Scalable, Adaptive, and Resilient Autonomy (SARA) | W911NF 20 S 0005

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - Scalable, Adaptive, and Resilient Autonomy (SARA) (W911NF-20-S-0005)

What is the SARA opportunity (W911NF-20-S-0005)?

SARA (Scalable, Adaptive, and Resilient Autonomy) is a U.S. Army research solicitation focused on advancing robotics and autonomous systems for future military operations. It is run by the Department of the Army, Materiel Command through the Army Research Laboratory (ARL).

Which organization is running this solicitation?

The solicitation is run by the Department of the Army, Materiel Command through the Army Research Laboratory (ARL).

What type of program is SARA (research, services, procurement, etc.)?

SARA is described as a discretionary science and technology research program.

What is the funding instrument used for SARA awards?

The funding instrument is a Cooperative Agreement.

What does it mean that SARA uses a Cooperative Agreement?

A Cooperative Agreement typically signals that the government expects ongoing technical interaction during the period of performance, rather than a hands-off grant relationship.

What is the overall goal of the SARA program?

The program aims to advance autonomy that can support future Army operations, especially in challenging conditions where GPS, communications, and infrastructure may be unreliable or denied.

What operational context is SARA designed to support?

SARA is aimed at autonomy the Army expects to need for cross-domain maneuver (CDM), where forces may operate distributed, semi-independently, and under degraded conditions.

What assumptions does SARA make about real-world operating environments?

A central assumption is that combat environments may not reliably provide GPS, stable communications, or intact infrastructure. The program emphasizes autonomy that remains dependable under those constraints.

What kinds of systems does SARA target (air, ground, teams, single platforms)?

SARA targets autonomous air and ground systems and emphasizes autonomy that scales beyond single-vehicle operation to teams of heterogeneous systems.

What does "scalable, adaptive, and resilient" autonomy mean in this solicitation?

Based on the solicitation description, it refers to intelligent systems that can operate across a range of platforms and mission contexts, learn and adapt, coordinate when possible, and remain safe and effective even when sensing is uncertain and communications are intermittent or contested.

Is SARA focused on single-vehicle autonomy or multi-agent collaboration?

The solicitation emphasizes autonomy that can do more than single-vehicle autonomy, including distributed collaboration among multiple unmanned assets and coordination with human teammates.

What is meant by "heterogeneous" teams in SARA?

Heterogeneous teams refers to teams made up of different types of vehicles and agents (for example, mixing air and ground systems) coordinating toward shared objectives.

What is "manned-unmanned teaming" in the context of SARA?

Manned-unmanned teaming, as referenced in the solicitation, involves coordination between human-operated (manned) elements and unmanned/autonomous systems working together toward mission goals.

Does SARA emphasize decision-making speed or centralized control?

The program connects autonomy to operational tempo decision-making, indicating interest in systems that can make timely decisions in dynamic, contested situations rather than relying on slow, centralized control.

What kinds of technical research areas are highlighted in SARA?

The solicitation describes multiple research thrusts, including: novel all-terrain ground and aerial maneuver; scalable, heterogeneous collaborative behaviors; improved perception, decision-making, and adaptive behaviors for contested environments; evaluation methods such as metrics, tools, simulation, and test and evaluation techniques; and experimental testbeds to develop and validate knowledge products supporting Army stakeholders and transition.

Does SARA include research on mobility and maneuverability?

Yes. The opportunity highlights autonomy supporting mobility and maneuverability, including moving through difficult terrain and cluttered environments.

Is work on perception and adaptive behavior within scope?

Yes. One of the research thrusts described is improved perception, decision-making, and adaptive behaviors enabling fully autonomous maneuver in contested environments.

Does SARA address contested or adversarial conditions?

Yes. The solicitation emphasizes robustness in contested environments, including uncertainty and adversarial conditions, as well as degraded navigation aids and intermittent communications.

Is evaluation and testing part of what SARA is looking for?

Yes. A major thrust focuses on evaluation infrastructure, including metrics, tools, simulation approaches, and test and evaluation techniques reflecting Army-relevant constraints and environments.

Are experimental testbeds important for SARA proposals?

Yes. The program stresses experimental testbeds to develop, validate, and refine knowledge products, indicating ARL wants results grounded in experimentation and not only theory or simulation.

What are "knowledge products" in the SARA description?

The solicitation notes that experimental testbeds are used to develop, validate, and refine knowledge products that can inform Army stakeholders and support technology transition.

How is the solicitation structured across cycles?

The opportunity has been run in multiple cycles. The description references Cycle 2 (posted 8 February 2021), Cycle 3 (originally posted 21 March 2023 and later updated with Q&A and a revised deadline), and Cycle 4 (originally posted 10 April 2024 and updated with Q&A and a revised deadline).

Can the topics and proposal requirements change by cycle?

Yes. The announcement notes that each cycle includes updated announcements listing specific topics of interest and submission instructions, so the exact technical emphasis and proposal requirements can vary by cycle even though the overall mission remains consistent.

What was the Cycle 3 deadline mentioned in the description?

Cycle 3 was updated to revise the deadline to 5 May 2023 at 1700 Eastern.

What is the Cycle 4 closing date mentioned in the description?

For Cycle 4, the updated closing date listed is 17 May 2024 at 1700 Eastern Time.

Does the Cycle 4 posting include additional materials beyond the main notice?

Yes. The description indicates that an accompanying Q&A document and cycle-specific topics and instructions are part of the updated posting materials.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is described as broad and includes institutions of higher education, for-profit organizations, and non-profit organizations.

Can Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) apply?

Yes. FFRDCs may propose, as permitted by their sponsoring agency and consistent with applicable policies.

Is teaming or partnering allowed?

Yes. Teaming is allowed, including a prime organization with subawardees in any combination.

If a team applies, who receives the award?

The award will be made to a single entity (the prime recipient), even if that recipient uses subawards to assemble a team.

What kinds of approaches does SARA discourage or consider insufficient by itself?

The description emphasizes that SARA is not looking for narrowly scoped autonomy demonstrations that depend on ideal sensing, perfect maps, constant GPS, or uninterrupted communications.

What is the main takeaway for applicants based on the solicitation summary?

SARA seeks research that makes autonomy dependable in messy, adversarial conditions; scalable from one platform to coordinated multi-agent teams; and credibly evaluated using Army-relevant metrics, test methods, and experimental testbeds.