RAPID CAPABILITY ASSESSMENT 16 (RCA 16)

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Contract Opportunity

Rapid Capability Assessment 16 (RCA 16)

Concept Overview

The United States Special Operations Command’s (USSOCOM) Directorate of Science and Technology (S&T) Futures, in support of Program Executive Office for Special Operations Forces Support Activity (PEO SOFSA), seeks to develop concepts under the theme, “Contested Logistics in Future SOF Operations.”

Recognizing that power is the backbone of all modern capabilities—from communications and sensors to mobility and life support—RCA 16 will primarily focus on the critical challenge of providing reliable, resilient, and adaptable power solutions to support untethered Special Operations Forces (SOF) operators in future mission environments. This includes addressing operational needs regarding power generation, storage, and distribution, to include hybrid power utilization, all within contested, remote, or denied areas where traditional infrastructure is absent or compromised. Additionally, this event will explore how these energy solutions intersect with the broader logistics problem of delivering essential parts, components, and supplies at the point of need.

The precursor event, Innovation Foundry 16 (IF16), examined future contested logistics environments, highlighting significant operational challenges in scenarios involving remote, isolated, and contested regions, focusing on: energy generation, advanced energy storage, hybrid power solutions, power distribution, advanced manufacturing, autonomous resupply, and more. During RCA16, teams made up of industry, academia, government, and defense participants will further developed selected early-stage concepts from IF16, generating market research, subsystem-level architectural breakdowns, technology development roadmaps, initial work breakdown structures, and potential contract language to support follow-on activities.

RCA 16 will take place from 20-24 October 2025, in Tampa, Florida. Full participation (~0830-1700 EST each day) is required. Attendees will be expected to arrive 19 October for a social event that evening at 1800 EST.

Event Objectives

• Develop a detailed framework for capabilities addressing logistical challenges for SOF in contested environments for the 2030-2040 timeframe.


• Design a Technology Insertion Roadmap (TIR) to assist USSOCOM in aligning TIRs, budget plans, and other acquisition and investment strategies.


• Produce reports and recommendations that identify and prioritize phased investments for development, as well as courses of action for potential integration.

Areas of Focus

RCA16 will address a wide variety of topics in the areas of interest below. Participants are encouraged to focus their pre-event preparation consistent with the following:

1. Energy Generation:

• Modular, scalable, and rapidly configurable power and energy solutions that cater to SOF-peculiar mission requirements and durations, ensuring effective logistical support.


• Mitigatable, low, or no inherent risk from direct or indirect fires.


• Non-traditional generators to ensure power production flexibility when conventional JP-8 or diesel supply lines are compromised or limited.


• Lightweight, compact, man-portable power generation kits designed for small units to sustain them during extended missions without vehicle support.


• Transportable small form factor power sources (e.g., radioisotope thermoelectric generators [RTGs], microreactors, radiovoltaics [betavoltaics]) that offer weeks or months of uninterrupted power supply.


• Innovative power generation concepts (e.g., harnessing energy from fluid movement, wind capture) with minimal mechanical complexity and/or moving parts, which are well-suited for SOF maritime mission sets.

1. Power Distribution & Advanced Energy Storage:

• Intelligent microgrid control systems that optimize power consumption levels across various devices/equipment/mission-critical systems, and automatically load balance based on operator-defined or mission-critical needs under varying logistical supply conditions.


• Next-gen battery chemistries (e.g., aluminum-air, lithium-sulfur, or solid-state batteries) that offer dramatically higher energy densities and are less volatile than current Li-ion systems.


• Energy storage systems that offer instantaneous charging and discharging, minimal degradation over cycles, and extreme miniaturization.


• Technologies that enable the efficient conversion of various energy sources into electrical power and long-distance transmission with minimal power loss.

1. Hybrid Power Solution:
   
   
   
   • Hybrid power solutions utilizing various energy sources (e.g., hydrocarbon fuels, solar, wind, nuclear) that reduce or eliminate logistical support tails while minimizing emissive properties (e.g., noise, heat, waste).
   
   
   • Environmental energy harvesting techniques (e.g., thermoelectric, kinetic) to power low-draw sensors and comms gear passively.
   
   
   
   

1. Parts at the Point of Need
   
   
   
   • Native resourcing and local procurement solutions to overcome disrupted supply chains and minimize logistical burden.
   
   
   • On-demand manufacturing and assembly of task-specific capabilities with limited user intervention, empowering teams to respond to evolving requirements.
   
   
   • Self-contained, field-based advanced manufacturing of power components and circuitry from locally sourced or supplied precursor materials.
   
   
   • Advanced repair and refurbishment techniques that can predict maintenance needs, proactively deliver spare parts and components, and quickly restore functionality to damaged equipment.
   
   
   
   

Participant Tasks

RCA16 participants will be tasked with developing detailed capability assessments of the above areas of focus that include but are not limited to:

• Market research of potential technology partners (foreign and domestic)


• Subsystem-level architectural breakdowns


• Technology development roadmaps


• Initial work breakdown structures


• Potential language to define needs and capabilities

RCA16 teams may be asked to identify means to counter potential adversary actions, leveraging innovative technologies and processes suitable for contested logistics environments.

Call For Participation

USSOCOM invites experts with relevant skills and interests from technology development, strategy, academia, industry, government, and defense to shape the future framework for Contested Logistics capabilities.

If you possess expertise in any focus area and are willing to help USSOCOM develop future SOF logistics solutions, please apply via the following link:

“Application link”

All applications must be received by 1900 EST, 1 August 2025.

Participants will be selected to foster a diverse, multidisciplinary team capable of addressing complex future logistics challenges. Those selected to participate will receive an invitation to the RCA16 event between 11-14 August 2025.

Once notified of selection, primary and alternate participants will be expected to attend two

“Ask Me Anything” events hosted on Teams to allow for Q&A opportunities. Ask Me Anything 1 will be held on 21 August at 1100 EST and Ask Me Anything 2 will be held on 18 September at 1100 EST. Participants will have until 27 August 2025 to RSVP and receive final Read Ahead Instructions.

Selected attendees may receive compensation upon completion of the event. Compensation is contingent upon full participation and project-based capability development tasks. Government employees and support contractors may be present but are not eligible to receive compensation. Reports and recommendations may be incorporated into requirements of follow-on Prototype and Production Other Transaction (OT) Agreements from this selection.

813.533.6645

8810 Twin Lakes Blvd, Tampa, FL 33614

libertyalliance.com

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