Central Command wants to open classified doors to academics

U.S. Central Command and the Air Force want to develop a partnership with a Tampa, Florida-area university so it can bring students, professors, and researchers into its classified areas for work on a range of technical challenges.

A new request for information says that Centcom and the 6th Air Refueling Wing want this to be a long-term contractual agreement with an institution in the MacDill Air Force Base area new Tampa.

A quick Google search brought up several large academic institutions in the area such as the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and the University of South Florida.

Some of the research areas laid out in the RFI include:

• Human dynamics analysis studies
• Operations research
• Data science
• Wargaming

Centcom is also looking for a university that has the space for classified work as well as labs with state-of-the-art modeling, computing and rapid prototyping. The command needs subject matter experts in Centcom’s area of responsibility, which includes much of the Middle East, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan as well as north through several former Soviet republics including Kazakhstan.

Other needs include relationships with other academic institutions to broaden Centcom’s reach across the “broader intellect of the United States” as the RFI puts it.

Centcom wants to identify and understand analytical gaps, modeling shortfalls, testing of code/models, and rapid prototype solutions.

Responses should come in the form of a white paper and are due April 18.

I realize that Centcom is specifically targeting academic institutions for this contract, but this also one for contractors to track as well.

First, there are the areas of research and collaboration Centcom is targeting as an indicator of the command’s priorities.

There also should be more direct opportunities that grow out of this contract. Perhaps a chance to support the university that is chosen. But Centcom will have to reach out to the contractor community to develop the solutions the come out of the collaboration with the university.

Keep an eye on this one, folks.