Notice

Space to Innovate Campaign - Alpha Drop: Competition Document

Updated 28 July 2021

1. Introduction

The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) Space Programme is seeking proposals that can aid UK Defence and Security to develop future space technologies. We are looking for innovative solutions that can address a series of challenges released in “drops” throughout 2021 and 2022. These challenges follow the output of various space themed activities; including Space to Innovate Phase 1 and the International Space Pitch Day.

The amount available for this campaign up to 31 March 2023 is expected to be up to £2m. This “campaign” approach enables varied contract values and durations to be undertaken as part of the competition, which provides larger and longer contracts for more mature technologies, whilst also enabling less mature innovations to be explored. The enduring campaign approach demonstrates Dstl’s ongoing commitment to funding and supporting space technology innovators.

The value of these contracts shall vary from £125k to £400k, with durations of 6 months to 18 months, with the most appropriate category decided by those submitting proposals. This concept then enables a cycle of new innovative ideas to be contracted as well as maturing existing technologies to a higher level.

Challenge drops will be open to applications from all innovators and not just those that submitted successful bids in previous ones. These “drops” will be named following the phonetic alphabet. The first “Alpha Drop” closes for applications on 4 August 2021. We expect to launch a second “Bravo Drop” later this year with another 2 challenges focused on Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance (ISR) and Space Situational Awareness (SSA).

2. Campaign Scope

2.1 Background

The Dstl Space Programme is launching this Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) campaign to attract novel technological solutions from a broad range of innovators in order to alleviate some of the UK’s Defence and Security space challenges.

The space environment is becoming increasingly congested and contested. Satellites are becoming smaller and are being launched more frequently. This creates many challenges as well as opportunities for Defence and Security.

2.2 Scope

The objective of this campaign is to fund research into space technologies that may not otherwise be developed within the civil space industry. This will address a set of specific problems in the space domain, as outlined in the campaign challenges.

Funded projects are expected to achieve at least Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3 (proof-of-concept) by the end of contract but can potentially reach up to TRL 6 (demonstration in a relevant environment) in later drops. Solutions currently at or above TRL 6 in a civilian environment may be eligible for funding where the technology requires development to operate in a Defence and Security environment (potentially lowering the TRL).

We welcome proposals from across the full range of innovators including academia, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and large companies, from both the UK and overseas. We also welcome joint bids which bring together the strength of different industrial or academic partners.

The campaign is open to innovators from both the existing space sector and those who have not traditionally worked in this domain. Previous experience of Defence and Security work is not a requirement.

3. Alpha Drop Challenges

This drop has 2 challenges.

3.1 Challenge 1: Visualisation tools to enable space operators to exploit information gathered from multiple data sources

Contracts available for challenge 1: up to £125,000 (ex VAT) for 6 months, with contract completion before 31st March 2022. Projects are expected to reach TRL 3-6 at the end of the contract. We expect to fund 2 projects under this challenge.

This challenge is jointly funded by both the US Department of Defense and Dstl, under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two Departments. DSTL will share and permit use of Deliverables by US DOD under said MOU, in accordance with Clause 12(c) of Defcon 705.

Challenge 1 Description

Collating information from multiple data sources so it can be fully exploited and manipulated by the user, as well as enhancing their understanding, is important in an environment where decisions based on it are crucial. With the introduction of more satellites into regions such as low-Earth orbit (LEO), the amount of information accessible to users is only going to increase. Therefore we are interested in solutions that help to bring clarity to this problem space.

DASA is looking for novel solutions that could help to address issues such as:

• enhancing the situational awareness around an object

• understanding and monitoring manoeuvres and changes of objects in orbit

• streamlining ingestion issues with multiple data sources and different naming conventions

• using machine learning to enhance our understanding and interrogation of the data presented & make sense of results

• visualising uncertainty in data

3.2 Challenge 2: Novel methods for characterising objects in space and their intent

Contracts available for challenge 2:

• up to £125,000 (ex VAT) for 6 months, with contract completion by the 31st March 2022

• up to £200,000 (ex VAT) for 12 months (with a breakpoint at 6 months), with contract completion by 31st September 2022

• up to £400,000 (ex VAT) for 18 months (with a breakpoint at 6 months), with contract completion by the 31st March 2023

Projects are expected to reach TRL 3-6 at the end of the contract. We expect to fund 2-4 projects within this challenge.

Challenge 2 Description

Understanding the mission, capability, health status and intent of objects placed in orbit allows the UK to prepare for the future threat posed by potential adversaries. DASA is interested in novel techniques for characterising space objects, including the sensing of objects, signal processing and understanding long-term behaviours and warnings.

