Washington Headquarters Services (WHS) Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO)
Open Special Notice Posted
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- Solicitation number
- HQ0034259WHSCSO
- Agency
-
Washington Headquarters Service
Department of Defense
- Responses due
- Set-aside
- No set-aside
Opportunity facts
- Place of performance
- United States
Notice details come from SAM.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The Washington Headquarters Services (WHS) Acquisition Directorate, under the Department of Defense, issued this Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) Special Notice to solicit innovative prototype projects from commercial entities. Posted on March 12, 2025, with a due date of March 12, 2030, this five-year solicitation seeks nontraditional and traditional defense contractors, as well as nonprofit research institutions, to develop solutions that enhance DoD mission effectiveness and improve military platforms, systems, and materials. The CSO operates under the authority of 10 U.S.C. § 4022 and 10 U.S.C. § 3458, allowing WHS/AD to award Other Transaction (OT) Agreements directly to selected vendors. Multiple amendments have been issued to clarify requirements and update points of contact. All submissions must remain unclassified and be directed to the Government Point of Entry at SAM.gov, where specific Areas of Interest (AOIs) are published separately.
The CSO seeks innovative commercial approaches, including commercially available technologies, concept demonstrations, pilots, and agile development activities that can improve existing government-owned capabilities or create novel defense applications. Potential contractors must submit solutions through a three-phase competitive process: Phase 1 involves submitting a Solution Brief limited to five written pages or 15 briefing slides; Phase 2 requires selected companies to present pitches addressing technical merit and business viability; and Phase 3 involves full prototype proposals with detailed Project Execution Plans and pricing. Eligible participants include nontraditional defense contractors, small businesses, nonprofit research institutions, and foreign-owned businesses, provided they meet specific participation criteria such as having at least one nontraditional defense contractor or nonprofit significantly involved, maintaining all small business participation, or securing at least one-third of project costs from non-federal sources. The government will not provide feedback on selections, will not reimburse pre-award costs, and expects prototype projects to be completed within approximately 24 months unless otherwise specified in individual AOI postings.
Notice text
6 versions
Update #6 · Latest ·
The Washington Headquarters Services, Acquisition Directorate (WHS/AD) is an essential mission partner and trusted advisor, providing innovative and agile contracting solutions throughout the acquisition life cycle as the Single Enterprise Contracting Office (SECO) to the Office of the Secretary of War (OSW), offices thereunder, and other Department of War (DoW) mission partners. WHS/AD Emerging Capabilities and Defense Prototyping Division (ECDP) awards and manages research and development project awards authorized by 10 United States Code (U.S.C.) Section (§) 3458 and 10 U.S.C. § 4001.
This Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) seeks innovative, commercial approaches to accelerate the attainment of defense capabilities through issuing awards under the authorities in 10 U.S.C. § 3458 and/or 10 U.S.C. § 4022. This includes, but is not limited to, commercially available technologies fueled by commercial or strategic investment, innovative commercial products and services, concept demonstrations, pilots, and agile development activities that can improve commercial technologies and existing Government-owned capabilities, and other concepts for defense application.
The CSO solicits solutions via topic Areas of Interest (AOIs), published separately on the Government Point of Entry (GPE) https://sam.gov. Additional mediums may also be utilized to maximize exposure of this CSO and its AOI opportunities to non-traditional defense contractors. The Government may issue amendments to this CSO and any AOI. Companies are responsible for monitoring the GPE for AOI and amendment postings. This CSO is open for five (5) years.
Amendment 001: Updated the Description as well as the CSO document attached to this notice.
Amendment 002: Updated the Contracting Point of Contact (POC).
Amendment 003: Updated the CSO document attached to this notice.
Amendment 004: Updated the Description as well as the CSO document attached to this notice.
Amendment 005: Updated Section III.b.ii. of the CSO document attached to this notice.
