Autonomous Resupply Vessel (ARV)

**Background** The Department of War (DoW) relies on the U.S. Army for intra-theater logistics, creating a heavy dependence on supply chains to sustain joint operations at required speed and scale. Army Watercraft Systems (AWS) are critical to distributing supplies across dispersed littoral formations in the Indo-Pacific theater, but the current fleet is aging and reliant upon a limited cadre of Army senior enlisted mariners. It also lacks the overall supply payload capacity to move supplies at the demands needed by operational forces. This risk is compounded in contested environments where adversaries can target the high value and personnel-intensive targets in the supply chain.
**Problem** The Indo-Pacific theater requires additional logistics capacity capable of sustaining long-distance maritime distribution while operating with minimal personnel. This capability must reduce reliance on vulnerable airfields and large crewed vessels, scale rapidly in crisis or conflict, and remain affordable for production at scale.
The DoW is looking toward unmanned systems to solve these challenges. For Indo-Pacific Contested Logistics, Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) can provide significant operational advantages by eliminating risk to onboard personnel and reducing the need for trained mariners. Additionally, their dispersed and relatively inexpensive nature complicates adversary targeting, enhancing survivability in contested environments.
To these considerations, the DoW is seeking solutions for a small, Autonomous Resupply Vehicle (ARV-S). The ARV-S’ primary job will be regularly resupplying containerized cargo to forward-deployed units in the form of Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs).
**Desired Solution Attributes** The following are the desired attributes for the ARV-S:
Solutions will be evaluated on their ability to affordably meet the desired attributes in an operationally relevant environment. Proposed prototype solutions should be demonstrable on water within 12 months of award.
Consideration will be given to both conversion solutions—modifying manned vessels to operate without a crew, and designs for completely new, purpose-built unmanned vessels.
The Government understands that some companies may not be able to meet all the desired attributes in this solicitation, but encourages companies with relevant, demonstrable capability for major components to partner with other companies to submit complete solutions.
**Submission Requirements** Vendors are expected to submit a solution brief for stating how their solutions meet the requirements outlined above.
Preference will be given to submissions that present a comprehensive and compelling solution to the problem statement and product requirements and robustly discuss the process to adopt a fully domestic/Allied supply chain in a cost-effective manner.
Submissions should include an overview and technical details for the solution. Inclusion of examples of past successful deployment of similar solutions in the commercial or public sectors is highly encouraged.
Any resulting agreement from this AoI will include language requiring your company to confirm compliance with Section 889 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Pub. L. 115-232). If you are unable to confirm compliance with the law referenced, the Government will not be able to enter into an agreement with your company.
**FAQs** **Q: Q1: What if a company has a solution to meet a specific aspect of the solicitation (e.g. payload launch and recovery, autonomy stack, propulsion)?** A: A: The government is seeking a single vendor to deliver the full capability. Companies with relevant and demonstrable major components are encouraged to form partnerships or teaming arrangements to submit a complete solution. Language from the AOI: “The Government understands that some companies may not be able to meet all the desired attributes in this solicitation, but encourages companies with relevant, demonstrable capability for major components to partner with other companies to submit complete solutions.”
**Q: Q2: Where will the evaluations be performed?** A: A: Specific demonstration requirements and testing approaches will be aligned during the Request for Prototype Proposal (RPP) phase for companies selected after Phase 2.
**Eligibility Requirements** Eligibility Requirements
This solicitation will be awarded in accordance with the Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) process detailed within HQ0845-20-S-C001 and HQ0034-20-9-DIU (DIU CSO), posted to Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) on 23 March 2020 amended under Amendment 0001 13 March 2026. This document can be found at: https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/e36edb27e29a4265ab81e40e92263ad5/view
Vendors are reminded that in order to utilize an Other Transaction (OT) 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.
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.
Follow-on Production:
Companies are advised that any prototype Other Transaction (OT) agreement awarded in response to this Area of Interest may result in the award of a follow-on production contract or transaction without the use of further competitive procedures. The follow-on production contract or transaction will be available for use by one or more organizations in the Department of Defense and, as a result, the magnitude of the follow-on production contract or agreement could be significantly larger than that of the prototype OT. As such, any prototype OT 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 been successfully completed, this competitively awarded prototype OTA may result in the award of a follow-on production contract or transaction without the use of competitive procedures.”