SAIO MD9 EC2 TEst.docx

Note: This attachment may be updated throughout the life of this CSO to add additional Areas of Interest (AOIs) as they are identified by the Government.

Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO)

FA2518-26-X-XXXX

Combat Forces Command (CFC) Mission Delta (MD) 9 Operations, Sustainment & Training Acquiring Agency: Mission Delta 9

Record of Revision

CONTENTS

1. DEFINITIONS

Area of Interest (AOI): A specific announcement posted under this CSO seeking innovative commercial solutions aligned to mission needs, which may result in the award of a commercial contract. AOIs may be issued at any time during the CSO period of availability. Open and/or Closed AOIs may be issued under this CSO to request submission of solution briefs, pitches, and/or proposals. Also, it may include specific terms that apply to that AOI.

Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO): A competitive, open solicitation method used and executed by Mission Delta (MD) 9 to identify innovative technologies that support, protect, and defend objectives.

Innovative: Any new technology, process, or business practice—or novel application of an existing one—that enhances military effectiveness and supports U.S. national security.

Small Business: A business that meets the size standards and criteria set forth in 13 C.F.R. § 121 and 15 U.S.C. § 632.

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

CSO is a general solicitation issued under 10 U.S.C. § 3458 and implemented under DFARS 212.70, inviting companies of all sizes, including non-traditional defense contractors, to submit solutions for review and potential award.

MD 9 is issuing this Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) in accordance with DFARS 212.70 Defense Commercial Solutions Opening. MD 9 is pursuing these acquisitions to enhance MD 9’s operational capabilities through innovative commercial solutions. Under the CSO, MD 9 may competitively award proposals received in response to a general solicitation, similar to a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), to acquire innovative commercial products, technologies, or services based on a review of solutions by scientific, technological, or other subject matter expert peers within CFC.

MD 9, headquartered at Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado, is the United States Space Force's designated orbital warfare organization. Its core purpose is to guarantee the United States, and its allies have undisputed freedom of action in space. The mission of MD9 is to prepare, present, and project assigned and attached forces for the purpose of conducting protect and defend operations while providing national decision authorities with response options to deter and, when necessary, defeat orbital threats. Additionally, MD9 supports Space Domain Awareness by conducting space-based battlespace characterization operations and conducts on-orbit experimentation and technology demonstrations for the USSF. To achieve this, MD 9 is comprised of specialized units, including space operations squadrons responsible for on-orbit engagements, while also being supported by dedicated cyber, intelligence, and sustainment squadrons that ensure the availability, reliability, security, and effectiveness of its mission systems.

As a key operational Delta within Combat Forces Command (CFC), MD 9 seeks innovative commercial solutions to significantly enhance its mission readiness and effectiveness. Specifically, MD 9 requires innovative solutions in the following areas:

Training: Developing and sustaining a robust, effective, and threat-focused training standard that is continuously evolving for Delta-Level Training and for Mission System Training. Training must integrate operations, cyber, intel, and sustainment squadrons to ensure MD 9 is developing a unified and prepared force. This could incorporate high-fidelity training utilizing commercial on-orbit assets to create realistic, live scenarios and enhance operator readiness.

Space and Ground Sustainment Team: A contractor team capable of rapid anomaly response and resolution, proactive data trend analysis performance, configuration management, lifecycle management, executing preventative maintenance, managing deficiency reports, implementing enhancement and deficiency corrective action, maintaining a comprehensive repository of lessons learned, and integrating quality assurance, communications, and logistics support.

Contractor Operations and Operations Support Functions: MD 9 requires experienced contractor support to augment day-to-day operations, mission planning, orbital analysis, and provide cyber and intelligence support to space operations. This alleviates routine operational tasks on our military members and allows them to increase focus on core warfighting tasks.

Contractor/Commercially filled Capability Gaps: Strategic opportunity for innovative solutions addressing critical capability gaps. These include but not limited to commercial augmentation of operations through commercial service models and alternative methods introducing novel concepts and disruptive technologies.

Under this CSO, all products, technologies, and services shall be treated as commercial items; products, technologies and services do not have to be “commercially available” to be submitted in response to this solicitation. If the solution meets the requirements of the regulation, the solution is treated as commercial whereby the Contracting Officer will utilize commercial procedures to develop and execute the resultant award.

The primary North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code will be identified with each specific Area of Interest (AOI).

KEY INFORMATION SUMMARY:

Funding: Up to $100M total contractual funding, subject to availability of funds and mission needs Contract Type: FAR-based Fixed-Price contracts or Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs) Set-Aside: This CSO is Unrestricted (Full and Open). Individual AOIs may be set aside for Small Businesses (e.g., under NAICS 541715 or other appropriate codes), while others may be competed on a full-and-open basis. Each AOI will specify its applicable set-aside status and NAICS code.

Period: Open continuously until superseded or canceled, subject to annual review.

Security: Phase I submissions shall be Unclassified. Subsequent phases may require submission and/or performance at higher classification levels, as specified in the AOI and any draft or final DD Form 254.

