The National Science Foundation (NSF) is looking for industry insight on spectrum research and development (R&D) to help the White House create a new Federal plan on the technology, according to a recent request for information (RFI).
NSF, in coordination with the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD) National Coordination Office (NCO), is looking for information about spectrum R&D on behalf of the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).
“The National Spectrum Research and Development Plan (R&D Plan) will act as an organizing national document, providing guidance for government investments in spectrum-related research and offering valuable insights,” the RFI says.
“The R&D Plan will identify key innovation areas for spectrum research and development and will include a process to refine and enhance these areas on an ongoing basis,” it adds.
The new plan is part of President Biden’s memo from late last year, titled the Memorandum on Modernizing United States Spectrum Policy and Establishing a National Spectrum Strategy.
The RFI is looking for recommendations in a variety of areas, including:
- Recommendations on strategies for conducting spectrum research in a manner that minimizes unnecessary duplication and ensures that all essential spectrum research areas are sufficiently explored, and achieves measurable advancements in state-of-the-art spectrum science and engineering;
- Recommendations for priority areas of spectrum R&D, as well as productive directions for advancing the state-of-the-art in those areas;
- Recommendations on grand challenge problems for spectrum R&D. Grand challenges are selected research problems that if attacked will help motivate and coalesce R&D efforts;
- Recommendations on spectrum R&D accelerators; and
- Recommendations on a process to refine and enhance the R&D plan on an ongoing basis.
“OSTP has tasked the NITRD Wireless Spectrum Research and Development Interagency Working Group (WSRD IWG) to draft and coordinate development of the National Spectrum R&D Plan. The R&D Plan is expected to be released in late 2024. Revisions will occur periodically,” stated the NSF.