DASA is looking for novel solutions that could help to address issues such as:

• detecting changes of state (e.g. translational manoeuvres, transmissions, attitude changes, form factors, spawned objects, ‘active / inactive’) and predicting future changes

• exploiting non-traditional sensor configurations including bi- or multi-static configurations and the repurposing of existing facilities

• technologies that allow resolution of individual features on an observed satellite, inferring information regarding payloads

• observing the interaction and cooperation between satellites in formation in LEO or geostationary Earth orbit (GEO)

• satellite overflight warning of Earth observation missions (featuring electro-optical, synthetic aperture radar, electronic intelligence or other technologies) primarily in LEO

• asset protection for high value satellites operating in GEO

3.3 Clarification of what we want

We want novel ideas to benefit users working in UK Defence and Security. Your proposal should include evidence of:

• theoretical development, methodological advancement or proof of concept research which can demonstrate potential for translation to practical demonstration in later phases

• an innovative or a creative approach

• a clear demonstration of how the proposed work applies to any Defence and Security context

3.4 Clarification of what we don’t want

For this drop we are not interested in proposals that:

• constitute consultancy or literature reviews which just summarise the existing literature without any view of future development

• are an identical resubmission of a previous bid to DASA or MOD without modification

• present more than one bid with the same technical idea amended for the different contract lengths

• offer demonstrations of off-the-shelf products requiring no experimental development (unless applied in a novel way to the challenge)

• offer no real long-term prospect of integration into UK defence and security capabilities

• offer no real prospect of out-competing existing technological solutions

• do not fall clearly into one challenge as outlined above

• need an extensive requirements development phase.

For space-specific aspects, we are not interested in:

• technologies or systems relating to space launch

• space technologies where the commercial market is already strongly invested (e.g. general satellite communications)

• proposals relating to human spaceflight and exploration

• proposals which could be considered an irresponsible use of space (e.g. generating unnecessary debris, or violating international treaties)

• areas which constitute research into the specific areas of: inter-satellite links; Quantum Key Distribution (QKD); security and encryption of optical communications; general object tracking & reentry warning

4. Exploitation

It is important that over the lifetime of DASA competitions, ideas are matured and accelerated towards appropriate end users to enhance capability. How long this takes will be dependent on the nature and starting point of the innovation. Early identification and appropriate engagement with potential end users during this campaign is essential in order to develop and implement an exploitation plan.

All proposals to DASA should articulate the expected development in technology maturity of the potential solution over the lifetime of the contract and how this relates to improved operational capability against the current known (or presumed) baseline. Your deliverables should be designed to evidence these aspects with the aim of making it as easy as possible for potential collaborators/stakeholders to identify the innovative elements of your proposal in order to consider routes for exploitation. Longer term studies may not be able to articulate exploitation in great detail, but it should always be clear that there is some credible advantage to be gained from the technology development.

The outputs of this research will feed back into the Dstl Space Programme which will look to mature successful DASA bids through mission-specific projects, bringing in wider Defence stakeholders as required. The Dstl Space Programme may then seek to further develop the technologies in demonstrator missions, both in-space and elsewhere, for the benefit of future defence and security space programmes and procurement activities. The exploitation of Challenge 1 will be pursued by both the UK and US, which may lead to future opportunities being made available.

5. How to apply

Proposals for funding to meet these challenges must be submitted by 4 August 2021 at midday via the DASA submission service for which you will be required to register.

The total funding for this campaign is expected to be £2m, split over multiple challenge drops. The value of the contracts in alpha challenge drop shall vary from £125k to £400k (ex VAT), with durations of 6 months to 18 months (with a breakpoint at 6 months).

Further guidance on submitting a proposal is available on the DASA website.

5.1 What your proposal must include

The proposal should focus on the Alpha Drop’s requirements but must also include a brief (uncosted) outline of the next stages of work required for exploitation.

Proposals (including any PDF attachments) must be an appropriate length that it will take our reviewers no more than 90 minutes to assess (as a guide, this is about 5000 words or 10 pages, if copied from a Word document). When submitting a proposal, you must complete all sections of the online form, including an appropriate level of technical information to allow assessment of the bid and a completed finances section. Completed proposals must comply with the financial rules set for this challenge drop.

The upper-limit for this challenge drop is £400k (ex VAT). Proposals will be rejected if the financial cost exceeds this capped level. You must include a list of other current or recent government funding you may have received in this area if appropriate, making it clear how this proposal differs from this work. A project plan with clear milestones and deliverables must be provided, with the final deliverable provided at least 10 working days prior to the contract end date. This is to allow for formal review and acceptance before the contract end date.

Deliverables must be well defined and designed to provide evidence of progress against the project plan and the end-point for this phase; they must include a final report. You should also plan for attendance at a kick-off meeting at the start of the Alpha Drop, an event at the end of your project, as well as regular reviews with the appointed Technical Partner and Project Manager. Your proposal should assume these to be physical events held in the UK, but should circumstances dictate DASA may choose to hold these remotely as webinars. DASA will also look to have a showcase event after contract end, this will be voluntary and at your own cost.

Your proposal must demonstrate how you will complete all activities/services and provide all deliverables within the campaign timescales (6-18 months). Proposals with any deliverables (including final report) outside the campaign timeline will be rejected as non-compliant.

