PEO-M Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) Poseidon's Fury Assessment Event (AE)

PEO-M Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) Poseidon's Fury Assessment Event (AE)

Submit NLT 07 October 2026 11:59 PM ET U.S. Persons Only

Purpose
SOFWERX, in collaboration with U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Program Executive Office–Maritime (PEO-M), will host an assessment event that provides Special Operations Forces (SOF) operators and Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) vendors opportunities for collaboration, hands-on experimentation, and assessment. Data collected during these events will inform development of the USV Mission-Aligned Reference Architecture (MARA).

Background/Synopsis
This effort seeks technologically mature USV platforms aligned to contemporary Design Reference Missions (DRMs) while also gathering data on common platform features, technical trade-offs, and integration opportunities. The data collected will inform MARA with the goal of improving interoperability, accelerating capability integration, and reducing unnecessary cost and redundant platform development across Government and Industry efforts. 

Objective

The primary desirement is to assess USV solutions aligned to two DRMs through collaboration and hands-on experimentation with SOF operators and USV vendors:

• Escort: A USV able to accompany and support a manned vessel during maritime transit and maneuver, maintain relative position, and contribute to awareness, tracking, response, and defense of a supported vessel. The USV should be configurable for US Navy Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) cradle and davit launch/recovery and modular to accept a wide variety of Government-furnished payloads.

• Interceptor: A USV capable of rapid launch and high-speed transit toward a desired area. The USV should be modular to accept a wide variety of Government-furnished payloads. Compatibility with the USSOCOM Universal Launch and Recovery System (ULRS) is desired but not required.

A secondary desirement is to collect technical and operational insight that will inform MARA development, including, but not limited to, payload integration, power, cooling, topside design, communications, autonomy, and supportability.

The Government is also interested in Electronic Support/Electronic Attack (ES/EA)-enabling platform characteristics for future mission applications. ES/EA considerations are enhancing only and are not the primary basis for Escort or Interceptor selection.

• ES/EA Considerations: The Government is interested in ES/EA-enabling platform characteristics for future mission applications. ES/EA considerations are enhancing only. They are not a separate DRM, are not primary Escort or Interceptor selection criteria, and will not offset failure to meet applicable Escort or Interceptor minimum criteria. Vendors may identify demonstrated or readily integrable ES/EA-enabling characteristics, limitations, required modifications, and tradeoffs.

In addition to assessing specific vendor solutions, USSOCOM will collect technical and operational insight that will inform MARA development. This includes identifying common approaches to payload integration, command and control, supportability, and other platform features that could improve interoperability and reduce redundant USV development. 

Vendors may submit platforms that do not meet one or more minimum criteria. Vendors should identify each unmet minimum, provide current demonstrated performance, and describe any planned path to minimum performance. The Government will consider overall DRM alignment, technical maturity, operational suitability, and assessment value when evaluating submissions. Vendors should anticipate that USV with a proven history of seaworthiness and reliability will score highly. 

Offerors may submit a solution aligned to Escort, Interceptor, or both.

Why You Should Participate
USSOCOM seeks to enter into non-FAR or FAR-based agreements with Industry, Academic, and National Lab partners whose solutions are favorably evaluated by PEO-Maritime Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). As such, the follow-on Assessment Event (AE) is considered competitive, and solutions will be evaluated independently of one another primarily for technical merit. This serves dually as notification of the intent to research the feasibility of an agreement under 10 U.S. Code, Section 4022 and/or Section 4022(f), and as notice of pre-solicitation activities IAW FAR 5.204.

Event Timeline

COMPLETED Phase 1 – 26 August 2026 Virtual Collaboration Event (CE): SOFWERX will host the Collaboration Event (CE) with Industry, Academic, and Laboratory partners focused on, but not limited to, User Interface, ease-of-use, platform efficacy, automated and/or autonomous functionality, and Command and Control (C2) functionality needs. During this event, Warfighters will interact with potential solution offerors and further communicate operational needs and desirements. Participation in this event is not mandatory; however, it is designed to provide insights to ensure potential offerors understand the problem set(s) fully and to increase the likelihood of matching their technologies with Warfighter needs. This CE is also an opportunity for attendees to meet and form partnerships that may provide a more comprehensive solution. If you do not wish to participate in the CE, you are free to submit your technology on/around 14 September for the AE. Request to attend the CE below, NLT 14 August. Favorably evaluated requests will receive an invitation to attend the event on/around 19 August.    

