DIU Commercial Solutions Openings for AI and Autonomous Systems

DIU Commercial Solutions Openings for AI and Autonomous Systems is sponsored by Defense Innovation Unit. The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) issues Commercial Solutions Openings (CSOs) to rapidly prototype and field commercial AI and autonomous systems technologies for defense applications.

Work With Us - Open Solicitations - Commercial If your company has a proven track record of commercial viability with commercial off-the-shelf products and tech, you’re in a great position to work with us. We actively work with companies both in the U.S. and internationally, across allied countries.

You can submit your technical solutions to posted solicitations under our Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) process and Other Transaction (OT) authority - a fast, flexible way that allows us to competitively solicit proposals for DoD projects, often awarding within 60-90 days.

Space Power Beaming (SPB) 2026-07-22 23:59:59 US/Eastern Time As space technologies advance and power requirements for missions increase, there is a growing need to investigate alternative forms of power production, generation, and delivery for both on-orbit and terrestrial assets.

In space, existing power technology limits the ability to deploy new and novel technologies on-orbit and many missions operate with narrow power margins constrained largely by a trade between size, weight, and power (SWaP) and availability of power sources. Terrestrially, the fight of the future requires access to power in denied and potentially austere locations.

Space Power Beaming (SPB) provides an innovative approach to remove the power ceiling and improve the duty cycle for on-orbit systems. SPB could also provide a means to reduce or eliminate the need for extended infrastructure and reduce the logistics burden throughout the spectrum of conflict. The Joint Force seeks a demonstration traceable to a future operational capability that will inform architecture decisions.

SPB is envisioned as a multi-orbit utility, enabling long-range power delivery to multiple orbital regimes (Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO), and beyond) and terrestrial locations. This could enable a number of applications of interest to the Department of War such as edge computing, in-space manufacturing, and power delivery to forward operating locations and unmanned systems.

Multiple approaches are under consideration including power-as-a-service or United States Government (USG) owned/operated systems. While it is expected that SPB will eventually be multi-orbit capable, the Joint Force desires a near-term, LEO-based prototype and demonstration to evaluate the military utility of the capability.

This on-orbit demonstration has been broken down into the following Lines of Effort (LoEs) for solutions to address: LoE 1. Space-to-Space Power Beaming Complete commercial solutions for transmitting power to space-based receivers LoE 2. Space-to-Terrestrial Power Beaming Complete commercial solutions for transmitting power to terrestrial-based receivers LoE 3.

Power Beaming Receivers Complete commercial solutions for receiving and converting the power that was transmitted from LoE 1 & 2 solutions LoE 4.

Next-gen Power Beaming Components Commercial solutions for next-gen power transfer components designed to reduce SWaP and/or improve the manufacturability for SPB transmitting and receiving capabilities Vendors have the opportunity to provide a single solution brief that addresses one, two, three, or all four LoEs. Please note that LoEs 1 and 2 are the primary areas of consideration for this requirement.

Vendors should explicitly indicate which LoE(s) their solution is addressing. Additionally, solutions to LoE 4 must incorporate existing technology currently at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5 or higher, and must present a reasonable plan to achieve TRL 6 or higher by the time of on-orbit demonstration(s). Solutions to LoEs 1-4 with the following attributes would enable assessment of the technology’s viability for operational use.

Required Solution Attributes: Rapid fielding: Leverage existing technology and investments wherever possible to minimize total cost and decrease time to on-orbit demonstration Energy delivered: Measure and characterize energy delivered to each recipient Beam size: Minimize receiver beam area to enable delivery to small receivers and minimize energy waste LoE 1: Deliver power to satellites orbiting up to 1,200km LoE 2: Deliver power to terrestrial receivers Desired Solution Attributes: Latency: Minimal between power beaming events Maximum interoperability and integration: Capable of delivering power to existing legacy systems without specialized receivers Scalable technology: Design to be able to scale power levels as required by the use case Vendors also have the opportunity to enter teaming arrangements with other companies (non-traditional or prime defense contractors) that are necessary for their solutions.

