Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) for Space Domain Awareness (SDA) Solutions.

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document provides answers to vendor questions regarding Solicitation AOI-2025_01, clarifying various aspects of the acquisition process, requirements, and submission guidelines.

• Access to Documents: All communication and document access will be through www.sam.gov. Offerors must register and request access to restricted documents.
• Previous Contract: AOI-2025_01 is a new acquisition effort. The previous contract was FA2544-20-C-0001, and this effort is a 100% small business set-aside.
• Contracting Officer: The Contracting Officer is Rosalind Davis at rosalind.davis.3@spaceforce.mil.
• Large Business Participation: While AOI-2025_01 is a small business set-aside, future AOIs under the CSO framework may accommodate full and open competition or other set-asides allowing large business participation.
• Phase I Focus: Phase I submissions should emphasize R&D and experimental prototyping activities, with solutions generally within Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 2 through 6. Deployment-oriented software demonstrations are not the primary focus.
• White Papers: Offerors can submit multiple distinct white papers, each focusing on a unique solution. Alternatively, a single white paper can address how one solution applies to multiple Technical Focus Areas (TFAs).
• CMMC Requirements: CMMC Level 2 certification is not required for the Phase I application but may be required by the time of award if the proposed effort involves Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).
• Presentation Format: The presentation should include a cover page, a quad chart (as a separate requirement), and five additional content slides.
• Funding: The total funding pool for AOI-2025_01, AOI-2025_02, and AOI-2025_03 is $1.5M. The Period of Performance will not exceed 12 months from contract award.
• Due Date: The due date for AOI-2025_01 is 20 January 2026 by 2:00 PM MST.

These clarifications refine understanding of submission requirements, eligibility, technical focus, and administrative details, directly impacting how bidders prepare and submit their proposals. The due date has been confirmed.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This Announcement of Intent (AOI) seeks research, development, and prototyping efforts to advance state-of-the-art methods for managing, analyzing, and exploiting space sensor data to support the Space Domain Awareness (SDA) function. The goal is to detect, characterize, attribute, predict, and target activities in the space domain to inform decision-making.

The AOI supports the following Enterprise Activities (EAs):

• Reconnaissance
• Surveillance
• Conjunction Assessment
• Collision on Launch Assessment
• Breakups (processing and analyzing debris)
• Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) Support

Submissions should emphasize R&D, with deliverables including prototypes, models, and/or experimental frameworks, rather than production-ready systems.

Offerors may propose solutions aligned with one or more of the following TFAs:

• TFA 1: Scalable, Adaptable Data Management Tools: Focuses on research and prototyping of new database/data architecture approaches, experimental tools for data translation, and innovative methods for tagging/indexing sensor data.

• TFA 2: Modeling and Analytics for Enhanced Accuracy and Optimization: Involves development and validation of new modeling techniques for LEO sensor performance, research into space environmental models, and exploration of methods for dynamic weighting of sensor observations.

• TFA 3: Agile Software Prototyping and Transition: Explores approaches to integrate government-developed models, rapid prototyping of experimental software, and refactoring methods for evolving prototypes.

• NAICS Code: 541715 – R&D in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)

• Set-Aside: Total Small Business - 100%

• Close Date: 20 January 2026 by 2:00 PM MST

• Evaluation of White Papers: No Earlier Than (NET) 21 January 2026

• Submission Instructions: Per Attachments 1-2.

• Evaluation: Per Attachment 6.

• Security: Phase I submissions shall be Unclassified. Subsequent phases may require higher classification levels.

• The Government may fund all, some, or none of the proposed solutions, subject to availability of funds.

• AOI CO: Rosalind Davis at rosalind.davis.3@spaceforce.mil

• Solutions must integrate with SDA Enterprise workflows and demonstrate adaptability.

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document provides responses to vendor questions regarding the SDA CSO AOI-2025_01 opportunity.

• Accessing Documents: All formal communication and document access for this opportunity will be managed through SAM.gov. Offerors should register on SAM.gov and request access to restricted documents.
• Contract History: AOI-2025_01 is a new acquisition effort. It was previously performed under contract FA2544-20-C-0001 and is currently being competed as a 100% small business set-aside.
• Contracting Officer: The Contracting Officer is Rosalind Davis, rosalind.davis.3@spaceforce.mil. The CSO mailbox has been established for inquiries.
• Future Opportunities for Large Businesses: While AOI-2025_01 is a small business set-aside, the CSO framework is designed to accommodate various needs, and future AOIs may be open to full and open competition or other set-aside statuses allowing large businesses to participate.
• CMMC Assistance: Information is provided regarding a company offering assistance with CMMC Level 2 compliance. The Government is not endorsing this company, but offerors may research and contact them at their own discretion. The point of contact is Michael Rosales, and a website for CMMC compliance is provided.

