Call for Solutions for Participation in Command and Control (C2) Software Development Kit (SDK) Integration Event for Controllers/ Human Machine Interfaces (HMI) of Robotic and Autonomous Systems

*Note on Continuous Submission: This is an open and continuous Call for Solutions. Submissions received by the Initial Evaluation Cut-Off Date will be prioritized for the first evaluation cycle. All submissions received thereafter will be evaluated on a continuous, rolling basis as they are received to ensure a steady pipeline of innovative solutions to the UAS Marketplace.

1. BACKGROUND

The U.S. Army Contracting Command – Redstone Arsenal (ACC-RSA) is issuing this Call for Solutions (abbreviated “Call” hereafter) against Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) W58RGZ-26-S-C001 under the authority of 10 U.S.C. § 3458. This Call will seek solutions for participation in the USG Command and Control (C2) Software Development Kit (SDK) Integration event. PM UAS will acquire, field, and sustain reusable, network-integrated software control capabilities for the Army’s portfolio of Robotic and Autonomous Systems (RAS). UAS software encompasses the architecture and applications necessary for the operation, control, integration, and data exploitation of the UAS. This includes but is not limited to: Control System software for intuitive mission planning and execution; Command and Control (C2) software for secure, resilient datalinks; and Data Analytics software for real-time sensor exploitation and dissemination. The Government prioritizes software solutions built upon Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) principles to enable seamless interoperability, reuse, rapid capability insertion, and integration with existing Army enterprise network architectures. As a critical element of the Army's transformation, PM UAS provides control capability in the Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) foundation. This Call for Solutions does not seek to procure RAS but rather identify candidate vendors and systems to participate in the PM UAS USG C2 SDK Integration event. The primary goal of this Call is to identify and assess innovative solutions for participation in the USG C2 SDK Integration event. The process is designed to evaluate systems and invite potential solutions to attend and actively participate in the integration event.

1. PROBLEM STATEMENT

Soldiers need an integrated C2 architecture solution to conduct operations and maneuver as a team with RAS integrated into NGC2. The current portfolio of disparate, stove-piped control systems makes this level of integrated command and control impossible, creating operational seams the enemy can exploit. Soldiers need integrated C2 solutions in all operating environments and operational phases to execute warfighting functions in collaborative teams with RAS. The USG’s C2 architecture solution provides scalable control capabilities to enable the simultaneous operation of heterogenous RAS in the formation. Control services are provided to enable one or more operators to execute control simultaneously on the network as a team. This consolidates and integrates these control capabilities as services in NGC2 for networked operations. PM UAS seeks to minimize barriers to integration for RAS systems to the USG C2 architecture. The USG C2 SDK Integration event will provide vendors of controllers/Human Machine Interfaces (HMI) for Group 1-3 UAS, Launched Effects (LE), and Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV) the opportunity to rapidly integrate with the USG’s C2 architecture solution, test their solution against the Army network, and receive immediate soldier-driven feedback on their systems. The Government intends to invite key Government and Industry stakeholders to observe and participate in the USG C2 SDK Integration events. These events will serve as an opportunity for RAS system vendors to accelerate onboarding of their solutions to the UAS Marketplace.

1. TECHNICAL ATTRIBUTES

A detailed description of the required and desired technical attributes for the 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 controllers/HMIs of Group 1-3 UAS, LE, and UGVs that are production-ready and capable of performing missions such as Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (RSTA), electronic warfare, communications relay, or strike to integrate with the USG C2 architecture.

1. AWARD INFORMATION
   
   1. Authority and Instrument Award

This Call is issued under the authority of Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) procedures detailed within the UAS Marketplace Commercial Solutions Opening W58RGZ-26-S-C001, found at: https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/f71bdf94c86846379f21abc2d73a7b54/view. In accordance with 10 US Code 3458, use of a CSO is considered a competitive procedure.

1. 1. Offer or Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the USG C2 SDK Integration event, offerors must meet all of the following requirements:

• • • All proposed RAS must be fully compliant with Section 848 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2020, 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) 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.
    • Be actively certified by the Defense Logistics Agency’s Joint Certification Program (JCP)
    • 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 any 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).
  • Government Rights and Disclaimers
    • 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.
  • 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.

1. CALL FOR SOLUTION NOTES

In addition to the general guidelines included in the Uncrewed Aircraft System Marketplace Commercial Solutions Opening, the following guidelines apply to this Call.

