Digital Engineering and Data Management Hub for Integrated Combat Systems

THIS IS AN OPEN CALL FOR SOLUTIONS. This notice initiates a competitive process to identify and qualify solutions for inclusion in the CDAO Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace. This is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) and does not guarantee a contract award. However, the objective is to assess best-of-breed solutions from the pool of qualified respondents for the potential award of a prototype project under Other Transaction Authority (OTA).

1.0 SYNOPSIS

The Department of the Navy, in support of the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO), is seeking qualified vendors to submit solutions for a critical Digital Engineering and Data Management challenge. The objective of this Special Topic is to identify viable solutions to address the problem detailed below. In Phase 1, if assessed favorably against the Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace Assessment Rubric and this notice, any such solutions will be entered into the CDAO Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace in a post competitive “Awardable” status. In Phase 2, any “Awardable” submissions received in response to this Special Topic may become eligible for further consideration for award of a prototype agreement for this Special Topic.

The Government is seeking commercial capabilities to provide a centralized "Hub" digital environment to serve as the authoritative source for the Integrated Combat System (ICS) Program information.

2.0 BACKGROUND INFORMATION

PAE Mission Systems is responsible for the development and delivery of the Integrated Combat System (ICS) across the Surface Fleet portfolio. The overarching objective of the PAE is to align the organization, processes, and resources to develop a common and tailorable ICS. Achieving this alignment is intended to drive efficiency, increase the speed of delivery, and elevate the quality of the combat system across all ICS platforms. To support these rapid development and integration goals, the program utilizes modern digital infrastructure, including the U.S. Navy Forge Development Environment (FDE) and associated hardware factory. For further background information on the program office responsible for the requirements described by this Special Topic, please see the "PEO IWS X Program Overview and ICS Development Brief" located in the "Attachments/Links" section.

3.0 PROBLEM DESCRIPTION

Despite the modernization goals of the ICS program, current data management practices limit operational efficiency. The ICS program currently manages critical technical information, program data, and system models across a disparate set of digital platforms and siloed performer applications.

Vital program data is frequently delivered and trapped in static, non-interactive legacy formats (such as PDF files). Because this critical information is fragmented and dispersed across multiple Original Equipment Manufacturing (OEM) suppliers and stakeholders, it cannot be efficiently accessed, correlated, or leveraged in real time. This disconnected approach restricts the Government's ability to perform dynamic analysis, ensure data integrity, and manage system configuration, ultimately limiting visibility, slowing integration, and increasing risk across the program lifecycle.

To resolve these inefficiencies, the program urgently needs a centralized "Hub" digital environment to serve as the designated authoritative system of record for all ICS information. A solution is required to replace static data silos with an interactive, scalable environment that can ingest and transform multiple data sources into a dynamic, model-based ecosystem. This Hub will improve program oversight, accelerate development, and enhance lifecycle management. To ensure seamless collaboration, the solution must provide a defined access control framework in which permissions and user roles are managed and appropriate access rights to the digital environment are granted to all required Department of War (DoW) personnel and authorized DoW contractor support.

4.0 DESIRED SOLUTION CAPABILITIES

Phase 1 of this Special Topic will leverage the Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace (TSM) to collect and assess solutions that address the above need. The TSM requires a video-based submission. For the content of the video submission, all submissions must adhere to the TSM guidelines and submission instructions (detailed within Section VII of the TSM Announcement available in the "Attachments/Links" section). As identified within the TSM Announcement, there are four required criteria that each video submission must address.  Responses shall first identify the criteria associated with an explanation before providing the specific explanation of an approach to meet to any of the criteria. Responses shall detail the specific approach to meet the requirements included in the criteria. The Four criteria are:

