Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO)

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY (DLA) Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) Framework (2026-2031) A. General Overview & Authority Rolling Submission Process: The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) is conducting a Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) authorized by 10 U.S.C. § 3458 and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) Subpart 212.70 (Defense Commercial Solutions Opening). DLA intends to solicit Solution Briefs in response to technical evaluated, published Areas of Interest (AOIs) on a rolling submission basis over the next five years (2026 to 2031). DLA reserves the right to modify, amend, open, or close AOIs at its sole discretion. Interested offerors are encouraged to frequently monitor this CSO for new or revised AOIs. Closing Date: This CSO will remain open until October 1, 2031; however, DLA reserves the right to close this CSO or any individual AOI at any time prior to that date. Award Types & Procurement Flexibility: In accordance with 10 U.S.C. § 3458(d)(1), any contract or agreement awarded pursuant to this CSO shall be fixed-price. The Government intends to use the authority provided by 10 U.S.C. § 4022 to award Other Transaction (OT) Agreements for prototype projects. However, the Government reserves the right to make an award using a FAR-based contract in lieu of an OT. For acquisitions of commercial products or commercial services, the Government may use FAR Part 12 procedures as applicable, or award commercial contracts in accordance with DFARS 212.7002(b). Points of Contact: For inquiries, clarifications, or submissions, please contact the following DLA acquisition professionals: Mr. Thomas Walsh | Agreements and Contracting Officer, DLA DCSO-P5 | [email removed] Mrs. Lauren Runowski | Agreements and Contracting Specialist, DLA DCSO-P5 | [email removed] Mr. Sean Heckmanski | Agreements and Contracting Specialist, DLA DCSO-P5 | [email removed] Funding: DLA provides no funding for the preparation or submission of any Solution Brief or proposal in response to this CSO. Funding is only authorized and disbursed upon the execution of a formal, mutually signed contract or agreement. B. Background DLA is the Department of Defense's logistics combat support activity, providing worldwide logistical support to the military services, combatant commands, and other authorized federal, civilian, and international partners. DLA's mission spans supply chain management, energy and fuel distribution, disposition services, and rapid logistics response. Potential offerors are encouraged to familiarize themselves with DLA's strategic mission and operational scope by visiting the official DLA website at www.dla.mil. C. Definitions Area of Interest (AOI): A targeted announcement or topic published under this CSO (typically posted on SAM.gov) describing a specific capability gap, technical challenge, or mission requirement for which DLA seeks innovative commercial solutions. Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO): A competitive solicitation procedure utilizing technical evaluations to acquire innovative commercial technologies, products, or services that meet defense requirements under 10 U.S.C. § 3458 and DFARS Subpart 212.70. FAR-Based Commercial Contract: A contract utilizing procedures outlined in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 12 (Acquisition of Commercial Products and Commercial Services) and DFARS Subpart 212.70, which provides standard federal procurement clauses streamlined for commercial industry. Funding Availability: Reasonable likelihood of funding exists or can be secured for the proposed solution. Solutions are assessed as either "Funding Possible" or "Funding Not Possible." Lower-priced solutions that align with immediate budgetary parameters are inherently favored. Innovative: Any technology, process, or method-including any business practice-that is new as of the date of submission, or any rapid, novel application or adaptation of an existing technology, process, or method. Nontraditional Defense Contractor: An entity that is not currently performing and has not performed, for at least the one-year period preceding the solicitation of sources by the DoD for the procurement or transaction, any contract or subcontract for the DoD that is subject to full coverage under the cost accounting standards (CAS). This includes all small business concerns that meet the applicable small business size standards Other Transaction (OT) Agreement / Prototype OTA: A non-procurement transaction authorized under 10 U.S.C. § 4022 for prototype projects directly relevant to enhancing the mission effectiveness of military personnel and the supporting platforms, systems, components, or materials proposed to be acquired or developed by the DoD, or for the improvement of platforms, systems, components, or materials in use by the armed forces. Prototype Project: An effort addressing a proof of concept, model, reverse engineering (to address obsolescence), pilot, novel application of commercial technologies for defense purposes, agile development activity, or the creation, design, development, and demonstration of technical or operational utility. Prototype projects can be physical, virtual, or conceptual in nature, and may include business processes or ancillary work efforts (such as test site training or logistics support) necessary to complete the project. Solution Brief: The designated, streamlined proposal format utilized by an offeror to describe its proposed solution, technical approach, and pricing in response to a published AOI. D. How to Submit a Solution Brief Submission Method: Prior to the closing date and time specified in the individual AOI, offerors must electronically submit an unclassified Solution Brief to the Points of Contact identified in Section A.3. Submissions must utilize the official Solution Brief template associated with the active AOI. Proprietary Information: Offerors must clearly mark all portions of the Solution Brief that contain proprietary, trade secret, or commercially sensitive information. By submitting a Solution Brief, the offeror acknowledges the applicability of DFARS [phone removed] (DEVIATION 2026-O0036) (Rights in Bid or Proposal Information). DLA highly values commercial intellectual property; technical data rights and software rights will be structured to encourage commercial participation while ensuring the Government acquires the rights essential to support its immediate mission needs. Multiple Submissions: Offerors may submit multiple Solution Briefs addressing different technological approaches to a single AOI. However, each brief must be self-contained and will be evaluated independently. Offerors may not cross-reference other active or past submissions to meet the requirements of a current evaluation. Validity Period: All terms, conditions, and pricing proposed within a Solution Brief must remain valid for a minimum of 180 calendar days from the date of submission. E. Evaluation & Award Process Initial Conformance Review: Upon receipt, DLA will conduct an administrative screening of the Solution Brief for compliance with the CSO and individual AOI instructions. Non-conforming or incomplete briefs will be rejected and returned without a technical evaluation. If the AOI submission window is still open, the offeror may resubmit a corrected brief; however, DLA encourages submitting a fully conforming package on the first attempt, as there is no guarantee that timing will permit a resubmission. Additionally, Funding Availability is assessed at this time to evaluate whether a reasonable likelihood of funding exists or can be secured for the proposed solution and is assessed as either "Funding Possible" or "Funding Not Possible." Technical Evaluation Factors: Conforming solution briefs will be evaluated by DLA subject-matter experts (SMEs) against Factors 1 through 3. Evaluation rating scales (e.g., adjectival ratings) and specific technical metrics will be defined within each individual AOI. Factor 1 ...