PURPOSE

This Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO), in accordance with Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 206.101-70(b) and DFARS 212.70 Defense Commercial Solutions Opening, is competitive solicitation of proposals focused on acquiring innovative technologies and services to meet MD 9 operational, sustainment, and training needs. The Government seeks cutting-edge solutions to enhance MD 9’s operational capabilities and meet critical United States Space Force (USSF) readiness requirements. Detailed topics associated with each capability area appear in Attachment 6.

ENTERPRISE-WIDE AND AOI AUTHORITY

This CSO is structured as an enterprise-wide vehicle authorized for use across the United States Space Force (USSF) and potentially broader Department of Defense (DoD) mission areas aligned with Space Domain Awareness (SDA). While SAIO retains overall responsibility for CSO governance, process oversight, and reporting, this CSO is intended to enable other warranted Contracting Officers within the DoD to issue and administer their own AOIs under this CSO.

Organizations participating under this CSO must coordinate with SAIO to ensure compliance with the overarching structure, avoid duplicative efforts, and maintain visibility into total obligations against the CSO’s estimated funding amount. Participating Contracting Officers must adhere to the standardized CSO process outlined herein, including the three-step evaluation approach (White Paper, Pitch Session, Proposal), submission formats, and evaluation guidance.

Each AOI must be self-contained and fully informative for industry, clearly identifying the problem set, operational context, technical needs, evaluation criteria, set-aside status, security requirements, and anticipated funding. AOIs may vary in scope, duration, and classification, but all must align with the high-level objectives of this CSO and be coordinated through SAIO prior to release. All AOIs issued under this CSO must follow the standardized evaluation process described in Section 9 – Enterprise Evaluation Framework to ensure consistency, fairness, and compliance across the enterprise.

CSO APPROACH

This CSO seeks innovative approaches to meet various MD 9 objectives. The Government encourages proposals that span a wide spectrum of possible technical and business solutions in response to the specific AOIs. Each AOI will identify the operational training interest in an individual program requirement or a broadly defined interest covering the full range of program requirements. All submissions in response to any AOI will be governed by this CSO unless otherwise noted in the individual AOI in Attachment 6.

The Government anticipates the award of fixed-price type contracts or Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs). AOIs will specify applicable NAICS codes, size standards, and any small business set-asides. The Government reserves the right to award funding to any combination of proposals which offer the best overall value.

Awards resulting from this CSO will be made based on the evaluation results of a two- or three-phase process described in Attachment 6. The Government reserves the right to fund all, some, one, or none of the proposals submitted or may elect to fund only part of a submitted proposal. Funding for participation in this program is highly competitive, and the price of proposed items and services should be considered.

Applicable funding amounts will be identified in individual AOIs. All funding availability depends on congressional appropriations and mission priorities.

Government may award any portion of the solution’s cost, or the entire amount of the proposed solution based on the evaluated benefit of return to the Government.

All coordination and communication between Offerors and the Government will be conducted using the www.sam.gov or www.grants.gov websites and the points of contact associated with this CSO, as specified in Section 5.

MULTI-AOI EXECUTION FRAMEWORK

This CSO serves as an enterprise-wide acquisition vehicle managed by the Space Acquisition and Integration Office (SAIO). It is structured to enable multiple contracting organizations within the United States Space Force (USSF) to issue AOIs and conduct acquisitions under a shared, standardized framework. The SAIO CSO Contracting Officer (CO) retains overarching governance, compliance, and funding management responsibilities.

The CSO enables authorized Contracting Officers within designated USSF acquisition organizations to:

Develop and release AOIs under this CSO, Conduct independent evaluations aligned with the CSO process, Execute awards tailored to their AOI’s specific needs.

All AOIs must be coordinated with the CSO CO and receive formal approval prior to publication to ensure:

Alignment with DFARS 212.70 and this CSO’s purpose, Legal sufficiency and appropriate contract structure, and Standardized evaluation and award methodologies.

Each AOI must:

Clearly state the notional funding availability, Provide an estimated not-to-exceed value for planning purposes, Indicate whether funding is currently available or contingent.

AOI Ownership and Autonomy Each AOI acts as a standalone acquisition project under the umbrella of this CSO. AOIs are expected to provide sufficient detail in their attachments to allow industry to clearly understand the Government's problem set, objectives, and anticipated evaluation approach. AOI owners (technical and acquisition) are responsible for day-to-day execution.

GENERAL INFORMATION

POINTS of CONTACT:

The CSO Contracting Officer (CO), assigned by SAIO, is the primary point of contact for all enterprise-level CSO matters. This individual: Provides overarching guidance on CSO execution, approves AOIs for publication under this CSO, and ensures compliance with DFARS 212.70and applicable FAR/DFARS clauses.

Enterprise CSO Contact Email: TBD Use subject line: ex. MD9 CSO – General Question(s).

Material questions and answers will be posted to SAM.gov.

CSO GENERAL QUESTIONS: General CSO Questions may be sent via email to the CSO team at patrick.clark.19@spaceforce.mil or rosalind.davis.3@spaceforce.mil. Due to the large amount of expected interest in this CSO, and to maintain a written record of questions, this is the only email address that will be used for general question communication. Material questions and answers will be published and updated on www.sam.gov or www.grants.gov.

