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Response Deadline
May 31, 2026, 4:00 PM(EDT)30 days
Eligibility
Contract Type
Special Notice
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:
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
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:
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:
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.
· 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.
Warren Beckman
Ashley Mathew
DEPT OF DEFENSE
DEPT OF THE NAVY
NAVSEA
NAVSEA
NAICS
Computer Systems Design Services
PSC
IT AND TELECOM - BUSINESS APPLICATION/APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT SERVICES (LABOR)