This Q&A document clarifies access procedures, contract history, and future opportunity structures, which may influence bidder understanding and preparation for this and subsequent AOIs.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This Announcement of Opportunity (AOI) seeks research, development, and prototyping efforts to advance state-of-the-art methods for managing, analyzing, and exploiting space sensor data for Space Domain Awareness (SDA). The goal is to develop novel approaches beyond traditional software development, emphasizing experimental techniques and proof-of-concept demonstrations.

Offerors should propose solutions aligned with one or more of the following Technical Focus Areas (TFAs), emphasizing R&D with deliverables such as prototypes, models, and experimental frameworks:

• TFA 1: Scalable, Adaptable Data Management Tools: Focuses on new database/data architecture approaches for sensor observations, experimental tools for data format translation, and innovative methods for tagging/indexing sensor data.

• TFA 2: Modeling and Analytics for Enhanced Accuracy and Optimization: Involves developing/validating new modeling techniques for LEO sensor performance, researching space environmental models, exploring methods for dynamic sensor observation weighting, prototyping modeling/simulation tools, and developing experimental accuracy assessment tools.

• TFA 3: Agile Software Prototyping and Transition: Emphasizes exploring approaches to integrate government-developed astrodynamics models, rapid prototyping of experimental software, and research into refactoring methods for evolving prototypes.

• NAICS Code: 541715 – R&D in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)

• Set-Aside: Total Small Business – 100%

• Funding: The Government may fund all, some, or none of the proposed solutions, subject to fund availability.

• Close Date: January 20, 2026

• White Paper Evaluation: No Earlier Than January 21, 2026

• Submission Instructions: Refer to Attachments 1-2.

• Evaluation: Refer to Attachment 6.

• Security: Phase I submissions are Unclassified. Subsequent phases may require higher classification levels.

• Solutions must integrate with SDA Enterprise workflows and demonstrate adaptability.

• The AOI aligns with the Enterprise Function of Space Domain Awareness (SDA) as defined by the Space Force/Chief of Space Operations.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This document establishes a Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) for the United States Space Force (USSF), Combat Forces Command, executed by the Space Acquisition & Integration Office (SAIO). The CSO aims to identify and acquire innovative commercial software solutions to enhance USSF warfighting missions, specifically focusing on Space Domain Awareness (SDA). It allows for competitive awards of commercial products, technologies, or services that may not be "commercially available" but meet the regulation's requirements.

• The CSO is structured to support Space Domain Awareness (SDA) mission challenges through advanced software engineering.

• Areas of Interest (AOIs) will be issued under this CSO, each defining specific problem sets, operational contexts, and technical needs.

• Submissions will follow a multi-phase process: Phase I (White Paper & PowerPoint), Phase II (Optional Pitch Session), and Phase III (Full Proposal).

• The CSO has an anticipated funding of up to $6M over a five-year period, with initial funding availability of $1.5M for early AOIs.

• Contract type will be Fixed Price (FAR-based), with other fixed-price types considered based on AOI scope.

• The CSO period of availability is five years from publication, with annual updates.

• Submissions are evaluated in phases: Phase I (Technical Merit & Applicability, Funds Availability, Feasibility), Phase II (Technical Merit, Applicability, Feasibility, Funds Availability), and Phase III (Technical Merit & Applicability, Importance to Agency Programs, Price).

• Evaluation criteria include Technical Merit/Applicability, Importance to Agency Programs, and Price (fair and reasonable).

• Submissions are categorized as Recommended, Selectable, or Non-selectable.

• Key deadlines and submission instructions will be detailed within each individual AOI.

• Foreign firms are not eligible to participate.

• Set-aside status (e.g., for small businesses) will be determined at the AOI level.

• The primary NAICS code is 541715 (R&D in Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences), but other NAICS codes may be specified in AOIs.

• Offerors must be registered in SAM.gov.

• Cybersecurity requirements include NIST SP 800-171 DoD assessment.

• Data rights will be negotiated based on solution nature and Government operational requirements.

• Specific AOIs will be posted on SAM.gov.