A resourcing plan must also be provided that identifies, where possible, the nationalities of those proposed research workers that you intend working on this phase. In the event of proposals being recommended for funding, the DASA reserves the right to undertake due diligence checks including the clearance of proposed research workers. Please note that this process will take as long as necessary and could take up to 6 weeks in some cases for non-UK nationals.

You must identify any ethical / legal / regulatory factors within your proposal and how the associated risks will be managed, including break points in the project if approvals are not received. MODREC approvals can take up to 5 months therefore you should plan your work programme accordingly. If you are unsure if your proposal will need to apply for MODREC approval, then please contact DASA for further guidance.

Requirements for access to Government Furnished Assets (GFA), for example, information, equipment, materials and facilities, should be included in your proposal. DASA cannot guarantee that GFA will be available and where a proposal is reliant on GFA this will result in your proposal being rejected.

Bidders’ proposals must include a fully costed Option for work they propose to undertake past an initial six month period (i.e. 31st March 2022), which will act as a break point in the Contract. Decisions on whether Options are approved shall be made by 31st March 2022.

Bidders must provide proposals that break out their work packages / deliverable plan into (a) Item 1 – FY21/22 (which MUST be completed by 31st March 2022) work to include a report deliverable and (b) a further option under Item 2 – FY22/23 work (to include participation in an end of project event and final report deliverables). The total duration across both items should be no more than 18 months.

Failure to provide any of the above listed will automatically render your proposal non-compliant.

5.2 Export control

Contracts awarded as a result of this challenge drop will fall under an extant memorandum of understanding between the UK MOD and US Department of Defense. This will facilitate the unimpeded exchange of proposals, prototypes and associated information between the UK and US governments. However, this effective exemption from export controls only applies to the UK and US, not to third countries, and all bidders must therefore abide by the export control requirements of their originator country.

All relevant export control regulations will apply if a company ultimately wants to sell a developed solution to a foreign entity. All bidders must ensure that they can obtain, if required, the necessary export licences for their proposals and developments, such that they can be supplied to the UK and US. If you cannot confirm that you can gain the requisite licences, your proposal will be sifted out of the challenge drop. Additionally, if we believe that you will not be able to obtain export clearance, additional checks may be conducted, which may also result in your proposal being sifted out of the challenge drop.

5.3 Cyber risk assessment

DASA has completed a Cyber Risk Assessment (CRA) for this challenge drop. In order to submit to this competition innovators are required to work towards cyber resilience. If selected for funding, the innovators must prove cyber resilience before a contract will be awarded.

Innovators must complete a Supplier Assurance Questionnaire (SAQ) here, using the DASA Risk Assessment Reference (RAR) for this competition: RAR-XF6WBQWH and answer questions for risk level “Very Low”.

The Defence Cyber Protection Partnership (DCPP) will review your SAQ submission and respond with a reference number within 2 working days. The completed SAQ form and resulting email response from DCPP must be downloaded and included within the DASA submission service portal when the proposal is submitted. Please allow enough time to receive the SAQ reference number prior to competition close at midday on 4 August 2021.

If the proposal is being funded, the SAQ will be evaluated against the CRA for the challenge drop, and it will be put it into one of the following categories:

1. Compliant – no further action

2. Not compliant – if successful in competition and being funded, the innovator will be required to complete a Cyber Implementation Plan (CIP) before the contract is placed, which will need to be reviewed and agreed with the relevant project manager

Innovators can enter a proposal without all controls in place, but are expected to have all the cyber protection measures necessary to fulfil the requirements of the contract in place at the time of contract award, or have an agreed Cyber Implementation Plan (CIP). The CIP provides evidence as to how and when potential innovators will achieve compliance. Provided the measures proposed in the Cyber Implementation Plan do not pose an unacceptable risk to the MOD, a submission with a Cyber Implementation Plan will be considered alongside those who can achieve the controls.

A final check will be made to ensure cyber resilience before the contract is placed. Commercial staff cannot progress the competition / procurement without it. This process does not replace any contract specific security requirements.

Further guidance for completing this process can be requested by emailing [email protected].

Additional information about cyber security can be found at DCPP: Cyber Security Model industry buyer and supplier guide.

5.4 Public facing information

When submitting your proposal, you will be required to include a proposal title and a short abstract. The title and abstract you provide will be used by DASA, and other government departments, to describe the project and its intended outcomes and benefits. It will be used for inclusion at DASA events in relation to this campaign and included in documentation such as brochures. The proposal title will also be published in the DASA transparency data on GOV.UK, along with your company name, the amount of funding, and the start and end dates of your contract.

