Responses Due By
2025-12-31 23:59:59 US/Eastern Time
Work With Us - Commercial Companies - Submit Solution
Project G.I.
We look forward to your solution —
To submit, scroll to the form at the bottom of this page.
2025-12-31 23:59:59 US/Eastern Time
We look forward to your solution —
To submit, scroll to the form at the bottom of this page.
Project G.I. (Prize Challenge)
Background
Modern peer and near-peer threats are accelerating the development and deployment of advanced uncrewed systems (UxS) across all domains of warfare. These technologies are reshaping the character of war, specifically by democratizing the ability for persistent surveillance, precision targeting, electronic disruption, and low-cost mass effects at scale. As adversaries adopt UxS capabilities with increasing speed and sophistication, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) must identify, assess, and integrate next-generation UxS solutions at a faster pace to maintain tactical and strategic overmatch.
Furthermore, traditional requirement and acquisition timelines do not support the needs of our warfighters, the Services, or Combatant Commands. The Department of Defense requires a more agile and effective mechanism to evaluate emerging capabilities, embed end-users early in the product development cycle, and accelerate the prototyping and fielding of transformative technologies that can deliver operational advantage at speed.
Problem
DIU and its DoD partners seek “ready-now” uncrewed systems (UxS) solutions to enhance the speed and lethality for small, dispersed targeting-strike cells operating under Denied, Disrupted, Intermittent, and Low-Bandwidth (DDIL) conditions. Solutions should fundamentally improve how tactical formations sense, decide, and strike, independent of consistent communication or extensive logistical support.
UxS solutions interest include uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), electronic warfare (EW), and uncrewed ground vehicles (UGV). Companies are welcome to collaborate and submit joint proposals.
Attributes
Proposed challenge solutions must enhance a tactical formation’s lethality, survivability, or overall mission effectiveness within the specified Design Reference Mission (DRM). Submissions should feature mature, mission-ready—ideally mission-proven—capabilities that can participate in live evaluations within three months of this solicitation’s release. Companies should only submit when their solution meets this mission-ready standard. Future iterations will support related but separate DRMs, focused on expanded environments, units, or tactical missions. Submissions will be evaluated for overall utility to the broad interest areas and for specific applicability to the unique use cases for each specific DRM. The FAQ section provides additional details for specific DRM’s.
Solicitation, Competitive Process, and Iteration Overview
This challenge will allow for flexibility and scalability for DIU’s Project G.I. effort and will serve the needs of a variety of DoD customers. DIU intends to execute successive evaluations based on this AoI, with each “iteration” focusing on a specified DRM–with specific mission context, operational constraints, and desired attributes.
Each iteration will follow a three-phase competitive process:
Below are the current planned iterations, associated DRMs, and timelines. Submissions received after the deadlines listed below will be evaluated for other potential partner use cases.
DRM # | Description | Timeline |
1: FPV Effects | Tactical employment of kinetic effects in denied environments | Phase 1: Submissions must be received by 10 July to be evaluated. Notifications received NLT 10 Aug. Phase 2: (T) 20 Aug - 30 Sept 2025. |
2: Kill Chain | Accelerate the kill chain for small, expeditious units in contested and denied environments | Phase 1: Submissions received by 15 AUG 25. Notifications received NLT 15 SEP 25 Phase 2: (T) 15 OCT - 15 NOV 25 |
3: Emerging problem set | To be published | Phase 1: Submissions received by 15 NOV 25 Notifications received NLT 20 DEC 15 Phase 2: (T) 20 JAN 26 - 10 FEB 26 |
Evaluation Criteria
Phase 1 –Proposal Evaluation
Phase 2 – Live Demonstration and Pitch Evaluation (Phase 1 evaluation criteria plus the below)
Phase 3 - Award and User-Driven Iteration
Note: Additional evaluation criteria may be applied during Phases 2 and any follow on Phases in response to changing operational end user needs.
Technical Capabilities List:
To maximize relevance and competitiveness, proposed solutions should align as closely as possible with the following system preferences and evaluation priorities:
Architecture: Phase 1 and beyond criteria
Cybersecurity & Compliance: Phase 1 and beyond criteria
Platform Characteristics (as applicable): Phase 1 and beyond criteria
End user integration
Business & Market Analysis: Phase 1 and beyond criteria
Operator Feedback: Phase 2 and Phase 3
Demonstrations at the event will occur in all relevant conditions and all submissions will be tested and operated by a designated team of DoD end users to the maximum extent possible. As with any test event, the possibility of damage or destruction exists. Companies understand that DoD and participants are not liable for accidents and will be required to sign a waiver to participate.
To maximize participation, DIU will acquire a blanket exception to policy waiver for all participating submissions that require one.
Pitch Deck Submission Requirements:
Teams will submit a pitch deck outlining their solution that addresses the features above. Pitch decks should meet the following format requirements:
If selected to attend the event, companies shall provide training documentation and materials ahead of time to allow at least three DoD operators to complete the recommended training before the event.
There is no guarantee that submissions will be selected. If invited, companies may incur costs not covered by the Prize Award and should be willing and able to do so.
Feedback to Phase 2 selectees will be provided at the conclusion of each Phase 2 DRM.
