Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) Program: Best of Both Worlds (Component 1A)

Eligibility

This Challenge notice is issued under the Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) Program Call for Proposals (CFP) Call 005 (W7714-227982/A). This program, "Best of both worlds: Human autonomy teaming for effective decision making," advances promising technology quickly through a phased approach, and the present opportunity represents the first of the following two phases:

Component 1a (Up to 6 months, up to $200,000). Component 1a helps to establish the innovativeness and impact of a solution and its ability to address a specific defence and security challenge. Innovators have up to six months to refine and advance their product and showcase it to Department of National Defence/Canadian Armed Forces. As added incentive, projects that show promise will be considered for a second phase of funding (Component 1b).
Component 1b (Up to 12 months, up to $1 million). Component 1b projects continue the development to progress a solution to a higher solution readiness level. Innovators will have up to a full year to make the most of their opportunity to advance their project.

Additional eligibility considerations:

• This Call for Proposals (CFP) is open to individuals, academia and industry.
• Solution Readiness Level: The current SRL of the proposed solution must be within 1 and 6 (inclusive). Review the Solution Readiness Level (SRL) maturity scale for more information.

Eligible overhead breakdown:

• 65% applied to Direct Payroll Costs for on-campus work;
• 30% applied to Direct Payroll Costs for off-campus work;
• 2% applied to travel and living expenses

Summary

The Challenge

The Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces (DND/CAF) are seeking innovative solutions to provide effective and trusted Human-Autonomy Teaming (HAT) support for the analysis and management of information received from disparate data sources to support decision making in NORAD’s (North American Aerospace Defense Command) Command and Control (C2) Operations.

Background and Context

In the context of future battle management for missile and air defense in NORAD operations, systems will invariably involve human operators working closely with autonomous systems to ensure effective C2 through enhanced situational awareness and efficient threat response. The C2 effectiveness depends on the timely response, which, under the ever-growing sources of data, can exceed the capacity of the most experienced human operators. Inevitably, Artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled decision support tools will be critical to compensate for human limitations and help enable and ensure HAT capabilities. However, many AI-enabled systems operate in environments that are not specifiable a priori. There will also always be environments in which data come from multiple sources, including new or partially unreliable ones, and where the integrity of data sources and AI processes and outputs cannot be fully trusted. To achieve the full HAT potential for C2 operations, there is the need for mutual trust between human operators and AI-enabled decision aids in the context of wide area surveillance, advanced training systems, and after-action analysis. With such trusted partnership, a persistent and reliable HAT decision support capability will help achieve information dominance and decision superiority.

Essential Outcomes

Proposed solutions must provide trustworthy tools that demonstrate effective HAT in NORAD C2 operations that results in timely responses and trusted and verifiable AI decisions. Proposed solutions focus on advanced training systems and/or after-action analysis functionalities in the context of continental surveillance.

Desired Outcomes

Proposed solutions that focus on advanced training systems and/or after-action analysis functionalities in the context of continental surveillance should support NORAD human operators for the test, evaluation, and audit of AI enabled decisions related to continental surveillance.

What IDEaS Provides

Funding of up to $200,000 will be provided for innovative solutions to help advance this defence challenge over a performance period of up to 6 months. There is a potential opportunity for further funding of up to $1 million for a performance period of up to a year should the solution be found successful and promising by DND/CAF.

What Innovators Bring

Solutions that demonstrate effective Human-Autonomy Testing (HAT) in NORAD C2 operations that result in timely responses and trusted and verifiable AI decisions. Proposed solutions must focus on advanced training systems and/or after-action analysis functionalities in the context of continental surveillance.

Submission Process

All applications are submitted through the Research Management System (RMS) to initiate internal approvals. Please note that when the RMS record finally reaches Research Services by the internal deadline, it should contain all the relevant Department and Faculty approvals. Please allow additional time for these approval steps. Late applications will only be accepted in cases of medical or family emergencies or other exceptional circumstances. If you submit your RMS record to Research Services after the internal deadline has passed, you will need to secure additional late approvals from your Faculty Associate Dean (Research) and the Executive Director, Research Services. Training resources are available on the RMS website.

1. Upload a copy of your final and complete application to the RMS Application record, and submit for academic approvals.  Please ensure that you allow enough time for academic approvals prior to the Research Services (RSO) final internal deadline of NOON, December 15, 2022. Please note this is a hard deadline. Exceptions will only be made with the approval of your faculty Associate Dean (Research).
2. RSO will provide institutional sign-off on the application and internal approvals in RMS. RMS will notify you that institutional approval has been provided and any institutional signatures will be provided 
3. Full Proposals must be submitted only by SAP Ariba, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC)’s online procurement platform by by 12:00pm MST December 20, 2022.

Application deadlines

RSO detailed review deadline

RSO final internal review deadline

Program application deadline

NOTE: Consult your Faculty Associate Dean (Research) (ADR) regarding Faculty-specific deadlines and submission processes.

Principal Investigators: Complete a Research Management System (RMS) record, including a copy of your complete application, and submit this for approvals in RMS.

Postdocs, students, and trainees: For fellowships and externally-sponsored research training awards or opportunities, you must complete the Research Funding Application Approval (RFAA) Trainee PDF form, and submit it, along with a complete copy of the application, to Research Services at rsotrainee@ucalgary.ca. Trainees should not use RMS at this time.

Approvals: The University of Calgary requires that all funding applications be approved prior to submission. Approval requires signatures via either RMS or the RFAA Trainee form, in the following order:

• Principal Investigator
• Department Head
• Faculty ADR/Dean
• Research Services (on behalf of the Vice-President Research)

Read the Meaning of Grant Signatures policy to understand what your approval means. Please see the agency guidelines for details about which signatures are required on your application, as it may differ from internal requirements.

Late submissions: Late submissions will only be accepted in cases of medical or family emergencies, or other exceptional circumstances. If you submit your RMS record to Research Services after the internal deadline has passed, you must secure additional approvals. Please read: Late Applications Process.