G-TEAD-USARPAC-ACE-27_01-Autonomous-Sustainment-Powered-by-xTech-RFI-_FINAL.pdf

The Army FUZE xTech Program – G-TEAD USARPAC ACE 27-01: Autonomous Sustainment Powered by xTech Competition Announcement

I. Background and Purpose

The U.S. Army is seeking innovative agile sustainment solutions from eligible small and large businesses across the U.S. and allied foreign countries through the Global Tactical Edge Acquisition Directorate (G-TEAD) Accelerated Capability Event (ACE) Pacific Autonomous Sustainment 27-01 Powered by xTech Competition. This platform offers participants the opportunity to engage with the U.S. Department of War (DoW), earn prize money and potentially receive a contract award or agreement.

The U.S. Army FUZE xTech Program, managed under the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology (ASA(ALT)), in partnership with the U.S.

Army Pacific (USARPAC) and G-TEAD is executing the G-TEAD USARPAC ACE 27-01:

Autonomous Sustainment Powered by xTech Competition as part of the G-TEAD ACE series.

This initiative supports the U.S. Army’s broader effort to (1) identify and understand the spectrum of ‘world-class’ technologies being developed commercially that benefit the U.S.

military; (2) integrate non-traditional innovators into the U.S. DoW Science and Technology (S&T) ecosystem; (3) provide expertise and feedback to accelerate, mature, and transition technologies to support operational forces; and (4) deliver attritable, scalable capabilities.

The G-TEAD USARPAC ACE 27-01: Autonomous Sustainment Powered by xTech Competition will consist of three (3) phases:

(1) Application, including the following:

a. Four (4)-page white paper;

b. Required five (5)-minute video;

c. Self-certification of minimum requirements; and

d. Information on prior demonstrations with DoW or allied/partner nations

(2) Soldier exercise; and

(3) Opportunity to submit follow-on contract proposal.

The U.S. Army intends to award up to $1,500,000 in cash prizes throughout the competition.

Up to 15 finalists will be selected at the conclusion of the Part 1 evaluation period to receive a cash prize of $25,000 each and an opportunity to participate in the Part 2 live Soldier exercise, anticipated to occur in November 2026. Finalists who successfully participate and have their technology integrated into the exercise will receive an additional $25,000 each, following the event. Following completion of the exercise, up to five (5) final winners will be selected to receive an additional cash prize of $150,000 each and may be considered for potential follow-on agreements and contracting opportunities. Additional details on prize structure can be found in Section VII.

At the Government’s discretion, participants that do not win a prize may also be considered for opportunities to demonstrate their capability.

Any follow-on agreements are at the Government’s sole discretion and are subject to availability of funds and applicable laws and regulations. Nothing in this solicitation shall be construed as a commitment to issue a request for proposal (RFP) or award any contract or agreement.

Finalists and final winners must have a CAGE/NCAGE code to receive a cash prize and contract award. Firms may be requested to sign a Master Business Agreement (MBA) as a condition of eligibility for certain G-TEAD ACE follow-on opportunities. The execution of an MBA is not required for any other follow-on opportunities pursued outside of G-TEAD ACEs.

A CAGE/NCAGE code is not required at the time of application; however, applicants that do not possess one (1) are strongly encouraged to initiate the registration process in advance if they intend to participate.

The G-TEAD USARPAC ACE 27-01: Autonomous Sustainment Powered by xTech Competition is conducted in accordance with 10 U.S.C. § 4025, which authorizes the use of prize competitions to stimulate innovation and identify promising technologies for national security applications. Requirements for competition under 10 U.S.C. § 3201 are satisfied upon completion of the challenge and use of prize authority. As such, this competition serves as a competitive down select mechanism that enables government organizations to engage with finalists and winners through a variety of follow-on acquisition pathways, including but not limited to:

• 10 U.S.C. § 4114 – Selection of contractors for prototype projects

• 10 U.S.C. § 4022 – Prototype projects

• 10 U.S.C. § 4023 – Procurement for experimental purposes

• 10 U.S.C. § 4001 – Research and development

• 10 U.S.C. § 4021 – Other Transaction Authority (OTA)

• 10 U.S.C. § 3458 – Authority to acquire innovative commercial products and commercial services using general solicitation competitive procedures

• 15 U.S.C. § 3703 – Technology innovation partnerships

• 15 U.S.C. § 638 – Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs

Government organizations may consider leveraging these statutory authorities to pursue follow-on awards with companies identified through the xTech competition process. This approach supports rapid technology maturation, accelerates the transition of innovative capabilities to the field, and promotes collaboration with non-traditional and small business performers.

