U.S. Army Contracting Command – Watervliet Arsenal (ACC-WVA) Organic Industrial Base (OIB) Modernization Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO)

The 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) established innovation as a central line of effort in the national defense strategy of the United States. The decisive military advantage of the United States over its adversaries and peer competitors is steadily eroding. Consequently, under section 803 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 (Pub. L. 117-807 contracting officers may acquire innovative commercial items, technologies, or services using a competitive procedure called a Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO). Under a CSO, the Department of Defense may competitively select proposals received in response to a general solicitation, similar to a broad agency announcement, based on a review of proposals by scientific, technological, or other subject-matter expert peers. Use of a CSO in accordance with Class Deviation 2022-O0007 is considered to be a competitive procedure for the purposes of 10

U.S.C. chapter 221 and FAR 6.102. Finally, Contracting Officers shall treat items, technologies, and services acquired using a CSO as commercial items. Contracts or agreements under this authority shall be fixed-price, including fixed-price incentive fee contracts.

The U.S. Army recognizes that investments in producibility and advanced manufacturing will need to continue to be made to support a vast array of crucial activities, including but not limited to acquisition, sustainment, logistics, and ultimately the Army’s Modernization of its Organic Industrial base (OIB). In order to deliver impactful operational results, the US Army must modernize the OIB, particularly in the areas of Agile / flexible facilities, connected digital enterprise, advanced manufacturing, Digital Twin, automation, and cyber security. DEVCOM has coined these technologies collectively as Convergent Manufacturing.

With the focus on both “new capabilities” and “operational constructs” convergent manufacturing technologies will accelerate the OIB’s capability to get advanced solutions to the Warfighter while enhancing and optimizing the Defense Manufacturing Base for today and tomorrow’s missions.

Manufacturing excellence is critical for Army technology dominance and force projection to increase the “Speed of Battle.”

This CSO will utilize a solicitation process authorized by Section 803 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022 (Pub. L. 117-81) and implemented through Class Deviation 2022- O0007. Under this CSO, the DoD will be allowed to competitively procure innovative commercial items, technologies, and services. CSO procedures provide a streamlined acquisition process and simplified contract terms resulting in FAR-based contracts awarded under Part 12 Commercial Item Procedures. Both traditional and non-traditional defense contractors may be awarded contracts under this CSO. Under a CSO, DoD contracting officers may competitively select proposals received in response to a general competitive solicitation, similar to a broad agency announcement, based on a review of proposals by scientific, technological, or other subject matter experts.

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