PROJ00718

The Bridge Program at the Department of War Innovation Unit (DIU) invites submissions to this topic area under the Classified Access to Address Critical Technology (CLASS ACT) Solicitation HQ084526SC002 , which should be referenced prior to submitting to this topic area. Please note that this is a pilot effort and not a traditional DIU CSO opportunity, to increase the numbers of cleared vendors that can support the Department of War. This effort is raising the probability of commercial technology adoption by helping to ensure that nontraditional defense contractors are able to meet critical operational needs that require clearances.

This topic area targets innovators developing technology or capabilities to counter unmanned systems in maritime environments.

Topic Area Description

Adversaries threaten ports, harbors, naval forces, and other critical maritime infrastructure with the use of unmanned systems that operate underwater, on the surface, or in the air. These systems may be tethered, programmed, and hardened to prevent detection or interference.

DIU is expanding the availability of TS-cleared nontraditional defense contractors that provide sensors (passive and active) and effectors to defeat adversarial unmanned systems (UxV) in and around maritime environments.

Of specific interest are capabilities or technologies for long-range (60km+) passive detection across domains and UxV sizes, assured active detection and tracking of swarms (100s of UxVs at distances greater than 5km) across domains and UxV sizes (with emphasis on Group 3 systems), and effectors that lower the cost per kill compared to currently available systems.

Eligibility Requirements

This list is not exhaustive and offerors should refer to the Bridge Program CLASS ACT Solicitation HQ084526SC002 on sam.gov (Do not refer to Defense Innovation Unit Commercial Solutions Opening)

Must not have a current or previously held facility clearance

Must qualify as nontraditional defense contractor

Must offer a sensor or effector

Solution must be TRL 7+ (prototype demonstrated in operational environment)

Raised at least $10m in equity financing

Booked annual revenue of $2,000,000+, not backed by adversarial capital

Key management personnel (as defined by DCSA) must be U.S. Citizens

Q: Could you clarify whether the $10 million requirement must be satisfied through previously completed equity financing, or whether documented access to capital through an affiliated company under common ownership would be acceptable?

A: DIU will rely on Section 3.3.a of the CLASS ACT Solicitation to determine eligibility. Applicants will be evaluated against the specific benchmark of having raised at least $10 million in equity financing.

Q: Can an eligible nontraditional defense contractor serve as the prime offeror if the required TRL 7+ sensor is provided by a teaming partner/subcontractor, or must the submitting offeror itself own/develop the sensor or effector capability?

A: Submitting offeror must be the developer of the sensor or effector.

Q: Is the Counter-UxVs pilot effort a way to prototype a new process for getting startups and non-traditional defense contractors faster access to classified meeting space?

A: Yes, the CLASS ACT solicitation prototypes a process to award and clear non-traditional defense contractors that are critical to DoW. Vendors will provide the U.S. Government (DIU, DRMP, JIATF-401) with reports detailing the readiness of existing commercial technologies to address operational needs.

Q: What U.S. based funds that have foreign limited partners (e.g., investors from Australia, or Japan, or U.K.)?

A: Yes, they may apply. If selected, DCSA will likely require additional information on foreign LPs during the FCL application process.

Q: What U.S. investment funds that park their capital in certain countries like the Cayman Islands?

A: Yes, they may apply. If selected, DCSA will likely require additional information during the FCL application process.

Q: Would DIU be seeking any specific background information from potential co-investors?

A: DIU seeks the material identified in Solicitation Section 3.2 the offeror.

Q: Does the “U.S. only” also apply to the technical solicitation as well?

A: Offerors for both CLASS ACT topic areas must be be organized and existing under the laws of the United States to be eligible to receive an award as this is a requirement to be eligible for an FCL, which is necessary to perform the work required.

Q: Will that be on a case by case basis?

A: No. Foreign-based offerors will be unable to obtain an FCL needed to perform.

Q: Is there any appreciable difference between what CLASS ACT is envisioned to do and what the SOF program, “SOF RACER Vendor Portal | GovSignals”, is planning?

A: Yes, SOF RACER is an invitation to join a consortium to solve SOCOM problem sets. CLASS ACT is not a consortium and is an invitation to entities with capabilities or technology highly relevant to the DOW to gain facility clearances so that they can bring their innovation to the Department, and help solve classified technical challenges.

