OBJECTIVE
The United States Space Force (USSF) is seeking innovative solutions to develop and deliver a secure, modular, and user-centric platform that provides information and decision support to Task Force Futures (TF-F) and associated U.S. Space Force (USSF) innovation stakeholders. The solution should enable TF-F to achieve a consolidated, streamlined, and holistic view of the industry and investment ecosystem with a particular focus on science and technology (S&T) capabilities, capital flow patterns, and innovation trends relevant to future space operations. The solution will enhance TF-F's ability to:
- Track and assess S&T portfolios across government, commercial, and academic sectors
- Integrate business intelligence and technology forecasting indicators to support strategic planning
- Align external innovation activities with Objective Force Design priorities
- Reduce inefficiencies and improve communication of RDT&E demand signals to industry and investors
- Strengthen institutional knowledge retention and support repeatable, data-informed co-investment strategies
Proposed systems should emphasize interoperability with existing government data holdings, usability across classified and unclassified environments, and scalability to support broader adoption across USSF organizations including SpaceWERX, the Commercial Space Office (COMSO), and Task Force Futures.
ITAR
The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws.
DESCRIPTION
The U.S. Space Force (USSF), through organizations such as Task Force Futures (TF-F) and the Commercial Space Office (COMSO), plays a vital role in identifying, integrating, and accelerating emerging technologies with national security relevance. These entities are tasked with shaping future space capabilities by engaging commercial innovators, tracking science and technology (S&T) developments, and aligning public-private investment activities. However, these efforts are currently constrained by a fragmented and siloed data environment. There is no unified platform that allows Space Force stakeholders to maintain real-time situational awareness of national and global S&T trends, track venture and strategic capital flows, assess emerging technology trajectories, or retain institutional knowledge of industry interactions. The absence of such a platform creates persistent challenges, including:
- Disconnected and reactive industry engagement
- Redundant outreach efforts and repeated learning cycles
- Inefficient alignment of RDT&E priorities with commercial innovation activity
- Missed opportunities for strategic co-investment and transition
As the USSF moves toward greater commercial integration, there is a clear and urgent need for a mission-aligned, data-driven platform to consolidate insights across the S&T and investment landscape. This platform must bridge the gap between government demand signals and commercial capability supply enabling more effective technology planning, improved transparency, and faster, more informed decision-making. Proposed solutions should address this strategic need by enabling:
- Holistic ecosystem visibility across companies, technologies, and investors while protecting access
- Deeper insight into innovation trajectories and private capital allocation
- Institutional knowledge capture to support continuity and repeatable strategy
- Scalable, modular tools that empower proactive co-investment planning
Ultimately, this capability is essential to help the Space Force move at the pace of innovation, deepen collaboration with non-traditional partners, and maintain U.S. technological advantage in an increasingly competitive space domain.
PHASE I
This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into Phase II. Therefore, Phase I awards will not be made for this topic. The applicant is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct-to-Phase-II (D2P2) proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of a Phase I-type effort, including a feasibility study. This includes determining, insofar as possible, the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas appearing to have commercial potential. It must have validated the product-mission fit between the proposed solution and a potential U.S. Air Force (USAF) and/or USSF stakeholder. The applicant should have defined a clear, immediately actionable plan with the proposed solution and the U.S. Department of Air Force (DAF) customer and end-user. The feasibility study should have:
Clearly identified the potential stakeholders of the adapted solution for solving the USAF and/or USSF need(s).
Described the pathway to integrating with DAF operations, to include how the applicant plans to accomplish core technology development, navigate applicable regulatory processes, and integrate with other relevant systems and/or processes.
Describe if and how the solution can be used by other U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) or Governmental customers.