Tentative Agenda
All times listed are in ET
8:00 - 8:05: Participants dial in/check in via Microsoft Teams
8:05 – 8:25: SOFWERX Welcome and Breakout Room Overview
8:25 – 8:45: Stakeholder Overview & Problem Set
8:45 – 9:45: Current Limitations Breakout
9:45 – 10:00: Break
10:00 – 11:00: Ways to Overcome Limitations Breakout
11:00 – 12:00: Lunch
12:00 – 2:30: Problem Statement Development
2:30 – 2:45: Break
2:45 – 3:45: Problem Statement Briefs
3:45 – 4:30: Voting
4:30 – 5:00: Path Forward

Note: Agenda is subject to change

This event will be held virtually.

Phase 2 - 23 September 2026 to 07 October 2026 Submissions to the Assessment Event (AE) Open: Interested respondents who could potentially provide solutions that meet USSOCOM needs are encouraged to submit their capabilities for review. To submit your technology for potential Phase 4 attendance, please review the assessment criteria and follow the submission instructions that are located near the bottom of this webpage. 

Phase 2a - 30 September 2026 Q&A Telecon: Interested offerors may participate in a virtual Q&A session to better understand the PM's specific technology desirements. The telecon will take place on 30 September from 01:00–02:00 PM ET. RSVP form is available near the bottom of this webpage.

Phase 3 - 08 October 2026 to 09 October 2026 Downselect: USSOCOM will evaluate submissions based on their potential to meet technology needs and demonstrate alignment to one or both DRMs. The Government anticipates selecting up to three platforms for the Escort DRM and up to three platforms for the Interceptor DRM, for a total of up to six platforms to participate in the Assessment Event. The Government may adjust the number of selected platforms based on the quality, technical maturity, mission alignment, availability, and assessment value of submissions.
Failure to meet one or more minimum criteria does not automatically preclude consideration. The Government will consider the extent of any performance variance when assessing technical maturity, operational suitability, mission alignment, and selection priority. Favorably evaluated submissions will receive an invitation to attend the Assessment Event on/around 12 October.

Phase 4 - 02 November 2026 to 20 November 2026 Assessment Event (AE): The Assessment Event is a critical phase in which selected participants will conduct comprehensive, on-water demonstrations of their USV. While the overall AE window spans three weeks (02-20 November 2026), each participant will attend for one one-week increment within that period. Specific scheduling slots will be coordinated with selected vendors following Phase 3. The Government intends to evaluate selected vendors in weekly waves of two participants, where feasible. Each wave may include platforms aligned to Escort, Interceptor, or both, based on the selected cohort, event schedule, and assessment requirements.
Evaluations will be based on pre-established technical and operational criteria shared with selected participants in advance of the event. Participants are responsible for operating their own platforms to demonstrate proposed capabilities. Performance will be observed and formally evaluated by a team of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), including representatives from Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab (JHU APL), USSOCOM, Naval Special Warfare Command (WARCOM), and Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC). 

This event will be held atRoger F. Wicker Center, Mississippi. 

Phase 5 - Path Forward: Successfully negotiated awards may fall under any combination of these categories:

• Business to business research and development agreement as a sub-award through the SOFWERX Partnership Intermediary Agreement (PIA) (15 U.S. Code Section 3715)
• OTA for research or prototype projects (10 U.S. Code Sections 4021, 4022)
  • An award under 10 U. S. Code, Section 4022 may result in the further award of a follow-on production agreement without additional competition based on successful prototype completion. The Government may make this follow-on production award based upon successful prototype criteria, which will be determined for each prototype project.
• Procurement for experimental purposes (10 U.S. Code Section 4023)
• Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (15 U.S. Code Section 3710a)
• Prizes for advanced technology achievements (10 U. S. Code Section 4025) and/or prize competitions (15 U.S. Code 3719)
• FAR-based procurement contract 

NOTE: Awardees may need to be compliant with NIST SP 800-171, Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) in Non-Federal Systems and Organizations

How You Can Participate
Government, Industry, Academia, National Labs, and Non-Traditional Attendees

1. RSVP to the 30 September Virtual Q&A Telecon: Click Here to Review(NLT 29 September)
2. Review Assessment Criteria: Click Here to Review
3. Download the White Paper Template:Click Here to Download
4. Complete the Submission Form: Click Here to Submit (NLT 07 October)

Questions?

For event-related questions, please contact Sarah Marks