Army extends registration deadline for technical interchange with industry

By Edric Thompson, US Army CERDECApril 3, 2018

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CERDEC Technical Interchange with Industry
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ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. -- The U.S. Army's Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center, or CERDEC, is extending the registration deadline for its technical interchange with industry to 5 p.m. EST, April 13.

The meeting, which is an opportunity for industry to learn about CERDEC's core mission and research and development activities, is scheduled for May 2-4 at the Myer Auditorium, here. Those interested should register immediately: https://www.cerdec.army.mil/industryday/.

"In order to leverage industry's creativity and innovation to its fullest potential, the Army must work closely with industry in the earliest stages of the product lifecycle, before requirements are firm and before design concepts are determined," said CERDEC Director Patrick J. O'Neill. "The sooner industry learns of the Army's interest in a new capability, the sooner industry can begin to explore or invest in applicable technologies and formulate ideas for Army consideration."

CERDEC is the Army's applied research and advanced technology development center for command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C5ISR) technologies and systems.

As the Army's primary integrator of communications-electronics technologies and systems, CERDEC researches and develops advanced technologies and systems in 10 core areas across the C5ISR domain: Assured Positioning, Navigation and Timing; Cyberspace Operations; C5ISR Enterprise Support; Electronic Warfare; Counter-IED and Minefield Detection/Defeat; Intelligence, Analysis, Exploitation and Dissemination; Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Targeting; Mission Command Capabilities and Computing Platforms; Tactical and Deployed Power; Tactical and Strategic Networks.

"From our unique vantage point, we foresee trends, recognize opportunities to adapt and mature relevant technological breakthroughs and inform research investments during an era of rapid change," O'Neill said.

"This is a particularly exciting time for CERDEC as we touch all six of the Army's Modernization priorities for Long-Range Precision Fires, Next-Generation Combat Vehicle, Future Vertical Lift, Network/C3I, Air and Missile Defense and Soldier Lethality," he said.

According to the FedBizOpps announcement, released March 6, the sessions will enhance communication between government and industry, allow attendees to identify and align mutually beneficial R&D investments and enable industry to quickly respond to emerging requirements with innovative technology solutions and partnerships.

CERDEC held its first technical interchange with industry in 2016, noted Chuck Hoppe, CERDEC Associate Director for Science, Technology and Engineering.

"It was something industry continuously requested prior to 2016, and it was so well received that CERDEC has committed to holding the event biennially. It is a technical exchange: no contract discussions, no timelines for FBO announcements, etc. It allows industry to see where we are heading with our Science & Technology priorities. This interaction is critical as the Science and Technology community focuses on the Army's six Modernization Priorities," Hoppe said.

This year's format will differ as it will feature large group sessions instead of small breakouts to accommodate all attendees. The event will hold sessions at the "Unclassified -- For Official Use Only," or FOUO, level on May 2-3 and at the Secret level on May 4. Sessions will present mission area details from the decomposition of requirements to the formulation of specific research and development activities.

FOUO sessions will include the following topics: Power and Energy, Mission Command, Assured PNT, Prototyping and Integration, Processing Exploitation and Analysis, Augmented Reality and Novel Displays, Countermine, Aided and Automatic Target Recognition, Transport-Autonomy and Intelligence, Transport-Resiliency and Situational Understanding, Defensive Cyber Autonomy and Resiliency.

Classified sessions will focus on Offensive Cyber, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, Electronic Warfare, Signal Collection and Exploitation and various Radar topics.

While priority registration will be given to industry, the forum is also open to academia and other government organizations. U.S. Government civilians and military must also register to attend. Government registrants will register through the CERDEC website: http://www.cerdec.army.mil.

Due to subject limitation, media will not be invited to participate, but additional information is available by calling CERDEC's Corporate and Public Communication's office at 443-861-7566.

Registration is limited to no more than three people per company, and attendees must be U.S. citizens. There will be no on-site substitutions or registration on any day of the technical interchange.

For more information on CERDEC's technical interchange, visit https://www.fbo.gov/, and use the following solicitation number to search: W56KGU18RX001.

Related Links:

U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command

U.S. Army Materiel Command

U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command

U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center

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