Update #5 ·
The Washington Headquarters Services, Acquisition Directorate (WHS/AD) is an essential mission partner and trusted advisor, providing innovative and agile contracting solutions throughout the acquisition life cycle as the Single Enterprise Contracting Office (SECO) to the Office of the Secretary of War (OSW), offices thereunder, and other Department of War (DoW) mission partners. WHS/AD Emerging Capabilities and Defense Prototyping Division (ECDP) awards and manages research and development project awards authorized by 10 United States Code (U.S.C.) Section (§) 3458 and 10 U.S.C. § 4001.
This Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) seeks innovative, commercial approaches to accelerate the attainment of defense capabilities through issuing awards under the authorities in 10 U.S.C. § 3458 and/or 10 U.S.C. § 4022. This includes, but is not limited to, commercially available technologies fueled by commercial or strategic investment, innovative commercial products and services, concept demonstrations, pilots, and agile development activities that can improve commercial technologies and existing Government-owned capabilities, and other concepts for defense application.
The CSO solicits solutions via topic Areas of Interest (AOIs), published separately on the Government Point of Entry (GPE) https://sam.gov. Additional mediums may also be utilized to maximize exposure of this CSO and its AOI opportunities to non-traditional defense contractors. The Government may issue amendments to this CSO and any AOI. Companies are responsible for monitoring the GPE for AOI and amendment postings. This CSO is open for five (5) years.
Amendment 001: Updated the Description as well as the CSO document attached to this notice.
Amendment 002: Updated the Contracting Point of Contact (POC).
Amendment 003: Updated the CSO document attached to this notice.
Amendment 004: Update the Description as well as the CSO document attached to this notice.
Update #4 ·
The Washington Headquarters Services, Acquisition Directorate (WHS/AD) is an essential mission partner and trusted advisor, providing innovative and agile contracting solutions throughout the acquisition life cycle as the Single Enterprise Contracting Office (SECO) to the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), offices thereunder, and other Department of Defense (DoD) mission partners. WHS/AD Emerging Capabilities and Defense Prototyping Division (ECDP) awards and manages research and development project awards authorized by 10 United States Code (U.S.C.) Section (§) 3458 and 10 U.S.C. § 4001.
This Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) seeks innovative, commercial approaches to accelerate the attainment of defense capabilities through issuing awards under the authorities in 10 U.S.C. § 3458 and/or 10 U.S.C. § 4022. This includes, but is not limited to, commercially available technologies fueled by commercial or strategic investment, innovative commercial products and services, concept demonstrations, pilots, and agile development activities that can improve commercial technologies and existing Government-owned capabilities, and other concepts for defense application.
The CSO solicits solutions via topic Areas of Interest (AOIs), published separately on the Government Point of Entry (GPE) https://sam.gov. Additional mediums may also be utilized to maximize exposure of this CSO and its AOI opportunities to non-traditional defense contractors. The Government may issue amendments to this CSO and any AOI. Companies are responsible for monitoring the GPE for AOI and amendment postings. This CSO is open for five (5) years.
Amendment 001: Updated the Description as well as the CSO document attached to this notice.
Amendment 002: Updated the Contracting Point of Contact (POC).
Amendment 003: Updated the CSO document attached to this notice.
Update #3 ·
The Washington Headquarters Services, Acquisition Directorate (WHS/AD) is an essential mission partner and trusted advisor, providing innovative and agile contracting solutions throughout the acquisition life cycle as the Single Enterprise Contracting Office (SECO) to the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), offices thereunder, and other Department of Defense (DoD) mission partners. WHS/AD Emerging Capabilities and Defense Prototyping Division (ECDP) awards and manages research and development project awards authorized by 10 United States Code (U.S.C.) Section (§) 3458 and 10 U.S.C. § 4001.
This Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) seeks innovative, commercial approaches to accelerate the attainment of defense capabilities through issuing awards under the authorities in 10 U.S.C. § 3458 and/or 10 U.S.C. § 4022. This includes, but is not limited to, commercially available technologies fueled by commercial or strategic investment, innovative commercial products and services, concept demonstrations, pilots, and agile development activities that can improve commercial technologies and existing Government-owned capabilities, and other concepts for defense application.