5.5 How your proposal will be assessed

At Stage 1, all proposals will be checked for compliance with the campaign document and may be rejected before full assessment if they do not comply. Only those proposals who demonstrate their compliance against the campaign scope and DASA mandatory criteria will be taken forward to full assessment. Failure to achieve full compliance against Stage 1 will render your proposal non-compliant and will not be considered any further:

Mandatory Criteria
The proposal outlines how it meets the scope of the challenge.	Within scope (Pass) / Out of scope (Fail)
The proposal fully explains in all three sections of the DASA submission service how it meets the DASA criteria.	Pass / Fail
The proposal clearly details a financial plan, a project plan and a resourcing plan to complete the work proposed in the relevant challenge.	Pass / Fail
The proposal identifies the need (or not) for MODREC approval and any ethical / legal / regulatory factors and how the associated risks will be managed, including break points in the project if approvals are not received.	Pass / Fail
The proposal identifies any GFA required for the relevant challenge; that are not crucial to the delivery of the proposal.	Pass / Fail
The proposal value aligns to a category offered within the relevant challenge.	Pass / Fail
The proposal demonstrates how all R&D activities/services (including delivery of the final report) will be completed within the chosen length of contract, starting from the date of contract award.	Pass / Fail
The bidder has obtained the authority to provide unqualified acceptance of the terms and conditions of the Contract.	Pass / Fail
The bidder has submitted a Supplier Assurance Questionnaire (SAQ) – See Section 5.3 above.	Pass / Fail

Proposals that pass Stage 1 will then be assessed against the standard DASA assessment criteria (Desirability, Feasibility and Viability) by subject matter experts from the MOD (including Dstl), other government departments and front-line military commands. You will not have the opportunity to comment on assessors comments.

DASA reserves the right to disclose on a confidential basis any information it receives from bidders during the procurement process (including information identified by the bidder as Commercially Sensitive Information in accordance with the provisions of this competition) to any third party engaged by DASA for the specific purpose of evaluating or assisting DASA in the evaluation of the bidder’s proposal. In providing such information the bidder consents to such disclosure. Appropriate confidentiality agreements will be put in place.

Further guidance on how your proposal is assessed is available on the DASA website.

After assessment, proposals will be discussed internally at a Decision Conference where, based on the assessments, budget and wider strategic considerations, a decision will be made on the proposals that are recommended for funding.

Proposals that are unsuccessful will receive brief feedback after the Decision Conference.

5.6 Things you should know about DASA contracts

Please read the DASA terms and conditions which contain important information for innovators. For this competition we will be using the Innovation Standard Contract (ISC), links to the contract here: Terms and Schedules. We will require unqualified acceptance of the terms and conditions, therefore if applicable please ensure your commercial department have provided their acceptance.

Funded projects will be allocated a Project Manager (to run the project) and a Technical Partner (as a technical point of contact). In addition, the DASA team will work with you to support delivery and exploitation including where appropriate introductions to end-users and business support to help SMEs develop their business.

DASA also collects information from projects after the project has concluded and you should expect to be contacted once your project has completed for measurement purposes.

We will use deliverables from DASA contracts in accordance with our rights detailed in the contract terms and conditions.

The total funding for this campaign is expected to be £2m. There may be occasions where additional funding from other funding lines may subsequently become available to allow us to revisit those proposals deemed suitable for funding but where limitations on funding at the time prevented DASA from awarding a subsequent contract. In such situations, DASA reserves the right to keep such proposals in reserve. In the event that additional funding subsequently becomes available, DASA may ask whether you would still be prepared to undertake the work outlined in your proposal under the same terms.

6. Challenge Alpha Drop Dates

Virtual ‘Your Questions Answered’ Event	29 June 2021
Pre bookable 1-1 telecom sessions	6 & 14 July 2021
Competition closes	Midday on 4 August 2021
Feedback release	8 October 2021
Contracting	Aim to start by October 2021
Final deliverable	To be provided at least 10 working days prior to the contract end date

6.1 Supporting events

29 June 2021 – A virtual ‘Your Questions Answered’ event providing further detail on the problem space and a chance to ask questions in an open forum. You will be able to submit questions in advance, these will be moderated before the event. If you would like to participate, please register on the Eventbrite page.

6 & 14 July 2021 – A series of 15 minute one-to-one teleconference sessions, giving you the opportunity to ask specific questions. If you would like to participate, please register on the Eventbrite page.

• 121 sessions Tuesday 6th July 2021

• 121 sessions Wednesday 14th July 2021

7. Help

Campaign queries including on process, application, commercial, technical and intellectual property aspects should be sent to [email protected], quoting the campaign title. If you wish to be added to the contact list on ECS please email a request into the accelerator inbox, this will ensure you receive future updates on this campaign.

While all reasonable efforts will be made to answer queries, DASA reserves the right to impose management controls if volumes of queries restrict fair access of information to all potential innovators.

8. Your Questions Answered event Q&A

8.1 General Queries

Q: Is funding available for a white paper to develop a capability for the MoD?

A: We are not looking at literature review activities, long reports aren’t as advantageous for us as developing a technology.

Q: Would funding be open to non-profits, not necessarily UK based?

A: Funding is open to non-profits outside the UK as long as the non-profit organisation doesn’t have any direct ties with a foreign Government. Any bids which are successful will be subject to numerous checks, this includes signing a Statement Relating to Good Standing (SRGS), and providing details (including copies of passports if non-UK) of the researchers involved in the project so they may be processed by the Vetting Agency. Additionally, we would run a DUN and BRADSTREET report to ensure we are dealing with a financially sound company.

