Digital Transformation for the Secretary of the Air Force (SAF)

July 02, 2025

Project Overview

The U.S. Air Force awarded Forward Edge-AI a sole source SBIR Phase III contract to accelerate digital transformation for the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force. This award builds upon successful Phase I and II efforts to deliver secure, agile, and automated mission support capabilities aligned with the DoD Digital Modernization Strategy and the Trump Administration’s push for federal efficiency and operational streamlining.

SAF faced multiple operational challenges, including fragmented workflows, inefficient manual data intake processes, siloed decision-making environments, and the lack of real-time visibility into enterprise activities. These issues hindered responsiveness, burdened limited personnel resources, and slowed modernization efforts critical to maintaining global partnerships and strategic readiness.

To address these issues, Forward Edge-AI developed and operationalized a suite of integrated digital solutions. These include a Zero Trust Architecture-compliant Key Leader Engagement (KLE) platform, an automated CIO intake and governance process, and pilot dashboards with real-time data integration. These solutions were engineered to align with SAF's Technical Directional Framework while achieving cybersecurity compliance and interoperability with existing DoD systems such as SNAP-IT, ITIPS, and PBES.

The advantages of Forward Edge-AI’s approach include a low-friction deployment model that ensures rapid adoption, government-exclusive SBIR data rights that eliminate license ambiguity, and a highly modular architecture that supports agile scaling across directorates. The KLE platform alone demonstrated a 30% reduction in manual steps, while initial CIO process automation achieved a 25% reduction in processing time. Early dashboard implementations received a 90% user satisfaction score, and the ROI analysis indicated a minimum 15% cost and labor savings across targeted workflows. The reinvestment strategy developed under this contract further identifies at least three actionable proposals to channel efficiency gains back into modernization priorities.

This Phase III contract represents a scalable and defensible blueprint for digital transformation across the Department of the Air Force and reinforces Forward Edge-AI’s role as a strategic partner in mission assurance and government innovation.

Technical Focus

Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA): Integration of secure access controls and segmented systems for enhanced cybersecurity resilience.
Workflow Automation: Initial automation of the CIO intake process with a roadmap toward full digitalization.
Key Leader Engagement (KLE): Operationalizing the KLE tool at Initial Operating Capability (IOC) with full cybersecurity accreditation.
Enterprise Architecture: Baseline mapping of current/future-state mission processes and publication of a modernization roadmap.
Data Analytics and Visualization: Development of pilot dashboards and unified data models that improve decision-making through real-time insights.

Key Deliverables

Strategic Assessment Report & Digital Roadmap
KLE IOC Implementation Report & ATO Package
Data Model and Dashboard Demonstration
CIO Intake Automation Report & Planning Blueprint
Monthly Progress and Impact Reports
Final Technical Report and ROI/Reinvestment Analysis

Impact

This Phase III effort transitions minimum viable products from prototype to full operational use, enabling SAF/IA to reduce manual processing, increase data-driven decision-making, and reinvest efficiency gains into future modernization. The project directly supports mission readiness, enhances enterprise agility, and reinforces Forward Edge-AI’s leadership in federal digital transformation initiatives.

Recommended:

Forward Edge-AI Business Information:

Capabilities Statement Here

UEI Number

KRCZZNY5WPZ8

DUNS Number

117079759

Forward Edge-AI's CAGE Code is 8bxh2

Restrictions on use of Forward Edge-AI Information on Bid and Proposals

SBIR DATA RIGHTS:

Awarding Agency: United States Air Force

Contract Number: FA7014-25-C-0036

Contractor Name: Forward Edge-AI, Inc.

Contractor Address: 10108 Carter Canyon, San Antonio, TX 78255

Expiration of SBIR Data: 01 December 2041

Protection Period: 20 years from award of contract on 01 December 2021

The Government's rights to use, modify, reproduce, release, perform, display, or disclose technical data or computer software marked with this legend are restricted during the period shown as provided in paragraph (b)(5) of the Rights In Other Than Commercial Technical Data and Computer Software–Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program clause contained in the above identified contract. After the expiration date shown above, the Government has perpetual government purpose rights as provided in paragraph (b)(5) of that clause. Any reproduction of technical data, computer software, or portions thereof marked with this legend must also reproduce the markings.

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