The U.S. Army Research Laboratory is offering the Cyber Security Collaborative Research Alliance (CRA) Grant to advance theoretical foundations of cyber science for Army networks

Cyber security is critical to the Army due to the growing number and sophistication of attacks on military cyber networks coupled with the ever increasing reliance on cyber systems to conduct the Army’s mission. The Army Research Laboratory (ARL) has established an Enterprise approach to Cyber Security that couples multi-disciplinary internal research, analysis, and operations with extramural research and collaborative ventures. ARL intends to establish a new collaborative venture – The Cyber Security Collaborative Research Alliance (CRA) – that seeks to advance the theoretical foundations of cyber science in the context of Army networks.

This Collaborative Research Alliance will consist of academia, industry and government researchers working jointly to solve complex problems. The overall objective of the Cyber Security CRA is to develop a fundamental understanding of cyber phenomena, including aspects of human attackers, cyber defenders, and end users, so that fundamental laws, theories, and theoretically grounded and empirically validated models can be applied to a broad range of Army domains, applications, and environments. The ARL strongly believes that a joint collaborative approach by a multidisciplinary researcher team is required to make fundamental advances towards meeting the CRA goal to develop a fundamental understanding of cyber phenomena.

ARL has identified three interrelated aspects or Research Areas of cyber security that when jointly studied will advance the theoretical foundations of cyber science in the context of Army networks. In addition to these three Research Areas (RAs), advancing the theoretical foundations requires a trans-disciplinary approach that takes into account the human element of the network. This Cross-Cutting Research Issue (CCRI) addressing Psychosocial Effects must be jointly studied in the context and the constraints of the three Research Areas. The Research Areas and CCRI for this CRA are as follows: (1) Risk; (2) Detection; (3) Agility; (4) Psychosocial Effects.

The CS CRA PA can be found at www.arl.army.mil/cracyber.

This PA is expected to result in the award of a cooperative agreement (CA) as defined at 31 U.S.C. 6305 for the execution of the program. The CA will be awarded to a Consortium of organizations that may include academic, industrial and non-profit organizations. To assure the creation of a well-focused research program, the number of partners should balance the need for expertise in all three Research Areas and the crosscutting research initiative with the need to maintain a focused, cohesive, well-integrated research program. The Consortium must be led by an academic institution charged with spearheading the focused basic research program. Additionally, it is a goal that “covered educational institutions” (to include Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions) will receive 5% of the annual CA funding.

The Consortium under this PA, will be selected via a two stage process involving Whitepapers and full proposals. Full details regarding the application process are found in section D of the CS CRA PA. Planned funding levels for the CA are set forth in the CS CRA PA. Contingent upon available funding, the Army expects to support the CS CRA for five years with an option for an additional five years.

Whitepapers for the Cyber Security (CS) Collaborative Research Alliance (CRA) are due 26 April 2013. Full proposals from invited Offerors are due 19 July 2013, with an award expected in September 2013.

Contracting Office Address:
ACC-APG RTP, ATTN: AMSSB-ACR, Research Triangle Park Division, P.O. 1221, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2211

Additional Information
Army Research Laboratory (ARL) Broad Agency Announcements (BAA)
Cyber Security Research Alliance

Points of Contact(s):
William A. Creech, 919-549-4212

Cyber security is critical to the Army due to the growing number and sophistication of attacks on military cyber networks coupled with the ever increasing reliance on cyber systems to conduct the Army’s mission. The Army Research Laboratory (ARL) has established an Enterprise approach to Cyber Security that couples multi-disciplinary internal research, analysis, and operations with extramural research and collaborative ventures. ARL intends to establish a new collaborative venture – The Cyber Security Collaborative Research Alliance (CRA) – that seeks to advance the theoretical foundations of cyber science in the context of Army networks.

This Collaborative Research Alliance will consist of academia, industry and government researchers working jointly to solve complex problems. The overall objective of the Cyber Security CRA is to develop a fundamental understanding of cyber phenomena, including aspects of human attackers, cyber defenders, and end users, so that fundamental laws, theories, and theoretically grounded and empirically validated models can be applied to a broad range of Army domains, applications, and environments. The ARL strongly believes that a joint collaborative approach by a multidisciplinary researcher team is required to make fundamental advances towards meeting the CRA goal to develop a fundamental understanding of cyber phenomena.
ARL has identified three interrelated aspects or Research Areas of cyber security that when jointly studied will advance the theoretical foundations of cyber science in the context of Army networks. In addition to these three Research Areas (RAs), advancing the theoretical foundations requires a trans-disciplinary approach that takes into account the human element of the network. This Cross-Cutting Research Issue (CCRI) addressing Psychosocial Effects must be jointly studied in the context and the constraints of the three Research Areas. The Research Areas and CCRI for this CRA are as follows: (1) Risk; (2) Detection; (3) Agility; (4) Psychosocial Effects.

The CS CRA PA can be found at www.arl.army.mil/cracyber.

This PA is expected to result in the award of a cooperative agreement (CA) as defined at 31 U.S.C. 6305 for the execution of the program. The CA will be awarded to a Consortium of organizations that may include academic, industrial and non-profit organizations. To assure the creation of a well-focused research program, the number of partners should balance the need for expertise in all three Research Areas and the crosscutting research initiative with the need to maintain a focused, cohesive, well-integrated research program. The Consortium must be led by an academic institution charged with spearheading the focused basic research program. Additionally, it is a goal that “covered educational institutions” (to include Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions) will receive 5% of the annual CA funding.

The consortium under this PA, will be selected via a two stage process involving Whitepapers and full proposals. Full details regarding the application process are found in section D of the CS CRA PA. Planned funding levels for the CA are set forth in the CS CRA PA. Contingent upon available funding, the Army expects to support the CS CRA for five years with an option for an additional five years.

Whitepapers for the Cyber Security (CS) Collaborative Research Alliance (CRA) are due 26 April 2013. Full proposals from invited Offerors are due 19 July 2013, with an award expected in September 2013.

Contracting Office Address:
ACC-APG RTP, ATTN: AMSSB-ACR, Research Triangle Park Division, P.O. 1221, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2211

Additional Information
Army Research Laboratory (ARL) Broad Agency Announcements (BAA)
Cyber Security Research Alliance

Points of Contact(s):

William A. Creech, 919-549-4212