• • • Offerors are responsible for monitoring SAM.gov for any amendments to this solicitation that may have updated information.
    • The Offeror shall demonstrate an innovative, existing, verifiable commercial solution.
    • The Solution Brief must identify any intellectual property involved and associated restrictions on the Government’s use of that intellectual property.
    • The Government reserves the right to tailor the evaluation phases based on an offeror's prior engagement with DoW entities.
    • The Government intends to hold USG C2 SDK Integration events quarterly.
    • The Government reserves the right to tailor an individual C2 SDK Integration event to focus on a specific solution offering type (e.g., controllers/HMIs, Group 1-3 UAS, LE, UGVs).

Important Notice for All Offerors:

This Call encompasses controllers/HMIs for Group 1-3 UAS, LE, UGVs. Future C2 SDK Integration events will encompass other solution types (e.g., Group 1-3 UAS, LE, UGVs). While the overall submission and evaluation process follows the same framework for all systems, offerors must be aware that specific requirements and procedures may vary between these categories.

It is the offeror’s responsibility to read all sections carefully and ensure their submission fully complies with the specific requirements applicable to their proposed solution.

1. SOLUTION SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
   
   1. Overview of Submission Steps: The USG C2 SDK Integration Event Onboarding Framework & Evaluation

The Government will utilize a two-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 may be invited to participate in the USG C2 SDK Integration Event (Step 2).

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.

The invitation to the USG C2 SDK Integration event does not constitute a purchase or a guarantee of future orders. This event serves only as the framework to rapidly integrate UAS systems into the USG’s C2 architecture. If a government user determines that a specific system 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.

1. 1. Step 1 - Initial Capability Assessment

As the foundational step, interested offerors must submit a five-page limit white paper that provides an initial overview of the vendor and the proposed solution and includes:

• • • Vendor Information (does not count towards page limit): Company and contact details, summary of qualifications, certifications, and legal compliance IAW Section 4.2, 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 controller/HMI solution, Command & Control (C2) capabilities, and technical maturity.
  • • Software and Services Information: Complete details on the software system, including its architecture, hardware and OS compatibility, dependencies, and licensing model, and a comprehensive overview of offered services, such as system integration, testing, simulation, training, and maintenance.
    • Proposed technical approach to integrating with the USG’s C2 architecture prior to and at C2 SDK Integration event.

Offerors’ submissions shall conform to the following:

• 8 ½ x 11-inch letter-size, portrait layout
• Page count is limited to five pages, not to include Cover page
• Minimum one-inch for all margins – top, bottom, left, right
• 11-point “Arial” or “Times New Roman” font
• Microsoft Office Word (2007 or later) or Adobe PDF searchable text (image files are not acceptable
• All pages shall be numbered
• All documents shall be legible.
• Any response not conforming to the above requirements may not be evaluated for participation in the C2 SDK Integration event.

1. 1. Step 2 – C2 SDK Integration Event Participation

Upon successful evaluation of the white paper, offerors may be invited to participate in the USG C2 SDK Integration event at a location selected by the Government. To facilitate this event, the Government will schedule a technical interchange meeting with the offeror prior to the event.

The Government will also provide a C2 SDK Integration Event Information Pack to offerors once their submission achieves "Ready for Participation" status during white paper processing. This Information Pack will provide comprehensive guidance for the event and will include the following components:

• • • Test Range and Airspace Information: Details on the designated test range location, logistical and site access instructions, and the process for coordinating airspace. This will also include range-specific safety protocols and any operational constraints.
    • Flight / Test Cards: A detailed plan, developed by the Government, outlining the specific maneuvers, payload demonstrations, C2 link checks, and safety procedures required to verify the system's capabilities during the live test event. The Government will consider offeror-proposed modifications to the test cards on a case-by-case basis. Any changes are subject to Government review and approval.
    • Spectrum Management and Requirements: A detailed description of the process for managing spectrum and the information required from the vendor to secure frequency approval. This includes providing the system’s emission characteristics, which are needed for deconfliction and compliance with DoW spectrum policy.
    • Vendor Attendance: To ensure a safe and efficient demonstration, attendance will be limited to essential personnel. The Government will coordinate with the offeror to finalize the number of attendees prior to the event.
    • C2 Software Development Kit (SDK): A set of tools, libraries, and documentation provided to developers to help them create applications for a specific platform or framework, such as WARHEX.

SDA-NDA: In order to receive the C2 SDK Integration Event Information Pack, each offeror will be required to sign the USG’s Software Use, Distribution and Non-Disclosure Agreement (SDA-NDA). Every individual within the offerors’ organization who requires access to the SDK must execute the SDA-NDA. To streamline this process, all personnel can be listed and sign on a single, consolidated document to be provided by the Government.

Rapid Integration Testing: Once the vendor has sufficient confidence in the technical maturity of their solution, the Government will request a delivery of their developed solution to enable rapid integration testing executed by the Government. This rapid integration testing will include software-in-the-loop, hardware-in-the-loop, and on platform simulation testing.

