MCM Modernization Prize Challenge

**Problem** The U.S. Navy requires the ability to neutralize diverse maritime mine threats in high-current chokepoints to ensure freedom of navigation. Current Mine Countermeasure (MCM) operations are resource-intensive and place personnel and high-value assets at risk.
Mine threats are divided into two primary categories, each presenting materially different detection, classification, and neutralization challenges: • Near Surface and Volume/Moored Mines: Mines suspended in the water column, anchored to the seabed by a mooring wire. This includes contact, influence, and command-detonated variants. • Bottom Mines: Mines resting on or partially buried in the seabed. Effective neutralization requires precision terminal guidance and a neutralization mechanism designed for near-bottom detonation geometry.
**Solution** The U.S. Navy, in partnership with the Defense Innovation Unit, seeks modular, communication-resilient, rapidly fieldable capabilities to reacquire and neutralize near-surface and volume mine threats in the water column. In addition, the Navy seeks the full kill chain detect-to-engage capability for bottom mines, from safe standoff. A solution will:
This challenge will test commercial solutions in a series of competitive sprints against one of three Tracks organized by mission, mine type, and position in the water column. For the purpose of this announcement, fully integrated vehicles with sensor/effector payloads and secure C2, ready for operational deployment within six months, are strongly preferred. Due to aggressive fielding timelines, this challenge is strictly seeking mature technologies of TRL 7 or higher. Conceptual designs or early-stage R&D (TRL 1-6) will not be evaluated.
Vendors should expect that their solution will integrate on an Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) of the Navy’s determination. Vendors should clearly describe their solution’s logistical deployment plan, meeting applicable SWaP-C objectives below for USV launch, or hand-launched from shore/pier, in their submission’s Capabilities Matrix (see below) for consideration under this Announcement. • Increase the speed at which MCM mission can be accomplished, whether fully autonomous or tethered with operator-in-the-loop • Decrease the cost to neutralize • Remove warfighters and manned assets from the threat zone with low operator burden
**Timeline** In-water testing will be conducted at a US Navy Warfare Center in the timeline below. The test asset utilized must be representative of production units in form, fit, and function. Timeline subject to change; additional details will be shared to vendors selected.
**Solution Attributes** It is highly desired that solutions meet some or all of the below attributes: • Navigation: Fully GNSS-denied. Arrive at cue within minimal Circular Error Probability (CEP); maintain low positional drift for area searches. • Maneuverability: Up to 4-knot sustained currents. Maintain station-keeping in up to 2-knot currents. • Command & Control: Contested Electromagnetic (EM) spectrum with jamming/spoofing. Transmit authorization requests and sensor data over degraded, encrypted links with ≤ 3 decisions required from the operator per track. Establish continuous, real-time data pipeline streaming from the surface asset back to the Operations Center (Surface > OC). Provision of proprietary or applied data compression Intellectual Property (IP) alongside End-to-End (E2E) encryption standards utilized for the data relay. • Targeting: Mixed minefield with co-located seabed clutter. Reacquire targets with high probability of reacquisition and classification, and low probability of false alarm (Pfa) against clutter. • Engagement: Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) authorization required. Execute neutralization with a high probability of kill (Pk) after receiving Operator approval. • Survivability: Surface operations in up to Sea State 4. All sub-systems should survive launch and operate reliably within a 30°F – 95°F temperature range. • Host Platform SWAP-C: Max vehicle weight if Launcher required: Objective 250lbs; Threshold 500lbs. Power needs should not exceed 1000W • Safety: Energetics and batteries should segregate from the vehicle and from each other up until employment. • Accelerated CONOP: Quantifiable reduction in overall mission time, explicitly demonstrating capabilities enabling immediate "in-stride" mission analysis at the OC.
**Mission Tracks** Vendors will self-select into which Track they compete, and may, but are not required to, compete in more than one, and may present different solutions between Tracks. Each Track is evaluated independently. The three Tracks for this Challenge define the specific operational conditions against which vendor solutions will be evaluated. Tracks share a common operational environment and force structure; they diverge at the point of terminal engagement, where the mine type and burial state drive materially different sensor, guidance, and neutralization method. Intended mission profiles and preferred capability characteristics can be found below.
