​                                                                   FAQs/Event Process

To view the most current Request For Information (RFI), go to FedBizOpps.Gov then search for Keyword / Solicitation #: "Technical Experimentation" and Agency: "U.S. Special Operations Command".

General

  • What is Technical Experimentation?

    • ITAR/EARS

      • Participants are responsible for
        • Complying with any and all ITAR/EAR requirements associated with their equipment.
        • Protection of their own intellectual property

    • Obligations

      • Invitation and participation do not constitute obligation on behalf of the US Government.
      • TE is not an acquisition event, and should not be looked at as such.
      • TE does not have the authority to create new contractual obligations, nor has the authority to alter existing contracts.

    • Venue Locations

      • TE is held at various locations around the United States
      • Most locations are austere, remote, and can become quite dry.
      • Make sure to bring
        • Sunscreen
        • Water
        • A hat
        • Sunglasses
      • Make sure to notify TE staff of any medical conditions you might have prior to going into the field.

    • What Should I Wear?

      • TE is held in an outdoor environment under various weather and environmental conditions.
      • Things to be mindful of:
        • Rain / Humidity
        • Excessive Heat / Dry
        • Tall grass
        • Snakes
        • Spiders
      • Do NOT Wear (Unless at a Maritime Event):
        • Business Suit and Shoes
        • Shorts
        • Flip Flops/Sandals
      • Do Wear:
        • Jeans
        • Cargo Pants
        • Tennis Shoes
        • Boots
        • Hat
        • Sunglasses
        • Light Weight Clothing in hot environments
        • Sweaters in cold environments
        • Jacket/Sweatshirt
      • TE is a casual event and you will be on your feet, so please dress comfortably.

    • Radio Frequency (RF) Emitting Devices

      • Any developmental device radiating on a given frequency or frequency band, must have prior approval to transmit on that frequency.
      • Approval may include compliance with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Title 47, Part 15 or a Special Temporary Authority (STA) from the FCC.
      • If your equipment is government owned and operating within a Federal Band, you must have National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) frequency approval.
      • Approval should be submitted to Tech_Exp@socom.mil prior to arrival.
      • FCC recommends you submit your request at least 30 days prior to the start of the event.

    • Technical Experimentation Contact Information

    • Venue Locations

      • TE is held at various locations around the United States
      • Most locations are austere, remote, and can become quite dry.
      • Make sure to bring
        • Sunscreen
        • Water
        • A hat
        • Sunglasses
      • Make sure to notify TE staff of any medical conditions you might have prior to going into the field.

    • Radio Frequency (RF) Emitting Devices

      • Any developmental device radiating on a given frequency or frequency band, must have prior approval to transmit on that frequency.
      • Approval may include compliance with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Title 47, Part 15 or a Special Temporary Authority (STA) from the FCC.
      • If your equipment is government owned and operating within a Federal Band, you must have National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) frequency approval.
      • Approval should be submitted to Tech_Exp@socom.mil prior to arrival.
      • FCC recommends you submit your request at least 30 days prior to the start of the event.

    • Process for Participating in TE

      • Review RFI on FedBizOpps.Gov
        • Keyword / Solicitation # "TE" and Agency "U.S. Special Operations Command"
      • Submit Nomination Form
      • Participants will be notified of their approval approximately 3 – 5 weeks before the event
      • Once approved, all participants must register for the event here
      • A schedule will be released 2 – 4 weeks before the event.

    • Cost and Special Operations Equipment Access/Availability

      • USSOCOM Will Provide:
        • Venue
          • Infrastructure, Tables, Chairs, Wifi
        • Assessments
          • Technical and Operational
      • Participants are responsible for:
        • Travel Costs
        • Shipping
        • Any additional costs to run the experiment
        • After Action Report due no later than five days after TE has ended
      • USSOCOM cannot guarantee access or availability of equipment or systems that are currently in the special operator's kit. If you would like operator equipment, you may request it in your nomination with no guarantee of availability.
      • Equipment under development, such as SWIR imagers, is not accessible for experimentation.
        • If special equipment is required, you MUST provide it.