1. Defining the Problem:
   1. Responses shall explain how the vendor interprets and understands the problem description noted above. The explanation shall demonstrate this understanding, in particular the challenges described in the problem statement. Responses shall provide a general outline of how the vendor will solve the problem statement provide a summary overview of the vendor’s approach in responding to Criteria 2-4 below.
2. Accelerating the Mission:
   1. The sponsoring activity seeks a Data Hub solution that delivers a centralized, interactive, model-based environment to manage and visualize hardware and software configurations and associated technical data across multiple Navy platforms. The response must explain how the solution ingests and normalizes diverse data sources into a structured, searchable, and linked environment. The response must explain how the solution enables configuration management, including traceability and version control. Solutions should leverage commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) cloud-native products to the maximum extent practicable, minimizing customization, and maximizing automation for data ingestion, transformation, and integration. the degree of COTS utilization.  
   2. It is required that the Data Hub solution interface with existing systems to ingest and exchange data streams across multiple data stores. It is required to provide program transparency through accessible, timely, and accurate program data. The response must therefore explain how the Data Hub solution delivers an interactive environment with both read/write and read-only access capabilities based on user roles. The response must explain how role-based access controls govern all access and data interactions, thus ensuring that the user has the appropriate visibility of data while protecting sensitive and proprietary information.
   3. The response must explain how the solution will handle both structured and unstructured digital data formats, including structured datasets and tables, unstructured content such as documents, as well as data streams and scanned or image-based inputs derived from non-digital sources. The response must explain how the solution ingests, imports, and processes a range of data types, including but not limited to PDFs, Microsoft Office files (Word, Excel), images, engineering drawings, and system generated data streams. Thus, the solution must support transformation of unstructured and scanned inputs into searchable and usable digital formats. The response must also demonstrate how the Data Hub solution permits configuration and version management capabilities of hardware, software, and system interface data, including both logical and physical configurations. Finally, the response must explain how the solution will permit extraction of data from the Hub to other Government systems.
3. Advancing the State of the Art:
   1. Responses shall explain how the Data Hub solution serves as a “single source-of-truth” (in other words, a “one-stop-shop”) for comprehensive data across US Navy’s surface combat systems, supporting requiring activity customers & stakeholders (including internal requiring activity staff). The response shall explain how the solution manages data beyond core hardware and encompasses the full program lifecycle, including system and component specifications; configuration hardware, software, and firmware baselines; integrated product support and sustainment data (i.e. supply support, inventory, provisioning, maintenance planning, technical manuals, technical data, procedures, sustaining engineering, etc.
   2. Responses shall explain how the Data Hub solution will be integrated into the Government owned cloud environment, in particular, how the solution may be hosted in an Impact Level 5 and 6 (IL5 and IL6). The response shall explain how the solution permits both the extraction and import of data from the IL5 instance into IL6.
   3. Government teams will determine what content will be housed in the Data Hub solution. Therefore, the response shall explain how the Data Hub solution is intuitive, logically and pragmatically constructed, so users can easily navigate to the content contained within. The response shall explain how Data Hub solution has the ability to designate and compartmentalize (“wall off”) any performer-specific data to ensure protection of all performer-specific data.
4. Business Model:
   1. Responses shall explain how the Data Hub solution ensures robust data governance across all ingested and managed data sources, including defined rules for data quality, accuracy, and integrity. Responses shall explain how the Data Hub solution ensures that data is consistent, reliable, and suitable for operational use. Responses shall explain how the Data Hub solution has the capability to use automation to analyze and produce tailored reports on all data contained within.

 If the Government determines that a TSM submission is “awardable” during Step III (when assessed against the TSM Assessment rubric), the sponsoring organization may ask one, some, all or none “awardable” vendors to submit white paper responses to address additional effort specific requirements.  White paper responses shall provide all responses to, and conform with, the white paper template and affirmation of business status certification.   After evaluation of the white paper responses, the Government may award a prototype project “other transaction” under 10 U.S.C. § 4022.  Respondents are hereby notified that successful completion of the prototype “other transaction” may result in the sole-source award of a follow-on production contract in accordance with 10 U.S.C. § 4022 (f).

Export Control

Respondents are hereby provided notice that research findings and technology developments arising from the resulting RWP may constitute a significant enhancement to the national defense and to the economic vitality of the United States. As such, in the conduct of all work under any subsequent prototype project awards, the vendor shall comply strictly with the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (22 CFR 120-130), the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (DoD 5220.22-M) and the Department of Commerce Export Regulation (15 CFR 730-774).

General Notice

Respondents are hereby provided notice that any prototype agreement award that results from negotiation shall comply with all applicable law and policy, some of which may not be included in this Special Topic notice.

5.0 EVALUATION CRITERIA

1. Evaluation of Video Responses (Phase 1: Steps I-III)
   • The Government will conduct an evaluation of all video responses to this Special Topic based on an integrated assessment of the following:
     • The degree to which the solution meets the criteria 1-4 under section 4.0 Desired Solution Capabilities in accordance with the Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace Assessment Rubric (Pages 23-24 of the TSM Announcement) and the criteria in this special notice.
2. Evaluation of White Paper Responses (Phase 2: Steps IV-V)
   • The Government will conduct an evaluation of all requested white paper responses to this Special Topic based on an integrated assessment of the following:
     • The degree to which the solution meets criteria 1-5 under section 4.0 Desired Solution Capabilities in this special notice.
     • Evaluation of the potential impacts of the data rights assertions. Offerors shall identify all data rights associated with system outputs, interfaces, APIs, data models, schemes, etc., Any restrictions on Government use, modification, or third-party integration shall be stated.
     • Evaluation of significant non-traditional, nonprofit research institution and/or small business participation, or proposed one-third cost share.
     • Evaluation of proposed ROM price against government funding profile.