Vendors are expected to have any teaming arrangements in place to execute their proposed solutions by contract award so work can begin without delay. Successful submissions will clearly identify the status of necessary teaming arrangements as part of the solution. Preference will be given to teaming arrangements that demonstrate prior partnership success.

For all LoEs, the USG will favor solutions that require minimal modifications to existing plans and capabilities to achieve on-orbit demonstration readiness. This includes incorporating already planned on-orbit demonstrations into this effort. For LoEs 1-3, the prototype effort will begin with milestones leading to a lab-based demonstration within 12 months of award.

The USG will evaluate the results of that demonstration and determine if the solution is ready for on-orbit prototype demonstration(s) within 24 months of award. These prototypes are intended to lead to an operational capability by FY30. The desired programmatic end state is the ability to access this operational SPB capability on demand.

For LoE 4, the prototype effort will include milestones leading to a lab-based component demonstration within 6 months of award. The USG will evaluate the results of that demonstration and determine if the solution is ready for integration into awarded solutions for LoEs 1-3. Q: What is power beaming?

A: Power beaming is the process of transmitting electrical energy from a power source to a receiver via a directed beam of electromagnetic radiation rather than through physical wires. In this context, power beaming transmits electrical energy over long, space-relevant distances (hundreds of kilometers scale). Q: If addressing multiple LoEs, should we submit one solution brief or multiple?

A: Submit one solution brief covering all eligible LoEs. Q: Are commercial partnerships/teaming agreements acceptable to achieve a complete solution? A: Partnerships are acceptable, and only complete solutions addressing at least one LoE will be considered.

Successful submissions will clearly identify the status of necessary partnerships as part of the solution brief deck or white paper. Q: Can the Government clarify what is the Period of Performance for this project? What development is expected to occur between the Month 12 lab demonstration and the Month 24 evaluation for on-orbit demo?

A: The OTA will be structured in the form of milestones. The Period of Performance is planned to be 24 months for an on orbit demo. The US government expects some sort of ground test or other data to inform the decision of whether/how/when to proceed to on orbit demonstration.

The timing, of the ground activities are not intended to be prescriptive. Q: Does the 1200 km refer to the altitude for receivers, transmitters, or both, or referring to the distance between space-to-space transmitter and receiver? A: The 1200 km refers to the distance between transmit and receive.

This area of interest is open to the U.S. and international vendors. Vendors are reminded that in order to utilize an Other Transaction (OT) agreement, the requirements of 10 USC 4022 must be satisfied.

Specifically 10 USC 4022(d) requires significant contribution from a nontraditional defense contractor, all participants to be small business concerns or nontraditional defense contractors, or at least one third of the total cost of the prototype project is to be paid out of funds provided by sources other than the Federal Government. The Terms and Conditions linked below are intended to be incorporated into any resultant OTA.

By submitting a response to this AOI, you acknowledge these Terms and Conditions as the basis for a future agreement. Your response should be prepared in alignment with these baseline Terms and Conditions . The Government intends to hold Phase 2 pitches the week of 03 August 2026.

This Area of Interest will follow the Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) framework established under HQ085420SC0001 DIU CSO, posted to SAM. gov in March 2020.

2026-07-23 23:59:59 US/Eastern Time Area of Interest (AoI) Statement: Massed Modular Aircraft The Joint Force's reliance on low-density, high-value "exquisite" (>$30 million) manned and unmanned aircraft is unsustainable against adversaries utilizing layered defenses enabled by increasingly low-cost antiaircraft capabilities.

This drives the Joint Force into unacceptable compromises: either operate safely outside a threat zone – negatively impacting mission effectiveness, or maneuver inside a threat engagement zone with increased levels of attrition.

To operate effectively, we must accept this inevitable attrition, and deploy larger numbers of less-expensive unmanned platforms, designing them from the start with the expectation that some will be lost in combat. The Joint Force seeks a cost-effective, theater-range, massed, and modular Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) to provide a flexible, operationally-responsive, risk-tolerant option in the air domain.

