RFI for MASS released by TCJ4J5J7.docx

FEDERAL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES POSTING

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

Assured Access to Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS)

Number:

USTC2026001

Notice Type:

Special Notice

Synopsis:

United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) is seeking non-federal partners (“Collaborators”) in industry and/or academia to consider for entry into Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) with the federal government, as described in 15 USC 3710a, to produce study results illustrating the uses, limitations, and delivered value of emerging technology for USTRANSCOM. These studies will produce findings on technical and operational maturity, uses, economics, underlying technologies, and risks/benefits of emerging MASS systems in support of Department of War (DoW) materiel distribution needs across global supply chains.

This is not a solicitation for a procurement contract, nor should this announcement be construed as implying any future solicitation by USTRANSCOM or any other federal government agency in this area.

You should write your white paper for the purpose of describing your system in development while demonstrating your experience, expertise, and success in developing and operating on-demand MASS systems suitable for delivery of personnel and cargo. You should demonstrate your willingness to enter into a non-paid, limited-time research collaboration with USTRANSCOM. Full details of actual research under a CRADA will be defined in discussions, if your organization is chosen from respondents to this RFI, and do not have to be fully specified in your whitepaper.

Potential Research Topics:

A. Current state-of-the-practice for MASS as a contracted distribution method; include use cases, measures of system maturity, cargo capacities, cargo handling techniques, risks and benefits you have observed to date and as projected to be revealed during additional development, and additional research and development (R&D) needs to mitigate current operational and technical gaps to overcome for a resulting reliable, trustworthy, affordable, and competitive final product.

B. A strategic projection and proliferation of MASS technologies expected to achieve commercial and military viability over two-, five-, and ten-year horizons.

C. Evaluation of new DoW operational concepts and mission sets made feasible by on-demand, high-reliability MASS technology, to include operations in inland waterway, open ocean, and coastal operations.

D. Port infrastructure integration and interoperability, focusing on automated facility placement criteria, destination accessibility, and payload recovery systems at the point of need.

E. Operational feasibility, flexibility, and limitations for various implementation models/use cases of MASS technologies across diverse maritime environments.

F. Operational feasibility, flexibility, and limitations for various operating models or service management framework models of MASS technologies.

G. Survivability and resilience of emerging MASS technologies against physical attacks, terrorist threats, cyber intrusions, extreme weather environments, and electromagnetic countermeasures.

H. Government-led pre-conditions and regulatory requirements necessary for successful implementation and contracting of MASS services for DoW mobility missions.

I. Business case and return on investment (ROI) requirements for both government and commercial entities to establish long-term surge capability agreements, modeled after the Voluntary Tanker Agreement (VTA) and Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement (VISA).

J. Identification of other federal government/DoW parties interested in maritime autonomy with which you are engaged.

K. Additional innovation topics or emerging technologies as determined through technical discussions.

USTRANSCOM may provide as available:

1. Access to government subject matter experts.

2. Access to DoW facilities, and other assets for demonstration and development in realistic environments, constrained by competing operational requirements.

3. Information on potential surge sealift needs and potential business for industry.

4. Other resources as discussed by the Parties to the Agreement.

Small businesses are encouraged to respond to this announcement. Potential Collaborators may team with other qualified non-federal parties.

Specific study outputs and any development and demonstration goals will be determined during discussions with Collaborators prior to CRADA signatures and refined as necessary during the life of the CRADAs.

Multiple federal agencies may participate on behalf of or in partnership with USTRANSCOM, including but not limited to agencies of Defense Logistics Agency, Military Sealift Command, Army Transportation Command, other Federal Laboratories, and other agencies of the U.S. Government, as USTRANSCOM deems appropriate.

Supporting information, discussions, demonstrations, and information in the white paper should be UNCLASSIFIED. If classified information exchange is proposed by the Collaborator, Collaborator personnel must be appropriately cleared at the outset of discussions about and execution of the CRADA, at no cost to the federal government.

CRADAs are defined in 15 USC 3710a(d), in part, as “any agreement between one or more federal laboratories and one or more non-federal parties under which the Government, through its laboratories, provides personnel, services, facilities, equipment, intellectual property or other resources with or without reimbursement (but not funds to non-Federal parties) and the non-Federal parties provide funds, personnel, services, facilities, equipment, intellectual property, or other resources toward the conduct of specified research or development efforts which are consistent with the missions of the laboratory; except that such term does not include a procurement contract…” More info on USTRANSCOM’s use of CRADAs and a model CRADA is found at https://www.business.ustranscom.mil/dbw/orta.cfm.

