Helping Hand

The Pentagon recently issued the latest request for project nominations for the Coalition Warfare Program, this one covering fiscal years 2011 and 2012.

The idea behind the program is to promote closer working relationships between U.S. and overseas coalition partners through cooperative research and development efforts. The program is looking for projects that address critical needs across the range of conflict, from humanitarian assistance and peacekeeping contingencies to high-intensity combat.

The memo, released Aug. 19 by the office of the under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, lays out how the Coalition Warfare Program office will proceed:

The CWP funding element supports coalition interoperability solutions that can be fielded rapidly. CWP is a key part of the Department's Building Partnerships initiatives. The program provided supporting funds on a competitive basis to projects that conduct collaborative RDT&E with foreign government partners. CWP can provide up to $1 million per year over two years to individual projects; however, CWP funding will provide only a portion of the overall investment associated with any given initiative and is limited by fiscal constraints. Proposals must include financial and non-financial (e.g.; manpower, facilities, innovative technology) commitments from the sponsor's Service or agency and other DOD activities along with an equitable contribution from committed foreign government partners(s).

The AT&L office also wants a transition plan for each proposal. This plan should show military service or agency funding for follow-on fielding and sustainment.

The first round of proposals are to be submitted by Jan. 15, 2010. Final nominations are due by Feb. 26, 2010. Notification of those selected will go out in late spring or early summer 2010.