Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) SLD-45

Please adhere and refer to Attachment 1 CSO Instructions. Proposals, or any inquiries should be directly sent to: 

1) All 45 Space Wing CSO proposals or inquiries: 45CONS.PK.PitchDay@us.af.mil

SUBJECT: Class Deviation–Defense Commercial Solutions Opening Effective immediately, this class deviation rescinds and supersedes Class Deviation 2018- O0016 issued on June 26, 2018. Contracting officers may acquire innovative commercial products, technologies, or services using a general solicitation, called a commercial solutions opening (CSO), and the procedures provided in this class deviation. If existing CSOs contain references to Class Deviation 2018-O0016, contracting officers shall amend the CSOs as described in the next paragraph. Use of a CSO is permanently authorized by section 803 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 (Pub. L. 117-81). Section 803 of the NDAA for FY 2022 repealed section 879 of the NDAA for FY 2017 (Pub. L. 114-328); therefore, contracting officers shall— • Amend existing CSOs to delete references to Class Deviation 2018-O0016 and section 879 of the NDAA for FY 2017; and • Insert a reference to Class Deviation 2022-O0007. References to section 803 of the NDAA for FY 2022 are not necessary, since it is implemented by this class deviation. Under a CSO, DoD 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 this class deviation is considered to be a competitive procedure for the purposes of 10 U.S.C. chapter 221 and Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.102.

The Eastern Range (SLD-45) are offering a commercial solutions opening authorized by Section 879 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Pub. L. 114-328). Under a CSO, the USSF may competitively award contracts to proposals received in response to a general solicitation, similar to a broad agency announcement (BAA), to acquire innovative commercial items, technologies, and services, based on a review of proposals by scientific, technological, or other subject-matter expert peers within the USSF. Under this CSO, all items, technologies, and services shall be treated as commercial items. 

The USSF intends to obtain "innovative" solutions or potential new capabilities that fulfill requirements, close capability gaps, or provide potential technology advancements. Solutions may include existing technologies or procedures, not currently in use by the USSF, that would enhance or streamline USSF mission capabilities. As used in this class deviation, “innovative” means any technology, process, or method, including research and development, that is new as of the date of submission of a proposal, or any application that is new as of the date of submission of a proposal of a technology, process, or method existing as of such date. As used in this class deviation, “innovative” means any technology, process, or method, including research and development, that is new as of the date of submission of a proposal, or any application that is new as of the date of submission of a proposal of a technology, process, or method existing as of such date.

This CSO (and subsequent amendments) contains broadly defined areas of interest (AOI). While these areas of interest are geared towards meeting Eastern and Western Range requirements, the Government reserves the right to award contracts from this CSO to meet USSF requirements outside of Patrick Space Force Base with similar areas of interest and mission requirements. This solicitation is not accepting offers for grants or cooperative agreements as the purpose of this CSO is to transfer something of value directly to the Government.