Commercial Solutions Opening

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 29 APRIL 2019 THE JATF HAS ISSUED A NEW SOLICITATION UNDER THE CSO ENTITLED "SPECIFIC AOI 5: BUSINESS PROCESS FOR PROTOTYPING" AOI Description: United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), Joint Acquisition Task Force (JATF), has issued a solicitation under its Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) seeking industry solutions to improve its overall business process related to its Rapid Prototyping Events and related prototyping activities. We are seeking companies that can improve either individual pieces of the process, or who can improve the process in its entirety. The JATF holds "Rapid Prototyping Events" in order to investigate potential technological solutions for USSOCOM specific problem sets. During these RPEs, the JATF brings in industry experts to advise the Government team on how to approach a particular problem under specialized circumstances. The experts work on mixed Government/Industry teams and develop prototype solutions in real-time to inform the senior JATF leadership on the feasibility of a given approach to solve a particular problem set. These events last approximately two weeks, but can last longer depending on the subject matter. During the RPEs, the industry experts arrive and team up with Government personnel. They break out into smaller groups, conduct brainstorming sessions, and perform designs and prototyping to develop technological solutions to particular problem sets identified at the onset. Government personnel procure certain hardware and consumables needed for development as they are identified by the teams. Once the event is complete, any successful prototypes are identified and further developed by JATF personnel in order to ruggedize the prototype for testing in an operational environment relevant to SOCOM. This process can take months to accomplish. Results from testing are documented and any successfully tested prototypes are then handed off to a separate Government team with the end goal of fielding the prototype to a SOCOM unit. There are particular areas within which the JATF is seeking to partner with industry in order to improve. For instance, finding SMEs in certain technology fields can be challenging. The JATF is seeking to partner with companies who have the networks with the right experts for a number of technology industry sectors. During the RPEs, the Government team is limited by access to specialized equipment or materials whose need becomes discovered during the event. Ideally, these items can be purchased and delivered the same day as it is identified. The JATF is seeking help from local industry to facilitate rapid procurement of these items so that they can be procured and delivered the same day as they are identified. Additionally, after the event is completed, the JATF may require access to specialized prototyping facilities to fabricate specialized designs and manufacture test units. The JATF is seeking partnerships with local companies that specialize in fabrication of prototyped designs for initial testing. Also, the JATF intends to document its discoveries and capture progress and activities during the event to illustrate the RPE process utility to USSOCOM senior leadership. The JATF is seeking partnership with local companies to perform documentation and media production services in the form of photos, videos, and storyboarding to illustrate accomplishments from the events. There are a number of other services that go into the overall RPE process. The JATF is seeking to partner for improved services that may include, but are not limited to: -Pre-event coordination (talent hunting, securing location, obtaining supplies, inviting partners) -event execution (day-to-day facilitation, material handling, record-keeping, administration) -Post-event tasks (media production, storyboarding, prototype fabrication, prototype testing, and documentation) Preference will be given to companies within the local Tampa, FL area or reasonable geographical distance. In order to submit your company as a candidate, follow the link to the JATF's Commercial Solutions Opening page here: https://www.socom.mil/SOF-ATL/Pages/JATF-CSO-CY19.aspx Click "Business Process for Prototyping" and follow submission instructions to be considered.