Innovation in Support of Operations: Phase 2

Overview

The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is pleased to launch Phase Two of our fast paced Themed Competition Innovation in Support of Operations. Run on behalf of the Ministry of Defence, this competition is looking for innovative proposals that are cost competitive, designed for manufacture, and can be scaled in an approximate twelve-month timeframe.

Scope

The UK Government continuously evaluates insights from global events, to rapidly implement solutions that strengthen military and economic advantage.

This competition aims to identify and accelerate innovative solutions and techniques, ensuring they can be scaled and deployed faster than our adversaries.

The Requirement

Our areas of interest are:

UAS Propulsion
Repair of 155mm Artillery barrels
Autonomous navigation systems for UAS and USVs
Seekers
UAS detect and destroy

DASA reserves the right to change challenge areas between cycles.

These challenges are designed to identify innovations that could be deployed, at an appropriate scale, in operational areas within 12 months.

It is therefore essential that proposals include not just what is proposed, but also demonstrate that viable solutions could be manufactured and scaled up for deployment in a relevant timeframe.

Exploitation

For DASA insider routes for exploitation, ensure your deliverables are designed with the aim of making it as easy as possible for collaborators/stakeholders to identify the innovative elements of your proposal.

Innovators must ensure that their proposal offers sufficient information for the Authority (Secretary of State for Defence, acting on behalf of the Crown) to enable exploitation of it via possible future phases of procurement.

All proposals to DASA should articulate the expected development in technology maturity of the potential solution over the lifetime of the project and how this relates to improved capability against the current known (or presumed) baseline.

Following demonstration and project completion, the project will either be allocated to a further development or procurement route or cease as no longer required.

If, following completion, a project is selected for further development or procurement then additional or alternative DEFCONs and/or clauses may likely apply to any future contract.

Competition challenges

This competition has five challenges. As well as brand new innovations, this competition welcomes proposals that outline an innovative approach to reusing existing products, which may not yet have been tested for these purposes, but which it is expected could be successfully applied to these challenges.

For all challenge areas, we are seeking to identify solutions and techniques that can be accelerated into scalable and deliverable effect faster than our adversaries at market leading prices.

Eligibility

DASA are interested in proposals that evidence:

how competitive market-leading unit pricing and scalable manufacture is built into the proposal from the outset, clearly benchmarked against existing market solutions or closest substitute capabilities and how both the output and the manufacturing techniques can be demonstrated within the timeframe of the project.

innovation or a creative approach.
clear demonstration of how the proposed work applies to a defence and security context, and how it can be exploited in phases of development beyond this DASA competition.

For further information on each challenge, please see here

Exclusions

DASA are not interested in proposals that:

cannot achieve TRL 6 within the project period.
have already been sold into the UK Defence Marketplace, unless adapted or repurposed in an innovative way and this is made clear in your proposal.
are UAV Platforms.
rely on rare or exclusive means of manufacture that would preclude deployment at an appropriate scale in an operational theatre within 12 months – the ability to exercise existing industry is likely to be important .
constitute consultancy, paper-based studies or literature reviews which just summarise the existing literature without any view of future innovation
are an unsolicited resubmission.
offer demonstrations of off-the-shelf products requiring no experimental development (unless applied in a novel way to the challenge).
offer no real long-term prospect of integration into defence and security capabilities.
offer no real prospect of out-competing existing technological solutions in price, while maintaining enough performance to be relevant.

Critical elements to include

When writing your proposal, ensure you have comprehensively covered the following elements:

focus on the Competition requirements to deliver to a TRL 6 demonstration at the end of the project.
the proposal should demonstrate how it can be scaled to deliver at an appropriate scale in an operational theatre within 12 months. Measurable information on planned quantities, costs and timescales should be utilised to demonstrate scalability.
all proposed milestones for delivery of your proposal must be costed, with a clear breakdown of allocated costs.
your proposal must demonstrate how you will complete all activities/services and provide all deliverables within the competition timescales. Proposals with any deliverables (including final report) outside the competition timeline will be rejected as non-compliant.
include a list of other government funding you have received in this area. Make it clear how this proposal differs from that work.
include a detailed project plan with clear milestones and deliverables. Deliverables need to be well defined and designed to provide evidence of progress against the project plan. Your deliverables must include a written final report and an in person demonstration.
plan (and cost) for attendance at the following meetings, which will all be in the UK. Meetings may take place virtually. Slides presented at these meetings should be marked with the correct classification and made available.

– a kick-off meeting at the start of the project

– an end of project in person demonstration

– fortnightly reviews with the appointed Technical Partner and Project Manager

– close down meeting at the end of the project

identify any ethical / legal / regulatory factors. Associated risks should be added to the Risk Register in Step 5 of the submission service along with details of how they will be managed, including break points in the project if approvals are not received.

Funding Costs

DASA are expecting proposals to cost no more than £350,000. A number of proposals may be funded. We expect total funding across cycles 4, 5 and 6 to be £4 Million (excluding VAT)

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