DIU Presents: iDEX Maritime Intelligence, Surveillance, and Recognizance (ISR) Challenge

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Submission Deadline: November 10, 2023

The U.S. Government is seeking multi-sensor fusion algorithms to detect oil spills on the surface of the ocean in near-real-time. Currently, a variety of sensors for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance of coastlines are utilized to protect from multiple threats. Using these existing sensor streams, the aim is to field machine learning algorithms that can identify, characterize, and geolocate oil spills on the surface of the ocean in all lighting and weather conditions.

Q&A Forum:

The Q&A Forum for this challenge can be found in dropdown menu in the top left corner of the page. Please feel free to ask your questions here! A transcript of the "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) Session is listed in the Campaign Brief of the Q&A Forum.

Campaign Brief

Event Overview:

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), with support from the Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO) and the U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Strike Team, (USCG PST), will run a Pitch Challenge to identify capabilities to detect and track oil spills.

A team of subject matter experts will evaluate applicants and select up to the top 15 companies as finalists for participation in the virtual Pitch Day in December 2023. A total of $150,000 in awards will be awarded to the top performing company/companies.

NAVOCEANO and the USCG PST are eagerly looking forward to evaluating oil spill detection and tracking technology pitches that ultimately contribute to a growth in startups capable of supporting commercial, regulatory, and defense applications of this technology.

Benefits of Participating:

• $150,000 in awards to the top performing company/companies
• Exposure to leaders across multiple branches of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) responsible for the development and deployment of oil detection and tracking technologies
• Potential for follow-on opportunities such as Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs), Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), and others

Eligibility:

• U.S. Owned and Operated Startups
• Active registration in SAM.gov
• Early-Mid Stage Ventures (i.e., little to no DoD contracts, equal to or earlier than Series A); or Non-Traditional Defense Contractors
• With the ability to demonstrate the solution’s capabilities by December 2023

Timeline:

October 4, 2023: Solicitation Release - IdeaScale, challenge.gov, NSIN website, DIU website

October 18, 2023: “Ask Me Anything” Session, 11-1 PM EST

November 10, 2023: Solicitation Closes & Down-selection Begins

November 22, 2023: Down-selection Ends & Finalists Announced

December 4, 2023: Pitch Rehearsal

December 7, 2023: Pitch Event

December 12, 2023: Winner Announced

Problem Statement:

We are seeking multi-sensor fusion algorithms to detect oil spills on the surface of the ocean in near-real-time. Currently, a variety of sensors for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance of coastlines are utilized to protect from multiple threats. Using these existing sensor streams, the aim is to field machine learning algorithms that can identify, characterize, and geolocate oil spills on the surface of the ocean in all lighting and weather conditions.

Judging Criteria:

Applications and Pitches will be judged on five major criteria:

Technical: Soundness, technical merit, innovation of proposed approach, and feasibility of the?proposed solution.

Team: Qualifications of proposed principals, support staff, and consultants.

Commercialization: Company has a technology solution that is viable in non-defense markets.

Quality of Pitch: Company presents a clear and concise overview of its company and technology, demonstrates how its technology solves one or more of the defined problem areas, and effectively answers questions from strategic advisors.

Operational Effectiveness: Proposed solution aligns with listed features.

Technical Features:

We are seeking platforms with the following features:

Required:

• Fusion of multiple sensor streams to detect oil spills that are larger than 100,000 gallons.
• X-band radar, electro-optical and low-light cameras, satellites.
• Detect, geolocate, and trace the oil spill region.
• Characterize the oil spill as natural or man-made.
• Detection of oil spills in <6 hours from their origin.

Desired:

• Detection of minor (0 - 10,000 gallons) and medium oil spills (10,000 - 100,000 gallons).
• Forecasting the direction and speed of spread of the oil spill.
• Assessing the density of the oil spill.
• Prescribing the preferred responses for the oil spill (boom, scoop, burn, and/or evaporate).