While the authority of this program is 10 U.S.C. § 4025, the G-TEAD USARPAC ACE 27-01:

Autonomous Sustainment Powered by xTech Competition may generate interest by other U.S.

Army, DoW or U.S. Government (USG) organizations for a funding opportunity outside of this event. The interested organization may contact the participant to provide additional information or ask for a request for proposal in a separate solicitation. Finalists of the prize competition may have opportunities to submit a separate proposal for further development of their proposed technology solution based on the needs of the Army. The Army may use a contract mechanism of their choice and will notify the participants accordingly.

All G-TEAD USARPAC ACE 27-01: Autonomous Sustainment Powered by xTech Competition materials may be reviewed by Government personnel and authorized non-governmental evaluators supporting the competition. Nongovernmental evaluators will be subject to applicable nondisclosure, conflict-of-interest, access-control, and use restrictions. The Government will not disclose properly marked proprietary information outside the Government except as authorized by law and the participant’s submission agreement. Information will not be disclosed to a foreign government or foreign person unless the disclosure is separately authorized and consistent with applicable export control, security, and foreign-disclosure requirements.

The Army FUZE xTech Program intends to provide feedback from evaluators to participants during each part of the competition. The purpose of providing this feedback is to help accelerate the transition of the technology to a U.S. Army end-user by providing insight into the best applications for the technology, suggestions for product improvement for U.S. Army use and recommended next steps for development. However, the Government will not respond to inquiries regarding this feedback.

II. Eligibility Requirements

Eligible entities include nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations (i.e., large and small businesses) both domestic and foreign.

Each eligible entity:

• Must be able to obtain a CAGE code (U.S. businesses) or NCAGE code (international businesses) to process payments and receive follow-on awards;

• Shall be incorporated in, and maintain, a primary place of business in the U.S. or an allied foreign country;

• Shall not be a U.S. Federal Government entity, foreign government entity or employ a U.S. Federal Employee acting within the scope of their employment;

• Shall not be currently under contract, agreement or other providing similar capabilities in the region under the same use case to the Government for work described in the problem statement; and

• Must not be based in a Foreign Country of Concern (FCOC), directly funded by an FCOC government or government-subsidized guidance fund, or under the influence of an FCOC government in any form.

Failure to meet any of the above requirements will result in ineligibility for award. The USG reserves the right to verify eligibility and make all final determinations at its sole discretion.

III. Topics and Problem Statement

Sustainment of distributed forces across contested island chains presents significant challenges due to the vulnerability of traditional, manned logistics nodes in complex maritime, littoral, and land environments. Current intra-theater resupply operations depend on high-value, crewed assets that are at severe risk in contested waters, while the transfer and distribution of supplies on land impose heavy physical and cognitive burdens on personnel. To achieve resilient, multi-domain logistics, there is a critical need for integrated unmanned sustainment systems, including autonomous ground and air delivery systems for tactical resupply of dispersed formations. These systems must support a range of payloads and distances while being governed by advanced distribution management software and intuitive command and control architecture that synchronize autonomous swarms, automate supply routing, and significantly reduce human workload.

The Army is seeking to evaluate capabilities that demonstrate performance in one (1) of three

(3) capability areas, and meet the following criteria for its capability area:

• Capability 1: Autonomous, Attritable Air Delivery Systems

• Capability 2: Autonomous, Attritable Surface Vessels Capable of Transporting 1-4 TEUs

• Capability 3: Uncrewed, Automated, Ground Delivery Systems for Logistics and Resupply Operations

For details on the full capability areas, see Appendix A.

Capabilities submitted for evaluation shall meet the following criteria, as applicable:

• TRL 6 or higher;

• Clear linkages to resolving the problem statement and meeting the desired characteristics for the capability gap in which technology will compete;

• Demonstrate viability to field solutions within 180 days of contract award;

• Technical interoperability with Global Command & Control System-Army (GCCS-A) for situational awareness (SA), force tracking, and system tasking; Global Combat Support System-Army (GCSS-A) for tactical logistics; as current Army systems are replaced, the system will need to support data flows for future SA, force tracking, and system tasking capabilities;

• Modular in nature (hardware) and utilize open architecture (software) that facilitates ‘plug and play’ interoperability with existing sensors and communications architectures most commonly utilized by the U.S. and multi-national partners;

• Capable of operating in a denied, degraded, intermittent and limited GPS and communications environment;

• Demonstrate cyber resilience and compliance;

• Demonstrate assured control in contested environments;

• Provide safe, predictable behavior around personnel and other unmanned systems, including failsafe mechanisms, obstacle detection / avoidance, and emergency stop behaviors in all modes of operation (remote, tele-operated, autonomous, etc.); and

• Provide on-board diagnostics with operator notification of degraded state (software or sensor failure).

