Data Acquisition and Retrieval System (DARTS)

The Department of the Navy Naval Sea Systems Command is soliciting a sole-source Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase III contract for the Data Acquisition and Retrieval System (DARTS), a technology platform designed to collect and analyze submarine Non-Propulsion Electronic System (NPES) data for test and evaluation reporting purposes. The contract will support system performance, certification, calibration, and developmental testing for Virginia and Columbia Class submarine programs and Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligence (C3I) technology refresh initiatives. Offerors must satisfy pass/fail criteria including facility and safeguarding clearances, personnel security clearance plans, organizational conflict of interest mitigation, and a software development plan demonstrating adequate development approach and experience. Additionally, contractors must identify key personnel with Information Assurance Technical (IAT) Level II certification and a Senior Technical Representative with proven management abilities and relevant experience. Evaluation will emphasize cost/price analysis to establish fair and reasonable pricing, with award anticipated for May 9, 2026, and a proposal deadline of February 9, 2026; inquiries should be directed to Kaitlin McGuire at kaitlin.m.mcguire2.civ@us.navy.mil.

This solicitation contains no small business set-aside designation and is intended as a non-competitive sole-source award to General Dynamics Mission Systems Inc. (GDMS), which acquired the incumbent contractor Progeny Systems Corporation effective January 1, 2024. The contract is structured as a Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity arrangement with a total contract maximum of $68,000,000, minimum order of $50,000 per order, and maximum of $4,000,000 per order, with an estimated 314,020 labor hours required over the five-year performance period from January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2028. The government has established a 10% small business participation objective and will furnish government property including 86 line items of computing and networking equipment with a delivery date of May 10, 2026, as well as laboratory facilities and office spaces at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport. Work will be performed in Newport, Rhode Island, with potential support locations in Manassas, Virginia, and Groton, Connecticut, and the contract requires a Top Secret facility security clearance with access to classified information across multiple security domains.