Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) for the United States Marine Corps

Active

Contract Opportunity

DISCLAIMER

THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE (SSN) IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. IT IS A MARKET RESEARCH TOOL BEING USED TO DETERMINE POTENTIAL FIRMS CAPABLE OF PROVIDING THE SUPPLIES DESCRIBED HEREIN PRIOR TO DETERMINING THE METHOD OF ACQUISITION AND ISSUANCE OF A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT OBLIGATED TO AND WILL NOT PAY FOR ANY INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM POTENTIAL SOURCES AS A RESULT OF THIS SSN. THIS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION AND SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT. RESPONSES IN ANY FORM ARE NOT OFFERS AND THE GOVERNMENT IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO AWARD A CONTRACT AS A RESULT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. NO FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE TO PAY FOR PREPARATION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. ANY INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY RESPONDENTS TO THIS TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION IS STRICTLY VOLUNTARY. FAILURE TO SUBMIT A RESPONSE WILL NOT PREVENT A COMPANY FROM PARTICIPATION IN ANY FUTURE COMPETITION RELATED TO THE SMALL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM PROGRAM. NO TELEPHONE RESPONSES WILL BE ACCEPTED.

1. Purpose

This Sources Sought is for market research purposes to assess commercially available Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (SUAS) candidates, with a focus on First Person View (FPV) capabilities, and evaluate the commercial industrial base to achieve production scale to quantities in the thousands. Responses to this Sources Sought may be used to make informed decisions regarding future procurement requirements. Therefore, the UAS must be 2020 NDAA Sec 848, 2023 NDAA Sec 817, and American Security Drone Act of 2023 (2024 NDAA, PL 118-31, DIV A, Title XVIII, Subtitle B, SEC. 1821) compliant or demonstrate a path to compliance.

2. Details

The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), Program Executive Office for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons (PEO (U&W)), Navy and Marine Corps Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program Office (PMA-263) at Patuxent River, MD is seeking information from vendors regarding the following capabilities for low-cost, high-volume sUAS solutions with an emphasis on rapid reconfigurability and modular payload capabilities to support the primary mission of Reconnaissance Surveillance and Target Acquisition (RSTA), secondary mission of communications relay, and enhanced mission set of lethal payload delivery and electronic support:

• Total system cost, including air vehicle, ground control station/controller, communications equipment, goggles, batteries, charging station, and any other required components. Please break down the cost per unit and any discounts offered for bulk purchases.


• Unit cost for air vehicles less than $4,000.00.


• Additional dependent equipment to include ground control station/controller, communications equipment, goggles, batteries, and charging station for one-to-many controllers to UAS. Cost for these items will be fairly considered during response evaluation.


• Production capability to deliver an initial quantity of systems by 01 January 2026, with the ability to quickly ramp production and deliver larger quantities up to 5,000 air vehicles within 6 months and 10,000 units within 12 months. Please also indicate your current inventory of complete systems ready for immediate delivery.


• The ability for our Marines to modify, within reason, the system with a variety of third-party payloads, armaments, and munitions without vendor involvement.


• The ability for our Marines to repair the system without vendor involvement.


• Must have the ability to produce non-kinetic UAS with the ability to be converted by our Marines to kinetic UAS without vendor involvement.


• UAS may have the ability to be ATAK compatible.


• UAS transmission link utilizing analog, digital, GSM, or fiber.

Key Capabilities - Questions for Industry:

General System Specifications:

• What is your system's Max Gross Take Off Weight (MGTOW)? (lbs)


• What is your system's Max Payload Weight? (lbs)


• What is your system's Max Cruise Speed? (mph)


• What is your system's Max Dash Speed? (mph)


• What is your system's Max Speed? (mph)


• What is your system's Max Altitude (above sea level)? (feet)


• What is your system's Max Endurance (with standard payload)? (hours / minutes)


• What is your system's Max Range (with standard payload)? (miles)


• What are the physical dimensions and weight of the air vehicle?


• What is the total system weight (AV, GCS, Goggles, Battery, etc.)?


• Does your system support modular, multi-mission payload capability (i.e., the ability to integrate and swap different payloads without major modification)?