Q: To what extent will you “negotiate” a contract to trim it down to funding limitations or adjust the direction & focus?

A: We don’t negotiate on our contracts, we follow the detailed funding set out in the competition document. The terms and conditions are agreed upon when submitting the proposal. With the direction of focus, we are limited by the scope set out in the competition document and your submitted proposal. If successful, you will be assigned a Technical Partner so you can have this communication with them, but all work will have to follow the work outlined in your submitted proposal.

Q: Are collaborative proposals acceptable, or single contractor only?

A: We are open to both collaborative and single innovators. The application will be judged on its own merit and we will not look favourably on one or the other. However, there must be a prime lead to act as our point of contact, and to whom the contract will be addressed.

Q: Are you expecting Expression of Interest forms for this call or is that just for the Open Call?

A: Expression of Interests are used primarily for the Open Call, though we encourage everyone to engage with their regional innovation partner before applying.

Q: Regarding payment milestones, are they evenly spaced across the projects?

A: No, they need to be cash neutral, so you are not billing us for things you haven’t done. They need to be at key points throughout the proposal where we can easily measure progress. They do not need to be spaced equally, though bidders must break out their work packages/deliverable plan into 2 items, pre and post the 6 month breakpoint. We also ask that the final due payment is at least equal to 20% value of your overall bid. The schedules will talk about this in a more commercial sense. If successful at the decision conference, Dstl commercial will discuss with you any issues we may have.

Q: Is the application form entirely online or is there a Word version to allow one to prepare offline e.g. with collaborators?

A: The application form is online, you can save your application and work offline in a work document to share and then copy and paste back into the online application form once completed.

8.2 Scope Questions

Q: What other avenues are there to work with the MOD on space?

A: For DASA related activities the Open Call and Space to Innovate will be the main avenues. For lower TRL development you could bid for Dstl frameworks such as Seraphim Capital.

Q: Does this competition also cover ground testing of space systems as well?

A: Yes this is within scope, if this would help mature your idea and is of use to us.

Q: If proposing a hardware solution, how will the minimum viable product (MVP) be integrated in Dstl/MOD after the competition?

A: We would undertake a series of conversations during maturation of the idea and will engage with potential customers across MOD to potentially integrate solution.

Q: How many total drops (Alpha, Bravo…) will be available as part of Space to Innovate?

A: The Alpha and Bravo drops are currently lined up, with Charlie and Delta on the horizon. There is not finite ending to the Campaign, but the future drops post Alpha and Bravo are all subject to approved funding.

Q: Looking forward, is there a plan for long-term exploitation of funded technologies through the relevant front-line commands (FLCs)?

A: We will have regular dialogue with innovators across the FLCs, alerting them to things we think will meet their requirements and anything that addresses the challenges that they want to be tackling. We will look to find homes for ideas that have a place in a FLC. Also, further challenge drops may help to mature your idea further should you wish to.

Q: For visualisation in challenge 1, would this also include what objects in space are interacting with on the ground (types of receivers)?

A: This is within scope. Challenge 1 is fairly open-ended and we are interested in visualisation of all kinds of different data sets. Therefore, we would be interested in the technology that would alert us to that interaction between ground and space based objects.

Q: Without knowing what the future drop scopes will be, how can we ensure we don’t repeat, or miss out on a more aligned opportunity at a later drop?

A: The options are quite broad, if you aren’t successful with one challenge, you may be able to tailor to another challenge. There will be repeated challenges throughout, we are open to anything that might help us tackle these questions. Do your best to tailor it to the challenges this time round, though next time there could be a possibility to tailor your technology for a different application.

Q: I think you said decisions would be available ‘early/mid-September’ with contracts starting ‘mid-October’ - can you confirm or clarify please?

A: We will have our final decision conference on the 9th September 2021. Communication will be sent out following this to both successful and unsuccessful bidders and we will work to get the successful bidders on contract at the start of October. This will depend on how quickly the innovator responds to any enquiries. We will also work on formulating feedback for the non-successful bidders, which will be released by the 8th October 2021.

Q: In challenge 2, how does the satellite overflight warning look to differ from extant defence outputs?

A: It’s not just about the overflow warning themselves, but as the low earth orbit (LEO) environment becomes more congested, we need to have an understanding of which objects require these warnings; should be tagged as observation missions and determine which satellites are doing that type of activity. We are interested in any novel ideas on how to approach this topic.

Q: After the International Space Pitch Day (ISPD), it was mentioned that there will be separate funding for the companies involved. Is Space to Innovate that avenue or is anything else planned?

A: Space to Innovate is an avenue to pursue. Challenge 1 is applicable to those from ISPD, though we are not excluding others as this is an open application. We also have the DASA Open Call, which is available for any technology applicable to defence and security. The United States is also running a visualisation challenge following on from the ISPD. Therefore, there are opportunities with both the UK MOD and the US DoD.

