built upon disruption and fault tolerant techniques and technologies. The research and development to be conducted under this BAA is focused on the following: 1) Interoperable hybrid centralized & decentralized IM services designed for mobile operations. 2) Gateways for the exchange of heterogeneous information across disparate networks. 3) Disruption tolerant information preservation, optimized delivery, and synchronization. 4) Demonstration of the utility of these capabilities in operationally relevant environments.

The objectives for this program are as follows: · Perform Navigation Warfare (Navwar) technology research, including electronic attack (EA), and electronic protection (EP); · Perform Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Position, Navigation & Timing Assurance (PNTA) and Software Defined Radio (SDR) research; and · Maintain preeminence in Navwar, PNTA and SDR Modeling, Simulation, Wargaming & Analysis (MSW&A) community within industry and DoD. The desired outcome is to measure progress towards objectives during periodic reviews of contractor cost, schedule and technical performance through reports and monitoring of effort.

The Structurally Integrated Safe Advanced Battery Development program seeks possible solutions to the design, development, and demonstration of a structurally integrated battery into the body, chassis, or wing of a small unmanned aerial system (SUAS).

A grand challenge in computing is the creation of machines that can proactively interpret and learn from data in real time, solve unfamiliar problems using what they have learned, and operate with the energy efficiency of the human brain. While complex machine-learning algorithms and advanced electronic hardware (henceforth referred to as 'hardware') that can support large-scale learning have been realized in recent years and support applications such as speech recognition and computer vision, emerging computing challenges require real-time learning, prediction, and automated decision-making in diverse domains such as autonomous vehicles, military applications,healthcare informatics and business analytics. A salient feature of these emerging domains is the large and continuously streaming data sets that these applications generate, which must be processed efficiently enough to support real-time learning and decision making based on these data. This challenge requires novel hardware techniques and machine-learning architectures.This solicitation seeks to lay the foundation for next-generation co-design of RTML algorithms and hardware, with the principal focus on developing novel hardware architectures and learning algorithms in which all stages of training (including incremental training, hyperparameter estimation, and deployment) can be performed in real time. The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) are teaming up through this Real-Time Machine Learning (RTML) program to explore high-performance, energy-efficient hardware and machine-learning architectures that can learn from a continuous stream of new data in real time, through opportunities for post-award collaboration between researchers supported by DARPA and NSF.

The New Era of University Innovation & Commercialization This panel discussion examines the future of university and business collaboration, with a focus on inclusive innovation. Thursday, April 19, 2018 from 3:30 PM to 4:45 PM (EDT) Oxford, OH

A grand challenge in computing is the creation of machines that can proactively interpret and learn from data in real time, solve unfamiliar problems using what they have learned, and operate with the energy efficiency of the human brain. While complex machine-learning algorithms and advanced electronic hardware (henceforth referred to as 'hardware') that can support large-scale learning have been realized in recent years and support applications such as speech recognition and computer vision, emerging computing challenges require real-time learning, prediction, and automated decision-making in diverse domains such as autonomous vehicles, military applications, healthcare informatics and business analytics.

This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) enhances the DPA Title III effort by providing to potential offerors information and procedures necessary to identify domestic industrial base projects, potentially meeting the DPA Title III criteria, by using the white paper and proposal formats. Project Announcements for a specific domestic industrial base shortfall, issued subsequent to this BAA, is the main method to initiate a call for white papers, leading to an evaluation and potential request for full proposals. Project Announcement #1 is included with this initial posting of the BAA. Consistent with the law, the DPA Title III Program has derived three broad Focus Areas for potential projects. The Focus Areas are: Sustainment of Critical Production, Commercialization of Research and Development Investments and Scaling of Emerging Technologies.

The HPEM Modeling & Effects research and development effort consists of the following areas: understanding the connectivity of infrastructure and mobile targets; understanding the phenomenology of front door effects; developing a predictive effects model; developing a theoretical and empirical basis for HPEM effects ranging from the basic circuit level to the system level effects; empirical effects testing on operational targets as a function of frequency, pulsed duration, and power of the incident HPEM pulse; battle damage assessment; rapid modeling of HPEM system sources and components; improving particle-in-cell code (PIC) capabilities; first principles materials modeling; improving models for electron emission, gas desorption to enhance the predictive capability of virtual prototyping; and developing electromagnetic (EM) algorithms to propagate radio frequency (RF) from platform-specific high power RF systems to targets to assess the performance measures of effective HPEM sources. Sound software engineering and development principles must be employed for all developed software and documentation. Robust software testing, validation, and verification are critical to software development efforts. As appropriate, software must scale to large simulation sizes and be portable to massively parallel computer architecture.

Competitive Base period plus four 1-year option periods for entities who operate Procurement Technical Assistance Centers to provide procurement technical assistance to US businesses.

