A -- SN06-22 - Wireless Adaptable Network Node (WANN) Proposer's Day

SN06-22 - PROPOSER'S DAY CONFERENCE DARPA will host a Proposer's Day Conference in support of the Wireless Adaptable Network Node (WANN) effort on March 16th, 2006 at George Mason University, Arlington Campus Professional Center, 3401 North Fairfax Drive, Room 239, Arlington, VA; beginning at 8AM and lasting until noon. The purpose of this conference is to provide information on the BAA 06-26, Wireless Adaptable Network Node (WANN), promote additional discussion on this topic, address questions from potential proposers, and provide a forum for potential proposers to present their capabilities for teaming opportunities. WANN is part of a larger effort to develop and demonstrate technologies and system concepts that will enable intelligent adaptive wireless networks consisting of densely deployed low-cost wireless nodes. The premise is that significant advantages can be realized by densely deploying low-cost nodes that have been jointly optimized with network operations. WANN networks should adapt to changing conditions by adjusting the topology of the network and the operational mode of the nodes to reduce the demands on the nodes, in particular on the physical and link layers. By working around the limitations of the low-cost nodes that form the network, and by utilizing the rich interconnection fabric created by dense deployment, the WANN network should provide reliable and highly available battlefield communications at a low system cost. Previous practice has been to build high cost and hence sparsely deployed nodes, and to organize the network around these nodes. This program aims to shift the approach used to design military wireless networks from design for radio range to design for node density. The larger effort consists of two program elements, the Wireless Adaptable Network Node (WANN) effort and a future Network Development effort. The two efforts will develop and demonstrate Mobile ad-hoc NETwork (MANET) architecture and technologies comprising: 1. Low-cost multi-channel spectrum-agile MIMO-capable wireless nodes using inexpensive RF circuit technology (WANN) 2. A mesh network with densely deployed low-cost wireless nodes and an adaptive network layer that mitigates the shortcomings of those nodes by leveraging the density of the mesh. (Future effort). The result will be a novel MANET that is both inexpensive and high-performance. In particular, the throughput and reliability of the communications at each node should significantly improve on today’s capabilities. As currently defined, the WANN Wireless Node Development effort will cover all four phases of node development: design, development & small-scale demonstration, medium-scale demonstration, and large-scale demonstration. DARPA plans to solicit proposals for all four phases of the WANN Wireless Node Development effort with the forthcoming BAA. The design of the WANN wireless nodes should be based on an RF processing circuit that can be replicated to dynamically support a variety of network radio capabilities. The capabilities that should be dynamically adaptable include, but are not limited to the following: MIMO, spectrum agility (location and bandwidth), modulation, data rate, multiple-channel beam-forming, and nulling. The wireless node design should be traceable to an expected large quantity (initial buy only) procurement cost to the Government that is sustainable throughout the life-cycle of the system at no more than $500 per unit (initial large buy and follow-on variable size buys). The overall program concept and specific objectives of each phase will be presented at the Proposers’ Day meeting. DARPA anticipates that the Wireless Adaptable Network Node effort will be unclassified. The meeting will be open to the public. Conference Registration Instructions: Conference participants are requested to register NLT 13 March at the following website: https://enstg.com/signup/passthru.cfm?ConferenceCode=WNA44380. Directions to the facility, local hotels and transportation information, and other materials are also available on the website. There is no fee for the conference. The attendee list will be available at the meeting. If you do not wish to be included on the attendee list you must send email notification to [email protected] or call Karen Martin at 703-522-5123 by 13 March. Citizenship and non-Permanent Resident Instructions for Conference participants: Attendees are required to provide, as appropriate, either a US Citizenship Verification document which must be submitted by 13 March, or a DARPA Form 60 Foreign National Visit Request to complete registration. Note that the Foreign National Visit Request, if required, must be submitted by 13 March to allow time for processing. These documents are available on the registration website and should be faxed (Attention: Pamela Jackson) to 703-696-9781. Meetings with DARPA Program Managers: The DARPA Program Managers will be available for 15 minute private meetings with attendees from 1PM to 5PM on 16 March at Science and Technology Associates, 4100 Fairfax Drive., Suite 910, Arlington, VA 22203. If you wish to reserve a time slot to meet privately with the DARPA Program Managers, please send an e-mail to [email protected] or call Karen Martin at 703-522-5123 by 13 March. The number of time slots is limited, and will be assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis. Presentation Instructions to Conference Participants: Additionally, attendees who would like to present company overviews during the conference, discuss their technology expertise, and/or discuss teaming opportunities in scheduled presentations at the conference may request to do so. Presentations may contain up to five (5) slides and are limited to five (5) minutes each (including logistical issues). Presentations must be approved in advance by both the organization that funded the research and the DARPA Program Managers. The DARPA Program Managers will screen the proposed material. Attendees desiring to reserve a time to present at the meeting should send the presentation in a PowerPoint or PDF electronic format by 13 March to [email protected]. The number of time slots is limited, and will be assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis. Poster Instructions for Meeting Participants: Attendees who would like to share information at the conference may bring posters to display outside of the conference room. These posters will facilitate “poster sessions,” during which interested parties may meet to discuss teaming capabilities and innovations related to this topic. All posters to be displayed at the conference must be approved in advance by both the organization that funded the research and the DARPA Program Managers. Attendees desiring to display a poster should send it in a PowerPoint or PDF electronic format by 13 March to [email protected]. The DARPA Program Managers will screen the proposed material. Poster space requests should be emailed to [email protected] or communicated to Karen Martin at 703-522-5123 when registering for the WANN meeting. NOTE: DO NOT CONTACT THE CONTRACTING OFFICER IDENTIFIED BELOW WITH RESPECT TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. ALL QUESTIONS SHOULD BE SENT TO [email protected].