The ability to employ many aircraft at once ensures a persistent overwhelming credible threat despite inevitable attrition. Massed modular aircraft (MMA) are envisioned as in-theater reconfigurable platforms capable of long-range payload delivery. Crucially, MMA must retain the ability to be outfitted with a variety of payloads, including Full Motion Video (FMV) sensors, to execute missions that the MQ-9A performs today.

By deploying large groups of risk-tolerant MMA, the Joint Force can overwhelm enemy defenses even while experiencing numerous MMA losses. Keeping a constant airborne MMA presence to launch weapons, gather intelligence, perform electronic warfare missions, or relay communications will force an adversary to stay on the defensive.

This relentless pressure will exhaust the adversary, forcing them to burn through expensive anti-aircraft missiles and resources faster than they can be replaced. The following attributes represent an ideal solution, although many of these attributes exist in the trade space.

Primary Attributes Sought Risk Tolerance: Designed for affordable, high-rate manufacture, and minimized total ownership cost Sufficient Munition and Sensor Payload Capacity: Payload capacity of at least 2800 lbs Meaningful Range: Unrefueled combat radius of at least 2300 nautical miles while carrying payload and ability to self-deploy one-way at least 8,000 nautical miles Maximum Interoperability, and Integration: Capable of rapid integration and upgrades via exploitation of the following Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) tenets: a) Government Reference Architectures; b) Model Based Systems Engineering; c) formal methods-based software verification Secondary Attributes Sought Autonomy for Control: a one-to-many operator-to-UAS control ratio Sufficiently Resilient and Integrated Communications: Hybrid SATCOM/mesh network connecting to Department of the Air Force-Battle Network (DAF-BN); execution of local airfield operations (taxi, takeoff, landing, and divert) under highly degraded or denied primary C2/SATCOM conditions Tactically Relevant: At least 200 knots true airspeed; operation from 6,000-foot runway or shorter, semi-improved or prepared Sufficient SWaP-C: Sufficient available size, weight, power (25kW), and cooling (5kW) to host a variety of internal and/or external payloads.

Enables rapid payload exchange Capable of full-scale prototype flight testing within 21 months of award, with a targeted Initial Operating Capability (IOC) in FY2031. IOC for MMA is envisioned as 20 mission-ready aircraft delivered to an operational unit, able to be deployed.

Companies selected for Phase 2 should expect to deliver a virtual or in-person pitch, and will receive amplifying information with expanded detail to help inform their Phase 2 pitches. As part of a Phase 2 questionnaire, vendors will be expected to provide their Rough Order of Magnitude breakdown to arrive at their proposed design performance and manufacturability tradeoffs.

The company’s Phase 2 pitch shall address the Phase 2 evaluation factors contained in CSO HQ0845-20-S-C001 & HQ0034-20-9-DIU, Amendment 0001. DoW requires companies without a CAGE code to register in SAM (https://sam. gov/SAM/) if selected for agreement award.

The Government recommends that prospective companies begin this process as early as possible. This solicitation is open to U.S. and international vendors. Vendors are reminded that in order to utilize an Other Transaction agreement, the requirements of 10 USC 4022 must be satisfied.

Specifically, reference 10 USC 4022(d), which requires at least one (1) of the following: 1. There is at least one nontraditional defense contractor or nonprofit research institution participating to a significant extent in the prototype project; 2.

All significant participants in the transaction other than the Federal Government are small businesses (including small businesses participating in a program described under section 9 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638)) or nontraditional defense contractors; or 3. At least one third of the total cost of the prototype project is to be paid out of funds provided by sources other than the Federal Government.

This solicitation will be awarded in accordance with the Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) process detailed within HQ0845-20-S-C001, posted to SAM. gov on 13 January 2020, updated 13 March 2026. You can also click “View CSO Procedure” found on this webpage.

Pathways through Challenges or Commercial Acceleration Opportunities We regularly seek proposals from both U.S.- and internationally-based ventures just like you. Apply through DIU’s Challenges or Commercial Acceleration Opportunities to showcase your potential and get tailored support.

