DIU and NSIN Present: Blue UAS Refresh Challenge

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and the National Security Innovation Network (NSIN) will run a prize challenge to identify platforms, components, and capabilities for Blue UAS. The challenge will consider First Person View (FPV), Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3 platforms, as well as components, capabilities, and software for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS).

Submissions of individual components, capabilities, and software are welcome. Submissions in the categories mentioned above that are governed by the 2020 and 2023 National Defense Authorization Acts (NDAA’s) and the 2024 American Security Drone Act are eligible for evaluation. More information about the Blue UAS List, the Blue UAS Framework, and the relevant policies can be found here. 

Companies may submit multiple products in separate entries and are welcome to team with other companies as needed for specific proposals. 

A team of subject matter experts will evaluate applicants and select companies as finalists to participate in the demonstration event that will take place on 4-6  November, 2024 at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC), 29 Palms, CA. 

Benefits of Participating:

Once winners are selected, a verification process will occur to ensure all items covered by the 2020 NDAA, the 2023 NDAA, the 2024 American Security Drone Act, and any other relevant law at the time of the event are in compliance with the law. A cybersecurity analysis will also occur. Successful completion of those inspections will make the submission potentially eligible for inclusion on either the DIU Blue UAS List or the DIU Blue UAS Framework List.

Potential for follow-on opportunities such as Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs), Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), and others.

Apply Now (Link to IdeaScale)

Eligibility:

Companies or entities, including foreign companies, that are not domiciled in a covered foreign country or subject to unmitigated foreign ownership, control, or influence by a covered foreign country, as determined by the Secretary of Defense in accordance with the National Industrial Security Program (or any successor to such program).

Eligible companies include non-traditional defense contractors as defined in the 2023 DoD Other Transactions Guide and in 10 U.S. Code § 3014 – Nontraditional defense contractor, small businesses as defined in the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632), and traditional defense contractors.

The ability to demonstrate the solution’s capabilities by November 4, 2024.

Projected Timeline:

August 5, 2024: Solicitation Release – IdeaScale, challenge.gov, NSIN website, DIU website

August 12, 2024: “Ask Me Anything” Session

August 19, 2024: Solicitation Closes & Down-selection Begins

Sept 15, 2024: Down-selection Ends & Finalists Announced

November 4-6, 2024: Demonstration Event at MCAGCC 29 Palms, CA

November 15, 2024: Winners Announced

Problem Statement:

DoD end users face a significant shortfall in the availability of UAS platforms, components, and capabilities required to train with and prepare for combat.  There is an urgent need to ensure delivery of relevant and effective platforms, capabilities, and components that align with DoD operational needs. We recognize there are no permanent solutions in this space and seek to provide baseline hardware capabilities that combine with software agility to deliver solutions at the speed required by the modern contested battlefield. 

Since DIU established Blue UAS, the rate of change of UAS capabilities has only accelerated, in conjunction with increasing needs for DoD users. To better meet the needs of DoD users, the speed of delivering updates to Blue UAS must accelerate. This event is the beginning of that effort. 

End User: DoD

Judging Criteria:

Applications and Pitches will be judged on seven major criteria as well as other critical criteria identified by DoD users: 

• Technical Capabilities as listed on the Technical Capabilities List below
• Team: Company viability.
• Commercialization: Viability in non-defense markets.
• Quality of Demonstration: Demonstrates how the technology solves one or more of the defined technical capability areas.
• Operational Effectiveness: Proposed solution aligns with listed technical capabilities.
• Cost & Scalability: Cost of proposed solution is feasible for adoption and scalable by capability.
• End User Feedback: Feedback from operational end users from their observation of performance and their hands on capability testing. 

