C-sUAS Soldier Common SSN RFI 18 Dec 2024.pdf

CUAS RFI-25-001

Sources Sought Notice/Request For Information (SSN/RFI) Announcement Potential

Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Soldier Common Solutions

This is a Sources Sought Notice/Request For Information (SSN/RFI) for vendors interested in providing potential Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-sUAS) Soldier Common solutions to the Program Executive Office Missiles and Space C-UAS Product Office. This

SSN/RFI is a means of conducting market research so the Government may identify and assess the Industry’s ability and the resources to provide C-sUAS solutions.

DESCRIPTION: The current conflicts have highlighted the need to enhance C-sUAS capability across the battlefield. Potentially, every squad, soldier, and unit will require the ability to detect and defeat small UAS and this will require common equipment across every Army formation at the Soldier level.

C-sUAS Soldier Common Systems are defined as either an individual or crew-served C-sUAS systems, that provide self-protection, that is Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) Agnostic. C-sUAS Soldier Common Systems can be wearable, handheld or dismounted and can engage a small UAS through Electronic Warfare (EW) or by augmenting weapon optics.

Interested vendors are requested to submit one (1) White Paper addressing their capabilities

(may include partnerships, teaming agreements, and/or subcontractors), potential materiel/services solutions that meet the criteria referenced in this document, and a point of contact for the U.S. Government.

The White Paper should address the following objectives:

1. Deployment: The C-sUAS Soldier Common Systems shall not require more than a single Soldier to operate. These systems will only be employed for self-defense vs. area-defense (which the C-sUAS Battery will defend) as it will not need to clear airspace.

These systems must minimize interference with the soldier’s ability to operate their primary weapon.

2. Size Weight and Power (SWaP): The C-sUAS Soldier Common Systems shall be modular and agile in nature requiring minimal setup time. The design of the system shall minimize size and weight while utilizing power via battery or an equivalent source. If the

C-sUAS Soldier Common System is kinetic, the U.S. Army’s preference is a modification to an existing weapon system in the current Army inventory. If the C-sUAS Soldier

Common System is non-kinetic the U.S. Army’s preference is for a system that reduces the existing Soldier burden in defeating small UAS.

3. Detect: The C-sUAS Soldier Common Systems shall detect and provide orientation to the Soldier of commercial groups 1-2 small UAS in a heavily congested electromagnetic environment and provide adequate detection time (>3 minutes reaction time) for a squad level element to disperse and avoid hostile action.

4. Defeat: The C-sUAS Soldier Common Systems shall defeat commercial groups 1-2 small UAS non-kinetically and provide a defended area adequate for a squad sized element (>.5km). Kinetic defeat (augmented primary weapon optic) solutions are considered last line of defense for a squad sized element.

5. Schedule: Vendors should provide a schedule showing the timing of events from contract award to initial deliveries to the U.S. Government within seven (7) months.

6. Production: Vendors should detail their manufacturing capabilities and capacity to produce C-sUAS Soldier Common Systems on an annual basis.

7. Cost: As these C-sUAS Soldier Common Systems will be utilized for general purpose forces, the Army will carefully assess unit cost and total annual sustainment cost due to the scale of this procurement.

8. Security Requirements: Responders must demonstrate the possession of, or ability to obtain, a Secret level facility clearance, COMSEC storage authorization, and a sufficient number of individuals with Secret level clearance and access to COMSEC.

9. Past Experience: Vendors should detail previous or ongoing C-sUAS efforts with other

Department of Defense Services or Organizations including established procurement and sustainment contracts that can be leveraged for their submitted C-sUAS solution.

10. Data Rights: Vendors should detail system Data Rights for each submitted C-sUAS solution.

11. Other: The whitepaper should also include, at a minimum, the interfaces, size, weight, payload(s), rough order of magnitude of production capacity, power requirements, cost of the system (unit cost and total annual cost), system kit contents, operational considerations, warranty terms, and maintenance considerations (e.g. spares, repair and replace, which maintenance actions can be done by Soldiers and those done by the manufacturer).

12. Quad Chart: A one (1) page quad chart overview of the proposed system’s capabilities, with quads comprised of system description, technical maturity (to include technology readiness level [TRL]) design, cost / contract / production information, and operational capability.

13. Live Demonstration: Vendors should provide submissions for solutions that can support a rapid demonstration within one (1) month notice. The white paper should include the following information for potential demonstration support personnel: attendee name(s), titles, email address and phone number, and Commercial and Government

Entity (CAGE) code of the vendor. Vendors must have a CAGE code to participate in demonstration day. Identification will be required at demonstration location. Additional information, to include time, location, and visit access request procedures will be provided upon demonstration participant down select. The U.S. Government reserves the right to limit participation. Participation in the demonstration day will be at no expense to the U.S. Government. The U.S. Government will provide test range time, facility/installation access (if required), and test analysis. The vendor will be responsible for all costs associated with their system and shall share all data from the test event with the Army. The U.S. Government is interested in vendors demonstrating their capability at

Army Demonstrations in 2QFY25 and beyond.

