DESCRIPTION

​​The U.S. Army is seeking innovative counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) solutions from eligible small and large businesses across the globe through the xTechCounter Strike competition. This platform offers participants the opportunity to engage with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), earn prize money and potentially receive a contract award or agreement.  

​The U.S. Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology (ASA(ALT)) is partnering with the U.S. Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF) and Global Tactical Edge Acquisition Directorate (GTEAD) to deliver the xTechCounter Strike competition. This initiative supports the U.S. Army’s broader effort to (1) identify and understand the spectrum of ‘world class’ technologies being developed commercially that benefit the U.S. military; (2) integrate non-traditional innovators into the U.S. DoD Science and Technology (S&T) ecosystem; (3) provide expertise and feedback to accelerate, mature, and transition technologies to support operational forces; and (4) deliver attritable, scalable capabilities that can be delivered within 90 days of challenge completion.  

​The xTechCounter Strike competition will consist of two phases:  

​(1) Application, including the following:  

​a. Four (4)-page white paper;  

​b. Self-certification of minimum requirements;  

​c. Per unit pricing, to include volume discount options;  

​d. Optional, but strongly recommended, three-minute video; and  

​e. Information on prior demonstrations with DoD or allied/partner nations  

​(2) Final experimentation event.  

​The U.S. Army intends to award up to $2.5 million in cash prizes throughout the competition to selected participants. Up to 15 finalists will be selected at the end of Part 1 of the competition and will receive a cash prize of $50,000 each and the opportunity to participate in the Part 2 Finals live experimentation event with a panel of U.S. Army, DoD and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) subject matter experts (SMEs) and end users in November 2025. Following the experimentation event, up to five (5) final winners will be selected to receive an additional cash prize of $350,000 each. Final winners may be considered for addition to the Global Tactical Edge Acquisition Directorate (G-TEAD) Marketplace, making them eligible for potential follow-on agreements and contracting opportunities. Any follow-on agreements are at the Government’s sole discretion and subject to availability of funding. If awarded, the Government intends for capability delivery within 90 days of agreement award. Additional details on prize structure can be found in Section VII of the RFI.  

​Final winners must have a CAGE/NCAGE code and sign the Master Business Agreement (MBA) to be eligible for addition into the G-TEAD Marketplace. A CAGE/NCAGE code is not required at the time of application. 

​At the Government’s discretion, participants that do not win a prize may also be considered for opportunities to demonstrate their capability and/or be added to the marketplace.  

​The xTechCounter Strike competition is conducted in accordance with 10 U.S.C. § 4025, which authorizes the use of prize competitions to stimulate innovation and identify promising technologies for national security applications. Requirements for competition under 10 U.S.C. § 3201 are satisfied upon completion of the challenge and use of prize authority. As such, this competition serves as a competitive down select mechanism that enables government organizations to engage with finalists and winners through a variety of follow-on acquisition pathways, including but not limited to:  

• ​10 U.S.C. § 4114 – Selection of contractors for prototype projects  
• ​10 U.S.C. § 4022 – Prototype projects  
• ​10 U.S.C. § 4023 – Procurement for experimental purposes  
• ​10 U.S.C. § 4001 – Research and development  
• ​10 U.S.C. § 4021 – Other Transaction Authority (OTA)  
• ​10 U.S.C. § 3458 – Authority to acquire innovative commercial products and commercial services using general solicitation competitive procedures  
• ​15 U.S.C. § 3703 – Technology innovation partnerships  
• ​15 U.S.C. § 638 – Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs  

​Government organizations are encouraged to consider leveraging these statutory authorities to pursue follow-on awards with companies identified through the xTech competition process. This approach supports rapid technology maturation, accelerates the transition of innovative capabilities to the field, and promotes collaboration with non-traditional and small business performers. While the authority of this program is 10 U.S.C. § 4025, the xTechCounter Strike competition may generate interest by other U.S. Army, DoD or USG organizations for a funding opportunity outside of this event. The interested organization may contact the participant to provide additional information or ask for a request for proposal in a separate solicitation. Finalists of the prize competition may have opportunities to submit a separate proposal for further development of their proposed technology solution based on the needs of the Army. The Army may use a contract mechanism of their choice and will notify the participants accordingly.  

​All xTechCounter Strike competition submissions are treated as privileged information and contents are disclosed to government employees, designated support contractors and NATO allies strictly for the purpose of evaluation and program support.  

​The xTech Program intends to provide feedback from evaluators to participants during each part of the competition. The purpose of providing this feedback is to help accelerate the transition of the technology to a U.S. Army end-user by providing insight into the best applications for the technology, suggestions for product improvement for U.S. Army use and recommended next steps for development. However, the Government will not respond to inquiries regarding this feedback. 

​Problem Statement 

​The U.S. Army anticipates future operations against technologically advanced adversaries in highly contested and dynamic environments. In these scenarios, the rapid proliferation of small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS)—used for surveillance, disruption, and kinetic effects— poses a growing threat to U.S. and allied forces. 