Q: Revenue: Does "booked annual revenue" include signed multi-year contract value, or only recognized revenue? Can revenue from an affiliate or parent company count?

A: The offerror should have funded contracts or agreements with funding that is obligated. DIU will not count the ceiling of a contract or agreement as booked revenue. A signed multi-year contract that commits the buyer to buying over multi-years is acceptable, but not if that value is merely a ceiling with options to buy.

Q: Equity: Is the $10M threshold measured on closed financing only, or would a signed term sheet or committed round be considered?

A: The current criteria is for $10m closed and funded financing. This is a pilot effort and DIU may reissue with amendments to the solicitation.

Q: Teaming: Can a joint venture or teaming arrangement submit where one member meets the revenue and equity thresholds?

A: DIU is looking for one offeror per submission, with that offeror being able to meet the minimum criteria identified in 3.3 of the CLASS ACT Solicitation.

Q: Flexibility: Is there any mechanism for exceptions to the minimum criteria for a strong technical fit, or are they strictly pass/fail for this pilot?

A: The evaluation criteria identified in 3.3 of the CLASS ACT solicitation is the minimum evaluation criteria.

Q: Future rounds: Do you expect to reissue this topic area, or related maritime sensing topics, during the 36-month pilot?

A: DIU may amend the solicitation and use the same or different topic areas in the future

Q: If a non-U.S. citizen officer or director is formally excluded from classified access by board resolution, as the NISPOM allows, can the offeror still make the certification?

A: DIU seeks to reduce risk to the CLASS ACT pilot effort timelines and objectives. The vendor may make the certification if the proposed KMPs (as defined by DCSA) are U.S. citizens.

Q: Does the certification need to be accurate at white paper submission, or at the point of FCL sponsorship? Would an offeror be able to submit with a documented plan to place U.S. citizens in the required KMP roles before sponsorship?

A: DIU seeks to reduce risk to the CLASS ACT pilot effort timelines and objectives. Certification needs to be accurate at white paper submission.

Q: For leadership holding citizenship in a Five Eyes country, is that treated any differently at the white paper stage, or is it handled entirely through DCSA's FOCI review after selection?

A: To reduce risk to CLASS ACT effort timelines and objectives, a certification must be made that the offeror's Key Management Personnel (as defined by DCSA) are U.S. citizens.

Q: Would an offeror be allowed to team with another company who has all U.S Citizens in KMP roles, and does not yet have an FCL to meet these requirements?

A: At this time, DIU is not looking for partnership-based responses.

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Potential Follow-On Production Contract for Prototype Other Transaction Agreements

Companies are advised that any Prototype Other Transaction (OT) agreement awarded in response to this solicitation may result in the direct award of a follow-on production contract or agreement without the use of further competitive procedures. Follow-on production activities will result from successful prototype completion.

The follow-on production contract or agreement will be available for use by one or more organizations within the Department of Defense. As a result, the magnitude of the follow-on production contract or agreement could be significantly larger than that of the Prototype OT agreement. All Prototype OT agreements will include the following statement relative to the potential for follow-on production: “In accordance with 10 U.S.C. § 4022(f), and upon a determination that the prototype project for this transaction has successfully been completed, this competitively awarded Prototype OT agreement may result in the award of a follow-on production contract or transaction without the use of competitive procedures.”

2023 Other Transaction Guide

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If we think there’s a good match between your solution and our DoD partners, we’ll invite you to provide us with a full proposal — this is the beginning of negotiating all the terms and conditions of a proposed prototype contract.

After a successful prototype, the relationship can continue and even grow, as your company and any interested DoD entity can easily enter into follow-on contracts.

We solicit commercial solutions that address current needs of our DoD partners. (View all open solicitations and challenges .

We solicit commercial solutions that address current needs of our DoD partners. (View all open solicitations and challenges .

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We’ll get back to you within 30 days if we’re interested in learning more through a pitch. If we're not interested, we'll strive to let you know ASAP.

We’ll get back to you within 30 days if we’re interested in learning more through a pitch. If we're not interested, we'll strive to let you know ASAP.