Mission Track 1: Near Surface & Volume Engage
Overview and Threat Profile
Full Mission Profile
Mission Track 2: Bottom Mine Detect
Overview and Threat Profile
Full Mission Profile
Mission Track 3: Bottom Mine Engage
Overview and Threat Profile
Full Mission Profile • Target: Multiple Mine-Like Objects (MLOs). • Depth: Near-surface (0–10m) and in the water column (11–50m). • Objective: Neutralize multiple targets in a single sortie; Threshold: Neutralize one target in a single sortie. • Cuing: External 5–10m CEP provided at launch. • Reacquire: Must re-acquire targets within 5–10m CEP using internal PNT. Preferably ≥ 60% Probability of Reacquisition (Pr). • Standoff C2: Maintain encrypted C2 link. Transmit sufficient for positive identification to Operations Center (OC) for Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) authorization. • Terminal Engagement: Execute physical approach while holding station within +/- 2m in up to 2-knot currents. • Neutralization: Use of inert commercial payload required for T&E Event; Objective: proven integration of commercial or GFE kinetic neutralizer strongly preferred for Prize consideration. • BDA (Objective): Optical or acoustic confirmation via UUV, ROV sUSV (surface sonar), or sUAS (aerial imagery for shallow targets). Preferably ≥ 60% Probability of Kill (Pk). • Target: Bottom mine resting on seabed (threshold 100m; objective 300m depth). • Environment: Exposed or lightly silted (< 20% burial); seabed clutter present. • Navigation: Solution should maintain sufficient underwater navigation accuracy to support near-bottom localization in GNSS-denied environments. • Search & Detect: GNSS-denied transit and search using internal PNT. Search box size will be dependent on system search rate, no greater than 1 nmi x 1 nmi. Detection range should be ≥ 10m. • Classify: Maintain < 10m standoff. Preferably ≥ 60% Probability of Classification (Pcd) and ≤ 40% Probability of False Alarm (Pfa). • Standoff C2: Establish encrypted submerged link to pass high-fidelity sensor data and bottom imagery back to the Operations Center (OC). • Target: Bottom mine resting on seabed (threshold 100m; objective 300m depth). • Environment: Exposed or lightly silted (< 20% burial); seabed clutter present. • Navigation: Solution should maintain sufficient underwater navigation accuracy to support near-bottom terminal engagement in GNSS-denied environments. • Cuing: External 5–10m CEP provided at launch. Must include local search capability if coordinates are degraded. • Reacquire: Must re-acquire target within 5–10m CEP using internal PNT. Preferably ≥ 60% Probability of Reacquisition (Pr). • Standoff C2: Maintain encrypted, submerged C2 link. Transmit sufficient for positive identification to OC for HITL authorization. • Terminal Engagement: Execute near-contact neutralization profile while holding station within +/- 1m (bottom-lock). Must reject 95% of seabed clutter. • Neutralization: Use of inert commercial payload required for T&E Event; Objective: proven integration of commercial or GFE kinetic neutralizer strongly preferred for Prize consideration. • BDA (Objective): Acoustic post-shot return or secondary sensor pass (optical not required). Preferably ≥ 70% Probability of Kill (Pk).
**FAQs** **Q: 1. Is there expected Government furnished equipment (GFE) or information (GFI)?** A: There is no expected GFE (e.g. USV host platform) or GFI (e.g. ATRs) that will be part of Challenge evaluation. While there may be available sUSVs on site, on-site integration of a L&R system into a Gov platform is not expected. Systems are not expected to adopt Gov-owned ATR algorithms specific to their sensors.
**Q: 2. Will testing occur on mine fields at a representative depth (e.g. ~300m on Tracks 2 and 3)?** A: T&E will be conducted at a Naval Warfare Center test locations seeded with representative mine shapes. For Tracks 2 and 3, depth threshold will be 100m; objective 300m.
**Q: 3. Will an order of battle be provided?** A: Track 1 and 3 are reacquire-and-neutralize missions, so vendor systems will be cued with a target location of 5–10m CEP at launch. For Track 2, no Order of Battle will be provided.
**Q: 4. How will neutralization be graded if only inerts are authorized?** A: "Neutralization" is simulated. Evaluators will assess the System Under Test’s ability to execute a safe terminal approach, maintain a firing posture, and complete a simulated kill-chain sequence authorized by the Operations Center. We will want to understand the effector’s fire control architecture in the Capabilities Matrix.
**Q: 5. Where will on-water testing occur?** A: Designated test location will be disclosed to selected vendors upon down-select to complete in the Challenge.
**Q: 6. Would you be interested in a vendor providing a crewed or uncrewed host surface vessel to the on-water test event?** A: Vendors may provide their own USV or RHiB for launch and recovery, but are not required to do so. 7. Are you looking for capability to be purchased and crewed by the Navy. If so, does you aggressive fielding schedule include training time on the capability. The Navy will entertain different contract ownership/operator models for winning solutions in the Challenge.
**Q: 8. My company provides a mothership, crew, and L&R for undersea vehicles. Can we submit this capability?** A: This solicitation is for undersea effectors that can complete one or more respective Track Mission Profiles. This solicitation does not seek system operators beyond the personnel who will be on-site at on-water testing. If your solution includes an autonomous L&R capability, that would be helpful to share in the Logistics Planning section of the Capabilities Matrix. 9 If we're already integrated with a specific USV, can we describe that integration and how it affects our CONOP. Yes, we actually request vendors share just this detail in the Capabilities Matrix. The government reserves the right to dictate what USV platform your system may be required to integrate with.
