The AFWERX Prime Innovative Capabilities Opening (ICO) is a special notice issued by the U.S. Air Force, seeking innovative capabilities from U.S.-based firms. This opportunity focuses on enhancing autonomy technologies for small unmanned aircraft navigation, specifically aiming to reduce reliance on Global Positioning Systems (GPS).
The ICO consists of "Calls," which define specific areas of interest and provide guidelines for submissions. The first Call, "Prime AuP AG Flyoff," invites applicants to develop robust navigation solutions and participate in a competition-style Fly-Off. The Air Force seeks to integrate the most promising solutions into its autonomous aircraft programs. Offerings should employ innovative techniques such as visual references, inertial methods, or solar/astronomical approaches.
The scope of work for this Call requires applicants to demonstrate their system's effectiveness, with an emphasis on accuracy, system compatibility, cost-efficiency, and ease of integration. Selected participants will be asked to integrate their solutions into a testbed aircraft for flight demonstrations.
Applicants should possess a strong track record in developing navigation solutions and must showcase their ability to meet the Air Force's objectives, primarily focusing on the proposed solution's technical merits and its alignment with the government's autonomy goals.
This contract will be awarded through an Other Transaction for Prototype agreement. Companies interested in applying must register on SAM.gov and ensure compliance with procurement integrity regulations. The Air Force aims to expedite the adoption of cutting-edge autonomy technologies, encouraging applications from nontraditional defense contractors.
The submission process opened on January 31, 2024, and will close on August 1, 2024. All application information and guidelines are available in the attached PDFs. Interested parties may direct questions to prime.ico@afwerx.af.mil.
Key evaluation criteria include the technical feasibility of the proposed solution, the company's viability, and the alignment of the proposal with the Air Force's autonomy interests.
Contact James Helmick at james.helmick@afwerx.af.mil or TIMOTHY PALEN at TIMOTHY.PALEN@US.AF.MIL with any questions.