SOCOM Looks to Invite Companies to Demonstrate Exploitation Technologies, Closes Request for Information

Washington, D.C. – Special Operations Command (SOCOM) plans to evaluate selected exploitation technologies March 27-31 at Camp Atterbury in Indiana.

What’s an RFI? A Request for Information (RFI) is a standard business process whose purpose is to collect written information about the capabilities of various suppliers. Normally it follows a format that can be used for comparative purposes.

SOCOM solicited candidates in a Nov. 7 Federal Register notice inviting industry, academia, individuals, and government labs to submit technology nominations for which the command will provide input.

The intent of the event is to enhance collaboration between SOCOM and technology producers as well as to highlight technologies that support sensitive site exploitation (SSE), military information support operations (MISO), and human performance, the notice said.

The response date for submissions closed at Noon Eastern Standard Time on Dec. 7.

The RFI also announced anticipated dates for tentative future technology demonstrations. SOCOM plans to open an RFI in February 2017 for demonstrations of command, control, communications, and computers (C4) and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) technologies at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River July 17-21. Also, it plans to open a third RFI in June 2017 for combat swimmer/diver technologies at the Army Diving Training Center in Key West, Florida Nov. 13-17.

SOCOM Outlines Technology Areas of Interest

 SOCOM listed specific technologies and capabilities under each area it seeks to explore during the March demonstration.

For Sensitive Site Exploitation (SSE) technologies, it seeks voice matching; hand-held hidden chamber materials of interest detection; rapid DNA portable processing; facial recognition up to one kilometer; dustless fingerprint collection; media exploitation capabilities; explosive detection kits; and embedded hazard detection.

For MISO, SOCOM seeks technologies that can provide persistent cellular data service into denied areas; sentiment analysis of social media comments; radio, television, internet messaging, and cellular access into denied areas; and automated translation technology.

Finally, for human performance, the command seeks physiological status and heart rate monitoring devices; optimal performance strategies for harsh conditions; novel technologies that can enhance performance; methods for measuring the nutritional status of SOF operators; and innovative approaches for determining the interaction between SOF-common medications and dietary supplements.

Featured image courtesy of Business Insider.