OBJECTIVE: This is an AF Special Topic partnership, please see the above AF Special Topic instructions for further details. A Phase I award will be completed over 3 months with a maximum award of $25K and a Phase II may be awarded for a maximum period of 12 months DESCRIPTION: Academia is producing disruptive science and technology innovations at an increasingly rapid pace. Hence, rather than utilizing a pre-defined requirements approach, this topic is intended to be an open call for ideas and technologies that may not be currently listed (i.e. the unknown-unknown) under STTR topics, but nonetheless still fit within broad interest areas of the Air Force basic research level. These broad areas (Engineering and Complex Systems, Information and Networks, Physical Sciences, and Chemistry/Biological Sciences) are covered in greater detail at wpafb.af.mil/Welcome/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/842026. To be eligible, offeror(s) must be teams that have formed companies and partnered with a university (e.g. university entrepreneurship centers, university technology transfer offices). The offeror should demonstrate their technical capability by demonstrating a credible and high-potential minimum viable product (MVP) along with a credible plan for developing the prototype to a commercially available solution. This topic is not looking for fully formed products, and it is acceptable if the solutions are earlier stage.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Defense Sciences Office (DSO) is sponsoring an event (D3) to (1) familiarize attendees with DSO's mission and the nature of the efforts we support; (2) promote understanding of how to do business with DSO and (3) facilitate discussions with potential performers. The event is scheduled for Thursday, June 15, 2017 at the DoubleTree Crystal City (300 Army Navy Drive Arlington, VA 22202); selected sessions will be webcast for those who would like to participate remotely.  Advance registration is required for attending the event in person or for viewing the webcast.

I2O seeks unconventional approaches that are outside the mainstream, challenge accepted assumptions, and have the potential to radically change established practice. Proposed research should investigate innovative approaches that enable revolutionary advances in science, devices, or systems.

The mobile or wireless solution must have the potential to solve a problem in the areas of access to education, health, access to communication, economic development, and the environment/disaster relief. The project must be at a stage of research where an advanced prototype or field/market test can occur during the award period, and the technology should have the potential for replication and large-scale impact. Applicants also should have a business plan or basic framework for financial sustainability and rollout.

The Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO), in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is requesting input on integrated data and analysis needs across the solar value chain to inform near to mid-term plans for the development of information based network planning, real time optimization, and bankability tools in the context of the SunShot 2030 goals. SETO aims to better understand the information-related problems and questions that exist for key stakeholders, including manufacturers, project developers, financiers, engineering procurement and construction businesses, state and local jurisdictions, researchers, analysts, and others supporting the technological advancement and wide scale adoption of solar technology.

The objective of this announcement is to (1) develop baseline FXR system concept(s); (2) estimate and substantiate SWAP-C and effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) under a flyaway cost constraint; (3) assess current technology and propose new technology development required to achieve capability; (4) assess performance; (5) conduct trade studies; and (6) optionally perform additional trade studies. The results of these activities with industry will help the Government inform potential FXR technology investments and assess risk of draft FXR requirements in particular with respect to the combination of SWAP-C, EIRP and acquisition cost.

Applicants for the funds may be students or faculty. The project, program, or entrepreneurial idea must be created by, led by or benefit women. Grants are awarded in values of $2500 to $20,000. While we prefer the base grant to be $5,000, we are considering a limited number of $2500 which will be required to show high impact. These applicants will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The grants must be submitted online via the link below and must include a 2-minute video. Applicants will be narrowed to a pool of 10-15 finalists by our M.I.A.M.I. WOMEN Grants Committee. This committee will review applications; contact applicants if additional information is required, and present the finalists to the M.I.A.M.I. WOMEN Steering Committee and Development Staff. Grant deadline for this year is Feb. 9, 2018. These finalists will perform in a fast-pitch style Hawk Tank event on April 11, 2018. Finalists will be offered fast-pitch training courtesy of the Farmers School of Business - school of Entrepreneurship, and will receive coaching and support. They will then pitch their idea in 5 minutes or less on April 11, 2018 at the event. Giving Circle members are the voters who will determine winners. Absentee voters will be given the option to vote online. Winners will be announced that night or the next day at the Symposium, to be determined.

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) has asked the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) to solicit competitive sealed proposals for Bridge Application Software to support its statewide Office of Structural Engineering Business Unit for the State of Ohio.

The OFRN Round 5 Sustaining Ohio's Aeronautical Readiness and Innovation in the Next Generation (SOARING) Opportunity Announcement is focused on expanding Ohio's research and development capabilities across the state's academic institutions and business in support of Ohio-based federal partner needs, which ultimately promotes Ohio's economic growth.  OFRN Round 5 Areas of Interest (AOIs) include topics in Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), Artificial Intelligence, Human Factors, Data Analytics, Space Commercialization, Quantum Communications and Advanced Power Systems.  This announcement seeks to leverage Ohio's unique research capabilities and its federal partner's expertise to accelerate technology development and innovation by increasing collaboration across government, academic, and industry organizations. 

The Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) will make strategic investments to support expanded opportunities for students in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medical (STEMM) fields. The investments will directly impact the ability of the state of Ohio to educate and train students to meet Ohio's career and job opportunities today and tomorrow. Choose Ohio First provides scholarships to students in innovative academic programs developed by Ohio's two-year and four-year, public and private colleges and universities, along with their business partners. The scholarships connect students to work-based learning experiences and careers in STEMM fields in order to recruit and retain these students in Ohio. Choose Ohio First is part of a strategic effort to deepen Ohio's economic strength by increasing the talent pipeline for STEMM-related industries, including computer science, through degree and certificate completion.