Open Challenges and Commercial Acceleration Opportunities — DIU Presents: Specular MIST Prize Challenge 2026-07-22 23:59:59 US/Eastern Time DIU Presents: Specular MIST Prize Challenge The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), in collaboration with the Department of the Navy Rapid Capabilities Office (DONRCO) and Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, seeks to identify innovative, scalable, and cost-effective solutions to address modern maritime training and operational challenges.

Traditional acquisition timelines no longer support the urgent needs of our warfighters. To maintain maritime superiority, the Specular MIST Challenge accelerates the prototyping and fielding of transformative technologies that deliver an operational advantage at speed. A critical component of this modernization effort is the deployment of autonomous and containerized payloads to generate combat power at speed and scale.

This initiative focuses on accelerating the development, prototyping, and production of a portfolio of payloads for integration onto manned and autonomous Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs), providing adaptable, lethal, and decisive advantages in contested maritime environments.

A team of subject matter experts will evaluate applicants across a multi-phase competitive process, down-selecting companies to participate in a live At-Sea Challenge demonstration event. Current maritime training frameworks and operational capabilities often rely on rigid, distribution-limited, or cost-prohibitive payloads that lack the flexibility to scale.

To enable cost-effective sensing, training emulations, and electronic warfare capabilities across autonomous platforms, the DoD requires modular payloads optimized for Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) that feature open-system architectures and software-defined capabilities.

Submissions are open across three distinct Lines of Effort (LOEs): LOE 1: Threat Radar Simulators - Develop a fleet of maritime-suitable threat radar simulators to provide dynamic threat target presentations for modern training challenges. Emulators must emit complex S-band signals from a moving vessel, operate remotely, and be marinized to support future integration with autonomous USVs.

LOE 2: Active Electronic Attack (EA) - Integrate modern active EA capabilities onboard autonomous USVs to execute autonomous electromagnetic warfare operations. Microwave Radio Frequency (RF) technology must sense, digitize, and react to the environment without operator input, featuring real-time adaptive jamming against multiple simultaneous signals.

LOE 3: Passive Electronic Surveillance - Provide remotely operable electronic surveillance capabilities at scale to crewed and uncrewed surface platforms. Must sense and process the RF environment with remote operator input, providing state-of-the-art cybersecurity compatible with the existing Navy landing zone. Solutions for LOE 1 & 2 should be designed with a modular, open-system architecture.

A focus should be placed on real-time reprogramming and software-defined RF capabilities to deliver tunable solutions. Submissions must address the following focus areas: Tunable & Scalable: Demonstrate a modular open systems architecture with software-defined radio programming for maximum tunability and rapid technology insertion.

Address your plan for solution availability, production capacity, and unit cost for 1, 10, 50, 100, and 300 units, beginning 6 months after Challenge completion. Integration: Address unmanned platform integration design, payload optimization (Size, Weight, and Power), and demonstrate the ability to account for vessel motion (roll, pitch, yaw) to ensure accurate payload pointing.

Environmental Conditions: The solution must feature a resilient design addressing maritime conditions, elevated temperatures, and ship vibration while maintaining performance. It must also address power and thermal management to ensure efficient thermal dissipation for high-power components. Command and Control (C2): Detail a common C2 architecture capable of operating the primary payload and co-located systems remotely.

For LOEs 1 and 2, The solution must demonstrate the ability to ingest target positioning data and automatically adjust antenna position accordingly. For LOE 3, the solution must be capable of operating with multiple layers of encryption while underway, while supporting data transfer of recorded wideband RF. Specific Technical Requirements The following Specifications must be met to have a viable solution.

For LOE 1: Threat Radar Simulators: The emulator must meet the following minimum technical specifications: The system must provide an Effective Radiated Power (ERP) of 50 dBW operating at a 10% duty cycle. The radar waveform must support a pulse width ranging from 0. 5 to 55 µs, a pulse repetition frequency (PRF) between 50 and 5,000 pps, and utilize both unmodulated pulse and Linear Frequency Modulation (LFM) techniques.

