Industry Participation in the future Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Innovation Hub at Blue Grass Army Depot

The Department of the Army is seeking industry participation and partnership opportunities for the Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Innovation Hub at Blue Grass Army Depot (BGAD) through this Request for Information. The RFI targets engineering services firms and other innovators interested in collaborating on the development and fielding of cutting-edge UAS technologies, with emphasis on rapid prototyping, agile software development, artificial intelligence, robotics, advanced manufacturing, and autonomous systems capabilities. Key requirements for prospective partners include demonstrated commitment to Army drone dominance strategy, prior history of federal agency and academic collaboration, support for Modular Open Systems Architecture (MOSA), ability to foster innovation, and experience in rapid prototyping and small UAS flight testing. While this is a pre-solicitation notice that does not constitute a binding commitment, the evaluation will assess respondents' technical capabilities, relevant experience, collaboration potential, AI specialization, intellectual property considerations, and innovative capacity. The critical deadline for responses is February 11, 2026, with submission required electronically to ArmySkyFoundry@army.mil; interested parties were invited to attend an optional site survey on January 21, 2026, to better understand the facility and formulate their responses.

This is an open competition with no set-asides, though responses are welcomed from small businesses, woman-owned firms, veteran-owned entities, 8(a) certified businesses, and HUBZone companies. No incumbent contractors or current award values have been identified in this pre-solicitation phase, as the RFI serves as market research to identify potential future partners rather than a formal solicitation. Respondents must submit proposals not exceeding 15 pages, excluding brochures or appendices, and must include business information (company name, address, CAGE Code, UEI, contact details, and socioeconomic status), detailed UAS system capabilities and experience, collaboration history, MOSA expertise, teaming arrangements, AI specialization, and an assessment of innovative capacity. The facility itself features 40,000 square feet of controlled laboratory and SCIF space, access to flight testing airspace with a helipad, 10+ acres of developed complexes, and 600 acres of potential development opportunities. This initiative is part of the Army SkyFoundry program under Army Materiel Command and represents a strategic investment in advancing autonomous systems and UAS capabilities for the U.S. Military.