CSO SUBJECT LINE EXAMPLE: The following shall be utilized in the email subject line: Mission Delta 9 Operations, Sustainment, and Training Support CSO - [AOI Number] - General Question(s).

AOI SPECIFIC QUESTIONS AND SUBMITTALS: AOI specific questions may be sent via email to the AOI Contracting Team’s point(s) of contact listed in the AOI. Due to the large amount of expected interest in AOIs, and to maintain a written record of questions, the AOI Contracting Team’s point(s) of contact email address(es) will be used for communication. Material questions and answers will be published and updated on www.sam.gov or www.grants.gov.

AOI SUBJECT LINE EXAMPLE: The following shall be utilized in the email subject line: Mission Delta 9 Operations, Sustainment, and Training Support CSO [AOI#] (ex., AOI-2026-01, AOI-2026-02, etc.)

CLASSIFIED INFORMATION: All Phase I submissions shall be unclassified. If higher classification is required for the Offeror to submit their solution in Phase II or Phase III, the Offeror shall coordinate with the AOI Contracting Team for submission instructions.

Offerors must possess all required personnel security clearances, facility clearances, and other infrastructure requirements necessary to perform any proposed classified work in accordance with the Contract Security Classification Specification (DD Form 254) without reliance on Government resources. A wide variety of responses, as well as potential awards of diverse scopes and associated classified classification levels under this CSO are possible, thus, the Government will provide award specific security details for individual award activities as required. A draft DD Form 254 will be provided with a Phase II or III request for proposal, as necessary.

SUBMISSION INFORMATION

SUBMISSION OVERVIEW: This Mission Delta 9 Operations, Sustainment, and Training Support CSO will remain open continuously until the CSO is superseded or canceled. This CSO is open for Phase I submissions in accordance with the AOIs listed in on www.sam.gov or www.grants.gov. The acceptance date for Phase I submissions will be identified in each individual AOI. The Government will amend the CSO to incorporate additional AOIs as needed.

The Government will not reimburse companies for the costs associated with submission for a phase.

Submissions for all phases shall be sent to the Contracting Team’s point(s) of contact listed in the individual AOI. All submissions shall have the following filename format:

Phase I: [AOI#] _Phase[#]_[Document Type]_[Company Name]_[YYYMMDD] Example: AOI2026_01_PhaseI_WhitePaper_ABC_Corp_Inc_20261015.pdf Maximum filename length: 50 characters To ensure submissions have been received by the Government. Offerors shall send a separate email (not containing attachments) to the Contracting Team’s point(s) of contact listed in the individual AOI immediately after emailing a submission to confirm receipt. Hardcopies for any phase will not be accepted.

Offerors shall mark each page of Phase I, Phase II, and Phase III submissions that contains proprietary information. An offeror may provide with its proposal assertions to restrict, use, release, or disclosure of data and/or computer software and computer software documentation that will be provided during contract performance. Rules governing these assertions are prescribed in DFARS clauses 252.227-7013, 7014, and 7017 and may be accessed at www.acquisition.gov.

TWO OR THREE PHASED SUBMISSION PROCESS: This CSO may be conducted in two OR three phases followed by evaluations, and outlined as follows:

Phase I (Required): All offerors submit PowerPoint and White Paper Phase I submissions will be evaluated for each AOI in accordance with Attachments 1 and 2.

Acceptance dates will be listed in each AOI (Attachment 7).

Submissions must be succinct but technically descriptive.

All PowerPoints must include a Quad Chart per the template in Attachment 2.

Questions and answers will be posted on www.sam.gov.

Phase II (Requested by Gov’t): Selected offerors invited to pitch sessions at Government discretion If utilized, Phase II provides an opportunity for Offerors to present and discuss their proposed solution in greater depth following Phase I evaluation.

The Government may invite Offerors to participate in a virtual or in-person Pitch Session to address technical merit, operational applicability, and alignment with SDA enterprise objectives.

Phase II is optional, and the Government may proceed directly from Phase I to Phase III at its discretion.

Phase III (Final): Selected offerors submit complete proposal package including:

Only by invitation from AOI CO.

Must follow Attachments 4–6 for format and content.

Offerors will have 30–45 days to submit after request.

Offerors must be registered in SAM.gov, meet RFO Subpart 9.1 responsibility requirements, and be eligible for award under applicable law/regulation.

Evaluation And Selection Process:

Each AOI submission will be evaluated independently in accordance with Section 8 - Enterprise Evaluation Framework and the detailed procedures in Attachment 6.

Evaluation is based on technical approach, projected timeline, and available funding.

Price will be assessed for fairness/reasonableness per R-DFARS 212.70.

Selections may be made at any phase; award is not guaranteed.

The AOI CO will notify Offerors of selection/non-selection generally within 45 days.

If funding is not available, selected solutions may be retained in the Government’s solution repository for up to three years for future consideration

The Government reserves the right to proceed directly from Phase I to Phase III.

