U.S. Cyber Command has developed a set of Technical Challenge Problems to enhance potential solution providers’ ability to fill key mission gaps. These unclassified Technical Challenge Problems are informed by operators who work the highest priority missions.

These Technical Challenge Problems are not requirements for which we anticipate solutions exist today. Rather, they are significant challenges which will require developers to use existing capabilities in novel ways, add new features, innovate, or drive new research.

It is the intent of U.S. CYBERCOM J9 to help draw the attention of solution providers and focus them on our most pressing needs. J9 will use these Technical Challenge Problems to enrich our engagement with capability providers in Industry, Academia, and the Labs. If a challenge problem is of interest to an outside organization, at a minimum, U.S. CYBERCOM will want to know who is working it and be kept appraised of their progress towards achieving all or portions of the challenge.

J9 Technical Outreach will continue to be the engagement lead for pushing out challenges to different communities and tracking participation in challenges. As solutions begin to materialize, it may be beneficial for the Command to give more detailed guidance to the developers. The J9 Applied Research Division will take the lead on providing technical advice or reaching out for deeper operator advice, as needed.

Successfully completing a challenge problem will not directly result in funding, but doing so will increase the chances that appropriate acquisition and/or transition processes will be employed.

POC: Mr. Berl “Mike” Thomas, J9 Deputy Director for Technology, March 2019