Drone Marketplace Onboarding of Group 3 UAS

1. Background The U.S. Army Contracting Command – Redstone Arsenal (ACC-RSA) is issuing this Call for Solutions against Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) W58RGZ-26-S-C001 under the authority of 10 U.S.C. § 3458. This Call will competitively acquire and onboard innovative commercial Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) in the Group 3 classification onto the Drone Marketplace. A Group 3 UAS is defined by the Department of Defense as an aircraft that weighs between 55 pounds and 1,320 pounds (maximum gross takeoff weight), operates at altitudes up to 18,000 feet above mean sea level, and typically flies at speeds less than 250 knots. This is intended to be an open and enduring call to continuously survey and onboard new technology for a period not to exceed five (5) years. The Government reserves the right to alter or cancel this call at any time. The UAS Marketplace is a strategic initiative designed to scale the industrial base and accelerate the delivery of UAS capabilities by empowering Soldiers with the freedom to choose the equipment that best meets their mission needs. This approach marks a significant pivot from traditional acquisition models to a dynamic, free-market concept. The primary goal of this Call is to identify and assess innovative Group 3 UAS solutions for placement on the UAS Marketplace. The process is designed to evaluate systems and onboard them to the UAS Marketplace, culminating in one of two levels of procurement readiness: Provisional or Cleared. It is critical for all offerors to understand that this Call’s primary purpose is to establish a pool of qualified vendors available for purchase on the UAS Marketplace. The onboarding process and establishment of a Basic Ordering Agreement (BOA) does not constitute a production contract or guarantee any future orders. All procurement will be initiated by PM UAS and/or U.S. Army end-users based on their specific mission requirements and the availability of funds. 2. Problem Statement The character and pace of modern warfare are being redefined by the rapid proliferation and innovation of UAS. Our near-peer competitors are deploying these capabilities with a speed and scale that directly threatens our technological advantage at the tactical edge. Recent Department of War (DoW) guidance directs a shift to a wartime footing, demanding that we accelerate acquisition timelines and scale the industrial base to meet this evolving threat. The current acquisition process is not structured to keep pace, creating a critical capability gap and putting Soldiers at risk against a technologically adaptive adversary. To address this urgent need, the Army must rapidly identify, assess, and procure innovative, commercially available Group 3 UAS that are ready to field now. This Call seeks to fill critical UAS capability gaps by leveraging the commercial drone market’s dynamism and innovation. The objective is to move away from traditional, lengthy development cycles and onboard mature, effective, and immediately procurable solutions into the UAS Marketplace. This approach will empower the warfighter with the cutting-edge capability required to dominate the modern battlefield and restore our decisive advantage. 3. Technical Attributes A detailed description of the required and desired technical attributes for the UAS solutions is provided in the SOO, included as Attachment 1 to this Call. Offerors must refer to the SOO for a comprehensive understanding of the Government’s technical objectives. In general, the Government is seeking innovative, commercially available Group 3 UAS platforms that are production-ready or at least a least a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 7 and capable of performing missions such as Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (RSTA), electronic warfare, communications relay, and cargo delivery. The Government will accept submissions for solutions with a TRL of less than 7 with a demonstrated plan to achieve TRL 7. The Government may request to include lower TRL systems in demonstration, exercise, or other testing events to assist industry achieving a higher TRL. 4. Award Information 4.1 Authority and Instrument Award This Call is issued under the authority of Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) procedures detailed within the Uncrewed Aircraft System Marketplace Commercial Solutions Opening W58RGZ-26-S-C001, found at SAM.gov Opportunity Link In accordance with 10 US Code 3458, use of a CSO is considered a competitive procedure. The Government intends to establish one or more Firm-Fixed-Price BOAs as a result of this Call. A BOA is not a contract and does not obligate any funds or guarantee any future orders. It is a written instrument of understanding that establishes the terms and conditions for potential future orders. All orders placed against the BOA are subject to the availability of funds. While the BOA will be the primary acquisition vehicle, procurements resulting from this Call may be made through various instruments to include but not limited to already established other Government agency contracts or establish alternate contract vehicles that may include Other Transactions (Ots) or new, negotiated FAR-based contracts. 