Pentagon Seeks Innovative Commercial Tech to Address COVID-19 Pandemic

The U.S. Air Force—on behalf of the Defense Department—is looking outside the military for innovative commercial technology, processes, methods and research that could address the national crisis posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

On April 6, the Air Force Acquisition COVID-19 Task Force issued a solicitation for new technologies to address seven mission areas: combating the COVID-19 spread; welfare of citizens; readiness; logistics; industrial base impacts; medical and other areas that support the national response to the pandemic.

The Air Force seeks those technologies under the Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Joint Acquisition Task Force, which was launched last month to “synchronize and support the acquisition” of the Defense Department’s response for COVID-19 resources.

The solicitation is open broadly to the public and references defense contractors, large and small businesses, research institutions and nontraditional contractors that “fulfill requirements, close capability gaps, or provide potential technological advancements” to provide “relief, resiliency, recovery and stability” to the nation amid the pandemic.

The Air Force indicates offerors could be awarded contracts under Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 12—or other transaction authority—and could include prototype or follow-on production.

Submission briefs are due by Sept. 30.