IV. Program Submission

The G-TEAD USARPAC ACE 27-01: Autonomous Sustainment Powered by xTech Competition is voluntary and open to all entities that meet the eligibility requirements listed in Section II (Eligibility Requirements). Entities are encouraged to submit integrated solutions. Only one (1) submission per eligible company, per capability area is permitted. If submitting to one (1) or more capability areas, the technology solutions must be different, unless submitting an integrated solution.

If submitting an integrated solution, companies must indicate that their solution is integrated when they submit their white paper on the Valid Eval registration page. An integrated solution may address multiple capability areas, but it may only be submitted once. Companies may not submit the same integrated solution as separate applications to the individual capability areas it addresses, only submit it to one of the capability areas. All submissions must be in English.

The registration information and submission upload must be received by 5:00 PM ET on Monday, August 17, 2026. Submissions received after the deadline will not be considered.

Register now by selecting the G-TEAD USARPAC ACE 27-01: Autonomous Sustainment Powered by xTech Competition image at:

https://www.xtech.army.mil/

V. G-TEAD USARPAC ACE 27-01: Autonomous Sustainment Powered by xTech Competition Structure

Part 1: Concept White Paper

All eligible entities shall submit a four (4)-page concept white paper and pre-recorded video of up to five (5) minutes that demonstrates the technology and its suitability for participation in a live exercise. The white paper should outline the solution’s capability alignment, capability value, system integration, contested readiness, system deployability, ability to field product, and company viability. Submissions will be evaluated by subject matter experts (SMEs) across the U.S. DoW. Any submissions provided above the four (4)-page limit and the five (5)-minute video will not be evaluated.

All concept white papers and videos must adhere to the following requirements:

• Concept white papers must be submitted using the template found on the Valid Eval registration page, “Template_ GTEAD_USARPAC_ACE_27_01_Autonomous Sustainment_Powered_by_xTech_White_Paper.docx”. Any proposals submitted in a format other than that provided by the template will not be reviewed.

• For the required video, provide a URL on the contest registration linking to the video (preferably hosted on Vimeo). Video production quality will not influence evaluation scores. Videos should serve to clarify or illustrate concepts from the white paper and must not exceed five (5) minutes in length.

• List your company name, country name and proposal title EXACTLY how you would like them to appear in any contest marketing materials. Use a clear and concise proposal title to give readers and potential stakeholders an understanding of how your technology would benefit the U.S. Army.

• Proposals by offerors should describe their approach to accomplishment of the expectations using concise narratives.

Evaluators will review and score concept submissions using the following scoring criteria (further details on each scoring dimension can be found on the G-TEAD USARPAC ACE 27-01:

Autonomous Sustainment Powered by xTech Competition registration page):

Criterion Weight

Introduction & Capability Alignment 15%

Capability Value 25%

System Integration & Contested Readiness 20%

System Deployability 15%

Ability to Field Product 10%

Company Viability 10%

Submission Quality 5%

Upon conclusion of the submission evaluation period, the Army FUZE xTech Program will select up to 15 finalists to receive a cash prize of $25,000 each and advance to Part 2: Soldier Exercise.

Applicants not selected in Part 1 may, at the Government’s discretion, be invited to participate in the live exercise event; however, they will not receive a cash prize or be eligible to receive subsequent prize awards under the G-TEAD USARPAC ACE 27-01: Autonomous Sustainment Powered by xTech Competition.

https://usg.valideval.com/teams/xtechgtead/signup

Part 2: Soldier Exercise

Selected finalists from Part 1 will participate in a live exercise and pitch event at Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center (JPMRC) in Hawaii with a panel of U.S. Army and DoW SMEs and end-users, currently expected to be held in November 2026.

Participation in the Soldier exercise is subject to all applicable safety, security, base access, host-nation, export control, customs, transportation, spectrum, airspace, cybersecurity, and operational requirements. The Government may restrict, modify, suspend, or terminate a participant’s exercise activities if necessary to protect personnel, property, networks, mission operations, or compliance with applicable law or policy.

Finalists will be required to submit additional documentation prior to the exercise event.

These materials are necessary to meet specific safety protocols for Soldiers, export control requirements, network security, and spectrum approval requirements. and to ensure the event is executed successfully. All documentation must be submitted by the stated deadlines. Failure to provide the required materials or meet the deadlines may result in disqualification from the G-TEAD USARPAC ACE 27-01: Autonomous Sustainment Powered by xTech Competition.