​Adversaries are leveraging these low-cost, rapidly deployable aerial platforms to challenge U.S. and allied operational advantages and increase risk to personnel and critical infrastructure. Current detection and defeat capabilities are often insufficient in complex terrain and fast evolving threat landscapes.  

​The Army seeks innovative, mature, ready-to-deploy (TRL 6+) C-UAS technologies that enhance force protection, increase situational awareness, and provide adaptable, scalable solutions. C-UAS detect, identify, track, and neutralize threats posed by unmanned aerial systems (UAS). C-UAS may utilize various sensor technologies to detect drones, including radar, radio frequency (RF) sensors, cameras (day and night vision), and acoustic sensors. They may also integrate sensor data to identify UAS characteristics, such as size, speed, flight path, and communication signals, to differentiate between friendly and hostile UAS. These capabilities should aim to mitigate operational risk, support rapid technology deployment, and expand collaboration with non-traditional and commercial innovators.  

​The exercise will test capabilities to effectively detect and defeat, or disrupt Group 1-3 UAS (UAS weighing up to 1320 lbs. with a travel speed of up to 250 kts). The Army is seeking to evaluate capabilities that demonstrate performance in one of four (4) capability areas, and meet the following criteria for its capability area:  

1. ​Passive UAS Detection: Optionally-manned Passive Detect capability that provides Early Warning, with the capability to pass air-track data to an active sensor (Tx On/Off automatic) while decreasing radar emissions.  
2. ​Active UAS Detection: Optionally-manned Active Detect capability that can receive airtrack data from a passive sensor, discriminate aerial targets, and provide fire solution to kinetic or no-collateral damage drone defeat.  
3. ​Defeat of UAS (Non-kinetic, kinetic, and other): Unmanned kinetic defeat or no collateral-damage capability that can be cued by an active sensor and engage automatically or on-order from a FAAD-based operator at a lower cost than the enemy target.  
4. ​Threat-simulated UAS: Unmanned (Group 1-3) UAS that simulates existing threat capabilities (RF emissions, Acoustic signature, radar signature, etc.).  

​Additionally, capabilities submitted for evaluation above shall meet the following criteria for capability areas 1-3 above, as applicable:  

• ​Must have technical interoperability with FAAD C2, U.S. Army Integrated Sensor Architecture (ISA), or equivalent standard (SAPIENT, etc.);  
• ​Must support the Defense Fires (c-UAS) layer of the Eastern Flank Deterrence Line (EFDL) and generate options for NATO and Combatant Commands to buy modular systems;  
• ​Must limit active radar emissions (detect, gain track quality data to prosecute engagement, then pass back to passive radar);  
• ​Must “hide-in-plain-sight” (i.e., be mountable to a trailer that can be covered with a tarp, not look like a military piece of equipment to uncover location to the enemy targeting cycle, etc.);  
• ​Must support military deception (i.e. can place attritable systems (decoys) to draw the enemy’s targeting focus to a low-value target);  
• ​Must be interoperable with sensors on a Secure, but Unclassified (SBU) network to proliferate an accessible communications architecture to multi-national partners;  
• ​Must be configurable to support Passive Defense Scheme;  
• ​Must be easily installed, de-installed, and moved; and  
• ​Must be TRL 6 or higher.  

​Capabilities submitted for evaluation in capability areas 1-3 should also meet the following criteria:  

• Should be iterative by nature, utilizing modular hardware augmented by adaptable software and critical components to prioritize “plug-and-play” capacity centered around Software-Defined Defense;  
• ​Should be adaptable, supporting a modular open systems architecture (MOSA) and is Size, Weight, Power, and Cost (SWaP-C) informed, interoperable with partners and allies; capable of adaptation at the tactical edge; and  
• ​Should be scalable to meet rapidly evolving end-user needs.​ 

SCHEDULE AND PRIZES

ELIGIBILITY

​​Eligible entities include nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations (i.e., large and small businesses) both domestic and foreign.  

​Each eligible entity:  

• ​Must be able to obtain a CAGE code (U.S. businesses) or NCAGE code (international businesses) to process payments and receive follow-on awards;  
• ​Shall be incorporated in, and maintain, a primary place of business in the U.S. or an allied foreign country; 
• ​Shall not be a U.S. Federal Government entity, foreign government entity or employ a U.S. Federal Employee acting within the scope of their employment;  
• ​Shall not be currently under contract, agreement or other providing similar capabilities in the region under the same use case to the Government for work described in the problem statement; and  
• ​Must not be based in a Foreign Country of Concern (FCOC), directly funded by an FCOC government or government-subsidized guidance fund, or under the influence of an FCOC government in any form.  

​Failure to meet any of the above requirements will result in ineligibility for award. All eligibility determinations are at the sole discretion of the U.S. Government.​