Completed Phase 1 – 23 February 2023 Government Only Collaboration Event (CE): SOFWERX will host the Collaboration Event (CE) with Government stakeholders to identify outputs for a Venture Capital (VC) Dashboard. During this event, Government stakeholders will identify and prioritize requirements and desirements for the Dashboard and will also identify current limitations with existing tools and ideate ways to fill capability gaps. Problem statement(s) will be developed to frame VC Dashboard needs. Outcomes from the Government Only Collaboration Event will shape the Industry, Academia, and Laboratory Collaboration Event on/around 12 April. Request to Attend NLT 15 February.

Tentative Agenda
All times listed are in ET
8:00 – 8:20: Participants arrive at SOFWERX
8:20 – 8:25: SOFWERX Welcome
8:25 – 8:35: Stakeholder (S&T Director) Overview & Problem Set
8:35 – 8:55: Guest VC Speaker
8:55 – 9:55: Current Limitations Breakout
9:55 – 10:05: Break
10:05 – 11:05: Ways to Overcome Limitations Breakout
11:05 – 12:05: Lunch (on your own)
12:05 – 2:30: Problem Statement Development
2:30 – 2:45: Break
2:45 – 3:15: Guest Speaker (Pitch VC)
3:15 – 4:15: Problem Statement Briefs
4:15 – 4:30: Voting
4:30 – 5:00: Path Forward

Note: Agenda is subject to change

This event will be held in person at SOFWERX in Tampa, FL.  

Completed Phase 2 – 11 April 2023 Collaboration Event (CE): During this event, Warfighters will interact with potential solution offerors and further communicate operational needs and desirements. Participation in this event is not mandatory, however, it is designed to provide insights to ensure potential offerors understand the problem set(s) fully and to increase the likelihood of matching their technologies with Warfighter needs. This CE is also an opportunity for attendees to meet and form partnerships that may provide a more comprehensive solution. Request to Attend NLT 24 March.

Tentative Agenda
All times listed are in ET
8:00 – 8:20: Participants arrive at SOFWERX
8:20 – 8:25: SOFWERX Welcome
8:25 – 8:45: Stakeholder Overview & Problem Set
8:45 – 9:15: Guest Speaker VC 101
9:15 – 9:30: Break
9:30 – 10:30: Current Limitations Breakout
10:30 – 11:30: Ways to Overcome Limitations Breakout
11:30 – 12:30: Lunch (on your own)
12:30 – 2:30: Problem Statement Development
2:30 – 2:45: Break
2:45 – 4:15: Problem Statement Briefs
4:15 – 4:45: Voting
4:45 – 5:00: Path Forward

Note: Agenda is subject to change

This event will be held in person at SOFWERX in Tampa, FL.

Phase 3 – 15-16 August 2023 Collaboration Event (CE): During this event, Warfighters will interact with representatives from the investment community with portfolios that align with SOF-unique mission sets to identify interests and opportunity spaces to support technology development and fielding for SOF. Additionally, USSOCOM and the investor community will identify priorities and potential pathways forward. Finally, participants will identify desired investment tool capabilities that facilitate alignment of USSOCOM emerging technology needs and investor opportunities. Participation in this event is not mandatory, however, it is designed to provide insights to ensure potential offerors understand the problem set(s) fully and to increase the likelihood of matching their technologies with Warfighter needs. This CE is also an opportunity for attendees to meet and form partnerships that may provide a more comprehensive solution. Request to Attend NLT 12 July.

