xTechSearch 3

The Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology (ASA(ALT)) is announcing the third cohort of the Army xTechSearch prize competition. xTechSearch will highlight opportunities for small businesses to collaborate with the Army to tackle the most critical Army modernization challenges.

The ASA(ALT) recognizes that the Army must enhance engagements with the entrepreneurial funded community, small businesses, and other non-traditional defense entities, by:

1. Understanding the spectrum of technologies being developed commercially that may benefit the Army;
2. Integrating the sector of non-traditional defense entities into the Army’s Science and Technology (S&T) ecosystem;
3. Providing mentorship and expertise to accelerate, mature, and transition technologies of interest to the Army.

The xTechSearch program will provide resourcing to select small businesses to demonstrate proof of concept for their technologies pertaining to Army challenges. The program will also integrate these small businesses into the Army’s S&T ecosystem by providing research opportunities with Army labs, including access to the Army’s organic intellectual and technical capital. xTechSearch is an opportunity for businesses to pitch novel technology solutions – a new application for an existing technology or a new technology concept entirely – to the Army. The Army will provide non-dilutive seed prizes for the small businesses to demonstrate proof of concept in an Army-relevant challenge area.

The authority of this program is 15 United States Code (USC) §3719.

The entities allowed to participate in this competition must be sole proprietors or small business concerns in accordance with Small Business Administration guidance under 13 Code of Federal Regulations § 121.201, or any entity willing and able to be registered as a small business if selected to participate in this competition.

Each eligible entity:

• Shall be incorporated in, and maintain, a primary place of business in the United States;
• May not be a Federal entity or employ a Federal employee acting within the scope of their employment

Sole proprietors may participate in xTechSearch if the individual is a citizen or national of the U.S. or a lawful permanent resident of the U.S. and the business is registered in the U.S. Foreign companies may participate in xTechSearch by establishing a U.S. domestic business relationship (e.g., wholly owned U.S. subsidiary) or partner with an U.S. based company. Companies that have previously participated in the xTechSearch competition are eligible to participate for new technology concepts or improvements to prior submitted proposals.

Submissions will be evaluated by a panel of Army science and technology ecosystem including Warfighter, acquisition, and research and development subject matter experts.

Part 1: Concept White Paper

Concept White Papers will be ranked using the following Scoring Criteria:

• Potential for Impact/Revolutionizing the Army – 45%
• Scientific and Engineering Viability – 45%
• Proposal Quality – 10%

Part 2: Technology Pitches

Technology Pitches will be evaluated and ranked using the following Scoring Criteria:

• Potential for Impact/Revolutionizing the Army - 40%
• Scientific and Engineering Viability - 40%
• Team Ability - 10%
• Presentation Quality - 10%

Semifinals

AUSA Innovators’ Corner Pitches will be ranked using the following Scoring Criteria:

• Part 2 Results – 70%
• Proof-of-Concept Demonstration Plan – 20%
• Elevator Pitch – 10%

Finals

Capstone Demonstrations will be ranked using the following Scoring Criteria:

• Potential for Impact/Revolutionizing the Army – 30%
• Scientific and Engineering Viability - 30%
• Team Ability – 10%
• Demonstration Execution - 20%
• Presentation Quality – 10%

The xTechSearch program is voluntary and open to all entities that meet the eligibility requirements. There may be only one submission per eligible entity. The registration information and upload submission must be received by 11:59 PM PST on June 12, 2019. Submissions received after the deadline will not be considered.

The Phase I submission must be a concept white paper, submitted using the template found on the registration page. Any proposals submitted in a format other than that provided by the template will not be reviewed. Please name your submission file using your company’s name (i.e. ACME.pdf). All submissions must be made at the registration site above and identify one or more Army Focus Areas that the technology supports.

All xTech submissions are treated as privileged information and contents are disclosed to Government employees or designated support contractors only for the purpose of evaluation and program support.

Written feedback will be provided to all participants at the end of each phase. The purpose of providing this feedback is to provide insight on the Government’s application of the scoring criteria. However, the Government will not respond to questions or inquiries regarding this feedback.

While the authority of this program is 15 USC §3719, a concept white paper submitted to the xTechSearch program may generate interest by another Army organization for a funding opportunity outside of this program (e.g., submission of a proposal under a Broad Agency Announcement). The interested Army organization may contact the participant to provide additional information.

Registered participants shall be required to assume any and all risks and waive claims against the Federal Government and its related entities, except in the case of willful misconduct, for any injury, death, damage, or loss of property, revenue, or profits, whether direct, indirect, or consequential, arising from their participation in this prize competition, whether the injury, death, damage, or loss arises through negligence or otherwise.

Participants shall be required to obtain liability insurance or demonstrate financial responsibility, in amounts determined by the Army, for claims by—

• Third parties for death, bodily injury, or property damage, or loss resulting from an activity carried out in connection with participation in this prize competition, with the Federal Government named as an additional insured under the registered participant’s insurance policy and registered participants agreeing to indemnify the Federal Government against third party claims for damages arising from or related to prize competition activities; and
• Federal Government for damage or loss to Government property resulting from such an activity.

Intellectual property

The Army is a strong proponent of deliberate intellectual property (IP) rights and management by the private sector and the Department of Defense. For the xTechSearch program:

• The Federal Government may not gain an interest in IP developed by a participant without the written consent of the participant;
• Nothing in this xTechSearch prize competition shall diminish the Government’s rights in patents, technical data, technical information, computer software, computer databases, and computer software documentation that the Government had prior to this xTechSearch prize competition, or is entitled to, under any other Government Agreement or contract, or is otherwise entitled to under law; and
• The Federal Government may negotiate a license for the use of IP developed by a registered participant in the prize competition.

Dr. Matt Willis and Mr. Daniel Coffman

ASA(ALT)

Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, Research and Technology

2800 Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA 22202

Email: usarmy.pentagon.hqda-asa-alt.mbx.xtechsearch@mail.mil