It’s not just noise – Innovative tools for acoustic sensor operators

IMPORTANT

To avoid last minute technical difficulties that could delay your submission, please send your request to open an epost Connect conversation as soon as possible, following the epost Connect instructions listed in Part 2 - Bidder Instructions of the CFP.

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UPDATES

December 3, 2020

Attachment 6 has been added. The document contains questions and answers related to the Challenge.

November 27, 2020

Attachment 5 has been added. The document contains questions and answers related to the Challenge.

November 20, 2020

Attachment 4 has been added. The document contains questions and answers related to the Challenge.

November 9, 2020

Attachment 3 has been added. The document contains questions and answers related to the Challenge.

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INTRODUCTION

This Challenge notice is issued under the Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) Program Call for Proposals (CFP) Call 004 (W7714-207317).

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HOW TO APPLY

Please refer to the main solicitation documents which contain the process for submitting a proposal.

Step 1: Prepare for Proposal Submission

Read the Call for Proposals documents and Challenge tender notice in their entirety.

Step 2: Download and Complete Attachment 1 – Electronic Proposal Submission Form

• Attachment 1 – Electronic Proposal Submission Form can be found at the bottom of each Challenge tender notice page on Buy and Sell.
• If you have technical difficulties downloading and opening the form, please follow the instructions in Attachment 2 – Technical Instructions, found at the bottom of the Challenge tender notice page on Buy and Sell.
• The security warning on the form is for DND internal information only. The use of epost Connect enables submission of the form through an encrypted delivery platform for secure electronic delivery of Protected B documents.

Step 3: Follow the submission instructions listed in Part 2 – Bidder Instructions of the CFP

• Please allow sufficient time to register and submit the completed form before the Challenge closing date and time.
• Additional attachments or documentation (technical drawings, CVs, diagrams, etc.) must not be submitted and will not constitute part of the Bidder’s proposal.
• Only one proposal is permitted per epost Connect conversation. For multiple submissions, this process must be followed for each proposal submitted.

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MAXIMUM FUNDING AND PERFORMANCE PERIOD

Multiple contracts could result from this Challenge.

The individual maximum contract funding available under Component 1a is up to $200,000 CAD (excluding applicable taxes) for a maximum performance period of up to 6 months.

This disclosure is made in good faith and does not commit Canada to contract for the total approximate funding.

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CHALLENGE DETAILS

Challenge title

It’s not just noise – Innovative tools for acoustic sensor operators

Challenge Statement

The Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces (DND/CAF) are seeking innovative solutions to assist acoustic sensor operators to rapidly and accurately detect, classify, locate, and track underwater contacts in order to permit timely recommendations.

Background and Context

The rapid and accurate detection of underwater objects is of critical interest to maritime platforms in sub-surface environments. While Navies have been able to maintain a high-level situational awareness in the above-water battlespace, the ability to maintain accurate underwater situational awareness poses a significant challenge. Acoustic tracking is widely used for the reason that sound can propagate over a much greater distance underwater. Given that the underwater landscape is full of sound with objects moving temporally and spatially, it can be difficult to locate and track particular sounds.

Desired Outcomes

This Challenge involves the ability to detect, classify, localize and track underwater objects from multiple sensors, in real-time, in order to support acoustic sensor operators who are often “on watch” for hours and weeks at a time. Tools and methods are sought to rapidly and accurately classify objects of interest in a water mass and support operators’ ability to make timely and effective recommendations. The DND/CAF are looking for innovative solutions that include, but are not limited to the following:

• Tools to assist human operators to rapidly detect underwater contacts from ocean data sources;
• Tools to provide localization of detected contacts to aid in decision making;
• Real-time analysis of measurements obtained from multiple sensors in order to permit the discovery of objects of interest;
• Classification of contacts by type (i.e., surface vessel, marine mammal, etc.).

Supplementary Information

It is expected that innovators will need to obtain and exploit a commercially or publically available data set in order to address the outcomes of this Challenge. A data set should be chosen that maximizes innovators’ ability to demonstrate their capabilities.

Innovators may wish to consult the following as a potential source of relevant data:

1. Historic Naval Sound and Video: https://maritime.org/sound/

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ENQUIRIES

All Challenge-related enquiries must be submitted in writing to:

TPSGC.PAIDEES-APIDEAS.PWGSC@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca

Enquiries must be submitted no later than 10 calendar days before the Challenge notice closing date. Enquiries received after that time may not be answered.

For more information about the IDEaS program, Bidders can visit the IDEaS website.