The system must maintain a maximum harmonic level of 15 dBc and deliver a beamwidth capable of providing an instantaneous azimuth coverage of at least 10°, complete with elevation pointing capabilities. For LOE 2: Active Electronic Attack (EA): The system must demonstrate the ability to operate effectively in a contested electronic warfare environment.

It must simultaneously detect and discern multiple discrete queued signals and provide adaptive jamming suppression in real-time without operator intervention. For LOE 3: Passive Electronic Surveillance: The system must be meet the following minimum technical specifications: The system must feature radio frequency (RF) environmental sensing capabilities that encompass, at a minimum, the VHF and UHF bands.

It must include subsystems providing position and timing, and deliver a total instantaneous bandwidth of at least 50 MHz. Additionally, the system architecture must be fully capable of hosting and operating government-provided software.

Submissions will be judged by the degree to which they comply with the NSA’s CSfC requirements for data at rest and data in transit, frequency range coverage beyond the minimum specified here, and innovative design decisions leading to cost savings in production or for technological refresh.

Competitive Process & Evaluation Criteria The challenge is structured into three progressive evaluation phases: Phase 1: Proposal & Down-Select -White Paper Or Pitch Deck Phase 2: At-Sea Live Demo -Live demo at Southern California Event with Direct End-User Testing Phase 3: Post-Demo Pathway -Maturation Prizes and potential for Follow-on OTA prototype contract / Procurement Phase 1: Proposal Evaluation & Down Selection Initial evaluation of written submissions to select viable commercial technologies for live demonstration.

Vendors selected to advance receive up to $250,000 to fund participation. Technical Viability & Alignment : Degree to which the solution meets the Technical Capabilities and individual LOE requirements. Team & Company Viability : Demonstrated capability, current production rates, and corporate expertise to successfully develop, deliver, and sustain the solution.

Cost & Scalability : Feasibility of proposed pricing ranges across varying production volumes and lifecycle maintenance. Quality of Proposal : Clear, thorough explanation of how the technology fills current capability gaps and enhances operational effectiveness within the chosen LOE.

Phase 2: At-Sea Challenge Live Demonstration & Pitch Evaluation Hands-on operational assessment under realistic conditions in Southern California, evaluated by a designated team of DoW end users. Down-selection to Phase 3 yields up to $1,000,000 per selected company and potential for follow-on prototype or production contract.

Evaluated on Phase 1 criteria plus: Operational Effectiveness : Proven resilience and performance of the hardware/software when exposed to highly dynamic EM environment and maritime weather conditions. End-User Feedback : Ease of use, learning curve, and direct tactical feedback from operators testing the system.

Selected companies must provide training documentation ahead of time to allow at least three operators to complete training prior to the event. Quality of the Pitch : Clear communication of the solution’s value proposition, commercial viability in non-defense markets, and responsiveness to technical or business questions from strategic advisors.

Phase 3: Post-Demonstration Pathway & User-Driven Iteration High-performing vendors transition into unit-focused field assessments for extended evaluation, training, and rapid fielding. Prizes awarded in Phase 3 scale alongside direct feedback from operational units as they train with and deploy the systems.

Rapid Delivery Capability : Ability of the vendor to manufacture and supply substantial numbers of operational systems shortly after completing Phase 2. TTP Impact : Measurable positive impact on unit Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs).

07/08/2026 Challenge Opens / Solicitation Release 07/22/2026 Phase 1 Submission Deadline (White Paper Or Pitch Deck) 07/29/2026 Announcement of Invited Phase 2 Down-Select Participants 08/05/2026 Virtual Q&A Session for Selected Participants 09/10/2026 At-Sea Challenge Live Demonstration Event Begins (Southern California) 09/25/2026 At-Sea Challenge Live Demonstration Event Ends 10/23/2026 Prize Challenge Board Deliberations Completed 10/30/2026 Prize Challenge Winners Announced Benefits of Participating $5,000,000 Total Cash Prize Pool: Funding distributed across phases to incentivize maturation and cover live demonstration participation.

Direct Exposure: Operational engagement with leaders across multiple branches of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). Follow-On Pathways: High-performing vendors stand eligible for rapid fielding opportunities, including cash prizes under 10 USC 4025, system procurement for extended testing, or Prototype Other Transaction (OT) agreements under 10 USC 4022. 1.

