SAM #W58RGZ-26-2-SN01

Invitation to Join Department of War Drone OTA Consortium for Rapid Drone Prototyping and Fielding

This opportunity invites industry and academic organizations to join the Department of War (DoW) Drone OTA Consortium, focused on accelerating drone technology development for defense. - Membership is open to traditional and non-traditional defense contractors, including small businesses and academic institutions - Consortium uses an Other Transaction Authority (OTA) process for rapid prototyping and fielding of drone systems - Governance is overseen by a Government Steering Committee; not for advisory or assistance services - No specific OEMs, vendors, or products are named; this is for consortium membership, not a direct purchase - Key requirements: - Active SAM.gov registration - Unique Entity Identification (UEI) number - Registration in Wide Area Work Flow (WAWF) - Compliance with ITAR, EAR, and NIST SP 800-171 for Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) protection - Submission of formal application and signed Consortium Vendor Agreement - Place of performance is Redstone Arsenal, Alabama - Attachments include Consortium Agreement and Application Form with further details

Description

INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR DRONE OTA CONSORTIUM

The Department of War (DoW) invites industry and academic partners to apply for participation in the newly established DoW Drone Other Transaction Authority (OTA) Consortium. Executed under the statutory authority of 10 U.S.C. § 4022, this Consortium serves as a streamlined acquisition channel designed to accelerate the rapid prototyping and subsequent fielding of innovative drone systems and warfighter solutions.

Purpose and Scope

The DoW Drone OTA Consortium bridges the critical gap between the Government and the commercial technology sector. Governed by a Government Steering Committee (GSC), the Consortium facilitates the rapid solicitation, evaluation, and award of Prototype and Production OTAs addressing specific Areas of Interest (AOIs) and Statements of Need (SONs).

This agile framework enables the DoW and authorized partner agencies to bypass traditional, lengthy acquisition cycles, ensuring that cutting-edge drone technologies reach the warfighter at the speed of relevance. (Note: This Consortium will not be utilized for the acquisition of advisory and assistance services).

Why Join the Consortium?

Participation offers approved vendors a highly competitive, alternative pathway to collaborate directly with the DoW, U.S. Federal Agencies, U.S. Government Agencies and Foreign Partner Nations.

Consortium Advantage & Operational Benefit

Streamlined Solicitations ➔ Direct access to exclusive, problem-focused Requests for Whitepapers (RWPs) and Request for Solutions (RFSs).

Phased Evaluations ➔ Lowered administrative burden via a simplified three-phase process: 1) Solution Brief ➔ 2) Live Pitch/Demo ➔ 3) Full Proposal.

The "Solution Basket" ➔ Viable submissions not selected for immediate award are retained in an electronic basket for up to three (3) years, allowing the Government to initiate rapid awards if funding and requirements align.

Targeted Competition ➔ Structured competition pools designed to maximize opportunities for Non-Traditional Defense Contractors (NDCs) and Small Businesses, alongside unrestricted full & open competition.

Eligibility and Compliance

The DoW highly encourages participation from both traditional defense contractors and Non-Traditional Defense Contractors (NDCs). To be eligible for an award under this framework, prospective vendors must meet mandatory baseline requirements.

Requirement Category & Compliance Details

System Registration ➔ Vendors must maintain an active SAM.gov registration, a Unique Entity Identification (UEI) number, and be registered in Wide Area Work Flow (WAWF) for invoicing.

Security & Export Control ➔ Strict adherence to the Arms Export Control Act, International Traffic in Arms Regulations  (ITAR), and Export Administration Regulation (EAR) is mandatory. Vendors must properly protect Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) in accordance with NIST SP 800-171.

Consortium Application ➔ Prospective vendors must submit a formal Vendor Application and a signed Consortium    Vendor Agreement (CVA) via the Government portal for GSC approval.

Next Steps

For full details on governance, and the operational procedures of the Consortium, please review the attached Department of War Drone OTA Consortium Agreement. Interested vendors are instructed to fill out and submit the application form attachment and submit to DMConsortium@army.mil below to initiate the enrollment process.

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