The Department of Defense’s Washington Headquarters Services has issued a draft request for white papers on the establishment of an industrial base policy consortium to help expand DOD’s access to commercially available technologies.
WHS plans to award a consortium-managed other transaction agreement in support of the agency’s Manufacturing, Capability Expansion and Investment Prioritization Directorate, according to a presolicitation notice posted Sunday on SAM.gov.
The directorate aims to address defense supply chain issues, commercialize research and development efforts and sustain critical production to meet urgent requirements of the defense industrial base.
A consortium manager will also oversee efforts to speed up technology acquisition processes and increase DOD’s engagement with nontraditional defense contractors and nonprofit research institutions.
The agency will seek input from industry sources on addressing critical defense supply chain vulnerabilities in the areas of hypersonics, energy storage and batteries, microelectronics and castings and forgings.
Responses to the draft solicitation are due April 13.
