Organic Tactical Unmanned Systems (OTUS) Request for White Paper

NOTICE OF SOLICITATION RELEASE. This is a notice to announce that a Solicitation (specifically a Request for White Papers) has been issued through the Sensors, Communications, and Electronics Consortium (SCEC) for the Organic Tactical Unmanned Systems (OTUS) effort. This notice and the associated solicitation documents are issued according to the authority provided under 10 U.S.C. - 2371b, Other Transaction Authority. The current due date for White Papers is 01 October 2021 1500 Eastern Standard Time. OVERVIEW OF PROGRAM. The U.S. Army DEVCOM, C5ISR Center, NVESD is addressing emerging requirements for state-of-the-art technologies that will provide beyond-line-of-sight enhanced situational awareness to the squad through coordinated manned and unmanned teaming, utilizing air- and ground-based autonomous assets with threat detection capabilities, while collaborating in a common operating picture (COP), and relay of threat data intra-squad through a tactical communication interface. The goal of research and prototyping for Organic Tactical Unmanned Systems (OTUS) is to demonstrate organic autonomous technologies to enhance mission effectiveness of the squad by enhancing situational understanding and reducing the cognitive burden on the Soldier. Organic is defined as a military unit that is a permanent part of a larger unit and (usually) provides some specialized capability to that parent unit (i.e. armor, artillery, or aviation organic units). The autonomous assets will find and localize threat information through analysis of onboard sensor information before presenting that information to the user. Additional details are contained in the Statement of Objectives, available upon request from the Sensors Communications and Electronics Consortium (SCEC). HOW TO COMPETE. Only members of the Sensors Communications and Electronics Consortium (SCEC) in good standing are eligible to participate in this opportunity. White Papers must be submitted through SCEC. Large and Small Business are eligible for SCEC membership and to compete for this opportunity. If interested in becoming an SCEC member, please visit the following link to the SCEC Website for membership and contact information WWW.SCECONSORTIUM.NET. Copies of the solicitation documents are available upon request. NOTICE OF FOLLOW ON PRODUCTION OPPORTUNITY. Following successful completion of the prototype project and subject to the availability of funds, the Government anticipates transition from this prototype project to a follow-on production/sole source FAR-based contract or Other Transaction Agreement. Follow on work will ensure that the final system developed under the prototype project meets military specific environmental requirements tailored from MIL-STD-810. This final prototype UAS would be subject to military qualification testing. In addition, production restrictions will ensure any additions to the final prototype UAS do not exceed the standard components common among Program of Record (PoR) UAS: UAV, Imaging/Processing Payload, Ground Control Station and possibly ATAK tablet if needed. Timeline would be accelerated and anticipated to be a two-year effort with the first year spent executing military qualification testing to ensure the prototype meets environmental requirements and is ready for production. Upon successful qualification testing, production would begin the second year on a yet to be determined number of production units. Note, funding and timeline could change (up or down) based on external interests. The follow-on contract(s) or transaction(s) may be awarded to Sub-Awardee(s) that successfully and fully completed the prototype project. In sum, this RFWP may be the only opportunity that an interested entity will have to compete for this requirement for several years. Within 12 months after all Category 1 PPA(s) are awarded, if additional funding becomesavailable, the Government may elect to engage with any Offeror(s) whose full proposal was designated as Category 2 in order to award a PPA to that Offeror(s), provided an agreement can be successfully reached between the Government and the Offeror.