PHASE II
Under this Direct-to-Phase II (D2P2) effort, the U.S. Space Force's Task Force Futures (Concepts & Technology Delta) seeks the development of a secure, scalable, and modular platform that provides comprehensive visibility into the evolving national and global Science & Technology (S&T) landscape. The solution should serve as a decision-support tool that bridges the government, commercial industry, and investment communities, enabling proactive planning, coordination, and co-investment in emerging technologies relevant to U.S. space operations. The Phase II proposal will not exceed 10 pages in length. Offerors shall build on prior feasibility work (i.e., a completed Phase I-equivalent effort) and deliver a working prototype platform that meets the following core objectives:
Assess Technology Trajectories
Identify and track all R&D activities across industry and academia, capability development timelines, and technical readiness in areas of interest to the Space Force
Visualize technology maturation paths and alignment to strategic need
Analyze Capital Flow and Investment Trends
Provide insight into private and strategic investor activities
Track funding allocations across emerging sectors and identify key financial backers of dual-use or defense-relevant capabilities
Assess convergence or misalignment between private capital and government priorities
Capture and Retain Institutional Knowledge
Develop structured knowledge management frameworks to document past and ongoing engagements between the government, companies, and investors
Enable continuity across personnel changes and reduce duplicated outreach efforts
Facilitate Co-Investment Planning
Support planning and coordination of joint investment strategies between the government and private sector
Provide automation features to assist in early-stage scouting, portfolio analysis, and strategic transition planning
Enable Situational Awareness and Data Exploration
Present relevant, high-quality insights via an intuitive and user-friendly interface
Support data-driven prioritization, trend identification, and exploratory analysis
Ensure Data Governance and Accountability
Implement robust controls for data access, version control, and leadership oversight
Ensure auditability and integrity of outputs produced within the solution
For platform expectations, solutions may include:
- Secure and scalable, with the ability to operate in both classified and unclassified environments
- Designed using modular, open architectures to ensure future extensibility
- Capable of integrating with existing government datasets and tools
- Built with user-centric design principles, emphasizing speed, clarity, and intuitive functionality for non-technical users
At a minimum, Phase II shall result in:
- A functional prototype solution with validated performance across the capabilities listed above
- Documentation of system architecture, data integration pathways, and governance models
- Operational testing in representative environments, including government end-user feedback cycles
- A roadmap for Phase III transition and deployment, including stakeholder engagement and sustainment strategies
PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS
The Phase III effort will focus on transitioning the capability developed in Phase II into both operational government use and commercial markets, leveraging non-SBIR/STTR funding sources. The goal is to mature the platform into a scalable, production-ready solution that supports sustained adoption by the U.S. Space Force (USSF), other Department of the Air Force (DAF) entities, and potential commercial or interagency partners.
Commercialization and Scale-Up
Transition the prototype into a commercially viable product or service offering.
Pursue partnerships, license agreements, or direct sales to private-sector firms, defense contractors, or allied governments.
Secure investment or co-funding to support manufacturing, integration, and service delivery at scale.
Regulatory Compliance and Certification
Identify and obtain any necessary approvals, certifications, or accreditations for operational deployment within DAF networks or mission environments.
Ensure compliance with applicable cybersecurity, interoperability, and data management standards (e.g., Zero Trust Architecture, RMF/ATO, CUI/FOUO requirements).
Transition Planning and Execution
Develop a detailed transition plan outlining technical milestones, user onboarding, sustainment models, and integration pathways into relevant operational workflows.
Coordinate with program offices, technical stakeholders, and end-users to ensure successful adoption and lifecycle sustainment of the platform.
Additional DAF Customer Opportunities
Explore expansion to additional DAF stakeholders beyond Task Force Futures, including the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), SpaceWERX, Space Systems Command (SSC), and DIU.
Tailor the solution for use by other DoD entities or government partners seeking S&T insight, dual-use technology tracking, or co-investment planning capabilities.
Demonstrate interoperability with broader Department of Defense (DoD) enterprise tools and innovation ecosystems.
Outcome Objective:
By successfully executing Phase III, the solution will deliver lasting impact by enhancing the government's ability to shape the national technology ecosystem, accelerate dual-use capability development, and strengthen public-private alignment. The technology should contribute to national security, economic competitiveness, and mission-readiness across both defense and commercial domains.
REFERENCES
https://innovation.defense.gov/Portals/63/DIB%20Scaling%20Nontraditional%20Defense%20Innovation%20250113%20PUBLISHED.pdf
https://www.natsec100.org/natsec100-2025
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