1. EVALUATION
   
   1. White Paper Evaluation (Step 1)
      
      1. Evaluation Focus

The government will evaluation the offeror's white paper to assess the proposed solution's alignment with the Government's needs, technical feasibility, and maturity, based on its described Operational Effectiveness, System Integrity, Logistics, and Technical Merit.

1. 1. 1. Evaluation Ratings

• • • Fully Compliant: The white paper and proposed solution appear to meet all key performance parameters and requirements.
    • Partially Compliant: The white paper and proposed solution do not meet all key requirements but has significant technical merit or an innovative approach that warrants further consideration.
    • Unacceptable: The white paper and proposed solution are not technically sound, does not meet program priorities, or is otherwise inappropriate for further consideration.

1. 1. 1. Outcome

Offerors whose submissions align with the solution offering type theme of the individual integration event and are rated Fully Compliant or Partially Compliant may be invited to participate in the USG C2 SDK Integration Event.

1. 1. 1. Opportunity for Revision and Resubmission

Should the Government rate a white paper Unacceptable or otherwise deem it incomplete, the Government may, at its discretion, provide feedback to the offeror. Offerors are permitted to revise their white paper and resubmit it for re-evaluation at a later date in accordance with the continuous, rolling basis of this CSO.

1. 1. Event Evaluation (Step 2)
      
      1. Evaluation Focus

The C2 SDK Integration Event will be evaluated on a pass / fail basis against the key performance parameters and mission scenarios defined by the Government in the provided SDK Information Pack. The purpose is to verify the technical capabilities claimed in the white paper and integrate UAS systems into the USG C2 architecture rapidly. To facilitate this, the Government will provide basic flight test range capabilities and limited software development facilities within close proximity to the flight test range.

1. 1. 1. Evaluation Ratings

• • • Successful: The system successfully demonstrated the required technical capabilities and performance.
    • Unsuccessful: The system failed to demonstrate the required technical capabilities and performance.

1. 1. 1. Outcome

Offerors with solutions evaluated as Successful will be eligible for onboarding onto the UAS Marketplace and into the USG’s C2 software development environment. Offerors with solutions evaluated as Unsuccessful will be invited to continue their rapid integration efforts for further testing if sufficient time remains during the event. Offerors that do not demonstrate their integration during the event will be considered for follow-on SDK Integration events.

1. GENERAL INFORMATION AND QUESTIONS

Questions are to be sent only to the Procurement Contracting Officer and Contract Specialist. The following shall be utilized in the email subject line: Call for Solution – W58RGZ-26-S-C001-0009 (reference the section area). Material questions and answers will be published on www.sam.gov.

1. CONTACT INFORMATION

Procurement Contracting Officer:

Latoya S. Pryor

contact@example.gov

Contract Specialist:

Evans Ray

contact@example.gov

UAS – Product Manager:

LTC Kevin Stramara

contact@example.gov

1. ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST (OCI)

The Offeror shall perform an OCI analysis and submit the results of that analysis in addition to the white paper submission. Specifically, the Offeror shall analyze the details of the Call and the implementation of their proposed Solution for actual or potential OCI situations associated with the performance of the Offeror, or any of the Offeror’s proposed teammates or subcontractors, under any contract or agreement the Offeror or the Offeror’s teammates or subcontractors have been or may be awarded by any federal agency or other entity. The Offeror shall describe in detail the methodology used to identify actual or potential OCI issues. The level of detail for OCI analysis may not be the same for all vendors. FAR 9.5 may be used as guidance for OCI analysis. If no conflicts are identified, a risk mitigation plan is not required; however, a description of the analysis methodology, and an affirming statement that no conflicts are identified shall be included.

If the Offeror identifies any actual or potential OCIs with respect to the performance of the Offeror or the Offeror’s subcontractors or teammates, the contractor shall provide an OCI Mitigation Plan to be incorporated as an attachment to any resulting contract or agreement. Any proposed avoidance or mitigation techniques shall be consistent with FAR 9.5 and the most recent decisions of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.

1. NON-GOVERNMENT ADVISORS

Offerors are advised that non-Government personnel may be used to assist in the evaluations for this Call. Non-Government advisors will be bound by appropriate non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with the Government to protect proprietary and competition-sensitive information. By submitting a response to this CSO, the offeror acknowledges this process and waives any and all claims against the Government for any disclosures of proprietary information by non-Government personnel. If an offeror executes a direct NDA with the non-Government advisors, a copy of the signed agreement must be included with their submission.

1. ATTACHMENTS

Attachment 1. Statement of Objectives (SOO)