End-User: U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard

Pitch Deck Submission Requirements:

Teams will submit a pitch deck outlining their technology capabilities that addresses the required and desired features above. Pitch decks should meet the following format requirements:

• Sized 16:9 (1920x1080 pixels)
• Horizontal presentation
• PDF file
• Maximum 10 slides

Background Information:

About NAVOCEANO

We optimize America’s sea power by applying relevant oceanographic knowledge in support of U.S. national security. We will assure the Navy’s oceanographic knowledge superiority and reduce risk by providing the forecast battlespace through smart collection, focused analysis, and responsive delivery.

?About USCG PST

The U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Strike Team is one of five units that comprise the U.S. Coast Guard National Strike Force (NSF). The NSF includes: the National Strike Force Coordination Center, the Atlantic Strike Team, the Gulf Strike Team, the Pacific Strike Team, and the Coast Guard Incident Management Assist Team. The NSF is a National Contingency Plan special team, established by the USCG (40 CFR 300.145), that provides highly trained, experienced personnel and specialized equipment to Coast Guard and other federal agencies to facilitate preparedness for and response to oil and hazardous substance pollution incidents in order to protect public health and the environment.

About Defense Innovation Unit

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) strengthens national security by accelerating the adoption of commercial technology throughout the military and bolstering our allied and national security innovation bases. DIU partners with organizations across the Department of Defense (DoD) to rapidly prototype and field dual-use capabilities that solve operational challenges at speed and scale. With offices in Silicon Valley, Boston, Austin, Chicago and inside the Pentagon, DIU is the Department’s gateway to leading technology companies across the country.

About National Security Innovation Network (NSIN)

The National Security Innovation Network (NSIN) is a program office in the U.S. Department of Defense, nested within the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). We are set up to collaborate with a wide variety of innovators to include universities, researchers, students, entrepreneurs and start-ups. We create opportunities for collaboration across communities and connect those that might not traditionally work in national security. Together, we help drive national security innovation and develop technologies that directly support the individuals responsible for protecting our country.

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Intellectual Property Considerations:

Applicants retain ownership of existing Intellectual Property (IP) submitted under this Challenge and agree that their submissions are their original work. Applicants are presumed to have sufficient rights to submit the submission. For any submission made to the Challenge, you grant DIU, NAVOCEANO, and USCG a limited license to use this IP for testing and evaluation for efforts specifically related to the Challenge. DIU, NAVOCEANO, and USCG will negotiate with individual competitors in the event additional usage, integration, or development is contemplated.

Other Transaction Authority:

This DIU Challenge public announcement is an open call to small businesses and non-traditional defense contractors seeking innovative, commercial technologies proposed to create new DoD solutions or potential new capabilities fulfilling requirements, closing capability gaps, or providing potential technological advancements, technologies fueled by commercial or strategic investment, but also concept demonstrations, pilots, and agile development activities improving commercial technologies, existing Government-owned capabilities, or concepts for broad Defense application(s). As such, the Government reserves the right to award a contract or an Other Transaction for any purpose, to include a prototype or research, under this public announcement. The Federal Government is not responsible for any monies expended by the applicant before award and is under no obligation to pursue such Other Transactions.

Satisfying Competition Requirements:

This DIU Challenge Open Call Announcement is considered to have potential for further efforts that may be accomplished via FAR-based contracting instruments, Other Transaction Authority (OTA) for Prototype Projects 10 USC 4022 and Research 10 USC 4021, Prizes for advanced technology achievements 10 USC 4025, and/or Prize Competitions 15 USC 3719. The public open call announcement made on the IdeaScale website is considered to satisfy the reasonable effort to obtain competition in accordance with 10 USC 4025(b), 15 USC 3719 (e) and 10 USC 4022 (b)(2). Accordingly, FAR-based actions will follow announcement procedures per FAR 5.201(b).