IARPA RFI seeks classified cloud 'as a service'

The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity has asked industry for ideas on how to put sensitive computing workloads into what it calls a "classified as a service" cloud environment.

A request for information posted July 7 specifically addresses large cloud providers who operate infrastructure-as-a-service systems cross multiple data centers in the U.S. and worldwide.

IARPA envisions the "ClaaS" concept as a private setup across multiple public cloud nodes that can accommodate classified workloads in a flexible manner based on demand.

The agency seeks new technologies and techniques to help public cloud operators offer secure and classified processing to the government with the same spending profile and flexibilities offered by unclassified environments.

Interested vendors must detail in their responses how they envision their level of participation in technology development and willingness to evaluate or advise on technology developed under an IARPA program.

Respondents should also describe how they would manage a service where servers are periodically owned by somebody else and isolated from the rest of their infrastructure, then subsequently returned for eventual use by other customers.

The agency has limited responses to a one-page cover sheet with respondents' contact information,  a one-half page executive summary and a five-page description of technical challenges and approaches. Responses may include a single overview briefing chart that depicts concepts with graphics but this is not required.

Responses to the RFI are due on July 28.