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Did you know the Army is revolutionizing how it collaborates with industry? The Army Open Solicitation (AOS) is your chance to showcase your company’s innovative solutions. Trident’s Kiley Stewart attended AFCEA Fort Belvoir’s Industry Days in June, and everyone was talking about this unique new opportunity. So, let’s dig into what it is, how you can submit bids to support the Army in their search for Innovative Solutions, and why this opportunity matters.

What is the Army Open Solicitation?

This is a continuously open solicitation (no due date) that the Army will use to release opportunities for industry to work with their offices to build the right contractual structures and outline the right requirements for the right support.

The Army Open Solicitation utilizes multiple solicitation authorities. This included Commercial Solutions Openings (CSO) and Broad Agency Announcements (BAA). It is used to fulfill Army requirements using both Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and non-FAR-based awards.

They intend to utilize this open solicitation when the support that they are looking for is defined by broad objectives that need unique, creative, and innovative solutions. They will not use this method for mature or developed requirements nor for the continuation of services that have existed in the past. This is specifically for innovation.

This solicitation will appear both different and similar to traditional RFPs. It also has a bit of SBIR/STTR flavor, so we’ll talk about how you’ll submit within the AOS in the submission method section below.

Why are they using this method?

This method aligns with recent Department of Defense (DoD) and Executive Order guidance on the use of CSOs and Other Transitions (OTs) (don’t miss our recent blog on understanding Other Transaction Agreements). The primary goal is to shift the overall contracting focus towards industry.

The method for accomplishing this shift lies in how the Army intends to solicit bids under this announcement. We discuss these submission methods below. To summarize it (or the BLUF), the Army is using this open solicitation to meet its needs while simultaneously building itself a consolidated repository of Solution Briefs. This repository will then become accessible to all Army entities. That means that even if you’re not the right fit for a specific requirement now, this is a unique way for you to market your innovative solutions to the Army in perpetuity. If an Army agency has a specific problem, this searchable database could lead them to your company.

If you’re a small business (SB) and you’ve met with someone on our team, we’ve likely advised you to contact the Small Business Offices (SBOs). We advise SBs to speak with their SBO representatives to pitch their capabilities and get on their vendor lists. Connecting with SBOs helps your own business access long-term contracting opportunities and build relationships with decision makers in the offices you’re hoping to support. By building this vendor list, the Army is creating a new pathway for visibility. The submission you build will be included in this list, highlighting your company’s capabilities for any contracting office looking for solutions.

How do you submit under AOS? (Two Methods)

There are two planned methods that the Army intends to use for the AOS: Active Capability Gap and Calls for Solutions.

Active Capability Gaps exist right now, and you can access the requirements for submission and the inboxes for the Capability Gaps through the Open Solicitation documentation. Active Capability Gaps are always open. You can access the list of capabilities and the mailboxes at the listing on SAM.gov. Right now, the Army is accepting Solution Briefs for the following areas:

• Intelligence, Electronic Warfare, and Sensors
• Army Enterprise Business Solutions
• Tactical Communications
• Soldier Equipment
• Ground Combat Systems
• Missile and Space
• Simulation Training and Instrumentation
• Aviation
• Supply Chain and Logistics
• Installation Support and Innovation
• Advanced Manufacturing.

For the Active Capability Gaps submissions, offerors will submit a Solution Brief based on AOS Attachment 1 (currently under revision). At the AFCEA Belvoir Industry Days, representatives mentioned that they might be able to make awards based on initial submissions. This means that the contracting office may be willing to move into contract negotiations based on the strength of your proposed solutions without having to resort to opening an independent Call for Solution for the work. If they decide to move to the next step, Phase II involves live presentations and a more formal Solution Proposal.

Calls for Solution, on the other hand, are posted as amendments to the AOS listing at SAM.gov (SAM.gov). If you’re interested in receiving Sam.gov notifications each time it is updated, you’ll need to log into SAM.gov and “follow” the AOS.

One such Call for Solution, the Managing Army’s Human Capital – Innovation, Integration, and Implementation (MAHC-III) Call just closed, if you’d like to look at how tailored this method can be. Each Call for Solution will look like the more traditional RFP, where the contracting office has built their requirements and evaluation criteria as they see fit for their needs.

Why is this an opportunity you should be interested in?

This is a unique way to contract, and frankly, we’re excited to see how it evolves. The Army is focused -- probably more than any other DoD agency right now -- on reducing the time from bid to delivery (read more about this here and here). They want agile, rapid solutions, and this open solicitation is the way to do it. If you’re a company that has said to yourself, “I just wish I could tell them about our product,” then this is the way to do that.

This open solicitation also offers a great deal of flexibility. As companies submit and work with their relevant contracting offices, they will have the opportunity to help shape the nature of the contracting solution with that office. Opportunities that emerge under the AOS represent a fresh way for the government to contract, all with a heavy focus on working closely with industry to build solutions.

Army July 2025 Industry Day

On July 30, the Army hosted an Industry Day to discuss their newest Call for Solution under the Army Open Solicitation, supporting their Global Force Management - Data Initiative (GFM-DI) and the Global Force Information Management (GFIM) Office. The Army doesn't currently have a centralized approach to data management within its force management processes. Because of this, they are seeking a low-code/no-code or COTS product to help ensure their data quality, reduce discrepancies, and support complete and accurate reporting. On the Army Open Solicitation SAM.gov listing, you'll find the updated release during the week of August 4th. You'll be able to find all of the requirements in that amendment. The Solution Briefs must pass gate criteria, including formatting and completeness, commercial availability and efficiency, Core GFIM requirements, CI/CD integration, and Enterprise integration and long-term viability. They emphasized throughout the Webinar that they would like to move forward with industry partners who can meet the complete requirement. If your team lacks a direct capability match for the entire requirement, consider partnering with a company to provide an innovative solution that addresses each part of their requirements. 

Remember, Calls for Solution are posted as amendments to the AOS listing at SAM.gov. If you’re interested in receiving Sam.gov notifications each time it is updated, you’ll need to log into SAM.gov and “follow” the AOS!

How Trident can help you with this process if it seems daunting

The Army’s AOS is revolutionizing how cutting-edge solutions reach the warfighter, streamlining the process and accelerating innovation. Whether you’re just learning about the AOS or feeling unsure about where to begin, having the right partner to guide you is key. That’s where the Trident team comes in. With experienced proposal managers, tech editors, and compliance experts, we’re here to help you navigate the process with confidence. From crafting compelling, compliant capability statements to creating standout responses to Calls for Solutions, we work to ensure your solution shines as the best fit for the opportunity. We’d love to help you navigate this, or any other, opportunity so that you can bid confidently. If you need support to build your Call for Solution, reach out today!

Written by Kiley Stewart, with support from Rebecca Wayland

Kiley is a capture and proposal manager at Trident. She brings her proposal management, technical editing, competitor analysis, and resume development skills to clients. She is also the voice of the Trident Short podcasts (https://www.tridentproposals.com/podcasts/trident-shorts). A U.S. Navy veteran and military spouse based on the East Coast, she supports clients around the world as part of our globally dispersed team.

Rebecca is our Chief of Staff. As a Grey Team member, she offers comprehensive proposal management, capture support, market research, and training. She is also our GWAC and MA-IDIQ lead, so if you’re exploring OASIS+ (Phase II or the on-ramp), MAPS, or SHIELD, she is definitely your SME. As a U.S. Navy veteran and military spouse based in Hawai’i, she supports clients around the world as part of our globally dispersed team.