AFCENT Battle Lab Commercial Solutions Opening
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The AFCENT Battle Lab at Shaw AFB, SC, has issued a Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO), continuously open and accepting solution briefs on a rolling basis. This CSO seeks innovative commercial items, technologies, and services to address evolving threats, particularly in counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (cUAS) and defensive capabilities. Awards will be made under RFO Part 12 commercial contracts, anticipated as Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP).
Scope of Work
The government aims to rapidly acquire and deploy cUAS and defensive capabilities that form a cohesive, enterprise-wide open architecture ecosystem. Key areas of interest include:
- Rapid, deployable, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) or near-COTS cUAS for point defense.
- Fusing advanced intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) data for a common operating picture (COP).
- Innovative technologies to defeat coordinated UAS swarms and complex, simultaneous threats.
- Agile solutions for rapid manufacturing, prototyping, and mission software development.
- Modular open-systems approaches (MOSA) for seamless sensor integration and sustainable open architectures.
- Automated target recognition (ATR) for airborne threats.
Teaming arrangements, joint ventures, or Prime/Subcontractor partnerships are highly encouraged to submit complete, end-to-end solutions, with a preference for a single lead system integrator managing a suite of best-of-breed commercial technologies.
Contract & Timeline
- Type: Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) leading to RFO Part 12 contracts (anticipated FFP).
- Duration: Continuously open, accepting solution briefs on a rolling basis for one year from the posting date (May 22, 2026), with potential for extension.
- Set-Aside: None specified (open competition; small business subcontracting plan may be required if award exceeds threshold and awardee is not a small business).
- Published: May 22, 2026.
Submission & Evaluation
Submissions follow a three-step evaluation process:
- Solution Briefs: Written or slide-based submissions.
- Pitch Session: By invitation only.
- Proposal: Request for Proposal (RFP) if selected.
Evaluation is based on the merit of the proposed concept, focusing on Technical Merit and Applicability, and Importance to Agency Programs, with Price being a lesser factor. Submissions for Step 1 must be unclassified.
Additional Notes
Vendors must be registered in SAM.gov and WAWF. Counter-UAS (C-UAS) systems must be validated and approved by JIATF 401 and on the "Blue List" for procurement, though solutions new to market may be submitted with validation pending. The government is not obligated to make any awards. For submissions and questions, contact TSgt Hutton Cobb (hutton.cobb@us.af.mil) or Ms. Kelsey Brightbill (kelsey.brightbill@us.af.mil).