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Expedient Basing Challenge (CSO) – Simple Buying Guide for Federal (DoD) Customers

From Innovation to Implementation—Fast, Flexible Contracting Through the AFWERX Expedient Basing CSO

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Written by Eric Adolphe
Updated over a month ago

August 26, 2025

POC: Cayley Dymond, AFWERX Challenge Lead – [email protected]

Quick Step-by-Step Buying Guide

  1. Confirm requirement alignment to Expedient Basing Challenge focus areas.

  2. Contact AFWERX POC (Cayley Dymond, [email protected]).

  3. Select the contracting instrument (OTA, FAR Part 12, or SBIR).

  4. Draft a concise Spiral-3 Commercial Solution Proposal (CSP).

  5. Reference Forward Edge-AI solutions (Cyber-Assured Communications, Blaise AI Raman).

  6. Submit CSP via AFWERX CSO contracting pathway.

  7. Execute prototype/demonstration aligned to ACE.

  8. Transition to follow-on production where applicable.

What a Commercial Solutions Offering (CSO) is and why DoD uses it:

A Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) is a merit-based way for DoD to acquire innovative commercial technologies (including late-stage and non-traditional items) faster than traditional FAR paths. CSOs allow awards via fixed-price instruments (including OTAs under 10 U.S.C. §4022 and FAR Part 12 contracts) and have historically moved from submission to award in weeks, not years.

Why DoD favors CSOs

  • Speed & flexibility for prototyping and transition; simplified, general solicitations cut proposal burden

  • Access to non-traditionals (a majority of CSO awards historically go to non-traditional small businesses)

  • Multiple award instruments possible: OTAs (prototype + potential follow-on production), SBIR, or FAR Part 12 buys

Scope of the AFWERX Expedient Basing Challenge (CSO FA2280-23-S-C001)

This Challenge supports Agile Combat Employment (ACE) by accelerating capabilities to establish and operate from distributed, austere locations. Objectives: (1) demonstrate fast planning/setup of operating locations; (2) accelerate tech toward operational adoption.

Focus Areas

Part 1 (1–3): Site & Logistics Optimization, Training Modernization, Force Sustainment.

Part 2 (4–5): Base Infrastructure and Integrated Base Security, Response & Recovery (e.g., resilient power/microgrids; water/waste; fuels storage; construction; damage assessment; ADR; C-UAS; survivable comms/mesh).

Contracting window

AFWERX states that Challenge participants who progressed to virtual pitches can use the AFWERX Challenge CSO as a contracting avenue for 18 months after the Showcase date.

AFWERX removed the required timeline for Spiral 3 CSP requests; any DoD agency may now engage on its own timeline with successful Challenge participants (your solution Cyber-Assured Communications for Expeditionary Environments, ID 14052 remains eligible).

AFIMSC has already used the Expedient Basing CSO to award solutions (e.g., training range via Street Smarts VR), illustrating this vehicle’s practicality for rapid buys.

Forward Edge-AI capabilities at a glance

Cybersecurity / Communications – Isidore Quantum® (+ Cassian™ fleet orchestration)

  • Quantum-resilient, covert, protocol-agnostic data protection for expeditionary environments and critical infrastructure.

  • What it is: A credit-card-sized device with a three-processor design that encrypts and re-encrypts traffic, enforcing strict red/black separation with one-way boundaries and galvanic isolation. Keys are ephemeral/one-time, then zeroized. Latency <0.5 ms; <8 W power; megabit–gigabit throughput (terabit roadmap). Stealthy (no announcements, resists probes).

  • Compliance/assurance: FIPS 140-3 validated module; CNSA 2.0 algorithms (e.g., ML-KEM, ML-DSA); tested by U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Space Force, DARPA, and industry (e.g., Microsoft, Lumen).

  • More: Product resources & docs.

Why it matters

For Expedient Basing: Enables survivable comms/mesh networking, TAK-integrated edge ops, and resilient C2 in contested, bandwidth-constrained locations—explicit needs in Focus Area 5.

CBRN & Fuels – Blaise™ AI Raman + Fuel Quality Testing

  • Blaise™: Ultra-light (<~50 g), handheld Raman spectrometer that replaces bulky optics with engineered metasurfaces and uses AI for instant, offline identification (chemicals, pathogens, explosives) to sub-ppm sensitivity. Field-ready, low-cost, durable.

