Capability Program Executive (CPE) Mission Autonomy Commercial Solution Opening (CSO) Area of Interest 001 Unmanned Ground Vehicle Last Tactical Mile Sustainment and Casualty Evacuation

The Department of the Army has issued a Commercial Solution Opening (CSO) Special Notice for Area of Interest 001, which seeks innovative Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) solutions to support last tactical mile sustainment and casualty evacuation operations. Issued on April 15, 2026, under the authority of DFARS Subpart 212.70 and 10 U.S.C. § 3458, this solicitation (Contract Number W912CH-26-S-C003) enables the Army to competitively procure advanced technologies through a streamlined acquisition process designed for rapid award decisions. The CSO remains open through April 15, 2031, and may be extended by amendment. This initiative reflects the Army's commitment to fostering innovation and expediting the delivery of cutting-edge technologies that enhance operational readiness and warfighter capabilities. The solicitation emphasizes the integration of commercially available and mature platforms with autonomous capabilities across diverse operational environments.

Prospective contractors must submit solution briefs by April 28, 2026, at 5:00 PM Eastern Time via email to Andrew Manning, with a maximum of five single-sided pages in Times New Roman 12-point font or 15 PowerPoint slides, including submission size limitations outlined in the CSO documentation. The UGV solution must demonstrate autonomous navigation with GPS-denied capability, beyond-line-of-sight communications, modular payload configuration, minimal detectable signatures, and the ability to transport at least two casualties without causing additional harm. All interested parties must be registered in the System for Award Maintenance (SAM.gov) and comply with either the Trade Agreements Act or Buy American Act; foreign-owned companies may participate subject to obtaining necessary clearances. Awards will be structured as fixed-price contracts under FAR Part 12, and the Government reserves the right to forego phases, make awards to all or none of the selected solutions, or cancel the solicitation prior to award. The multi-phased competitive approach includes Phase 1 solution brief evaluation, Phase 2 presentations by selected companies, and Phase 3 full Commercial Solution Proposals, with no government reimbursement for submission or presentation costs.