14. Industry Day Event: The U.S. Government will host an Industry Day on January 13, 2025. Participation will be at no expense to the U.S. Government and each vendor will be limited to two (2) participants. To register for this event, please email MAJ

Christine Baughan, Christine.c.Baughan.mil@army.mil, NLT January 07, 2025, at

NOON. Upon registration, participants will receive additional information. Failure to register for the event will result in denied entry. Inquiries may be submitted with Industry

Day registration.

Submissions shall be unclassified, in PDF format, and limited to no more than ten (10) one-sided 8.5” x 11” pages and 11 font Arial size with one-inch margins; line spacing shall be set at no less than single space. Tables, drawings and header/footer information shall be 10-point Arial font or larger. The quad chart shall be submitted using the quad chart format attached to this

SSN/RFI. The quad chart will not count towards the ten (10) page white paper submission and may have half-inch margins. If any of the material provided contains proprietary information, then mark and identify disposition instructions (submitted data will not be returned). All responses must reference CUAS RFI-25-001. No telephonic inquiries will be accepted.

Submit all inquiries and White Paper responses via email for this SSN/RFI to Contracting

Specialist, MAJ Christine Baughan, Christine.c.Baughan.mil@army.mil with reference to

CUAS RFI-25-001. A return email will confirm your submission was received. Responses must be received no later than 1:00 PM CST on January 31, 2025.

This SSN/RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and to identify interested sources. It does not constitute an invitation for bid, a Request for Proposal (RFP), a solicitation, a request for quote or a promise to issue such documentation in the future. Funding is not available at this time. This SSN/RFI does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service. Further, the U.S. Army is not at this time seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Vendors are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this SSN/RFI; all costs associated with responding to this SSN/RFI will be solely at the interested party's expense. Not responding to this SSN/RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be posted on the SAM.GOV website. It is the responsibility of the potential vendors to monitor this site for additional information pertaining to this subject.

The information provided in the SSN/RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the

Government. The U.S. Army has not made a commitment to procure any of the items discussed, and release of this SSN/RFI should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned. Additionally, responses may include data that the offeror does not want disclosed to the public for any purpose or used by the Government except for informational purposes. If your company wishes to restrict use of the data, the response must be marked appropriately.

The Government will utilize non-Government personnel (support contractors) to review and assess white papers submitted in response to this SSN/RFI. If any respondent does not currently have a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) that would permit the C-UAS Product Office support contractor(s) listed below to review the Vendor's SSN/RFI submission, the Vendor is encouraged to sign NDAs with the listed support contractor(s) for this purpose. In any event, any markings on the submissions in response to this /SSNRFI should reflect that the information is releasable to the identified contractors solely for the purposes stated herein. The contractors listed below will be precluded from submitting a response to this SSN/RFI or any subsequent solicitation for this effort, if any is released. The following support contractor individuals are planned to review and assess the white papers:

Company / Individual / Telephone Number / Email Address

Axient/ David Benjamin / (256) 313-5866 / david.j.benjamin6.ctr@army.mil

Axient / Guthre Wallace / (256) 313-3715 / guthre.s.wallace.ctr@army.mil

Axient / Thomas Aldridge / 256.955.3122 / thomas.p.aldridge2.ctr@army.mil

Axient / Ryan Landon / (256) 842-1479 / ryan.t.landon.ctr@army.mil

Axient / Lacey Looser / (256) 842-3022 / lacey.k.looser.ctr@army.mil

Axient / Zach Warren / (256) 318-4914 / zachary.d.warren3.ctr@army.mil

Axient / Keafen Shoemake / (256) 427-4673 / keafen.d.shoemake.ctr@army.mil

Axient / Tori Allen / (256) 698-1350 / tori.l.allen.ctr@army.mil

Axient / Jonathan Lee / (256) 705-3990 / jonathan.l.lee25.ctr@army.mil

Green Research & Technology / Kristen Mitchell / (256) 690-2625 / kristen.e.mitchell2.ctr@army.mil

Point of Contact (POC): Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing by e-mail to the Contracting Specialist, MAJ Christine Baughan, Christine.c.Baughan.mil@army.mil. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. Questions shall NOT contain proprietary or classified information. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after January 24, 2025, will be answered.

Attachments/Links: Quad chart template provided with SSN/RFI.

Contact Information/Contracting Office Address: REDSTONE ARSENAL, AL 35898-0000

Primary Point of Contact: Michael Metje, Michael.a.metje.civ@army.mil, 256-682-0593 mailto:david.j.benjamin6.ctr@army.mil mailto:guthre.s.wallace.ctr@army.mil mailto:thomas.p.aldridge2.ctr@mail.mil mailto:ryan.t.landon.ctr@army.mil mailto:jonathan.l.lee25.ctr@army.mil mailto:kristen.e.mitchell2.ctr@army.mil mailto:Michael.a.metje.civ@army.mil