The USSOCOM Comparative Technology Office (CTO) is responsible for three congressionally mandated Research, Development, Test and Evaluation programs that test and field mature defense technology to the SOF Warfighter: the Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT), Defense Acquisition Challenge (DAC), and Rapid Innovative Fund (RIF) programs.
Congressionally authorized in 1989 by Title 10, U.S. Code, Section 2350a(g), the FCT program supports U.S. Policy of encouraging international armaments cooperation and helps reduce overall DOD acquisition costs by funding the testing of foreign non-developmental items, commercial-off-the-shelf items, or those items in the late stage of the development process, which demonstrate the potential to satisfy SOF requirements.
The DAC, authorized by Title 10, U.S. Code, Sec 2359b, provides opportunities for the increased introduction of innovative and cost-saving technology in SOF AT&L acquisition programs. To this end, the DAC provides any person or activity within or outside the DOD an opportunity to submit proposals that would improve the performance, affordability, manufacturability, or operational capability at the component, subsystem, or system level of an existing DOD acquisition program.
Enacted by Congress in the 2011 National Defense Authorization Act as the Rapid Innovative Program (RIP) , Section 4201, Public Law 112-84, and the Consolidated Appropriation Act for FY 12 provides DOD with the authority to fund programs that facilitate the rapid insertion of innovative technologies into military systems or programs that meet critical national security needs.
If you are interested in learning more about these programs, or need assistance in preparing a proposal for submission, contact Director, International Programs, (813) 826-3141, or USSOCOM CTO Senior Systems Analysts at (813) 826-8970, (813) 826-0051, or (813) 826-0052.
