JSOC issues its 2015 classified technology needs list

On January 30, the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) issued a special notice (number RRTO-20150130-W-JSOCJCTE) “to provide Industry the ability to request the 2015 JSOC Capability Needs list in order to help focus industry research and development decisions toward JSOC’s unique needs.”

 JSOC has assembled a SECRET listing of approximately 100 Special Operations Force’s (SOF) technology and capability needs. The list will be available for release to Industry, Academia, and National Labs in February 2015. JSOC will follow up the release of the Needs List with two events through two additional special notices: one, a Capability Needs Event to be held in McLean, VA on 29 and 30 April 2015 that will host up to 250 SECRET cleared Industry representatives each day to discuss this list of needs and potential opportunities to partner with industry to address them through Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs); and two, a Capability Solutions Event to be held in October 2015 which will be a by invitation only event for selected Industry partners to present solutions to JSOC representatives.
The Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) mission is to conduct studies; training; exercises; research, development, testing, and evaluation; and acquisition and procurement to ensure interoperability among special operations forces (SOF), general purpose forces, and interagency and foreign partners. JSOC has assigned and attached subordinate units and may deploy to support Geographic Combatant Commander’s training, exercises, activities, and operations.

It is JSOC’s desire to inform and influence industry’s internal investment decisions in areas that address SOF’s most sensitive and urgent needs. Many in industry have expertise, capacity, funding, and a desire to better understand and invest in SOF unique needs.

Factors that make this unique collaboration opportunity attractive include: 1) Increasing Military Budget Austerity – SOF is a judicious transition partner whose future resourcing is the most well-preserved of the military Services. It is JSOC’s desire to improve collaboration in an era where budget austerity tends to erect barriers to open communication. 2) Intellectual Property (IP) – The commercialization of dual-use (government/ commercial) technology can reduce costs to the government, but government contracting IP clauses often restrict industry’s ability to capitalize on their own IP. Our proposed collaboration model preserves and protects industry’s ownership of their intellectual property.

JSOC’s Technology Needs listing includes multiple needs in each of the following functional areas:

1. Breaching
2. Communications
3. Electronic Warfare
4. Fire Support
5. Information Technology
6. Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance
7. Knowledge Management
8. Lighten the Load
9. Mobility
10. Scalable Effects Engagement/Non-Lethal
11. Power and Energy
12. Soldier Survival
13. Target Engagement
14. Visual Augmentation
15. Other Need Areas

Full information is available here.

Source: FedBizOpps