CRADAs resulting from this announcement are forecast to be in effect for approximately a 2-year period, although duration can be tailored to suit the parties’ interests before or even after work begins, by mutual agreement.

USTRANSCOM and other designated government agencies selected by USTRANSCOM will evaluate potential Collaborators’ white papers (submittal instructions follow). Based on your response to the RFI’s requested response elements and Government interest and capacity to enter into such agreements, USTRANSCOM will choose one, multiple, or zero white papers as basis for additional discussion, and so notify the respondents.

Initial selection of white papers and subsequent discussions do not guarantee selection of any Collaborator by USTRANSCOM to enter a CRADA. USTRANSCOM may also choose to initiate multiple independent CRADAs with cascading start dates to accommodate government or industry subject matter expert availability.

After initial white paper selection, USTRANSCOM will schedule a virtual industry day allowing each selected submitter to make (independently) a 1-hour presentation on their system features and applications. After final government selection, USTRANSCOM will conduct discussions separately with each selected Collaborator, seeking to reach mutual agreement on objectives, duration, intellectual property, and resources to be applied by the parties in the proposed CRADA-based experiments.

No funding is available from the government to cover white paper preparation or submittal costs, or to cover discussions, facility visits or any other Collaborator costs of preparation for or participation in a CRADA.

The Collaborator(s) and USTRANSCOM will draft and seek to finalize specific CRADA objectives and language collaboratively via discussions/mutual agreement after white paper selection.

Interested parties may respond with white papers not later than <21 days after publication as accomplished by TCAQ> midnight Central time by unclassified e-mail to transcom.scott.tcj4j5j7.mbx.orta@mail.mil by submitting an UNCLASSIFIED written white paper in following format. Hardcopy submittal is not allowed.

Please use the following format:

- Microsoft Word or .pdf format of not more than 8 pages in length, on standard 8½ by 11-inch page, with 1-inch margins at top, bottom, left and right, in Times New Roman font of not less than 12-point size, with no more than 6 lines per inch.

- Pages numbered sequentially in the bottom footer including company name and identification of proprietary information as appropriate on each page and section.

- Clearly marked/identified proprietary information, photos, or diagrams. Proprietary information or trade secrets do not have to be disclosed in this response, if the general technique or technology can be otherwise described.

- Include the following elements (within the 8-page limit):

-- Title (no separate title page needed).

-- Company name and U.S. state of incorporation, and incorporation of any parent entity. Companies with foreign ownership, parentage or influence must identify the nation of incorporation of the non-U.S. entity.

-- Description of your approach to study of topics A. through K. above, or a subset of them; identify additional topics you recommend for collaborative study.

-- Brief description of what information and capabilities your company is willing to provide to USTRANSCOM.

-- A description of the unique capabilities and services that distinguish your organization from others.

-- Mention of other government agencies if any with whom you are partnered or under contract in MASS development or operation.

-- Proposed outputs of the collaboration with USTRANSCOM, which may include studies, prototypes, field trials, and test/demonstration data.

-- Resources to be supplied by the Collaborator during the CRADA (examples may be access to facilities, personnel expertise, information systems, proprietary techniques, hardware, software, materials, prototypes, etc.)

-- Resources requested from USTRANSCOM (examples: personnel skillsets, data, access to unique federal facilities including test/demo facilities, etc.; no DoW-provided funding is permitted under a CRADA)

-- Mark all proprietary information in your white paper with appropriate control markings or citations (including proprietary information or trade secrets).

-- Include points of contact (name, point of contact, address, e-mail, and phone) for notification of selection/non-selection and follow-on discussions/visits (if chosen)

USTRANSCOM and other government entities participating in white paper review, industry day, and collaborative work under CRADAs may include in-house support contractors. Non-disclosure agreements may be signed as required by the Parties to include these participants. The USTRANSCOM Office of Research and Technology Applications (ORTA) technical advisor (coordinator of USTRANSCOM Technology Transfer activities including CRADAs) is a member of LMI Solutions.

Proposals not selected for further discussion will be archived by the government and appropriately protected.

Primary Point of Contact: Mr. Mark Surina, LMI Solutions, USTRANSCOM Office of Research and Technology Applications, USTRANSCOM TCJ7-XF (ORTA), 508 Scott Drive, Scott AFB IL 62225-5357, e-mail: transcom.scott.tcj4j5j7.mbx.orta@mail.mil.