Modular Open System Architecture (MOSA):

• What standards does your system adhere to for modularity and open systems architecture?

Autonomy:

• What autonomous capabilities does your system offer (e.g., waypoint navigation, obstacle avoidance, swarm coordination)?


• What is the maximum number of aircraft that can be controlled in a swarm?

AI/Machine Learning:

• Does your system incorporate AI/ML capabilities? If so, what functions do they support (e.g., object recognition, target tracking)?


• What is the processing power and memory capacity of the onboard AI/ML processor?

AI-Enabled Common Control Applications Interoperability:

• Does your system support integration with common military AI frameworks and control architectures (e.g., ATAK plugins, ROS compatibility, OpenMAVLink protocols)?


• What APIs or software development kits (SDKs) are available to enable third-party AI application integration?


• Does your system support standardized data formats for AI model deployment and inference (e.g., ONNX, TensorFlow Lite, OpenVINO)?


• Can AI-enabled mission planning, threat assessment, or targeting applications from other platforms communicate with and task your UAS?


• What level of real-time data sharing is supported with external AI-enabled command and control systems?

Payloads:

• What is the maximum payload capacity of your system (in pounds or kilograms)?


• What types of payloads can your system accommodate (e.g., EO/IR cameras, LiDAR, communication relays, CBRN sensors, droppable payloads, etc…)?


• What is the power output available for payloads?

Range and Endurance:

• What is the maximum range and endurance of your 5" system with a 1 lb payload?


• What is the maximum range and endurance of your 10" system with a 5 lb payload?


• How does the use of a displaced Ground Control Station (GCS) affect the range and endurance of your system?

Sensor:

• What is the resolution (in pixels) and field of view (in degrees) of the EO/IR camera on your system?


• What is the detection range of the EO/IR camera for a human-sized target?


• Can your system integrate a thermal FMV camera? If so, what are its specifications?

Lethality:

• Can your system be configured to deliver lethal payloads?


• What types of munitions can your system accommodate (e.g., hand grenades, 40mm grenades, small-guided munitions)?


• What is the accuracy of your system when delivering lethal payloads?

Operational Availability:

• What is the operational availability of your system expressed as a percentage?


• What is the average time between failures (MTBF) for your system?

Maintainability:

• What type of maintenance can be performed in the field?


• What is the level of training required to perform basic maintenance on your system?

Certifications:

• Does your AV have certifications, or have you been working with other services to achieve specific certifications? (e.g., JF12, battery, DIU Blue List, Authority to Operate (ATO), etc…)

Production & Supply Chain

• What supply chain plan do you have in place to meet large-scale demand (e.g., Government procurement of thousands of units)?


• What mitigation measures are in place to address parts obsolescence or unavailability?

• Please provide a comprehensive Bill of Materials (BOM) for the entire system, including air vehicle, GCS, and all supporting components. The BOM should include:
  
  
  
  • Component Name
  
  
  • Part Number
  
  
  • Manufacturer
  
  
  • Quantity per system
  
  
  • Unit Cost
  
  
  • Total Cost per System[HB1] [HB2]
  
  
  
  

3. Intent

The Marine Corps requires low-cost, FPV-capable UAS for potential future fielding with up to 5,000 air vehicles within 6 months and 10,000 units within 12 months. The ability to deliver systems at or below our threshold cost is the primary weighted measure. System performance characteristics, particularly rapid reconfigurability and modular payload capabilities, will distinguish systems meeting this core requirement. Production capability, as well as the ability for Marines to modify and repair, are additional distinguishing characteristics. The intent for modifications is to ensure Marines can add simple payloads (such as 30mm mortars, grenades, or other lethal capabilities) and non-lethal capabilities based on mission needs without vendor involvement in the field. These systems may also be utilized as targets during Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) training and other training exercises. Likewise, Marine repair is needed to allow units to fully understand their equipment and stay in the fight while waiting for additional systems/spare components. Select vendors may be invited to participate in a follow-on demonstration.[KF3]

4. Industry Feedback Requested

The Marine Corps is seeking detailed feedback from industry on the capabilities and performance characteristics outlined in the "Details" section. Please provide specific data and information about your system and how it meets the Marine Corps' needs. Specifically, please address the questions listed above and provide any additional information that you believe is relevant to the Marine Corps' requirements.