6.0 BASIS FOR SELECTION

It is the Government’s intention to identify, negotiate, and award Prototype Projects (PPs) from the responses that proceed to Step IV below. The selection will be conducted in accordance with the Government’s procedures and the evaluation criteria identified herein. The Government will make a determination whether to:

• Select the WP(s), or some portion of the WP(s), and/or
• Retain the WP(s) in a library for potential future requirements in accordance with the terms of the OTA.

After the WP selection, the Government will issue a Request for Proposal(s) to the selected vendor.

7.0 EXPECTED OUTCOME

A successful Data Hub solution will act as a foundational, COTS-based and cloud-native capability for the program, integrating seamlessly with existing government systems to enable governed, consistent, and usable data. The solution is expected to deliver a centralized, interactive, and model-based authoritative source for US Navy surface combat systems data. To achieve this, it must:

• Ingest, transform, and integrate diverse data formats ranging from structured datasets to unstructured documents, system data streams, and scanned inputs into a searchable, linked environment using maximum automation.
• Enable comprehensive configuration management, traceability, and version control across the full program lifecycle, encompassing hardware, software, firmware baselines, and integrated product support data.
• Ensure security and compliance, the expected outcome includes secure hosting within Government-owned Impact Level 5 (IL5) and Impact Level 6 (IL6) cloud environments, facilitating the necessary extraction and importation of data between these levels.
• Enforce strict Role-Based Access Controls to govern read/write permissions, ensuring appropriate stakeholder visibility while systematically compartmentalizing and protecting sensitive, proprietary, or performer-specific data.
• Establish reliable data flow driven by consistent governance rules that guarantee data accuracy, integrity, and operational suitability. This will be supported by automated analysis, tailored reporting, and a structured roadmap that enables the configurable prioritization of features to support continuous, iterative capability evolution.

8.0 SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS & QUALIFICATION PROCESS

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING A SOLUTION AGAINST THIS SPECIAL TOPIC:  Submissions for this Special Topic will only be accepted via the Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace Page, located in the "Attachments/Links" section.  In order to be considered, responses must be submitted to the market place page no later than the “Response Time” deadline noted above.  Responses not submitted before the deadline will be excluded from further consideration for award.  After navigating to the Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace Page, click on one of two selections detailed below:

“New Registrants” – This will allow first time users to create a Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace Account. Once created, the new user will be allowed to access the submission workflow to create and submit a response to this Special Topic.

“Returning Users” – This will allow submitters with established accounts to access the submission workflow to create and submit a response to this Special Topic.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:

The submission process for Phase 1 of this Special Topic consists of three steps:

·       Step I – Video pitch submission through the Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace page.

·       Step II – Video submissions are assessed in accordance with the Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace (TSM) assessment process and rubric.

• Under the field for Strategic Focus Area within the submission workflow, select “Navy IWS Special Topic".
• To identify that your video submission is being submitted against the “Digital Engineering and Data Management Hub for Integrated Combat Systems” TSM Special Topic, the Title of your submission should start with “Navy IWS” and then continue with your specific title (e.g., Navy IWS: Quix13 Software Solution).
• For the content of the video submission, all submissions must adhere to the Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace guidelines and submission instructions (detailed within Section 7 of the TSM Announcement available in the "Links" section). As identified within the TSM Announcement, there are four required content elements that each video submission must address.

·       Step III – Solutions are assessed as awardable or  non-awardable.  Solutions that are assessed as awardable, at the sponsoring organization’s sole discretion, may proceed to Step IV below for further consideration and potential award.  Solutions that are assessed as non-awardable will be excluded from further consideration for award.   Vendors will be provided notice during Step III whether their responses will proceed to Step IV.

The submission process for Phase II of this Special Topic consists of five steps:

·       Step IV - The Government may elect to conduct negotiations with or request white paper submissions from, one, some, all or none of the entities whose video submissions are determined awardable.

·       Step V – White paper responses submitted no later than 30 May 2026.

·       Step VI – White paper responses evaluated

·       Step VII – Negotiation with some (or none) of vendors that submitted white papers

·       Step VIII – Award of some (or none) of prototype project.