ARMY OPEN SOLICITATION (AOS)

Quick Summary

The U.S. Army Contracting Command – Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC-APG) has issued an Army Open Solicitation (AOS), an overarching Special Notice designed to rapidly acquire innovative solutions and commercial technologies for all Army Mission Areas. This perpetual solicitation aims to enhance Army lethality, accelerate technology adoption, and grow the industrial base. It utilizes various acquisition authorities, primarily Commercial Solution Openings (CSOs) with Other Transactions (OTs), and supports iterative prototyping.

Scope of Work

The AOS seeks commercial, innovative solutions, capabilities, or technological advancements to fulfill requirements, close capability gaps, and support basic research, applied research, advanced technology development, and prototypes. Key Army Example Areas include, but are not limited to:

• Intelligence, Electronic Warfare, and Sensors
• Army Enterprise Business Solutions
• Tactical Communications
• Soldier Equipment
• Ground Combat Systems
• Missiles and Space
• Simulation Training and Instrumentation
• Aviation
• Supply Chain and Logistics
• Installation Support and Innovation
• Advance Manufacturing
• Army Test and Evaluation
• Data Engineering and Software (including MOSA, Digital Engineering, Cybersecurity, SCRM, Kill Chain Resilience)

Contract Details

• Type: Special Notice (overarching solicitation). Awards may be FAR-based contracts or Other Transactions (OTs), including Fixed Price, Fixed Price Incentive, and Cost Type.
• Authorities: Leverages FAR, DFARS, and 10 U.S.C. authorities (e.g., §4021 for research, §4022 for prototypes, §3458 for innovative commercial products/services via CSO).
• Duration: Remains open in perpetuity until canceled by the U.S. Army. Individual Calls for Solutions will have limited response periods.
• Set-Aside: None specified for the overall AOS. Specific Calls for Solutions may include set-asides.

Submission & Evaluation

Interested parties can respond via two primary methods:

1. Active Capability Gap (ACG): Submit Solution Briefs (up to 5 written pages or 15 slides) addressing Army Example Areas. This process involves up to three phases: Solution Brief (mandatory), optional Live Pitch, and optional Solution Proposal. Evaluation criteria for Solution Briefs include Technical Merit, Schedule, and Viability. Detailed procedures are in Attachment 1.
2. Call for Solutions: Respond to specific government-issued "Calls" posted as amendments on SAM.gov. These Calls will outline their own submission instructions, evaluation criteria, and timelines. RFIs may also be posted for market research.

Eligibility & Notes

Companies must have a Unique Entity ID (UEI), be registered in SAM, and the government invoicing system. They must represent their small business size and status. Non-traditional Defense Contractors are encouraged. The Government will not reimburse for proposal preparation costs. Non-Government advisors may be used in evaluations, requiring NDAs. All revisions to the AOS document are highlighted in yellow.