5. Submission/Responses/Document Markings

All interested, capable, and responsible business/sources that wish to respond to this SSN shall submit the requested information via email to Contract Specialist, Ms. Hannah Cha hannah.s.cha.civ@us.navy.miland Procuring Contracting Officer, Ms. Kristen Ferro at kristen.w.ferro.civ@us.navy.mil. If you have any specific questions (relating to this Sources Sought Notice only) please submit them via email to heather.m.buckler.civ@us.navy.mil and kristen.w.ferro.civ@us.navy.mil. Informational meetings will not be entertained at this time.

E-mail MUST contain the following in the subject line: “[CONTRACTOR NAME] Sources Sought Response for sUAS (Notice 243-25-157, PMA-263)”

Note that file sizes larger than 5MB are not recommended, as they may not be receivable due to Navy Marine Corps Intranet security protocol.

Industry is requested to complete the provided response template, submit a Bill of Materials (BOM) using the supplied template, and provide a capability white paper not to exceed five (5) pages. Appendices may be included to provide supporting technical data, diagrams, certifications, or marketing materials, and will not be considered as part of the five (5) page limit.[HB4]

In order to maximize efficiency and minimize the effort involved in the evaluation process, all white paper submissions must comply with the following format and content:

• Shall not exceed five (5) single-side page on 8.5 x 11-inch size paper


• single-spaced typed lines


• newspaper column formatting is not permitted


• shall include all applicable technologies identified herein


• 1-inch margins on all sides


• not smaller than a 12-point Arial font


• photographs, pictures, or hyperlinks are permitted


• files shall be Microsoft Office 2016 compatible or PDF format and shall have proper markings (No CLASSIFIED information).


• no ZIP files

UAS Sources Sought Responses should include:

1. Company Name, Unique Entity ID, CAGE Code, DUNS number, Company

Address, and Place of Performance Address

b. Point of contact, including name, title, phone, and email address

c. Whether the business is classified as a Large Business, Small Business

(including Alaska Native Corporations (ANCs) and Indian tribes), Veteran Owned

Small Business, Service-Disable Veteran-Owned Small Business, HUBZone

Small Business, Small-disadvantaged business (including ANCs and Indian

tribes), and Women-Owned Small Business concerns.

Parties including commercial firms, institutions of higher education and with degree granting programs in science and/or engineering (universities), or consortia led by such concerns may submit information. The Government encourages participation by small business (including ANCs and Indian tribes), veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small-disadvantaged business (including ANCs and Indian tribes), and women-owned small business concerns.

DOCUMENT MARKINGS

It is incumbent upon sources providing responses to this Notice to accurately mark all data with all appropriate data rights, distribution, and classification markings. All information submitted will be adequately safeguarded from unauthorized disclosure in accordance with FAR 15.207. All submissions must be clearly marked with the following caption: For Official Use Only, Releasable to Government Agencies for Evaluation Purposes Only. Responses that fail to comply with the above instructions or present ideas not pertinent to the subject may not be reviewed. All information received in response to this Notice that is marked proprietary will be handled accordingly. Information submitted in response to this Notice is submitted at no cost to the Government and will not be returned. The Government is under no obligation to provide responses or comments to information received from interested persons but may request additional information following review.

Note: If interested person is a foreign concern or if a U.S. interested person has a team member or partner who is a foreign entity, adherence to all International Traffic and Arms Regulations (ITAR) is required.

All material provided in response to this Request for Information shall be UNCLASSIFIED.

Government Support Contractors have entered into Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) with the Government, which precludes them from disclosing any proprietary data outside of the Government. However, if respondents desire a separate NDA form, along with instructions, to the points of contact listed in this notice at the time of their submission. If respondents choose not to submit an NDA form for completion, their submission of a response to this announcement constitutes consent that the Government Support Contractors will have access to their proprietary information. The Government will NOT be responsible for the disclosure of any confidential/proprietary information not clearly marked. At any time after receipt of Request for Information responses, the Government may contact respondents independently for further clarification of the submittal.

It is the respondent’s responsibility to monitor this site for the release of any follow-on information.

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