What does winning look like? a.) A combination of cash prizes as described above and the opportunity of a follow-on government contract.

2. Where can I submit additional questions not answered in this FAQ? a.)

Please send your questions via email to prizechallenge@diu. mil and reference ‘Specular MIST Prize Challenge’ in the subject line. 3.

I have additional questions and want to talk to someone. a.) While the Specular MIST Challenge remains open, no meetings with individuals or specific companies will be held on this topic in order to maintain a fair and competitive process.

4. Should I submit one proposal or multiple for each LOE? a.)

Submissions can be combined for LOE1 and LOE2 or submitted as separate proposals and a separate submission must be provided for LOE3 5. Who will operate capabilities selected for Phases 2 and 3? a.)

There will be a training period by companies for DoW operators beginning several days prior to the week of the demonstration events. To the maximum extent possible, military members will operate the capabilities. 6.

Will there be follow on contracts? a.) Being designated as a winner of a prize challenge under US Code 4025 makes your solution eligible for follow-on Prototype OTs.

b.) There is no guarantee that any follow-on awards or contracts will be awarded. 7.

What happens at the end of Phase 2? a.) Companies may be selected to continue to Phase 3 where they will provide capabilities and support to the partner unit over a period of 6-9 months for feedback and iterative product development.

Additional prize funding will be awarded if selected for Phase 3. 8. If I’m already on the Blue UAS List, do I need to compete?

9. Can I team up with a partner? a.)

The DoW understands vendors may not address all attributes in this solicitation fully; teaming proposals are welcome. Due to the preference to demonstrate within three months of this solicitation, preference will be given to individual or team solutions with demonstrated performance to date. 10.

Will proprietary solutions be accepted? a.) While a modicum of integration is always required, solutions that are walled off or require extensive time, labor, and expense to integrate additional third party options will not be considered.

11. What should I put in my proposal? a.)

The criteria outlined in the AOI should be addressed. Key details should include size, weight, power, cost (SWaP-C), performance, ruggedness (e.g., IP rating), and ease of setup. Vendors should also outline delivery timelines, training plans, and their ability to scale production.

12. I have a great idea but it’s not called out as needed in this solicitation. Should I submit it?

13. Will I get feedback on my submission? a.)

Individual feedback will only be provided for submissions selected for Phases 2& 3. b.) Industry wide feedback may be provided for common trends for success and failure of submissions selected / non-selected during Phase 1.

14. When do I need to submit to be considered? a.)

Submissions must be received by 22 Jul 26 to be evaluated. 15.) Do we need existing SIPRNet at our facility or can we use the Prize Challenge as our conduit to gain access as we meet all other requirements (PCL and compliance)?

a.) No, an existing FCL is not required to apply to this challenge. It is acceptable for teams who currently lack SIPRnet or JWICS access at their facilities to submit proposals, as long as they meet the other security criteria.

Teams DO need to be able to access classified information (via JWICS OR SPIRNET) following Phase I, but it can be at another facility. DIU cannot support that access. 16.)

Is this solicitation limited to payloads for preselected unmanned surface vessels (USVs), or may offerors propose an integrated USV and payload solution that meets the LOE requirements? If offerors may propose a USV, are there specific vessel criteria or performance requirements? a.)

The aim of this challenge is to deliver only the most viable, modular, containerized payload to perform on existing UxV platforms. Additional autonomous platforms are not desired. 17.)

In regards to “LOE 3: Passive Electronic Surveillance: Reference is made about current capability gaps, but no mention to what those gaps are. Would you elaborate on the gaps you are seeking to address? a.)

For LOE 3, we cannot share specific capability gaps at this level, but will provide additional specificity after phase 1 of the prize challenge. The solicitation does not specify the RF sensing disciplines of COMINT or ELINT. Are you looking for one, both, just an RF emission survey, or something else?

b.) Both domains are desired. LOE 3 requests “environmental sensing capabilities” which is vague.