Phase I - White Paper: Phase I solutions will be requested by individual AOIs. Solutions will be evaluated for each AOI. Interested Offerors must submit a White Paper in accordance with instructions provided in Attachment 1. Acceptance dates for the Phase I White Paper will be in Attachment 6-7 with the respective AOIs.

Due to the broad requirements and financial scope of this CSO, Offerors must ensure that submissions are succinct yet descriptive. Phase I submissions will not be evaluated beyond page length limitations stated in Attachment 1. Phase 1 submissions that lack technical depth and rigor or are not within MD 9’s mission will be evaluated as such. The questions and answers will be published and regularly updated on www.sam.gov or www.grants.gov.

Phase II – Pitch Session: Phase II submissions will only be accepted from Offerors who upon review of Phase I submissions, are invited by the AOI Contracting Team to a pitch session. The Government, at its discretion, may request an additional written submission to further supplement the information provided in the Phase I solution brief. Instructions for format and content are located in Attachment 1-2.

Phase II is optional at the Government's discretion. Offerors may be invited directly from Phase I to Phase III, bypassing the pitch session entirely.

Phase I & Phase II Review, Evaluation, and Selection Process: Each Phase I and II submission will be evaluated by the Government in accordance with the process outlined in Attachment6.

Notification of Selection. If a Phase I solution is selected and funding is available, the Government will contact Offerors via email with an invitation for a Phase II Pitch Session or a Phase III request for proposal with a specific submission date. If a Phase I solution is selected and there is insufficient funding, the Government may request that the solution be maintained in the electronic library for consideration and subsequent funding availability up to three years after submission. A request for a Phase II or Phase III submission does not guarantee an award. If a solution is not selected in Phase I or Phase II, the offeror will be notified generally within 45 calendar days of submission.

The Government reserves the right to select none of the submissions.

Phase III - Technical, PWS, and Price Proposal: Phase III proposals will only be accepted from offerors who upon review of either Phase I or Phase II submission, are invited by the Contracting Officer to submit a full proposal (Technical, Price, and Performance Work Statement (PWS). To be considered for award under Phase III, offerors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov, be considered responsible within the meaning of RFO Subpart Part 9.1, Responsible Prospective Contractors, have a satisfactory performance record, and otherwise be eligible for award based on federal law and regulation.

Proposal Submission: Upon notification of a request for proposal by the Contracting Officer, offerors will have 30- 45 calendar days to prepare and submit a proposal in accordance with the format and instructions in Attachments 4-6. Actual due dates for proposals will be included in Phase III request for proposal.

Proposal Review, Evaluation and Selection Process: Each proposal will be evaluated by the Government, and the proposal must stand on its own technical merit. Offerors may be ineligible for the award if all requirements of the CSO and individual request for proposal are not met. Proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the evaluation criteria and selection process specified in Attachment 6. Proposals need not be evaluated against each other since they are not submitted in response to a common PWS.

Selection for Award: Award(s) will be made once a proposal is accepted based on the evaluation criteria in Attachment 6.

The Government reserves the right to award none of the submissions.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

DATA RIGHTS: It is the Government’s intention to acquire only Technical Data, Computer Software, and Computer Software Documentation data rights necessary to satisfy agency needs. The Government seeks to acquire only the minimum data rights necessary for operational use, testing, and maintenance. Offerors retain rights to their proprietary technologies and background intellectual property. While the Government seeks only minimum necessary rights, the Government reserves the final right to determine and negotiate the minimum data rights necessary for operational use, testing, and maintenance prior to award.

FOREIGN PARTICIPATION: Foreign firms are advised that they will not be allowed to participate in this CSO. The research and test data produced under a resultant contract or agreement may contain Military Critical Technology List (MCTL) information whose export is restricted by Export Control Act (Title 22, U.S. Sec 2751, et seq.) or DoDI 5000.83, Technology and Program Protection to Maintain Technological Advantage.

CYBERSECURITY: In accordance with DFARS 252.204-7019, to ensure Department of Defense supply chain security, Contracting Officer cannot award a contract unless the successful Offeror has a current National Institute of Standards Technology (NIST) Special Publications (SP) 800-171 Department of Defense (DoD) assessment completed and posted in the Supplier Performance Risk System (SPRS) – see DFARS 252.204-7019 and DFARS 252.204-7020 for more information regarding the requirements.

NON-GOVERNMENT ADVISORS: To review submission resultant from any phase, Proprietary information may be given to non-government advisors working for the Government in the evaluation of Offeror’s submission for all phases of this CSO. Participation of the non-Government advisors is limited to those with signed non-disclosure agreements with the Government and bound by organizational conflict of interests. Submission of any information under this CSO will constitute a grant of authority by submitting the Company to the Government to allow the use of non-government advisors to participate in evaluations of all phases of the CSO process.

PROCUREMENT INTEGRITY, STANDARDS OF CONDUCT, ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS, AND CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS: Responding parties are hereby notified that the Government will assess all submissions for the existence of a conflict of interest (COI) or the appearance of a COI. It is incumbent upon the respondent to disclose all relevant facts related to the existence or potential existence of a COI early in the process.