 Tentative Agenda
All times listed are in ET
15 August
8:00 – 8:20: Participants arrive at SOFWERX
8:20 – 8:25: SOFWERX Welcome
8:25-8:55: Participant Introductions
8:55-9:25:  Government Business Opportunities
9:25 – 9:45: Break
9:45 – 10:45: DARPA Business Processes1
10:45 – 11:45: SOCOM Business Processes/OSBP/SBIR
11:45 – 1:15: Lunch (on your own)
1:15 – 2:45: VC Business Processes and Risk Model
2:45 – 3:00: Break
3:00 – 4:00: Small Business Success Stories
4:00 – 4:30: Wrap-Up

Note: Agenda is subject to change

16 August
8:00 – 8:20: Participants arrive at SOFWERX
8:20 – 8:25: SOFWERX Welcome
8:25 – 8:45: Stakeholder Overview & Problem Set
8:45 – 10:00: Current Limitations Breakouts
10:00 – 10:15: Break
10:15 – 10:20: Current Limitations Recap
10:20 – 11:30: Ways to Overcome Limitations Breakout
11:30 – 12:30: Lunch (on your own)
12:30 – 2:00: Problem Statement Development
2:00 – 2:15: Break
2:15 – 3:30: Problem Statement Briefs
3:30 – 3:45: Break
3:45 – 4:15: Voting
4:15 – 4:30: Path Forward

This event will be held in person at SOFWERX in Tampa, FL.

Phase 4 – 01 September 2023 to 29 September 2023 Submissions to the Assessment Event (AE) Open: Interested respondents who could potentially provide solutions that meet the needs of USSOCOM are encouraged to submit their capability for USSOCOM review. To submit your technology for potential Phase 6 attendance, please review the assessment criteria and follow the submission instructions that will be near the bottom of this webpage on/around 01 September.

Phase 4a – 13 September 2023 Q&A Telecon: Interested offerors may participate in a virtual Q&A session to better understand the PM’s specific technology objectives. The telecon will take place on 13 September from 2:00–3:00 PM ET. RSVP form will be available on/around 01 September.

Phase 5 – 02 October 2023 to 11 October 2023 Downselect: USSOCOM will downselect those respondents/submissions they feel have the highest potential to satisfy their technology needs. Favorably evaluated submissions will receive an invitation to attend the AE on/around 11 October.

Phase 6 – 07 November 2023 to 09 November 2023 Assessment Event (AE): During the AE, selected participants will be allotted a one-on-one session with the USSOCOM evaluation panel to pitch, demonstrate, and/or discuss their solutions. The forum will include a Q&A portion and discussions may continue outside of the event. Solution brief presentation guidelines will be outlined in the event invitation and solutions will be assessed according to the criteria in the link provided below. If the USSOCOM evaluation panel favorably evaluates a solution brief, negotiations for Phase 7 may immediately begin.

Phase 7 – Path Forward: Successfully negotiated awards may fall under any combination of these categories:

• Business to business research and development agreement as a sub-award through the SOFWERX Partnership Intermediary Agreement (PIA) (15 U.S. Code Section 3715)
• OTA for research or prototype projects (10 U.S. Code Sections 4021, 4022)
  • An award under 10 U. S. Code, Section 4022 may result in the further award of a follow-on production agreement without additional competition based on successful prototype completion. The Government may make this follow-on production award even if all successful prototype criteria are not fully met during the prototype project.
• Procurement for experimental purposes (10 U.S. Code Section 4023)
• Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (15 U.S. Code Section 3710a)
• Prizes for advanced technology achievements (10 U. S. Code Section 4025) and/or prize competitions (15 U.S. Code 3719)
• FAR-based procurement contract 

NOTE: Awardees may need to be compliant with NIST SP 800-171, Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) in Non-Federal Systems and Organizations

Government and Venture Capitalists
Event attendance is for US Federal Employees and Contractors and US industry only

1. Request to attend the 15-16 August Collaboration Event: Click Here to Request to Attend (NLT 12 July)
2. Review Assessment Criteria: Will be Posted on or about 01 September
3. Download the White Paper Template: Will be Posted on or about 01 September
4. Complete the Submission Form: Will be Posted on or about 01 September

Questions?? 
For event-related questions, please contact Gabby Robles, gabrielle.robles@sofwerx.org