Q: Will we get access to end users if we are awarded a contract?

A: It is definitely something we will try to facilitate. Currently, it’s been a busy time for space with various new commands being set up. We are certainly committed to providing as much user engagement as possible. You will also be assigned a technical partner who can provide you some of that insight and help facilitate contact with the relevant users.

Q: Is DASA able to benchmark multi-format data processing capabilities to compare with current performance?

A: The information we could share is quite limited. DASA competitions run at Official, so there is a limit of what we can share at this classification.

Q: Contract end dates seem fixed with a 6 month breakpoint. Is there a risk that delays in awarding contracts could jeopardise the timeline?

A: There is always a risk, however, we are aware of this and can manage it. The current timeline is achievable, so we believe any risk is quite low. The 6 month breakpoint means we can adjust if things don’t go to plan. Though we are confident that we can achieve the 2 year £2m target.

Q: Is there a way to find out what systems Dstl / MOD are already using, and the problems that are faced, so that innovators can propose better alternatives?

A: The information we could share is quite limited. DASA competitions run at Official, so there is a limit of what we can share at this classification.

Q: What’s the process of getting user feedback or even data from the MOD to develop an MVP for Space to Innovate?

A: We don’t want any proposals to be dependent of GFA, we would want you to source or provide your own. There are plenty of open data sources available to use.

Q: For challenge 1, would proposals focusing on a single aspect such as visualization of uncertainty of data, be acceptable?

A: Yes, it would. Your application doesn’t have to tackle all of the bullet points. We would be happy if you only tackled one and did it very well.

Q: If the breakpoint is to accommodate changes in government funding, could the amount available be cut or even increase?

A: The money for the current drop has been confirmed, the money for the subsequent challenges are nearing conclusion. Everything is currently in line with our expectations.

Q: Prime dominance in these competitions is always a concern for SMEs. What measures are in place to ensure fair and equal opportunity?

A: For this campaign, we deliberately created the different contract lengths to make sure we appealed to everyone. Our statistics show the majority of DASA funding goes to small businesses. Everyone is measured on the same playing field, no matter the size or type of your business. The DASA assessment and moderation phase was also created to ensure we remain fair and consistent.

Q: If we have an idea but don’t have the skills in engineering to carry out the work, could we submit the application to work with DASA engineers or would we be required to find our own engineers to work on the project?

A: We would require you to find your own engineers to work on the project. To find engineers you can reach out to your local government business organisations i.e. in England Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs). A local university might also be able to help, or if you are a member of a pay to join organisation (e.g. ADS) that route may also work.

Q: Can one company submit multiple applications to across both challenges?

A: Yes they can, as long as the applications are on different technologies. We don’t want to receive multiple bids for different versions of the same technologies to fit into the various available contract lengths. Each application will be judged on its own individual merit.

9. Clarification questions

9.1 Scope Questions

Challenge 1

Q: Can you define enhanced situational awareness for objects, or has it been purposefully left open?

A: It has been left open, but it should be within space.

Q: What are you looking to understand for situational awareness?

A: To understand the range of (other) objects and underlying space environment conditions which may exist in and around the same orbital regime as a UK-owned spacecraft or satellite. This awareness may extend to understanding the status, behaviour, capability and future motion of a particular satellite of interest; identifying presence of a space object in proximity to a UK satellite; or other factors which may affect operation of the UK satellite or mission delivery.

Q: What commercial data sources are available - how do I find out what they are?

A: There are no pre-prescribed commercial data sources which must be used: there are a range of commercial Space Domain Awareness (SDA) data providers now present in the market, from which SDA data may be purchased or procured.

Q: Are you looking at a specific application?

A: Ultimately the interest is in the space domain, not that other domains won’t have useful ideas and technologies that can be adapted.

Challenge 2

Q: Is understanding the nature of debris affecting a satellite within scope of challenge 2?

A: Space debris matters are more on the civilian side (UKSA). However, debris poses a threat and if the technology allows diagnosis of the reason for an anomaly or damage, this would be in scope. Understanding whether the damage is caused by debris or something else would also be helpful. Challenge 2 seeks technology to understand a satellite’s pattern-of-life and whether the satellite is active or inactive, i.e. capable of performing its mission or not.

Q: Regarding the imaging of satellites at high resolution, are cube satellites small enough to be aiming for?

A: We would not anticipate collecting resolved imagery of space objects smaller than a 1-3U class of CubeSat.

Q: What frequency is useful for imaging a satellite? Continuous monitoring or sporadic?

A: It would not necessarily need to be a daily process, maybe weekly for monitoring. No fixed frequency.

Q: Are LEO satellites, eg at 300km or so, the most important target, or are you looking for higher orbits or GEO?

A: Being able to address the challenge in GEO or a variety of orbits is good, but idea is more important. You can be relatively non-specific; all regimes are of interest.

Q: Is there anything you specifically want to see in terms of targets for a demo? For example, something on the ground at a distance, or something in the air?

