Subpart 571.1 - General

(a)  This part establishes a pilot program to competitively procure innovative commercial products and commercial services to include innovative technologies and solutions using the commercial solutions opening (CSO) procedure authorized by section 880 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Pub. L.114-328), as amended by section 7227 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Pub. L. 117-263).

(b)  The competitive selection from a general solicitation and the peer review of such solution briefs by scientific, technological, or other subject matter experts within the U.S. Government is considered to be a competitive procedure.

(c)  Procurements under the CSO Pilot Program must be compliant with the requirements in this part and the requirements in the GSA Procurement Innovation Resource Center (PIRC) CSO Guide available at https://www.gsa.gov/pirc.

GSA has developed this pilot program to be implemented outside the normal Federal Acquisition Regulations requirements to engage traditional and non-traditional Government contractors, including start-up companies. This program is intended to promote competition with a streamlined approach to address specific needs for innovative commercial products and commercial services. This program offers a range of advantages to start-up companies and others who may not have significant work experience with the U.S. Government, including—

(a)  Streamlined solicitation requiring only minimal corporate and technical information;

(b)  Fast track vendor selection timelines;

(c)  Simplified contract administration procedures and requirements; and

(d)  Preference for the vendor retaining core intellectual property, as appropriate.

As used in this part—

“Agency Acquisition Innovation Advocates” are the GSA Acquisition Officials nominated by the Senior Procurement Executive and serving on the Office of Management and Budget Acquisition Innovation Council.

“Commercial solutions opening (CSO)” is a competitive procedure for acquiring innovative commercial products and commercial services, including products, technologies, and services through a competitive selection of solution briefs resulting from a general solicitation and peer review of such solution briefs.

“Innovative” means any item that is —

(a)A new technology, process, or method, including research and development as of the date of submission of a solution brief;

(b)A new application or adaptation of an existing technology, process, or method as of the date of submission of a solution brief;

(c)An existing product or service within the production/commercialization phase (i.e. after design or development, and before widespread government or commercial adoption); or

(d)A new adaptation of existing commercial products or commercial services. (See also the definition of “commercial product” and “commercial service” in FAR 2.101.)

“Peer Review” means a process where scientific, technological, or other subject matter experts within the U.S. Government evaluate solution briefs submitted against specified selection criteria.

“Solution Brief” means a solution proposed by an offeror in response to a solicitation issued using the CSO procedure.