The CSO solicits solutions via topic Areas of Interest (AOIs), published separately on the Government Point of Entry (GPE) https://sam.gov. Additional mediums may also be utilized to maximize exposure of this CSO and its AOI opportunities to non-traditional defense contractors. The Government may issue amendments to this CSO and any AOI. Companies are responsible for monitoring the GPE for AOI and amendment postings. This CSO is open for five (5) years.
Amendment 001: Updates the Description as well as the CSO document attached to this notice.
Amendment 002: Updated the Contracting Point of Contact (POC).
Update #2 ·
The Washington Headquarters Services, Acquisition Directorate (WHS/AD) is an essential mission partner and trusted advisor, providing innovative and agile contracting solutions throughout the acquisition life cycle as the Single Enterprise Contracting Office (SECO) to the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), offices thereunder, and other Department of Defense (DoD) mission partners. WHS/AD Emerging Capabilities and Defense Prototyping Division (ECDP) awards and manages research and development project awards authorized by 10 United States Code (U.S.C.) Section (§) 3458 and 10 U.S.C. § 4001.
This Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) seeks innovative, commercial approaches to accelerate the attainment of defense capabilities through issuing awards under the authorities in 10 U.S.C. § 3458 and/or 10 U.S.C. § 4022. This includes, but is not limited to, commercially available technologies fueled by commercial or strategic investment, innovative commercial products and services, concept demonstrations, pilots, and agile development activities that can improve commercial technologies and existing Government-owned capabilities, and other concepts for defense application.
The CSO solicits solutions via topic Areas of Interest (AOIs), published separately on the Government Point of Entry (GPE) https://sam.gov. Additional mediums may also be utilized to maximize exposure of this CSO and its AOI opportunities to non-traditional defense contractors. The Government may issue amendments to this CSO and any AOI. Companies are responsible for monitoring the GPE for AOI and amendment postings. This CSO is open for five (5) years.
Amendment 001: Updates the Description as well as the CSO document attached to this notice.
Update #1 ·
The Washington Headquarters Services, Acquisition Directorate (WHS/AD) is interested in awarding Agreements with nontraditional and traditional defense contractors and non-profit research institutions to carry out prototype projects that are directly relevant to enhancing the mission effectiveness of personnel of the DoD or improving platforms, systems, components, or materials proposed to be acquired or developed by the DoD, or to improvement of platforms, systems, components, or materials in use by the armed forces; as well as to acquire innovative commercial products and services.
This Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) seeks innovative, commercial approaches to accelerate the attainment of defense capabilities. This CSO anticipates awarding prototype agreements under the authority in 10 U.S.C. § 4022 or 10 U.S.C. § 3458. This includes commercially available technologies fueled by commercial or strategic investment, concept demonstrations, pilots, and agile development activities that can incrementally improve commercial technologies, existing Government-owned capabilities, concepts for defense application, or innovative commercial products or services.
The information provided in this CSO is intended to ensure that to the maximum extent practicable, competitive procedures are used when entering into agreements to carry out these prototype projects. The CSO solicits solutions via topic Areas of Interest (AOIs), published separately on the Government Point of Entry (GPE) https://sam.gov. Additional mediums may also be utilized to maximize exposure of this CSO and its AOI opportunities to non-traditional defense contractors. The Government may issue amendments to this CSO and any AOI. Companies are responsible for monitoring the GPE for AOI and amendment postings. This CSO is open for five (5) years.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| HQ0034259WHSCSO AMD 005.pdf | ||
| HQ0034259WHSCSO AMD 004.pdf | ||
| P07 HQ0034259WHSCSO AMD 003.pdf | ||
| P07 HQ0034259WHSCSO AMD 002.pdf | ||
| HQ0034259WHSCSO_AMD001.pdf | ||
| HQ0034259WHSCSO.pdf | ||
| HQ003425WHSCSO.pdf |
Notice history
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