Organizational Conflict of Interest: The Offeror shall perform an Organizational Conflict of interest (OCI) analysis submitting the results of that analysis as part of the Offeror’s Phase III proposal. Specifically, the Offeror shall analyze the planned acquisition for actual or potential OCI situations associated with the Offeror or any of the Offeror’s proposed teammates or subcontractor’s performance under any contract or agreement has been or may be awarded by any federal agency or other entity. If the Offeror identifies any actual or potential OCI’s, the contractor shall provide an OCI Mitigation Plan to be incorporated as an attachment to any resulting contract. Any proposed avoidance or mitigation techniques shall be consistent with FAR 9.5 and the most recent decision of the Government Accountability Officer (GAO) and US Court of Federal Claims.

Responsibility: The Offeror shall provide information that presents a brief verifiable self-assessment of the areas of responsibility as described in RFO 9.104. To be considered for award under Phase III, Offerors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov or www.grants.gov, be considered responsible with the meaning of RFO Subpart Part 9.1. Responsible Prospective Contractors, have a satisfactory performance record, and otherwise be eligible for award based on federal law and regulation. The Contracting Officer cannot award a contract unless the successful Offeror has updated the RFO 52.204-26 representation in SAM to account for the update to the provision published in October 2020.

DEBRIEFINGS: The Government will conduct written post-award debriefings for Phase III upon request only in accordance with RFO 52.212-l (1) and will address the evaluation factors contained herein only. It will not include a comparison of submissions against a common PWS as the CSO provides no common PWS that interested parties must respond to and instead represents the opportunity for submission of a variety of innovative commercial items, technologies, and/or services that represent meaningful submissions of diverse scopes and prices.

GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY (GFP) AVAILABILITY: GFP is not anticipated to be made available under any resulting contract, but a determination regarding GFP will be made for each award. In accordance with RFO 45.201(b), the contractor is responsible for all costs related to making the property available for use, such as payment of all transportation, installation, or rehabilitation costs.

BASE SUPPORT/NETWORK ACCESS: Base support will be determined for each award for testing, validation, and demonstration.

ENTERPRISE EVALUATION FRAMEWORK

This section establishes the standardized evaluation process applicable to all Areas of Interest (AOIs) issued under this CSO. It ensures uniformity, compliance, and transparency across the enterprise while allowing each AOI to tailor its evaluation to mission-specific needs. All evaluation activities will follow R-DFARS 212.70 (Defense Commercial Solutions Opening) and applicable FAR/DFARS requirements for commercial acquisitions (e.g., RFO Part 12), consistent with the integrity and fairness standards in FAR Part 3. This CSO is not conducted under RFO Part 15 procedures.

APPLICABILITY:

This evaluation framework applies to all AOIs issued under this CSO by any authorized Contracting Officer.

AOI-specific criteria must remain consistent with this framework and the formats in this Section 9 (Enterprise Evaluation Framework) and Attachment 6 (Evaluation and Selection Process).

Deviations from this framework require prior written approval from the CSO CO.

EVALUATION PHASES:

All AOIs will use a two- or three-phase evaluation process, as determined by the AOI Contracting Officer:

Phase I – White Paper & PowerPoint Submission Evaluated for Technical Merit & Applicability, Funds Availability, and feasibility against AOI objectives.

Must include a Quad Chart (Attachment 2).

Phase II – Pitch Session (Optional) Conducted at Government discretion to explore technical merit, applicability, feasibility, and Funds Availability.

May require supplemental material (Attachment 3).

Phase III – Full Proposal Evaluated for Technical Merit & Applicability, Importance to Agency Programs, and Price (fair and reasonable per RFO 12.209), plus compliance with Attachments 4–6.

Offerors must meet RFO 9.104 responsibility and be registered in SAM.gov.

The Government reserves the right to:

Proceed directly from Phase I to Phase III, or Award some, none or all of the proposal.

EVALUATION FACTORS:

All evaluations will consider the following factors, weighted as specified in each AOI:

Technical Merit – Soundness, innovation, and potential mission impact of the proposed solution.

Relevance – Alignment with SDA and CSO objectives.

Viability & Risk – Likelihood of successful execution, including schedule and technical risk.

Price Reasonableness – Assessed in accordance with DFARS 212.70 and RFO 15.4.

EVALUATION TEAMS:

AOI COs must establish evaluation teams with technical subject matter experts, acquisition personnel, and other stakeholders as appropriate.

Non-Government advisors may be used in accordance with Section 8.1.8.

DOCUMENTATION & RECORDS:

AOI COs must document all evaluation findings and selection decisions in accordance with RFO/R-DFARS requirements.

Award decision documentation must explicitly reference how the proposed solution met the above evaluation factors.

All evaluation records must be provided to the CSO CO for enterprise-level tracking within 10 business days of award.

ENTERPRISE CONSISTENCY REQUIREMENT:

To maintain integrity across all AOIs:

All AOIs must include a copy or link to this section and clearly identify any AOI-specific adjustments.

Any changes to evaluation process, factors, or scoring must be approved in writing by the CSO CO prior to AOI release.

