Govt S&T offices deal in command approved capability gaps that deal primarily in materiel solutions. Typically, their focus is in the coming 3-7 year timeframe but they are always on the lookout for transformational capabilities that will provide decisive overmatch for warfighters harm's way. That said, they also function as technology scouts, keeping an eye out for that innovative development that is a potential game changer.
The following links provide means to get your innovation in front of the SOF community through teaming in a collaborative setting and or cataloging your technology to make the information accessible and searchable by potential government clients.
The first is SOFWERX located in Ybor City, Tampa, Florida. It is a partnership between USSOCOM HQ and the Donavon Group, a nonprofit that provides a non-attributional forum for collaborative innovation, prototyping and exploration with industry, labs and academic partners with the mission of solving hard problems in the Special Operations Forces (SOF) operational environment both current and future. SOFWERX schedules
- Schedules collaboration events at: https://www.sofwerx.org/events-calendar/
- Archives previous efforts at: https://www.sofwerx.org/pdf-wrappers/
- Provides a weekly Tech update at: https://www.sofwerx.org/techwatch/
Second the USSOCOM Acquisition Technology and Logistics (AT&L) directorate
https://www.socom.mil/SOF-ATL/ provides access through
its Broad Agency Announcements (BAA) and Requests for Information (RFI)
https://www.socom.mil/SOF-ATL/Pages/baa.aspx to commercial, industry and R&D organizations with access points for partnership and Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) opportunities.
Also, you can and should register your company and developmental products at the VULCAN website. By doing so, you provide DoD and other federal offices visibility and access to your company profile and product line. Register at: https://www.vulcan-sof.com/login/auth
FYI the top US Army SOF S&T Gaps for 2019 are:
- Communications in a Contested Electromagnetic Environment
- Long Distance High bandwidth
- Non-satellite Relay Links AI-Enabled Intelligence
- Surveillance, Reconnaissance Capabilities
- Non-GPS Positioning Navigation and Timing
- Standoff Electronic Denial
Finally, LTC JJ Snow the Innovation Officer at SOFWERX has presented a great briefing in the Futures, Innovation and Discovery arena. You can access one of her recent Advanced Technology presentations in the Strategic Multilayer Assessment (SMA) forum sponsored by the Joint Staff J39 directorate at the
following NSI link.
https://nsiteam.com/operating-at-speed-in-technology-influenced-environments/