SOCOM launching new commercial solutions opening for digital applications

U.S. Special Operations Command is setting up a new avenue for onboarding software capabilities, the Defense Department announced Monday.

SOCOM’s acquisition, technology and logistics directorate is launching a commercial solutions opening to support the program executive office for SOF digital applications, according to a special notice posted on Sam.gov.

The move comes as the Pentagon is looking to acquire capabilities faster and bring non-traditional industry partners into the fold. Other DOD components, such as the Silicon Valley-headquartered Defense Innovation Unit, have seen successes in using commercial solutions openings for this purpose.

SOCOM “seeks to accelerate the application of commercially derived software innovation into deployable warfighting capabilities in support of Special Operations Forces (SOF). Early identification of warfighter needs and continuous engagement with users during software development and fielding will support increased lethality and efficiency,” officials wrote in the announcement. “In order to support rapid fielding of tailored software capabilities, SOF AT&L seeks to award FAR and non-FAR contracts and agreements to non-traditional and traditional defense contractors to carry out prototype projects for Program Executive Office SOF Digital Applications (PEO SDA) that are directly relevant to enhancing the effectiveness of software intensive programs, platforms, components, algorithms, and processes.”

That program executive office was officially activated in June 2020 to aid SOCOM in pursuing digital transformation. Its mission is to deliver “Special Operations-peculiar” software and data capabilities to enable commandos to achieve “information dominance,” according to the command.

Via the new commercial solutions opening, officials plan to make awards through multi-phased, competitive processes for various technology areas of interest, which may include development of software lifecycle management tools; software process improvement and education; automation tooling for data ingestion and tagging; novel approaches to machine learning ops processing, and others.

Specific tech areas of interest will be posted and advertised “intermittently” on the SOFWERX website, according to the notice.

“Technology AOIs will only be posted for a specified amount of time wherein submissions will be accepted. Additionally, specific AOIs will usually have funding set-aside and available to immediately make awards for favorably evaluated proposals determined to be in the best interest of the Government,” officials wrote.

Phase one of the multi-phased approach will include a request for solutions briefs from vendors, followed by evaluations. An optional phase two could include additional pitches, but offerors may be invited to move directly to phase three if the Defense Department intends to award a contract or other transaction agreement for their proposed solutions. Companies tapped for phase three will team with acquisition officials to create statements of work and negotiate terms and conditions for contract awards and OTAs, according to the notice.

Awards for prototype projects may lead to follow-on non-competitive production agreements, officials noted.