4.2 Offeror Eligibility Requirements To be eligible for the UAS Marketplace, offerors must meet all of the following requirements: All proposed Unmanned Aircraft Systems must be fully compliant with Section 848 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2020 (and associated NDAA sections), which prohibits the procurement and use of UAS, and their critical flight components manufactured in covered foreign countries, including the People’s Republic of China. Offerors must be prepared to provide a complete Bill of Materials (BOM) or Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) and support supply chain verification activities to prove compliance. Be considered a responsible contractor in accordance with FAR Part 9.1. Possess a Unique Entity ID (UEI) and have an active and approved registration in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov). Have an approved Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code. Have a current NIST SP 800-171 DoW assessment completed and posted in the Supplier Performance Risk System (SPRS) in accordance with DFARS 252.204-7019. Meet all cybersecurity requirements stipulated in this solicitation, which may include a specific Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) level and compliance specified in the resulting BOA or orders in accordance with DFARS Clause 252.204-7012 for the protection of Controlled Unclassified Information. Disclose any actual or potential Organizational Conflicts of Interest (OCIs) to the Contracting Officer. Be registered in the prescribed government invoicing system (e.g., Wide Area Workflow). 4.3 Government Rights and Disclaimers UAS Marketplace Onboarding Decision: The Government reserves the right to make multiple awards, a single award, or no award as a result of this Call. Binding Authority: Only a warranted Contracting or Agreements Officer has the authority to enter, modify, or execute a binding instrument on behalf of the United States Government. Cancellation: The Government reserves the right to cancel this Call, either before or after the closing date. If the Call is canceled, the Government has no obligation to reimburse an offeror for any proposal preparation costs. Standard Terms: The terms and conditions of any resulting BOA will be based on FAR Part 12. Offerors are encouraged to review FAR 52.212-4 and 52.212-5. The offeror will be required to review and accept additional UAS Marketplace specific terms and conditions. 4.4 Submission Updates and Revisions Offerors are responsible for maintaining a current, complete, and accurate submission package. Throughout the open period of this CSO, offerors may submit revised documentation to update their submission to correct inadvertent errors or address feedback from the Government. The formal acceptance of any updates into the official evaluation package, however, remains at the sole discretion of the Government. All evaluations will be based on the latest submission officially accepted by the Government at the time of review. 5. Solution Submission Requirements 5.1 Overview of Submission Steps The Government will utilize a three-step process to evaluate submissions. An offeror must successfully pass each step to be considered for the next. Offerors who successfully complete the Initial Capability Assessment (Step 1) will be eligible for onboarding and will proceed to Step 2 for further verification and security assessment. Upon determination of full eligibility, the Government will invite the offeror to submit a Full Proposal (Step 3) to establish a FAR Part 12-based BOA. An offeror who does not successfully pass a step will not be disqualified from consideration. The Government may, at its discretion, provide feedback on the submission’s deficiencies, and the offeror may revise and resubmit their materials for re-evaluation in accordance with the continuous, rolling basis of this CSO. Crucially, the establishment of a BOA does not constitute a purchase or a guarantee of future orders. The BOA serves only as the contractual framework that makes the UAS available for purchase. If a government user determines that a specific UAS meets their unique operational needs, they may initiate an order against the established BOA via the UAS Marketplace. The Government makes no commitment to the volume or frequency of orders. 5.2 Step 1 – Initial Capability Assessment As the foundational step, interested offerors must submit an Initial Acceptance Packet (IAP). The IAP is a consolidated packet that provides an initial overview of the vendor and the proposed solution and includes: Vendor Information: Company and contact details, summary of qualifications, certifications, and legal compliance, and past or current DoW and commercial contracts. Product Information: Detailed description of the product, including its classification, its intended use, its compliance with relevant regulations, and interoperability and integration with current Army systems and standards. System-Level Technical Data on Platform Information, Command & Control (C2) Datalinks, and Payloads. Comprehensive, vendor-provided data on the platform’s performance, physical characteristics, and transportation logistics. Detailed specifications for the system’s Position, Navigation, & Timing (PNT) capabilities, air vehicle datalinks, and ground control systems. In-depth technical details for all compatible payloads to include spectral, noise, and embedded Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) characteristics. Software and Services Information: Complete details on the software system - including its architecture, hardware and operating system compatibility, dependencies, and licensing model - along with a comprehensive overview of offered services, such as system integration, testing, simulation, training, and maintenance. Include current systems or architectures with which the software has already been integrated. Supporting Documentation (Attachments): A set of clearly labeled and organized documents to supplement their IAP. These are categorized as Required, which are mandatory for the IAP to be considered complete, and Desired, which are not mandatory but significantly strengthen a submission by providing additional context and evidence of capability. Upon successful evaluation of the IAP, offerors may be invited to conduct a system demonstration at a location selected by the Government, or in a virtual environment. To facilitate this event, the Government will issue a coordination packet and schedule a technical interchange meeting with the offeror prior to the demonstration. Demonstration locations may have specific insurance requirements that require vendors to provide a Certificate of Liability Insurance (COLI) that includes designated entities as additional insured. Specific details will be