    • Experimentation Nomination Submission Process

      • Submit an Experimentation Nomination
        • Fields marked with a "*" are required.
        • Not completing those fields will result in a non-submission.
      • Nominations should describe:
        • New Capability
        • Impact to the Special Operations Force (SOF) warrior
        • Experiment Plan
          • What information you need to obtain
          • How you plan to use the information to improve upon the technology
        • Resources needed:
          • Day and/or night operations
          • Network requirements
          • Access to SOF equipment, not guaranteed to be provided
          • Power sources (TE Team is limited on extension cords, so please plan to bring your own)
          • Range or laser requirements
      • After submission, you will receive a notification of receipt from Tech_Exp@socom.mil within approximately five (5) business days.
        • Please check your junk folder if you do not see the email
        • Contact us if you did not receive an email
      • Nominations are reviewed by USSOCOM personnel (including support contractors) to determine:
        • Technical Maturity
        • Relevance of or adaptability to military operations/missions
        • Relevance to current operational needs
        • Relevance to Event Focus Area
      • Participants will be notified of their approval approximately 3 – 5 weeks before the event
      • Participation is by invitation only, failure to comply with the set rules will result in Technology Developers removal of the event:
        • Zero tolerance for violations of operational and safety protocols
        • Trade show style displays are not permitted
        • Sales activities are not permitted

    • Registration

      • All attendees must register in order to gain gate access to the event.
        • Register for TE
        • Fields marked with an "*" are required.
        • After submission, you will receive a notification of receipt from Tech_Exp@socom.mil within approximately five (5) business days.
          • Please check your junk folder if you do not see the email
          • Contact us if you did not receive an email
        • You will receive status notification approximately two (2) weeks prior to the event.
      • No Experiment? Visitors can attend but must have appropriate government sponsorship and a valid need to attend.
      • Foreign Nationals
        • Must have approval from the Security Manager
        • Approval can take up to 30 days to obtain, so please submit your request early
        • Email Tech_Exp@socom.mil with questions

    • Publishing the Schedule

      • The schedule of events will be drafted, published, and distributed approximately two (2) – four (4) weeks prior to the event.

    • Reading the Schedule

      • Read the list of experiments FIRST and find your experiment and the corresponding experiment number
      • Find your experiment number on the schedule
      • Directly above your slot is the scheduled date(s)
      • On the right is the color key for your experiment location at the event.
      • Night Time Events are scheduled to run during the day and continue into the night.

    • Your Scheduled Time

      • Each experiment is given dedicated times to perform their experiment, but are invited to stay all week. 
      • SOF operators will be stopping by over the course of your scheduled days, giving them ample opportunity to see your experiment
      • If done with your experiment early, please use the extra time to collaborate with other Technology Developers.
      • If you need additional time, please contact TE staff to coordinate.
      • Do not arrive before your scheduled time or plan to stay past your scheduled time without prior coordination.      

    • ITAR/EARS

      • Participants are responsible for
        • Complying with any and all ITAR/EAR requirements associated with their equipment.
        • Protection of their own intellectual property

    • Daily Briefs

      • Mandatory Morning/Safety briefs will be conducted at the start of every morning.
      • Hot wash/After Action Review will be conducted at the end of every afternoon
      • Night Experiments Brief
        • Safety brief will be conducted at the conclusion of the 1600 hot wash.
        • Hot wash/After Action Review will be conducted at the conclusion of the 0800 Morning brief the next morning.

    • Safety

      • All participation is at the participant's own risk.
      • By attending you agree that you will hold harmless the United States Government and the host TE installation for any and all liabilities.

    • Photography

      • Photography is permitted of your own experiment so long as no active duty military members are photographed.

    • After Action Report

      • All experiments are required to submit an After Action Report to Tech_Exp@socom.mil no later than five (5) business days after the completion of TE.
        • Reports should include:
          • What you were able to accomplish / Results / Findings
          • Anything new/surprises you learned about your equipment
          • Collaboration with others
          • Any changes you plan on implementing to your equipment
          • TE Survey: Let us know how we did or how we can improve. 

    • Government Involvement

      • TE staff will obtain all operator assessments, due 10 business days after the event. Once all assessments have been received and consolidated the TE Team will provide feedback to each developer.