What is a Solution Brief?

Solution Brief Guidance

There is no one-size-fits-all way to submit a solution brief. We want to keep the barriers to entry low, and companies should feel comfortable reworking existing materials. That said, we strongly recommend that Solution Briefs not exceed 5 written pages using 12-point font or 15 briefing slides. These limits are not requirements but are strongly recommended. Please save your document or brief as a PDF before you include it in your online response to a DIU solicitation.

Responding to a DIU Solicitation: Best Practices

In this video, the Defense Innovation Unit's Travis DeMeester (contractor) shares some best practices and guidance for commercial companies looking to submit a solution brief to a DIU solicitation.

The following tips are taken from real-world interactions with DIU vendors.

• Be specific: Make sure your response clearly addresses the problem described in the solution. We are not interested in open-ended offers to build  “whatever we want.”

• Share relevant company details: This includes the full (and specific) company name, a brief overview of the company history, the number of employees you have, a CAGE code or UEI (if applicable), and financing stage progress. You can also provide the names of the team members who would be working on the proposed project, if available.

• Show us your technology: We want to see what technology you have in production now, and how it can be applied to the problem at hand. Describe the unique aspects of your technology, with an eye on commercial viability. Be sure to connect your technological solution to the problem stated in the Area of Interest. Demonstrate that your technology will effectively address each of the technical requirements of the AOI; these details are necessary for the DIU team to evaluate the technical merit of your solution.

• Uniqueness: If your technology is readily available in the commercial market and would not need to be further prototyped in a DoD environment, it is not compelling enough to meet the unique capabilities described in the AOI. Existing DoD solutions that have been rebranded or stitched together are not novel or innovative; they are already obsolete.

• Provide real-world examples: Show us real-life product deployment or past successes that prove market viability. Prior government experience is NOT required. Prove the solution actually exists and is not just a concept.

• Demonstrate market viability: Provide a summary of gross sales/revenue or current fundraising to date including investors/funding rounds (if applicable). Provide a summary of product commercialization history, roadmap, and go-to-market strategy.

• Check and double check the deadline: DIU rarely grants extensions, so please submit on time and avoid waiting until the last minute.

Additional tips:

• Please include a title page referencing the DIU solicitation name, your company name, the date of submission and a point of contact with email, phone number and address. (This does not count against the page limit)

• Companies may submit multiple solution briefs in response to any single solicitation if each submission represents a separate and distinct concept. Individual solution briefs may only address one concept based on the open DIU solicitation. 

• Identify whether the effort includes the pilot or demonstration of existing commercial technology (identified as commercially ready and viable technology), or the development of technology for potential defense applications. If development or adaptation is proposed, identify a suggested path to mature your technology. 

• Submissions must be submitted electronically via the DIU website. Submissions sent through other channels or after the solicitation period has ended will not be reviewed or evaluated.

• Solution briefs that are not chosen for the in-person pitch phase will be notified in writing as soon as practicable.

• Solution briefs selected for the next phase (pitches) will be notified via email with further details and instructions.

Always consult the Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) guidance and solicitation specific requirements before you submit to a DIU solicitation. See here for answers to Frequently Asked Questions.

Preparing for a Live Pitch

Once solution briefs are evaluated, a small number vendors will be invited to present live pitches to the DIU technical team. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when preparing for your live pitch: 

• This is your one opportunity to showcase your solution. In the interest of fairness, we are not allowed to meet with individual vendors after the pitch for follow-up conversions. This is your one opportunity to provide information about your solution, so be prepared to provide all needed information. We are also required to stay within the allotted times.

• Pitch to the problem at hand: This is not an investor presentation, but an opportunity to convince the government why your solution can address the given problem. Get to the heart of the matter right away and focus on how and why your solution addresses the problem. We are required to stay within the allotted times, so make sure you’re fully prepared. 

• Prioritize demos and examples when possible: It’s easy to say something works, but it is very powerful to demonstrate that capability. If you are unable to showcase a live demo, recorded demos work well. If sample data is given, make sure to incorporate it. Since our remit is to find the best commercial technologies for the DoD, we like hearing about examples of the proposed solution being used successfully in the commercial world.

• Explain technical concepts and be prepared for questions. While there will be technical experts in the evaluation committee, not everyone will share that technical expertise. It’s helpful to explain complex concepts first. After, do not shy away from diving into the detailed technical concepts, since our technical experts will want to know. You will get questions about all aspects of your solution, including your product, business plan, company viability, program schedule, and technical details. Be prepared to answer these questions live, which means bringing technical people to the pitch.

• Explain the combined team. If you have put together a multi-vendor team specifically for this opportunity, be sure that your pitch deck clearly showcases each party’s contribution and fits together well to present a unified solution. 

• Read the contents of your pitch invite letter: Your pitch invite letter may include additional information about the demonstration or mission partner problem to be solved – more than the short public solicitation that originally appeared on the DIU website. Use those additional insights to tailor the presentation and the solution you propose.

• Familiarize yourself with these seven evaluation criteria. Make sure to include information to address all of the following:

1. Relevance of the pitch in addressing the AOI;

2. The solution has technical merit, adequately addresses Government need and is feasible;

3. Evaluation of company viability;

4. Company’s approach is unique, underutilized and/or innovative to Government application and is a compelling solution to the Government problem;

5. The ROM (Rough Order of Magnitude price);

6. The notional schedule is acceptable; and

7. The potential impact of data rights assertions

These are the Commercial Solutions Opening’s evaluation factors that DIU uses to evaluate Phase 2 pitches.

For more, view this video series on How to Work With DIU.