Call 001_Air Force - Small UAS & Asymmetric Capabilities - 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 Department of the Air Force has issued Call 001 under the existing Small UAS & Asymmetric Capabilities Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO), Notice ID: FA8629-25-S-C001. This call seeks innovative commercial solutions and technologies to advance small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and asymmetric mission capabilities. The government intends to award one or more fixed-price instruments or Other Transactions (OT) for prototype projects. Phase 1 Solution Briefs are due April 20, 2026.
Scope of Work
The Air Force is seeking commercial solutions for short-range, one-way attack air interdiction UAS platforms with specific characteristics:
- Category: Group 1 Small UAS (sUAS) with a total gross weight under 20 lbs.
- Performance: Ground-launched, 3+ lbs payload capacity, 50+ nautical miles range, and 200+ mph terminal speed.
- Capabilities: Capable of high-speed, low-altitude flight; Beyond Line-of-Sight (BLOS) operations; effective in Denied, Degraded, Intermittent, or Limited (DDIL) communication environments; and difficult to detect/track by broad-area search systems.
- Advanced Features: Containerized for mass fires, quick launch, fire and forget with mission autonomy, software-defined in-flight targeting, in-flight coordination with other platforms, and operation in GNSS-denied environments.
Contract & Timeline
- Type: Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) Call 001, leading to FAR Part 12 fixed-price contracts or Other Transactions (OT) for prototype projects.
- Set-Aside: None specified; open to U.S. and international vendors.
- Phase 1 Solution Briefs Due: April 20, 2026, 8:30 PM EDT.
- Published: March 19, 2026.
Submission & Evaluation
This call is conducted in three phases:
- Phase 1 Solution Briefs: Submissions are due by April 20, 2026, as presentations (max 12 slides) detailing technical aspects, scalability, and testing. Questions are due after call posting, with responses provided no later than 10 days before the deadline. All materials should be sent to usafoffensivesmalluas@groups.af.mil.
- Phase 2 Pitch Sessions: Expected April 21-28, 2026, for selected vendors.
- Phase 3 Proposals: Invited vendors will submit pricing and technical proposals; dates will be provided in the invitation.
Eligibility
Open to both U.S. and international vendors. Companies must be registered in SAM.gov (CAGE code/DUNS number). Offerors must be eligible for SECRET level security clearance if required for Phase 3 awards.
Additional Notes
Solutions should consider price trade-offs and enable geographically distributed manufacturing. Compliance with FY20 NDAA Section 848, FY23 NDAA Section 817, the 2024 American Security Drone Act, and DoD Instruction 8510.01 is required. Successful prototype projects under OT authority may lead to follow-on production contracts without further competition.