Technical Capabilities List:

Architecture 

• Standardization
• Open Architecture
• Interoperability
• Payload options & availability
• Ground Control Station (GCS) & software options

Cybersecurity & Compliance

• NDAA Compliance (Information Protection/Encryption, Supply Chain, Antitamper, etc.)
• Green UAS or Blue UAS status
• Ability to provide a complete platform for third-party cyber assessment

Platform Characteristics

• Flight Performance
• Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) resilience / radio(s) used
• Range
• Cargo capacity
• Modularity
• Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) resilience or alternative navigation
• Payloads (cargo and sensors the platform can host / platforms the payload can be hosted by / ability of software to work with multiple platforms)
• Weatherproofing (IP rating)
• Setup / deployment

Business & Market Analysis

• Specific DoD requests for a capability
• Current production rate
• Cost
• Ability to provide at least 3 fully operational examples of your submission for the event and 2 trained operators
• Company viability
• Lifetime delivered sales to date

Operator Feedback

• Ease of flight
• Learning curve
• Flight performance
• Capability

For current members of the Blue List

• Sales data of Blue platforms to DoD customers

For all submissions

• Lifetime delivered sales of your submission

Flights at the event will occur in the day and night and all submissions will be tested, flown, and operated by a designated team of DoD end users to the maximum extent possible. As with any test event, the possibility of damage or destruction exists. Companies understand that DoD and participants are not liable for accidents and will be required to sign a waiver to participate. 

To maximize participation in this event, DIU will acquire a blanket Exception to Policy waiver for all participating submissions.

Pitch Deck Submission Requirements:

Teams will submit a pitch deck outlining their solution that addresses the features above. Pitch decks should meet the following format requirements:

• Sized 16:9 (1920×1080 pixels)
• Horizontal presentation
• PDF file
• Maximum 7 slides

If selected to attend the event, companies shall provide a training package ahead of time to allow at least three DoD operators to complete the recommended training before the event. Companies shall provide at least two skilled operators to demonstrate capabilities and flight characteristics, if needed, at the event. 

Background Information:

Information about DIU and the DIU Blue UAS List and Blue UAS Framework can be found here https://www.diu.mil/blue-uas. 

An example of cybersecurity evaluation that may be conducted on winning submissions can be found here: https://dronewolf.darkwolf.io/intro 

About the Defense Innovation Unit

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) strengthens national security by accelerating the adoption of commercial technology in the Department of Defense and bolstering our allied and national security innovation bases. DIU partners with organizations across the DoD to rapidly prototype and field dual-use capabilities that solve operational challenges at speed and scale. With offices in Silicon Valley, Boston, Austin, Chicago and Washington, DC, DIU is the Department’s gateway to leading technology companies across the country.

About the National Security Innovation Network (NSIN) 

The National Security Innovation Network (NSIN) is a program office in the U.S. Department of Defense, nested within the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). We are set up to collaborate with a wide variety of innovators to include universities, researchers, students, entrepreneurs and start-ups. We create opportunities for collaboration across communities and connect those that might not traditionally work in national security. Together, we help drive national security innovation and develop technologies that directly support the individuals responsible for protecting our country.

Intellectual Property Considerations:

Applicants retain ownership of existing Intellectual Property (IP) submitted under this Challenge and agree that their submissions are their original work. Applicants are presumed to have sufficient rights to submit the submission. For any submission made to the Challenge, you grant NSIN and DIU a limited license to use this IP for testing and evaluation for efforts specifically related to the Challenge. NSIN and DIU will negotiate with individual competitors in the event additional usage, integration, or development is contemplated.

Other Transaction Authority:

This NSIN Challenge public announcement is an open call to small businesses and non-traditional defense contractors seeking innovative, commercial technologies proposed to create new DoD solutions or potential new capabilities fulfilling requirements, closing capability gaps, or providing potential technological advancements, technologies fueled by commercial or strategic investment, but also concept demonstrations, pilots, and agile development activities improving commercial technologies, existing Government-owned capabilities, or concepts for broad Defense application(s). As such, the Government reserves the right to award a contract or an Other Transaction agreement for any purpose, to include a prototype or research, under this public announcement. The Federal Government is not responsible for any monies expended by the applicant before award and is under no obligation to pursue such Other Transactions.

Satisfying Competition Requirements:

This NSIN Challenge Open Call Announcement is considered to have potential for further efforts that may be accomplished via FAR-based contracting instruments, Other Transaction Authority (OTA) for Prototype Projects 10 USC 4022 and Research 10 USC 4021, Prizes for advanced technology achievements 10 USC 4025, and/or Prize Competitions 15 USC 3719. The public open call announcement made on the IdeaScale website is considered to satisfy the reasonable effort to obtain competition in accordance with 10 USC 4025(b), 15 USC 3719 (e) and 10 USC 4022 (b)(2). Accordingly, FAR-based actions will follow announcement procedures per FAR 5.201(b)