OVERCOMING THE VALLEY OF DEATH
T
he Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology (ASA(ALT)) provides the American Soldier a decisive advantage in any mission by developing, acquiring and sustain-
ing the world’s finest equipment and services.
In that same vein, the congressionally funded and ASA(ALT)- sponsored Army Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs are competitive, contract award-based initiatives that allow Soldiers and Army experts to solve technological challenges.
FOSTERING INNOVATION Trough the Army SBIR and STTR programs, ASA(ALT) provides small and nontraditional businesses with contract oppor- tunities for solutions that show technical merit, feasibility and commercial potential.
Te Army SBIR CATALYST Program is a new ASA(ALT)-led mechanism designed to further accelerate and support disrup- tive innovation while cultivating collaboration with the defense industrial base—the industrial complex prioritizing the research, development and delivery of military capability.
Te transition from conceptualization to fruition happened quickly for the novel effort. Announced by Under Secretary of the Army Gabe Camarillo at the October 2022 Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting and Exposition, the Army SBIR CATALYST Program is one of five new initiatives— alongside xTechPrime, the Army Tech Marketplace, Intellectual Property Cadre and Project VISTA—incentivizing collaborative efforts with industry.
Te pilot launched shortly thereafter, in February 2023, demon- strating ASA(ALT)’s responsiveness at the point of need to unite small businesses and major weapons systems integrators to drive innovation.
LAUNCHING CATALYST All five of ASA(ALT)’s latest initiatives capitalize on the speed and innovation of small businesses, and the stability and expertise of technology integrators through additional funding—and the Army SBIR CATALYST Program’s pilot was the first to launch.
ASA(ALT), and its Office of Army Prize Competitions and the Army Applied SBIR Program, lead the Army SBIR CATALYST Program to alleviate and overcome constraints in the defense industrial base.
Companies often develop concepts that lead to prototypes. However, there is a gap between prototyping and the transition of equipment into the hands of Soldiers. Te Department of Defense refers to this as the “Valley of Death”—a long and arduous acqui- sition process where vendors face multiple barriers in transitioning their technologies to programs of record.
Despite the need for innovations that support the National Defense Strategy and offer commercialization potential, solu- tions frequently focus on unique Army challenges. Technologies that fall within these niches take time to mature as they navi- gate regulations and potential commercialization. Tese factors contribute to obstacles relating to the Valley of Death and are a reason behind the implementation of the Army SBIR CATA- LYST Program.
To overcome these hurdles, and better support the defense indus- trial base, the Army SBIR CATALYST Program accelerates innovation using over $75 million in matching capital from Army customers, integrators and the Army Applied SBIR Program.
Comprised of small-, medium- and large-size businesses, the defense industrial base is essential for not only a strong mili- tary but also for a robust commercial sector. Data from a 2022 Congressional Research Service report shows that over 200,000 companies make up the defense industrial base. Meanwhile, the
The Army SBIR/STTR Program specifically invests in companies focused on developing dual-use technologies that benefit Soldiers on the modern battlefield.
22 Army AL&T Magazine Fall 2023
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136
