WHS Acquisition Directorate intends to issue a task order under contract HQ0034-13-D-0003 to Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL) on a sole source basis under authority of 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(3) as implemented in FAR 6.302-3(a)(2)(ii): "To establish or maintain an essential engineering, research, or development capability to be provided by an educational or other non-profit institution or a federally funded research and development center." This task order will be awarded to JHU/APL in its capacity as a Department of Defense University Affiliated Research Center (UARC). UARCs enable DoD to establish and maintain long-term strategic relationships with selected universities, to conduct essential research, development, and scientific and engineering expertise in core competency areas important to DoD.

In conducting this task order, JHU/APL will support the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy analysis various strategies for deterring external efforts to interfere with the internal workings of NATO member states by adversarial state and non-state actors utilizing tactics such as propaganda in media economic warfare, cyber warfare, criminal acts, and intelligence operations.

The work effort has been reviewed to ensure that it falls within the special competencies of the research foundation, and within the overall scope of the IDIQ. JHU/APL is the only UARC that specializes in the required work, and no other UARC except for JHU/APL will be able to meet OUSD(POLICY)'s requirement. The anticipated amount of this action is approximately $500K. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. Interested parties may identify their capabilities with respect to this requirement by 23 February 2017, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. All information received will be considered by the Government. A determination by the Government not to compete this action based on this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. The primary North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 541690 (Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services), with a size standard of $15M.