  • CBRN portfolio: Fieldable detection across chemical/biological/radiological/nuclear risks; supports expeditionary missions. (Forward Edge AI Help Center)

  • Fuels (Jet fuel QA): Active Air Force Direct-to-Phase II SBIR (FA810024C0003) to deliver an AI Raman fuel tester for austere sites—minutes per test and very low per-sample cost—aligning with Force Sustainment (fuels storage/distribution; integrated safety/testing). (Forward Edge AI Help Center)

How to buy via the Expedient Basing Challenge CSO (FA2280-23-S-C001)

Who can use this path? Any DoD program/agency can leverage the Challenge CSO to contract with successful participants—now without a mandated Spiral-3 timeline, per AFWERX’s update you shared. Spiral-3 CSP requests can be issued when your mission need is ready.

Step-by-step

  1. Confirm scope & fit
    Map your requirement to one or more Focus Areas (1–5) and the Challenge objectives (setup speed; tech transition). Keep a short justification memo.

  2. Engage AFWERX early
    Email the POC (Cayley Dymond) to confirm vehicle usage, funding path (e.g., MIPR to AFIMSC/AFWERX if needed), and instrument (OTA vs FAR Part 12). Request a Spiral-3 CSP template or instructions for your program. (POC/email above.) AFWERX/AFIMSC public comms document this contracting avenue has been used already.

  3. Decide the award instrument

    • Prototype OTA (10 U.S.C. 4022) with potential follow-on production (if the prototype succeeds).

    • FAR Part 12 fixed-price procurement for commercial items/services.

    • SBIR paths may also be viable (esp. for Blaise™ fuel testing), but your CSO request is typically OTA or FAR.

  4. Draft your CSP request (Spiral-3)
    Keep it concise (often 5–10 pages). Include: problem/mission context, link to FA2280-23-S-C001, Focus Area(s), desired outcomes, period of performance, evaluation approach, deliverables, and funding. (Use the AFWERX CSP instruction set for Spiral-3.)

  5. Reference the vendor & solution

    • For Isidore Quantum (survivable/quantum-resilient comms, TAK/mesh support), cite your Challenge submission ID (Cyber-Assured Communications for Expeditionary Environments, ID 14052).

    • For Blaise™ (CBRN/fuels), reference the AF Phase II SBIR contract FA810024C0003 for relevant past performance and technical maturity.

  6. Evaluation & award - CSO selections are merit-based (relevance, technical merit, innovation, integration potential, scale/impact). Coordinate with AFWERX/CO to finalize instrument and issue the award.

  7. Prototype, then transition - For OTAs, plan prototype demonstrations aligned to ACE/Expedient Basing use cases (e.g., mesh comms under jamming; fuel QA in field; CBRN detection at entry control points). Use follow-on production authority when criteria are met.

  8. Sustainment & security posture

    • For Isidore fleets, use Cassian for automated rekeying, zeroization, and fleet cryptographic binding (esp. hub-and-spoke and mesh at dispersed bases).

    • For Blaise deployments, select the form factor (handheld / drone-mounted / wall-mounted sentinel / fixed water station) that matches your CONOPS.

Where to see the call online: AFWERX topic pages list the Expedient Basing call and tie it to CSO FA2280-23-S-C001; contracting opportunities also appear on SAM.gov. (AFWERX Challenge, SAM.gov)

One-paragraph descriptions you can paste into a CSP/SOW

  • Isidore Quantum® (Forward Edge-AI): Hardware-enforced, quantum-resilient communications appliance with ephemeral keys, red/black separation, and CNSA 2.0 algorithms; integrates with Cassian™ for fleet-wide rekeying/zeroization and mesh/hub-and-spoke cryptographic binding; FIPS 140-3 validated; designed for survivable comms in expeditionary environments.

  • Blaise™ AI Raman (Forward Edge-AI): Handheld Raman spectrometer with metasurface optics and onboard AI for instant, offline identification of chemicals, fuels contaminants, and biological agents at sub-ppm sensitivity; complements CBRN detection and supports field fuel-quality testing (AF Phase II FA810024C0003).

Quick FAQ

  • Can a program office outside AFWERX use this CSO?
    Yes—any DoD program may use the AFWERX Challenge CSO to contract with successful participants within the eligibility window; AFWERX has publicly highlighted such usage.

  • What if the window has lapsed?
    AFWERX has removed the mandated Spiral-3 timeline, increasing flexibility; otherwise, consider SBIR Phase III sole-source routes using Forward Edge-AI’s SBIR history.

By following this concise workflow, agencies can quickly obligate remaining fiscal-year budget allocations on high-impact, awarded solutions—maintaining operational readiness and avoiding the inefficiencies and risk of ad hoc contracting at year-end. Let Forward Edge‑AI’s Tradewinds awardable status be your trusted path to efficient, compliant end-of-year acquisitions.

Forward Edge-AI Copyright 2025

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