Participating firms must commit to full participation for the entire duration of the exercise event and must be on-site from day one (1) of the exercise event to support Soldier training and meet operational objectives. Non-compliance with event requirements or failure to meet performance standards during the exercise may result in disqualification from the competition.

The Army FUZE xTech Program will provide additional instructions, detailed evaluation criteria, and exact dates and location for the event at a later date.

Prior to the exercise event, finalists will have the opportunity to engage with U.S. Army and DoW personnel to prepare and discuss event expectations.

Dates and times are subject to change.

Upon conclusion of the exercise, the Army FUZE xTech Program will select up to five (5) final winners of the competition to receive a cash prize of $150,000 each, and a potential opportunity to submit for a follow-on contract or agreement. Additionally, finalists may have an opportunity and are encouraged to leave their kits behind to receive additional end-user engagement/feedback with the solutions and enable further opportunities for follow-on contracts or agreements with end-user organizations. Final competition winners may be eligible for an immediate follow-on contract(s) or agreement(s), subject to the availability of funds and technical needs.

Finalists who are able to actively participate and complete required exercise activities will receive an additional $25,000 each.

Potential Follow-on Funding Opportunities

All finalists and final winners selected from the G-TEAD USARPAC ACE 27-01:

Autonomous Sustainment Powered by xTech Competition will be eligible to submit proposals for follow-on opportunities, including but not limited to OTA or other procurement or non-procurement instruments, as determined appropriate by the Government.

Follow-on opportunities, if pursued, may be executed under applicable statutory authorities. Any such opportunities may be subject to separate evaluation criteria, independent selection processes, availability of funds, and all applicable statutory, regulatory, and approval requirements.

Follow-on funding opportunities may require delivery of initial prototypes for evaluation within 90 days of contract or agreement award that will be used as the initial articles for further experimentation and testing.

VI. Proposed Schedule

The proposed schedule is outlined below and subject to change without notice.

VII. Prizes and Incentives

Prizes will be offered under 10 U.S.C. § 4025 (Prize competitions). The total prize pool is $1,500,000. Follow-on contract award/agreements, if issued, will be separate from the prize competition. Other non-monetary incentives are provided through the G-TEAD USARPAC ACE 27-01: Autonomous Sustainment Powered by xTech Competition to help industry engage with the U.S. Army.

Phase Winners Prize Contract Award

Part 1: Concept White Paper Up to 15 $25,000 N/A

Part 2: Soldier Exercise Up to 5 $150,000 each

Finalists who successfully participate in the exercise will receive an additional $25,000 each

Opportunity to Submit for an

OTA

Up to 15 Total funding pool of up to $2,000,000

Total Up to $1,500,000 Up to $2,000,000

VIII. Disclaimers

Registered participants shall be required to assume any and all risks and waive claims against the Federal Government and its related entities, except in the case of willful misconduct, for any injury, death, damage, or loss of property, revenue, or profits, whether direct, indirect, or consequential, arising from their participation in this prize competition, whether injury, death, damage, or loss arises through negligence or otherwise.

Date Activity

August 5-17, 2026 Part 1: Concept white paper submission period

September 11, 2026 Finalists announced

November 2026 Part 2: Soldier exercise event

November 2026 Final winners announced

IX. Intellectual Property

The Army is a strong proponent of deliberate IP rights and management by the private sector and DoW.

For the G-TEAD USARPAC ACE 27-01: Autonomous Sustainment Powered by xTech Competition:

• The Federal Government may not gain an interest in IP developed by a participant without the written consent of the participant;

• Nothing in this G-TEAD ACE Pacific Autonomous Sustainment prize competition shall diminish the Government’s rights in patents, technical data, technical information, computer software, computer databases, and computer software documentation that the Government had prior to this G-TEAD ACE Pacific Autonomous Sustainment prize competition, or is entitled to, under any other Government agreement or contract, or is otherwise entitled to under law; and

• The Federal Government may negotiate a license for the use of IP developed by a registered participant in the prize competition.

Register now by selecting the G-TEAD USARPAC ACE 27-01: Autonomous

Sustainment Powered by xTech Competition tile at:

https://www.xtech.army.mil/

X. Point of Contact

The U.S. Army FUZE xTech Program Office Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, Research and Technology Email: usarmy.xtech@army.mil Website: https://www.xtech.army.mil/ mailto:usarmy.xtech@army.mil

APPENDIX A – G-TEAD ACE Pacific Autonomous Sustainment Problem Statements

Capability 1: Autonomous, Attritable Air Delivery Systems

Problem Statement: In large‑scale combat operations, dispersed forces require rapid delivery of critical supplies across contested maritime and littoral landscapes. Current aerial distribution relies on manned aircraft that are limited by availability, risk to aircrews, air corridor control, and competing operational priorities. The Army requires a means to deliver sustainment directly to point‑of‑need locations when airspace is contested, timelines are compressed, and resupply must occur without depending on manned aviation or secure lines of communication.