ATTACHMENT 1: PHASE I WHITE PAPER FORMAT

The White Paper narrative shall adhere to the following specifications:

· Page Size: 8.5 x 11 inches with one-inch margins

· Page Limit: Maximum two pages plus cover page

· Page Format: Single-spaced, with text in Times New Roman, no smaller than 12-point font.

· Submit as a PDF, file size not to exceed 10 MB.

Pages exceeding the limit will not be evaluated. The White Paper must focus exclusively on providing a detailed explanation of the proposed technical approach to allow for a comprehensive assessment by a technical expert. The document must expand on the following core areas: Objective; Description of the Effort; Benefits of the Proposed Approach; Technical Challenges and Solution Approach; Major Milestones (broken down by Government fiscal year and month); and a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) price estimate. Do not include corporate or personnel qualifications, relevant experience, or any unsolicited supplemental information.

White paper shall be sent to the Contracting Officer for review. If there is a need for a classified white paper/quad chart submission, send an email to the Contracting Officer to receive instructions for classified submissions. Submissions must be received by the AOI-specific deadline in Attachment XX.

The requirement for a cover sheet is applicable for all Phase I White Papers submitted in response to new AOIs published.

ATTACHMENT 2: PHASE I POWERPOINT BRIEFING & QUAD CHART FORMAT

PURPOSE: The Phase I PowerPoint briefing provides the initial visual summary of the proposed solution. The Quad Chart serves as the first content slide and must concisely communicate the key elements of the offering for rapid Government assessment.

QUAD CHART REQUIREMENTS:

Format: Landscape orientation, one page maximum.

Template: Must follow the Government-provided Quad Chart template (Times New Roman, font size ≥ 12 pt).

Placement: Quad Chart must be the first content slide after the title slide in the briefing.

Content Areas:

Objective – Brief problem statement and intended outcome.

Description of Effort – Summary of technical approach.

Benefits of Proposed Approach – Expected advantages and impact to AOI.

Technical Challenges/Solution Approach – Key risks and planned mitigation.

Major Milestones – By Government fiscal year and month.

ROM Price Estimate – Rough Order of Magnitude cost.

POWERPOINT BRIEFING REQUIREMENTS:

Format: Microsoft PowerPoint (.pptx) only.

Length: Maximum of five (5) content slides plus title slide.

File Size: Not to exceed 10 MB.

Font: Times New Roman, font size ≥ 12 pt.

Content:

Visually elaborate on Quad Chart elements.

Include graphics, diagrams, or images where beneficial.

Security Level: Phase I submissions shall be Unclassified. Subsequent phases may require submission and/or performance at higher classification levels, as specified in the AOI and any draft or final DD Form 254.

For classified content, contact the AOI Contracting Officer for submission instructions.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:

Submit Quad Chart and PowerPoint briefing together to the AOI Contracting Officer identified in the AOI.

Clearly mark file names with CSO#, AOI#, and Company Name.

Follow AOI-specific submission timelines in Attachment 7.

ATTACHMENT 3: PHASE II PITCH SESSION FORMAT

During this phase, offerors are invited to pitch and further discuss the proposed concept/technology/solution in person or virtually. The Government will provide the offeror with 45 minutes for the offerors’ pitch and additional time if needed for follow up questions/discussion.

Presentation Material: Only the presentation slides submitted by the offeror prior to the deadline will be used. No changes, additions, or alternate materials are permitted during the session unless coordinated in advance with the government Contracting Officer. The government will control the presentation slides during the pitch session (virtual or in-person).

Offerors should clearly mark any proprietary information on their slides. While the government strives to protect proprietary data, offerors are advised not to include highly sensitive or classified information that is inappropriate for the unclassified session.

Government personnel are prohibited from disclosing confidential or proprietary information from other offerors.

Pitch Content: Offerors should provide a pitch, virtual or in-person, to demonstrate and provide further details on the technical and business viability of the proposed concept, technology, or solution. In addition to the pitch, the Government, at its discretion, may request an additional written submission to further supplement the information provided in Phase I solution brief.

During the pitch session, the offeror must detail/address:

Scope: The pitch and discussion must remain focused on the technical solution presented in Phase 1 submission.

Estimated Price/Schedule: Provide a ROM price and a notional schedule for how this concept could be tested within the DoD.

Data Rights Assertions: The solution brief will identify any Intellectual Property (IP) involved in the effort and associated restrictions on the Government’s use of that IP. Data rights will be negotiated prior to the contract.

Government Q&A protocol: The government evaluation team may ask questions during the 45-pitch window. If needed, the government may provide additional time for more questions/discussions. It is crucial that the offeror provides direct and concise answers. Additionally, it is encouraged that the offeror asks the government clarification questions about the solicitation during this session.

Offerors should provide direct and concise answers. If a question cannot be answered during the session, offerors should state that they will take the question for follow-up, if permitted by the Contracting Officer. If the Contracting Officer permits a question to be taken as follow-up, the offeror must submit their written response via email directly to the Contracting Officer no later than 48 hours (two business days) after the conclusion of their scheduled pitch session. Written follow-ups must be strictly limited to answering the specific question asked and may not introduce new or unrelated proposal information.

