Army requests feedback on cybersecurity enclave pilot

The Army wants industry feedback on a pilot program it hopes will inform its requirements for developing a secure, cloud-based enclave for small businesses, according to a Dec. 12 request for information.

“The Army seeks your input on proposed contract strategies and technical considerations that should be considered both for the Service/Solution Providers and the Small Business Users,” the RFI says.

The Next-generation Commercial Operations in Defended Enclaves, or NCODE, will provide small businesses with a safe space to share information and work together without having to worry about cybersecurity threat actors lurking in the same environment, Army Under Secretary Gabe Camarillo said at the Association of the United States Army’s annual trade show Oct. 15, when he announced its launch.

The Army wants to hear back about its two-year, “agile” NCODE Pilot, which is designed to undergo a series of competitions to “refine the NCODE concept” and turn it into a “potential enduring program,” according to the RFI.

The service wants potential service/solution providers to give input on a contracting strategy and asks them to provide a rough order of magnitude (ROM) cost estimate to help inform the requirements of the pilot. Small businesses are asked to give their take on the features of the pilot, which “will inform what capabilities the Army solicits as part of the following contract solicitation,” the RFI says.

The pilot falls under the purview of the office of the deputy assistant secretary of the army (data, engineering and software). The Army Contracting Enterprise held an NCODE industry day on Dec. 10 to let small businesses and potential service/solution providers know how they can meet the security certifications to take part in it.