Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) PEO-SDA

SAM.GOV Special Notice Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) H9241525X0001 US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) PEO SOF Digital Applications (SDA) SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 USSOCOM Special Operations Forces Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (SOF AT&L) seeks to accelerate the application of commercially derived software innovation into deployable warfighting capabilities in support of Special Operations Forces (SOF). Early identification of warfighter needs and continuous engagement with users during software development and fielding will support increased lethality and efficiency. 1.2 In order to support rapid fielding of tailored software capabilities, SOF AT&L seeks to award FAR and non-FAR contracts and agreements to non-traditional and traditional defense contractors to carry out prototype projects for Program Executive Office SOF Digital Applications (PEO SDA) that are directly relevant to enhancing the effectiveness of software intensive programs, platforms, components, algorithms, and processes. As such, under the authority of 10 USC 3458 and DoD Class Deviation 2022-O0007, USSOCOM SOF AT&L releases this Commercial Solutions Opening. This CSO may result in an Other Transaction Authority (OTA) or a FAR-based contract. 1.3 This Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) will make awards to proposals for innovative, commercial technologies through multi-phased, competitive processes throughout 2024 and 2025. Awards may include prototypes as well as concept demonstrations, pilots, and agile software development activities that can incrementally improve commercial technologies, existing Government-owned capabilities, or concepts for defense application. Interested vendors should note that all of PEO SDA s Programs of Record are being managed in accordance with DoDI 5000.87, the software acquisition pathway, for the timely acquisition of custom software capabilities developed for the DoD. Programs will require government and contractor software teams to use modern iterative software development methodologies (e.g., agile or lean), modern tools and techniques (e.g., development, security, and operations (DevSecOps)), and human-centered design processes to iteratively deliver software to meet the users priority needs. 1.3.1 Phase I: Solutions will be sought on a full-and-open basis under certain Technology Areas of Interest (AOI) relevant to SDA requirements. Initial submissions against 2024 and 2025 AOIs will be requested as Solution Briefs (SB). A team of Government personnel who are subject matter experts for the given AOI will evaluate each submission independently against standard criteria for advancement to Phase II. The Government may elect to proceed directly to Phase III after a successful Phase I evaluation. 1.3.2 Phase II: If a Phase II evaluation is necessary, the Government will host Phase II invitees so that each company has a standard amount of time to pitch / demonstrate its proposed solution to the Government evaluation panel and hold any discussions necessary for evaluation. Discussions may continue outside of the pitch / demonstration session. Participation in Phase II will be entirely at the company s expense. Favorably evaluated pitches will receive a Request for Prototype Proposal (RPP) that marks the beginning of Phase III. Note, Phase II is optional for the CSO process, and may not always be conducted, or may not be required for every successful Phase I submission. 1.3.3 Phase III: The Government will only advance companies to Phase III if it intends to award a contract or agreement for the proposed solution. Companies will collaboratively build Statements of Work with the Government team and negotiate Contract/Agreement Terms and Conditions for award. 1.4 Technology Areas of Interest (AOI): Specific AOIs will be posted and advertised intermittently when the Government has particular interest in a further defined problem set for software-intensive capabilities. Technology AOIs will only be posted for a specified amount of time wherein submissions will be accepted. Additionally, specific AOIs will usually have funding set-aside and available to immediately make awards for favorably evaluated proposals determined to be in the best interest of the Government. Examples of future AOIs are as follows but not limited to: The development of Software Lifecycle Management tools, Software Process Improvement/Education, Automation Tooling for Data Ingestion/Tagging, and innovating novel approaches to Machine Learning (ML) Ops processing. 1.5 This notice fulfills synopsis requirements. Synopsis under FAR subpart 5.2 of the individual contract actions for AOIs under this CSO is not required. All Technology AOIs will be publicized at https://www.sofwerx.org. Announcements of individual contract actions for AOIs under this CSO made at the SOFWERX website are considered to satisfy reasonable efforts to obtain competition in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 4021 and 4022 (b)(2). SECTION 2 GUIDELINES FOR SOLUTION BRIEFS, PITCHES, AND PROPOSALS 2.1 The purpose of the Solution Brief is to identify innovative solutions and preclude effort on the part of the Company whose proposed work may not be of interest to the Government. Companies are encouraged to follow the instructions detailed below. The Government aims to provide an evaluation response NLT the specified evaluation completion date after the submission against specific AOIs. 2.2 Submissions will not be returned. The original of each submission received will be retained by USSOCOM and all other non-required copies destroyed. 2.3 Guidelines for Solution Brief Submissions: 2.3.1 It is generally desired that active Research and Development (R&D) and technology application is underway for potential solutions submitted under this CSO. Active R&D includes analytical studies and laboratory studies to physically validate the analytical predictions of separate elements of the technology, as well as software engineering and development. Technology application in this case refers to a variety of methods to validate dissimilar capabilities that may be modified to meet a need. 2.3.2 Costs of preparing and submitting solution briefs are at the Company s expense. 2.3.3 Unnecessarily elaborate brochures or proposals are not desired. 2.3.4 An overview diagram(s) or figure(s) to depict the proposed solution is strongly encouraged. 2.3.5 Multiple solution briefs addressing different technology AOIs may be submitted by the same organization; however, each solution brief may only address one solution based on the specific AOI. 2.3.6 The period of performance for any solution brief or proposal submitted under this CSO should generally be no greater than 24 months. 2.3.7 Technical data with military application may require appropriate approval, authorization, or license for lawful exportation. 2.3.8 All solution briefs shall be unclassified. Solution briefs containing data that is not to be disclosed to the public for any purpose or used by the Government except for evaluation purposes shall include the following sentences on the cover page: This solution brief includes data that shall not be disclosed outside the Government, except to contractor support services personnel for evaluation purposes, and shall not be duplicated, used, or disclosed -- in whole or in part -- for any purpose other than to evaluate this submission. If, however, an agreement is awarded to this Company as a result of - or in connection with - the submission of this data, the Government shall have the right to duplicate, use, or disclose the data to the extent agreed upon by both parties in the resulting agreement. This restriction does not limit the Government's right to use information contained in this data if it is obtained from another source without restriction. The data subject to this restriction are contained in sheets [insert numbers or other identification of sheets] and each restricted data sheet should be marked as follows: Use or disclosure of data contained on this sheet is subject to the restriction on the title page of this proposal. 2.3.9 Foreign-Owned businesses may be a submitter alone or through some form of teaming arrangement with one or more United States-owned businesses. However, the ability to obtain an agreement based upon a submission may depend upon the ability of the Foreign Owned business to obtain necessary export clearances and approvals to obtain AOI information. 2.3.10 Questions regarding the objectives or preparation of the solution brief should be addressed to the POC provided in individual AOI instructions. 2.3.11 When a call for CSO Technology AOIs is publicized via SOFWERX, solutions must be submitted electronically per instructions in the announcement. 2.4 Solution Brief Preparation and Evaluation will generally follow the below guidelines. Any required deviations to the below guidelines will be provided in the specific AOI. Submitter s solution brief should not exceed five (5) pages…