Attendance: Only individuals listed on the pre-submitted attendee list will be permitted to attend the virtual or in-person session.

No Ex Parte Communications: The pitch session is part of a formal evaluation process. No communications outside of this scheduled session regarding your proposal or this solicitation are permitted with government personnel involved in the evaluation, unless explicitly directed by the Contracting Officer.

Technical Issues (Virtual Session): In the event of minor technical disruptions, the government will attempt to resolve them quickly. If a major disruption occurs, the Contracting Officer will determine if the session needs to be paused, rescheduled, or if an alternative arrangement will be made.

Note: The Government reserves the right to forgo Phase II and go directly to Phase III.

ATTACHMENT 4: PHASE III TECHNICAL PROPOSAL and PWS FORMAT

The Phase III submission shall conform to the following:

Cover Sheet: The following information shall be contained in a cover sheet submitted with the proposal:

· CSO and AOI number, and AOI name (if applicable)

· Full company name and address

· CAGE Code

· Unique Entity ID Number

· Business Size Classification

· Offeror’s socioeconomic status

· Point of contact, name, title, phone number, and email address

Technical Approach: The following describes the technical approach requirements:

The Technical Proposal shall describe the background and objectives of the proposed work, the approach, deliverables, and the resources needed to execute, and additional details of data rights assertions. Include the nature and extent of the capability and how it addresses the AOI, the innovative aspect of the solution, the intended results, and address possible integration or testing needs. Include operational considerations such as certifications, algorithms, and any engineering /software development methodologies to be used. Provide a graphic display of major program milestones. Measurable milestones should capture key activity points and should be clearly articulated and defined in time relative to the start of the effort. You may refer to previous submitted information from Phase I and/or Phase II, but do not duplicate it.

Background and Objectives: Summarize the problem or need addressed by the proposed solution, identify the SDA mission relevance and alignment with the applicable AOI, and provide relevant context, including prior work, related programs, or operational challenges. Government Support Required: Identify the type of support, if any, the offeror requests of the Government in general, such as facilities, equipment, data, and information or materials.

The Government reserves the right to ask for additional technical information in Phase III request.

Due to the varying AOIs and potential solutions, Technical Proposal page limitations and formatting will be identified in the Phase III request(s) for proposal.

Performance Work Statement (PWS): The following describes the PWS requirements:

The PWS must be a separate and distinct document suitable for incorporation into the contract or agreement. In addition to the contractor proposed PWS, a government generated supplemental requirement PWS, containing additional contracting requirements, may be included in any resulting award(s). DO NOT INCLUDE ANY PROPRIETARY INFORMATION IN THE PWS.

The proposed PWS must accurately describe the work to be performed. The PWS must also contain a summary description of the technical methodology as well as the task description, but not in so much detail as to make the PWS inflexible. PWS should respond to the Request for Proposal (RFP) and include the following sections:

OBJECTIVE: This section is intended to give a brief overview of the project and should describe why the work is being pursued and what the Offeror intends to accomplish.

SCOPE: This section includes a statement of what PWS covers. This should describe the AOI to be investigated, goals, and milestones for the effort. Provide a graphic display of major program milestones for the effort. Provide a detailed project schedule that outlines the various phases of work to be accomplished within the proposed period of performance.

BACKGROUND: The Offeror must identify appropriate documents that are applicable to the effort to be performed. This section includes any information, explanations, or constraints that are necessary to understand the project tasks and requirements. This section should describe the effort’s relationship to previous and ongoing efforts, if applicable.

TASKS AND TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: This section contains a detailed description of tasks that are necessary to perform the proposed work. These tasks will represent the work to be performed to proposed work and in any potential contract award, and, thus, shall be considered contractually binding. This section should be developed in an orderly progression and presented in sufficient detail to establish the feasibility of accomplishing the overall program goals. This section should clearly distinguish based period tasks from option period tasks. The sequence of performance must be presented by the fiscal year, as in the Technical Proposal, and must contain every task to be accomplished. Note: The Government reserves the right to modify and negotiate the language in the PWS prior to any potential contract award.

Task description must be definite, realistic, and clearly stated. Use the phrase “the contractor shall” whenever the work statement expresses a provision that is binding. Use “should” or “may” whenever it is necessary to express a declaration of purpose. Use “will” in cases where no Offeror requirement is involved (e.g., power will be supplied by the Government).

Do not use acronyms or abbreviations without first defining them. Place abbreviations and acronyms in parentheses following the first usage of the spelled-out phrase.

Due to the varying AOIs and potential solutions, PWS page limitations will be identified in the Phase III request for proposal.

ATTACHMENT 5: PHASE III PRICE PROPOSAL FORMAT

The Price proposal submission must include pricing information sufficiently detailed for meaningful evaluation of the proposal. For pricing purposes, Offerors should assume a contract start date of approximately ninety (90) days after submission of the proposal. The Price Proposal does not have a page limit restriction.

Since all proposals are considered commercial items, technologies, or services, the requirements of the Truthful Cost or Pricing Data Act are not applicable. However, if the Contracting Officer determines additional information is necessary to support a determination of a fair and reasonable price, other than certified cost and pricing data may be requested.