Would you prioritize search, identification, demodulation, fingerprinting, copy, recording, geolocation, or other desired RF sensing capabilities? c.) We prioritize geolocation (including JICD 4.

2 compliance), DVR, copy, recording, with potential follow on identification. Are you seeking fully autonomous, man-on-the-loop, or interactive man-in-the-loop operation? d.)

We are seeking fully autonomous solutions. 18.) Would you clarify how you will evaluate during the demonstration?

(What is the set-up platform and operating location?) a.) All LOEs will be evaluated aboard a 120 foot motor vessel operating at sea.

19.) Where will the candidate sensors operate? a.)

Candidate systems for LOE 3 will be hosted inside the pilot house of the vessel, systems for LOEs 1 and 2 will be deck mounted. Government provided Starlink with Candidate systems for LOE 3 will be hosted inside the pilot house of the vessel, systems for LOEs 1 and 2 will be deck mounted. Government provided Starlink will be available for backhaul and C2 data pathways.

20.) What is the physical hosting environment? a.)

LOE 3 submissions will use a government furnished antenna for testing, though submissions with their own antenna will be considered. 21.) What data pathways are available?

What does SWAP-C look like? Will the platforms have existing apertures, etc.?) a.)

LOE 3 submissions should target a 2 U size constraint, but larger systems that can easily fit within the pilot house will be considered for demonstration purposes . 22.) How firm are the demonstration dates?

a.) All demonstration dates are firmly mid through late September. Submissions for LOE 3 will need to plan for testing 9/11, and 9/14-17.

These are firm dates. 23.) What are your target emitters for the ES LOE?

Pulsed? CW? Both?

(What CONOPs are best? Surface-Surface? Surface-Air?

Surface-OTH? Surface-Space etc. Do you have thoughts on DF/geo performance?) a.)

All emitters listed, as well as push to talk, are of interest. Surface-Surface and Surface-Air CONOPS are of interest. Geolocation performance is a consideration for overall evaluation.

24.) I am reaching out to better understand a rough idea of what "cost-effective solutions" means in the context of a passive EW system for this use case. The baseline requirement of 50 MHz covering VHF and UHF on the receive side is quite limited, leading me to believe the target cost would be quite low.

The higher the capability, the higher the expected cost, especially for larger bandwidths, processing, and other relevant capabilities such as direction finding. If you can share a rough order of magnitude on this topic or any other guidance that would be helpful. a.)

For LOE 3, solutions are expected to be 200k or less per unit at production, with competitive solutions substantially below this mark. LOE 3 solutions should be able to fit and operate in small USVs. 25.)

Submission Requirements states that, “Companies may submit separate, distinct proposals for any combination of LOE 1, LOE 2, and/or LOE 3. ” However FAQs answer # 4 states, “Submissions can be combined for LOE1 and LOE2 or submitted as separate proposals and a separate submission must be provided for LOE3”. Can we confirm that an offeror may provide one distinct proposal combining both LOE2 and LOE3?

Submission Requirements for 1. White Paper, Content, require “a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) for cost and schedule. ” Can the government better clarify what the ROM is expected to address ?

Can the government confirm that the cost estimate limited to the scope of the demonstration in this challenge (maturation and coverage of live demonstration participation.? a.) Solutions submitted that combine LOE 3 with other LOEs will be evaluated, however to be competitive for award under LOE 3, solutions should target minimizing SWAP and cost per unit.

The ROM allows you to identify your financial assumptions for what you can provide the government. It allows you to identify what you can deliver for how much, and can include both your demonstration cost & projected post-challenge production costs if desired. 26.)

The Other Transaction section of the Prize Challenge states the following: “This DIU Challenge public announcement is an open call to small businesses and non-traditional defense contractors…” Does this statement preclude a large business from submitting to this prize challenge as there is no statutory restriction under 4025 or 4022? a.) Large businesses are not precluded from participating in this challenge.

27.) In regard to the subject request for White Paper, if a team submits a proposal that is a combined solution for LOE1 and LOE2 and the team is selected to advance to Phase 2 for both LOE1 and LOE2, would that team be