A: In space, the experimental area is same as the operational. Whatever TRL you are aiming for, testing on the ground at shorter distances is ok as well as real world imaging of space craft. Pitch your proposal at a suitable level for the technology, bearing in mind the timeline and budget.

9.2 General Questions

Q: If merging technologies of different TRLs into a proposed solution, one of which is already TRL 6-7, can you advise on the overall TRL and whether it would be too high for the competition?

A: DASA uses the MOD TRL definitions (see section 2.2 in the competition document which links to the TRL definitions). DASA does not advise innovators on the TRL of their innovations. However, when an innovation merges the use of two technologies at different TRLs there is usually a decrease in TRL. For Space to Innovate Campaign Challenge Drop Alpha, projects are expected to reach TRL 3-6 at the end of the contract.

Q: The competition document states that, ‘Previous experience of defence and security work is not a requirement.’ How strong a role will a connection to defence have in the allocation of funding?

A: DASA looks for new innovators and is open to innovators who are new to defence and / or security; 40% of applicants have not worked in defence or security before. The funding decision is not based on experience of working in defence / security. Successful bidders are assigned a Technical Partner to assist with developing relationships with defence and security.

Q: Having been unable to attend the “Your Questions Answered” event last week can I access the material?

A: Information from the Q&A is available on the website in the competition document.

Q: The exploitation section of the competition document mentions end-users. Who would these be? Do I need to define them? How can I get in touch with them?

A: The end-users can be Dstl, front-line command, UK Space Agency (UKSA). If you think you know who the end-user will be, state this in the application. DASA does not put bidders in touch with end-users before submission, but all the required background information for the competition can be found in the competition document Bidders can also reach out to their Regional Innovation Partner for support. Successful bidders will also be allocated a Technical Partner, who will facilitate contact with end-users.

Q: Breakpoints are mentioned in the competition document - what are these? Are they points at which the progress of the project is assessed?

A: Bidders are being asked to include a breakpoint in their proposals that aligns with end the end of the financial year (31/03/2022). This has been done because approval for next financial year’s funding is still to be confirmed. In the unlikely event that further funding is not secured for the following year, having a breakpoint will allow decisions to be made at that point. It is not anticipated that the breakpoint will need to be used; it is a potential breakpoint that has been included in case it is needed. The break point is not related to the progress of the project.

Q: How are government furnished assets (GFA) defined? For example, is space data owned by the government GFA?

A: Any information, equipment, datasets that are MOD assets can be classed as GFA. As this competition is at official level, there is not a great deal of opportunity to obtain much GFA, but advice on this can be sought from your Regional Innovation Partner. If your application is heavily reliant on GFA it might be difficult to assist you in your work. If you are interested in testing your technology using GFA speak to your Regional Innovation Partner. Over-reliance on GFA is a pre-sift criteria.

Q: Is it acceptable to not rely on GFA but to request that any relevant GFA be shared with us?

A: Yes, you can request GFA / GFI / GFX. If requesting please state why and also how you will mitigate the risk of not getting it, as access to GFA / GFI / GFX cannot be guaranteed.

Q: What does ‘Feedback release’ refer to? Is this the latest date I will know outcome?

A: Feedback release is the date that unsuccessful bidders receive feedback on their applications. You will know the outcome before the feedback release.

Q: I have plans to hire someone to undertake this work; what timeline do I need to consider for this? Are there likely to be issues with clearance for a non-UK citizen?

A: All nationalities can work on the project; everyone will need to pass security checks and this could be more straightforward for some nationalities than others. If a decision to fund is made there will be a form to complete for each person involved in the project, along with an image of their photo-page from their passport. These will be used for a basic security check. More details can be found in DASA’s standard terms and conditions. If known, it is useful to include the names and nationalities of individuals who are planned to be working on the project, in the application. Think also about the risks of this process and how they can be mitigated; this can be included in the viability section.

Q: Will academic manuscripts be subject to additional approval processes?

A: Dstl has an internal review process for this called the Permission to Publish route. The manuscript needs to be read and approved by Dstl before it is sent to the publisher. Approximately, it takes less than two weeks and is a straightforward process.

Q: For academics, what additional costs will and will not be covered?

A: No conference fees will be payable, no postgraduate fees or publication costs. The Technical Partner will advise on the publication process nearer the time.

Q: Will the next challenge drops be competitive? Will future challenge drops continue from this one or be open to all bids again?

A: All future challenge drops will be competitive and open to all.

Q: Can innovators who have previously been contracted by DASA build on their past or current projects as a basis for a proposal to this competition?

A: Yes, absolutely. You can build on previous work or do something new; there is no need to start from scratch, as long as the proposal meets the challenge.

Q: Are primes seen differently from SMEs in terms of the duration and funding level of the contract? Eg. Would an 18 month project at £400K be seen as too much to be awarded to SME?

A: Primes and SMEs are not seen differently by DASA when it comes to the duration and the funds available. If your idea supports a longer contract with higher funding then don’t be put off. The idea is the important part, the size of company doing the work is not important.

