Advancing Naval Capabilities through Holistic Opportunities and Resources (ANCHOR) Initiative
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 United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), through its Special Operations Forces Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (SOF AT&L) office, has issued a Sources Sought for the Advancing Naval Capabilities through Holistic Opportunities and Resources (ANCHOR) Initiative. This initiative seeks to accelerate the application of innovative technologies into deployable warfighting capabilities for Special Operations Forces (SOF), with a focus on multi-domain maritime operations. Responses are due June 1, 2026.
Purpose & Scope
The ANCHOR Initiative aims to form a sphere of technological excellence with industry, non-profit, and not-for-profit entities to rapidly develop prototype solutions that sustain and expand strategic superiority within broadly stated special operations focus areas. The goal is to develop, demonstrate, and transition resilient and dynamic technological capabilities critical for the Nation's SOF.
Focus Areas
USSOCOM is evolving towards an integrated multi-domain approach, synchronizing operations across maritime, air, land, cyber, and space. Key focus areas, grounded in the maritime environment but connecting across domains, include:
- Unmanned Systems: Enhancing persistence, surveillance, and situational awareness in contested environments.
- Counter-Unmanned Systems: Detecting, tracking, and neutralizing hostile unmanned threats.
- C5ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computer, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance): Integrating multi-source intelligence, resilient communications, and cyber-secure data networks.
- Scalable Effects: Providing flexible kinetic and non-kinetic options to influence, degrade, or defeat adversary capabilities.
- Human Performance: Optimizing physical and cognitive performance for operational readiness and retention.
- Human-Machine Teaming: Enabling intuitive control of unmanned systems and immersive training environments.
Contract & Timeline
- Type: Sources Sought (for participation in the ANCHOR Initiative)
- Authority: Other Transaction Authority (OTA) in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 4022 and 4023. Competitive procedures are not required for prototype agreements. Follow-on production contracts may be non-competitive.
- Set-Aside: None specified.
- Response Due: June 1, 2026, at 8:30 PM EDT.
- Published: April 24, 2026.
Submission & Evaluation
Entities interested in participating must email anchor@socom.mil with their CAGE Code/Unique Entity ID and documentation demonstrating technical relevancy/recency in the designated Focus Areas. Marketing material is not desired. Government Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) will evaluate submissions, and acceptance is at the government's sole discretion. Eligible entities will be invited to participate. Prior to acceptance and throughout the PBA duration, entities must be registered in SAM.gov with current and accurate information.
Additional Notes
This is for planning purposes only and is not a commitment by the Government. The Government will not pay for information solicited. Technical and administrative questions should be directed to anchor@socom.mil.