NDAA compliance and cybersecurity will be verified if selected as a winner of the Prize Challenge before any sort of prototype contract will be issued.
FAQ’s and additional details on the Design Reference Missions for demonstrations can be viewed in the FAQ’s.
Background Information:
Information about DIU and the DIU Blue UAS List and Blue UAS Framework can be found here https://www.diu.mil/blue-uas.
An example of cybersecurity evaluation that may be conducted on winning submissions can be found here: https://dronewolf.darkwolf.io/intro
About the Defense Innovation Unit
The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) strengthens national security by accelerating the adoption of commercial technology in the Department of Defense and bolstering our allied and national security innovation bases. DIU partners with organizations across the DoD to rapidly prototype and field dual-use capabilities that solve operational challenges at speed and scale. With offices in Silicon Valley, Boston, Austin, Chicago and Washington, DC, DIU is the Department’s gateway to leading technology companies across the country.
Intellectual Property Considerations:
Applicants retain ownership of existing Intellectual Property (IP) submitted under this Challenge and agree that their submissions are their original work. Applicants are presumed to have sufficient rights to submit the submission. For any submission made to the Challenge, you grant DIU a limited license to use this IP for testing and evaluation for efforts specifically related to the Challenge. DIU will negotiate with individual competitors in the event additional usage, integration, or development is contemplated.
Other Transaction Authority:
This DIU Challenge public announcement is an open call to small businesses and non-traditional defense contractors seeking innovative, commercial technologies proposed to create new DoD solutions or potential new capabilities fulfilling requirements, closing capability gaps, or providing potential technological advancements, technologies fueled by commercial or strategic investment, but also concept demonstrations, pilots, and agile development activities improving commercial technologies, existing Government-owned capabilities, or concepts for broad Defense application(s). As such, the Government reserves the right to award a contract or an Other Transaction agreement for any purpose, to include a prototype or research, under this public announcement. The Federal Government is not responsible for any monies expended by the applicant before award and is under no obligation to pursue such Other Transactions.
Satisfying Competition Requirements:
This DIU Challenge Open Call Announcement is considered to have potential for further efforts that may be accomplished via FAR-based contracting instruments, Other Transaction Authority (OTA) for Prototype Projects 10 USC 4022 and Research 10 USC 4021, Prizes for advanced technology achievements 10 USC 4025, and/or Prize Competitions 15 USC 3719. The public open call announcement made on the DIU website is considered to satisfy the reasonable effort to obtain competition in accordance with 10 USC 4025(b), 15 USC 3719 (e) and 10 USC 4022 (b)(2). Accordingly, FAR-based actions will follow announcement procedures per FAR 5.201(b).
DIU reserves the right to cancel, suspend, and/or modify the Challenge, or any part of it, for any reason, at DIU’s sole discretion.
FAQ section:
Design Reference Mission #1 - Contested Spectrum Kinetic Employment
Operations against a near-peer must expect a fully-contested electromagnetic spectrum. Targeting, ISR, BDA, and kinetic capabilities must be able to be employed at the tactical level. Options available to DoD today are susceptible to existing countermeasures and defenses in the electromagnetic spectrum.
Examples of desired solutions include those able to guarantee two-way communication between the platform and operator under Denied, Disrupted, Intermittent, and Low-bandwidth (DDIL) environments to enable the delivery of kinetic effects on a variety of targets.
Recent examples, provided as illustrative examples only, of capabilities with operational success in combat include but are not limited to, directional antennas, mesh networks, and fiber optics.
Solutions should be able to operate at ranges up to and ideally beyond 20 kilometers. Proposals should offer technically sound, mission-relevant and proven solutions at a price range that is effective on a cost per effect basis.
When you submit to a DIU solicitation, we'll ask you to include a solution brief. Here's some guidance about what that entails.
Companies are advised that any Prototype Other Transaction (OT) agreement awarded in response to this solicitation may result in the direct award of a follow-on production contract or agreement without the use of further competitive procedures. Follow-on production activities will result from successful prototype completion.
The follow-on production contract or agreement will be available for use by one or more organizations within the Department of Defense. As a result, the magnitude of the follow-on production contract or agreement could be significantly larger than that of the Prototype OT agreement. All Prototype OT agreements will include the following statement relative to the potential for follow-on production: “In accordance with 10 U.S.C. § 4022(f), and upon a determination that the prototype project for this transaction has successfully been completed, this competitively awarded Prototype OT agreement may result in the award of a follow-on production contract or transaction without the use of competitive procedures.”
If you are having problems uploading your AOI submission to DIU, it may be one of these common issues with submitting, click here for solutions to common submission issues.
Need clarification? Having technical issues?
Reach out to our team.
*Required
If we think there’s a good match between your solution and our DoD partners, we’ll invite you to provide us with a full proposal — this is the beginning of negotiating all the terms and conditions of a proposed prototype contract.
After a successful prototype, the relationship can continue and even grow, as your company and any interested DoD entity can easily enter into follow-on contracts.
We solicit commercial solutions that address current needs of our DoD partners. (View all open solicitations and challenges.
You send us a short brief about your solution.
We’ll get back to you within 30 days if we’re interested in learning more through a pitch. If we're not interested, we'll strive to let you know ASAP.