Desired Characteristics:

• STANAG Compliance: Demonstrates the UAV (and its C2 system) adheres to relevant STANAGs for data links, transportability, and consumable fuels/power.

• Mission Enhancing Autonomy:

Fully autonomous mission execution, including route selection, launch, navigation, payload drop site selection, and recovery in highly contested, EW and GPS / communications DDIL maritime, littoral, and land environments.

• Mission Enhancing Capabilities:

Load, unload, and deliver a minimum of nautical miles

Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) from unprepared sites in complex maritime terrain and in varied weather and sea conditions

Handles non-standard payloads of various configurations (i.e., no proprietary payload solutions)

Appropriate payload delivery systems (e.g., precision landing, tether drop, controlled offload) without payload and collateral damage

Operate as part of a coordinated team of uncrewed air platforms, maintaining safe separation, shared situational awareness, and synchronized movement while executing delivery

Self-identify and then share container unloading location within a defined area, considering other operations, traffic flow, safety and storage efficacy

• Network Integration: Integrates with Mounted Mission Command Software (MMC-S) to provide real-time tactical visibility on the battlefield. Also integrates with Tactical Airspace Integration System (TAIS) and Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS) to digitally submit autonomous flight routes, enabling automated deconfliction with friendly indirect fires and manned aviation corridors. Additionally, connect to Global Combat Support System-Army (GCSS-A) including the ability to autonomously conduct and report system health without proprietary or closed architecture.

Capability 2: Autonomous Attritable Surface Vessels Capable of Transporting 1-4

TEUs

Problem Statement: Sustaining distributed forces in contested maritime and littoral environments requires multi-domain logistics solutions to mitigate risks to traditional manned delivery platforms. To achieve this, there is a critical requirement for integrated Unmanned

Sustainment Systems. This includes long-range, autonomous surface vessels capable of transporting heavy cargo across contested open-ocean environments under multi-domain attack, alongside tactical unmanned aerial, ground, and undersea platforms to support dispersed formations. These systems must be integrated through advanced distribution management software and secure command and control architectures to optimize supply routing, navigate autonomously during denied and degraded communications conditions, synchronize multi-domain autonomous platforms, and reduce cognitive burdens on personnel.

Desired Characteristics:

o Autonomous, high-endurance surface vessels capable of transporting standard freight o Autonomous surface or sub-surface cargo platforms designed for localized, medium-range distribution, capable of transporting TEUs

Capability 3: Uncrewed, Automated, Ground Delivery Systems for Logistics and Resupply Operations

Problem Statement: In large‑scale combat operations, sustainment units must deliver critical supplies across extended distances while operating in degraded mobility corridors and under persistent threat. Current ground distribution relies on manned vehicles that utilize predictable movement patterns and that are vulnerable to detection and interdiction by evolving enemy systems. The Army requires solutions capable of distributing payloads without relying on human drivers, while maintaining operational tempo, survivability, and C2 integration in dispersed, maritime, littoral, land environments where traditional convoy operations are no longer feasible or survivable.

Desired Characteristics:

• STANAG Compliance: Demonstrates the UGV adheres to relevant STANAGs for transportability (air/sea/road), power/data ports, and consumable fuels (e.g., JP-8).

• Mission Enhancing Autonomy:

Mission-appropriate levels of autonomy (e.g., fully autonomous on-road, Man-in the loop-limited-supervision off‑road, tele-operation fallback) with > 85% reliability in connectivity and route completion in GPS and communications denied, degraded, intermittent, and limited (DDIL) environments through the use of onboard sensing and computing, alternative navigation methods, and resilient control pathways

Reliably identify and select the correct load using multiple identification modalities, including digital manifests, visual markings, and electronic tags

Operate independently in austere conditions characterized by low / no lighting, precipitation, and other environmental stressors

• Mission Enhancing Capabilities:

Transport payloads

Handles non-standard payloads of various configurations (i.e., no proprietary payload solutions)

Appropriate payload delivery systems without payload and collateral damage

Operate as part of a coordinated team of uncrewed ground platforms, maintaining safe separation, shared situational awareness, and synchronized movement while executing mission tasks

Network Integration: Integrates with Mounted Mission Command Software (MMC-S) to provide real-time tactical visibility, and dynamic route tracking on the battlefield. Additionally, connect to Global Combat Support System-Army (GCSS-A) to record.