**Q: 10 Is it possible to conduct a demonstration overseas? It will be challenging for us to deliver equipment to the United States by July due to the import/export process.** A: While we cannot allow vendors to conduct their own on-water demonstrations, there may be some ability to flex test schedules within the specified schedule to accommodate selected vendors for the Challenge.
**Q: 11 Can a teamed submission be eligible for selection and prize award where the July demonstration is based on a mature TRL 7+ operational AUV capability, while additional autonomy, sensor fusion, multi-vehicle coordination, C2, or distributed sensing capabilities are included as a future integration pathway? Are TRL and readiness evaluated at the overall system level demonstrated during the challenge, or must every proposed subsystem and future capability independently meet the stated TRL 7+ requirement at the time of submission?** A: Companies will be judged on their ability to meet the benchmarks of each Track. If a subcomponent negatively impacts the overall performance that will matter. The Capabilities Matrix asks for TRL/MRL maturity of the solution: “Vendors must specify for each major sub-system (platform, seeker/sensor, neutralizer, C2 link) separately. A system-level TRL/MRL claim alone is not sufficient.”
**Q: 12 Can a submission be evaluated for award based on an immediately deployable single-vehicle capability, while also including a roadmap toward future cooperative multi-vehicle operations under a potential follow-on prototype or OTA effort?** A: Yes. Submissions are evaluated according to respective Track Mission Profile criteria.
**Q: 13 As a component technology in an overall solution to a Track in the Challenge, am I eligible if I submit on my own for post-Challenge integrations?** A: Only complete solutions to a Track will be eligible to compete in the Prize Challenge. It will be possible for performers to explore alternative integrations during their on-water testing as well as follow-on contract negotiations, as long as it’s not the core platform under test.
**Q: 14 Is an international company eligible for this Prize Challenge if its host country is not on the DOD Qualifying Countries List?** A: It is the company’s responsibility to either partner with a U.S. entity or determine their own export limitations to navigate ITAR for the temporary import of defense articles. There is no assurance that an international company will be able to participate in the Challenge if they are selected, but the government can only determine this by reviewing a vendor’s submission.
**Q: 15 Solution Attributes cite Sea State 4 and the matrix cites Sea State < 5. We read this as a top-of-Sea-State-4 ceiling — can the Government confirm, and will scored runs stay within that envelope?** A: Yes
**Q: 16 For Tracks 1 and 3, BDA is listed as an Objective. Is the threshold "no BDA required"?** A: While Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) capability is highly desired (Objective), the baseline Threshold requirement is that no organic BDA is required from the system.
**Q: 17 Pr and Pk are each listed as "preferably." Are there defined objective and threshold values?** A: Pr and Pk values are defined within a tiered evaluation framework. While preliminary performance is captured via the vendor-submitted Capabilities Matrix, the detailed, quantifiable scoring thresholds and evaluation criteria will be provided to the Selected performers June 19.
**Q: 18 We intend to apply to multiple tracks for the MCM Prize Challenge. Since the Capabilities Matrix is the avenue for application, do you want one Capabilities Matrix per track or multiple tracks into one Capabilities Matrix?** A: Capabilities matrix says "If you have multiple solutions for multiple tracks, please input each into a distinct column [in the same Matrix]." If you are teaming on a solution, please submit only once, so there is no redundancy between submissions.
**Q: 19 The AOI grants DIU a limited license to use this IP for testing and evaluation. Could DIU clarify the scope, duration, and permitted purposes? Will Government support contractors have IP access for test execution or analysis, and if so, under what protections (NDAs, OCI safeguards)?** A: The limited IP license granted to DIU and the Department of the Navy is strictly bound to the execution, scoring, and analysis of this specific Test & Evaluation (T&E) event. The scope is limited to utilizing the IP solely for evaluating the system's performance against the published mission profiles. The duration of this license concludes upon the completion of the Post-Mission Analysis phase (currently scheduled to end September 4, 2026). Vendors will be provided a list of participating support contractor organizations who will require access to operational data generated during the event prior to the Test Readiness Review (TRR) and are free to enter into Proprietary Data Protection Agreements (PDPA) to address any specific OCI concerns. All Government support contractors are bound by strict, overarching Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) that prevents the disclosure of any confidential or proprietary information. The NDAs also ensure that each support contractor has no financial or personal conflict of interest with any contractors providing confidential or proprietary information to the government. In addition, all Government support contracts require compliance with FAR 9.505 to prevent Organizational Conflicts of Interest. These legal safeguards explicitly prohibit disclosing, retaining, reverse-engineering, or utilizing any vendor proprietary information, algorithms, or IP for commercial gain or future competitive procurements.
