Contractor support needed through Cyber Command's 'Green Monkey' initiative

The new U.S. Cyber Command may hire a contractor to provide systems engineering services to help it sort through technologies that can help cyber operations.

The project is called Green Monkey and the sources sought notice says support is needed for “development, synchronization and integration of test technologies, solutions and architectures,” according to the RFI.

The command, which was stood up in May, wants help in the development of “strategies, architectures, roadmaps, plans, and solutions.” The contractor will provide subject matter experts and engineering support for the command’s mission.

The contractor also will work with other companies, technology vendors, the intelligence community, academia, the research community and all of the military services and other parts of DOD.

The command wants technical expertise that can communicate and document technical assessments and trade-off details, and conduct fact-based rankings of technologies being presented to the command.

The contractor will provide what the RFI describes as first level technical triage. They will develop engagement plans that combine information around common technical themes and connect them to appropriate command technical directors.

While the RFI explains what Cyber Command is looking for and the support it needs, it never explains why the project is called Green Monkey.

There also is a Green Monkey cocktail with banana liqueur, vodka, rum, cream of coconut and a splash of pineapple juice. A few drops of green food color and a peeled banana for garnish. I doubt the idea came from here.

But in West Africa, there is a Green Monkey that is distinguished by its golden-green fur and pale hands and feet. And there is the Green Monkey Disease, a virus that when transmitted to humans can be fatal. Perhaps that’s the inspiration.

Or maybe someone just likes monkeys and the color green.

The Cyber Command Green Monkey sources sought notice was released by the command on Dec. 6 with comments due Dec. 14.