The responsibility for providing adequate supporting data and attachments lies solely with the Offeror. Further, the Offeror must also bear the burden of proof in establishing reasonableness of proposed prices; therefore, it is in the Offeror’s best interest to submit a fully supportable and well-prepared price proposal.

The Offeror shall prepare the Price Proposal submission to include an electronic version of the pricing model in a Microsoft (MS) Excel editable format. The electronic pricing model shall include active formula demonstrating the mathematical calculation of the proposed price.

PRICE PROPOSAL CONTENT REQUIREMENTS:

The Price Proposal must contain, at a minimum:

SUMMARY PRICING TABLE:

Total proposed price by Contract Line Item Number (CLIN), sub-CLIN (if applicable), and any separately priced Contract Data Requirements List (CDRL) items.

Identification of base and option period pricing, if applicable.

BASIS OF ESTIMATE (BOE):

Narrative describing the estimating methodology used (e.g., prior sales data, vendor quotes, market rates).

Key assumptions (quantities, performance period, labor mix, materials).

LABOR AND MATERIAL BREAKDOWN (IF APPLICABLE):

Labor categories, proposed hours, and fully burdened labor rates.

Major material/equipment costs with supporting rationale.

SUBCONTRACTOR/PARTNER PRICING (IF APPLICABLE):

Identify subcontracted portions of work and associated costs.

Describe the basis for subcontract pricing (quotes, catalog pricing, market research).

SUPPORTING MARKET DATA:

Evidence supporting the commerciality of the item/service (product literature, commercial price lists, historical sales data).

Documentation to demonstrate proposed prices are fair and reasonable (per RFO 12.209).

EXCEL PRICING MODEL (REQUIRED):

Fully functional MS Excel file with all formulas intact.

Must match the summary pricing table in totals.

Clearly labeled tabs (e.g., “Labor,” “Materials,” “Travel,” “Subcontracts,” “Summary”).

Include assumptions or notes tab explaining key pricing drivers.

BURDEN OF PROOF:

The responsibility for providing adequate supporting data rests solely with the Offeror. Offerors bear the burden of proof in establishing the reasonableness of their proposed prices. Failure to provide adequate support may result in an evaluation finding of “price not reasonable,” which may render the proposal unawardable.

FILE NAMING AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Price Proposals shall be submitted in accordance with the instructions provided in the Phase III Request for Proposal (RFP) for the specific AOI. As a general rule:

File Name Format: CSO-<AOI#>-PriceProposal-<CompanyName>-<Date> Example: CSO-AOI2026_01-PriceProposal-ABCSystems-2026-05-15.xlsx Price Proposal and supporting files must be transmitted via the method specified in the AOI solicitation (e.g., secure file transfer, encrypted email

ATTACHMENT 6: EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCESS

All phase submissions will be categorized as Recommended, Selectable, or Non-selectable as follows:

· Recommended: Submissions are recommended for acceptance if sufficient funding is available and normally are displaced only by other Recommended submissions. To be categorized as “Recommended,” a white paper must meet all the following:

· Strong technical merit

· Addresses the AOI directly

· Shows high potential impact to Del 9 mission areas

· Project scope reasonable and feasible within expected cost/schedule boundaries

· High value for the associated cost

· Selectable: Submissions are recommended for acceptance if sufficient funding is available, but at a lower priority than Recommended submissions. A Selectable submission may require additional development. To ensure a diversity of approaches, a Selectable submission may be prioritized over a Recommended submission if the Selectable submission presents a unique approach unlike any of the Recommended proposals. A submission may be categorized as “Selectable” if it meets any of the following:

· Acceptable technical merit

· Relevant to the AOI but may have limitations, open questions, or lower mission impact

· Shows moderate potential impact to Del 9 mission areas

· Project scope reasonable and feasible within expected cost/schedule boundaries, but may need clarification or refinement

· Acceptable value for the associated cost

· Not Selectable: Even if funds were available, the submission should not be funded. Submissions may be categorized as “Not Selectable” if it meets any of the following:

· Insufficient technical merit

· Does not align with the AOI

· Shows insufficient potential impact to Del 9 mission areas

· Project scope unreasonable and/or infeasible within expected cost/schedule boundaries

· Insufficient value for the associated cost The Phase I, II, and III submissions will be evaluated and selected as follows:

Phase I – White Paper: The Government will review Phase I submission and select the Offerors that have the greatest potential to meet the needs of the USSF Enterprise based upon the AOI. A determination will be made if an Offeror who is technically qualified and has a comprehensive understanding to provide their innovative solution based on the information stated in the White Paper. The Government will evaluate using the factors below:

Technical Merit/Applicability Funds availability Phase II – Pitch Session: If Phase II is utilized, the Government will review the Phase II submission and select the Offeror(s) that have the greatest potential to meet the needs of the USSF Enterprise based upon the AOI. A determination will be made if an Offeror who is technically qualified and has a comprehensive understanding to provide the innovative solution based on the information presented during the Pitch Session as well as any additional written submissions requested by the Government.