How it works
Why it matters: $1.1B in fixed-price orders, from the reconciliation law (P.L. 119-21), available to Sep 30, 2029. Delivery matters more than the score.11,14
PHASE 3 BUDGET $450M for about 60,000 one-way attack drones14
DEEP STRIKE (DS) $5,000 per drone, government-set price14
CLOSE QUARTERS (CQB) $3,000 per drone; munitions bought separately14
- Pitch deck Submit to each phase's Request for Solutions (RFS), issued through S2MARTS. Current round: see the spreadsheet.
- Pitch + fly Selected vendors pitch and fly for the government.
- Awards Fixed-price awards follow the pitch-and-fly round.
- Gauntlet + deliver A Gauntlet test event follows. Then deliver on time, or face late-delivery penalties.
- What gets scored The score now includes production and supply chain.12 The vendor pays to test.14 As of Sept. 10, the Gauntlet I winner had 0 drones accepted.11
- Munitions teaming Phase 3 deliveries include warheads and safe-and-arm devices. Phase II said Phase III would require integration with two or more munitions providers.14,11
Joining S2MARTS
S2MARTS is a contracting consortium run by the nonprofit NSTXL. For DDP, join before award, not before bidding. Dues start at $250 for companies under $10M in revenue.14,39
Phase 4: what to build now
Phase 4 is likely to reward MOSA (Modular Open Systems Approach, meaning parts others can swap in and out), rapid iteration and autonomy interoperability. Details are "subject to change."14
Do this next · Before Phase 4
- Price to the government's number and lead with cost per effect and delivery time, not "platform."
- Lock in a munitions partner.
- Build delivery evidence: production rate, lead times, supply-chain framework compliance.
- Confirm motors, battery packs, magnets and flight-controller boards meet the DDP supply-chain framework.
- Get Blue-listed. Non-Blue deliveries are rejected.
Live notices
Live notices for this lane: see the opportunity tracker, Recently closed filter.
What this means for you
The government names the price. You win by delivering on time, with compliant parts and a munitions partner.
Next step: Start your Phase 4 package now: delivery evidence, supply-chain compliance and a munitions teaming agreement.
Templates for this door
In the tracker snapshot
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