**Q: 20 For Track 2, are Search/Detect and Classify concurrent or separate? If concurrent, how do you meet both range and standoff criteria?** A: They are distinct sprints of the Track 2 Mission Profile.
**Q: 21 Will the Navy provide training data for our ATR model?** A: No, the government will not provide any MLO or synthetic ground truth data to vendors.
**Eligibility Requirements** Submission Requirements and Eligibility
Proposers must submit the Capabilities Matrix clearly describing the proposed system. A completed Capabilities Matrix is the only application requirement for this Challenge. Please do not submit any whitepapers or slide decks. Vendors should upload a PDF-export of their completed Matrix into the submission field titled, ‘Solution Brief’.
Prime/subcontractor teaming is acceptable, and subcontractors may change throughout the challenge (as long as the prime vendor remains the same). Novel standalone technologies (e.g. modular L&R systems, next-gen sonar, AI/ML for sensor fusion, aPNT, C2 pipelines, specialized energetics), while not eligible for the MCM Modernization Prize Challenge, may be considered for follow-on integration.
Prizes and Follow on Opportunities
Solutions competing in any single Track will be evaluated according to that Track’s Mission Profile. Prize funding is tied exclusively to the Full Mission Profile. Vendors competing in multiple Tracks are eligible for prize awards for each.
Cash Prizes
Awards
Additional Information
International Participation and Logistical Support
Solutions from companies located in DoW Qualifying Countries (DFARS 225.872-1) are encouraged to participate in this Challenge. To facilitate participation within the established, compressed timeline, the U.S. Government will provide an official Letter of Invitation / Command Sponsor Letter and a Duty-Free Entry Certificate (under HTSUS 9808.00.30) to support the temporary import of hardware for evaluation.
Foreign vendors must utilize a U.S.-based partner, U.S. subsidiary, or a registered U.S. Customs Broker/Freight Forwarder to act as the Importer of Record (IOR). This U.S. entity will be responsible for submitting the appropriate Temporary Import License (e.g., ITAR DSP-61 or basic customs entry) using the government-provided sponsorship documentation. Vendors remain solely responsible for all shipping costs, coordination, and compliance with U.S. and foreign government regulations.
All participants, including those from Qualifying Countries, will be subject to Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence (FOCI) screening prior to selection to compete in the Challenge, as well as for follow-on prototype or production awards.
Intellectual Property Considerations:
Applicants retain ownership of existing Intellectual Property (IP) submitted under this Challenge and agree that their submissions are their original work. Applicants are presumed to have sufficient rights to submit the submission. For any submission made to the Challenge, you grant DIU a limited license to use this IP for testing and evaluation for efforts specifically related to the Challenge. DIU will negotiate with individual competitors in the event additional usage, integration, or development is contemplated.
As part of the selection to compete, vendors agree to share MLO sensor data captured during the T&E Event.
About the Defense Innovation Unit
The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) strengthens national security by accelerating the adoption of commercial technology in the Department of War and bolstering our allied and national security innovation bases. DIU partners with organizations across the DoW to rapidly prototype and field dual-use capabilities that solve operational challenges at speed and scale. DIU is the Department’s gateway to leading technology companies across the country.
Other Transaction Authority:
This DIU public announcement is an open call to small businesses and non-traditional defense contractors seeking innovative, commercial technologies proposed to create new DoW solutions or potential new capabilities fulfilling requirements, closing capability gaps, or providing potential technological advancements, technologies fueled by commercial or strategic investment, but also concept demonstrations, pilots, and agile development activities improving commercial technologies, existing Government-owned capabilities, or concepts for broad Defense application(s). As such, the Government reserves the right to award a contract or an Other Transaction agreement for any purpose, to include a prototype or research, under this public announcement. The Federal Government is not responsible for any monies expended by the applicant before award and is under no obligation to award additional procurement transactions.
Satisfying Competition Requirements:
This DIU Challenge Open Call Announcement is considered to have potential for further efforts that may be accomplished via FAR-based contracting instruments, Other Transaction Authority (OTA) for Prototype Projects 10 USC 4022 and Research 10 USC 4021, Prizes for advanced technology achievements 10 USC 4025. The public open call announcement on DIU’s website is considered to satisfy the reasonable effort to obtain competition in accordance with 10 USC 4025(b), and 10 USC 4022 (b)(2). Accordingly, FAR-based actions will follow announcement procedures per FAR 5.201(b).
DIU reserves the right to cancel, suspend, and/or modify the Challenge, or any part of it, for any reason, at DIU’s sole discretion.