Q: What support will there be for partnering with defence (eg to test a prototype)?

A: There will be a Technical Partner allocated to successful bidders. They will facilitate end-user involvement and help with challenges with the project along the way.

Q: With respect to deliverables – if a hardware product / prototype is made as part of the project, is there an expectation this will be handed over to Dstl, or are the deliverables sought in report format only?

A: In theory, if the funding is used to buy equipment the MOD gets use of this equipment it if identifies a use for it. However, this is not the same as delivering a functioning hardware product / prototype that has been developed as part of a project. The expected deliverables are a written report of the idea and outcomes of the project.

Q: What deliverables are expected for software development with respect to the code and application? Eg if a tool is developed with the intent of using it as a backbone and applying data science on top of it, would the code for the tool be retained by the supplier (even if the funder was able to use the application)?

A: It depends. If we needed sight of code to clarify something about the way application operates we might request it, but this depends on what the application is doing. If we didn’t understand it without the code we might want to see the code. For software development, documents to describe the methods and heritage of those could be useful, in a short briefing. Having this in written format is helpful.

Q: Does the intellectual property (IP) developed as part of any contracted project belong to Dstl?

A: DASA uses Defcon 705, one of the IP conditions commonly used across MOD within Science and Technology contract. It states that IP generated during the project is owned by the innovator, but the MOD has user rights over the IP within certain boundaries (this use is termed Full User Rights). If the innovator is reliant on background IP with the project that was created before or outside of the project and without the use of government funding, the contract requires the supplier to provide us with this information too. In this instance, we have limited rights to use the background IP (termed Limited User Rights). The intention is not to take IP away from you as the supplier, but to enable you to own and exploit it yourself, but for MOD to have rights of use. Please ensure you detail in your proposal what you consider to be background information / IP. Please talk to your commercial and / or IP advisors if needed.

Q: The competition document states (Export Control section 5.2) there will be an extant MOU between the UK and US with unimpeded transfer of information. Intellectual property (IP) will be covered by Defcon 705 - which of these takes precedent?

A: The IP terms of Defcon 705 and the Export Control provision of clause 5.2 are separate matters. Clause 5.2 states that all relevant export control regulations will apply if the innovator wants to sell a developed solution (based on the IP owned under Defcon 705) to a foreign entity. However, the first paragraph lays out a specific export control exemption when MOD uses its Defcon 705 rights to pass developed IP to the US DoD under the extant MOU.

Q: Is there an issue using Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC)-owned equipment?

A: If the resources you are using are within your control it is fine to rely on the equipment. (We ask that your proposal is not dependent on something that that must be supplied by Dstl / MOD as GFA because it might not be possible to supply that GFA for the project.)

Q: Are the funding indications hard limits or guidance only?

A: The values given are maximum values that you can apply for. You cannot make an application that is over the maximum for the relevant category. The durations are fixed.

Q: Should letters of support (ie from end-users, to demonstrate the rationale for the proposal and the usefulness of the approach) be sought prior to submitting?

A: Letters of support can be used, but they will not necessarily influence the decision made; funding decisions will be based on the idea in the proposal. All proposals will be assessed by space specialists who will understand the relevance of the proposed technology. However, it will aid your application to be clear about the benefits even if they appear obvious.

Q: Can the duration of the project be altered? Eg. Can a project length be 14 months instead of 12 or 18 months?

A: No. If you think you might need more time, consider applying for a longer duration of project. You also do not have to bid for the full amount – the contract values are ‘up to’ £125k, £200k or £400k as specified for each category.

Q: What if my proposal doesn’t address all the bullets listed under each challenge.

A: These bullet points are ideas and options, but proposals do not need to address all of these. Even if only one point is addressed, but addressed well, it would still be of interest. Proposals that are successfully funded may be aligned with one, or many, of these bullet points.

Q: If we are unsuccessful in the competition could we enter it into Bravo?

A: There is no guarantee that Bravo Drop would have challenges that fit the proposal. You would need to rework the proposal and address any feedback, if applicable.

Q: What deliverables are you expecting? E.g. just a demonstration?

A: A demonstration is suitable and also a technical report of your findings. This should include an explanation of the work you have done and the results you achieved.

Q: What is the balance sought between crucial technical detail and higher level information in the proposal?

A: Typically 90 minutes is allowed for assessing proposals; please bear in mind that too much information will make it difficult for assessors to assess. A small amount of description about what will be done is useful, but some details eg the deep mathematics of a piece of software, might be too detailed to include, unless it is necessary to describe the approach. Think about how long it would take to read and score the information in 90 minutes. When you have finished writing proposal you could give it to someone to read and understand it - if it takes them about one hour it is the correct length for the proposal. We estimate this to be approximately 7,000 to 10,000 words.

Q: Would Dstl be able to provide LEO imagery?

A: In the first instance it is encouraged that suppliers use what is freely available - this saves money. The project shouldn’t hinge on GFA because we can’t guarantee to get hold of it.