Tech Scouting Vendor Scouting and Autonomy Artificial Intelligence and Digital Infra Support System

The Vendor is required to provide tech scouting, vendor scouting and autonomy, artificial intelligence, and digital infra support.
- The University seeks services in the following required and preferred areas as they relate to product development: 
•    Category A: Technology Scouting and Analysis
•    Category B: Vendor Scouting and Analysis
•    Category C: Autonomy, Artificial Intelligence, and Digital Infrastructure Support
- Service Category A –Technology Scouting and Analysis
•    Demonstrated ability to actively research new technology and research & development innovation relevant to the assigned project and communicate to the client.
•    Demonstrated ability and/or proven record of success in data analytics, preferably for a global network of professional services firm.
•    Demonstrated ability to integrate usability studies, research, and marketing analysis into project specification requirements.
•    Demonstrated ability to understand technology readiness levels (TRL) and manufacturing readiness levels (MRL).
•    Ability to perform both a course sweep of the technology landscape as well as deeper search and ranking of existing technologies based on a project-specific rubric.
•    Skill in identifying capability gaps in current technologies relevant to the assigned project.
•    Minimum of 2 years’ experience working with department of defense and stakeholders to gather requirements, writing functional and technical specifications and communicating technical requirements.
•    Minimum of 2 years’ experience researching and developing products, technologies, and/or platforms.
•    Minimum of 1 year experience using specialized software and/or websites to aid technology research
- Service Category B – Vendor Scouting and Assessment
•    Demonstrated ability to actively research various organizations in a plethora of fields relevant to the assigned project and communicate to the client.
•    Ability to utilize the tools needed to map patent landscapes, find federal laboratories, academia, small businesses, large businesses, and other relevant players in a variety of technological fields, analyze venture capital firms and look across relevant markets for a technology that will meet the requestor’s needs
•    Ability to actively research small businesses, veteran owned businesses, and other businesses/organizations/academia working in immerging technology fields.
•    Experience attending/participating in networking events (e.g. Tradeshows, conferences, industry days, etc.)
•    Established relationships with tech accelerators and/or incubators, consortiums, or other relevant entities within the field of technology.
•    Familiarity with government and industry working groups and communities of practice and the ability to interact with officers and enlisted persons to learn about their daily operations and identify areas that could be addressed using technological improvements
- Service Category C – Autonomy, Artificial Intelligence, and Digital Infrastructure Support
•    Demonstrated ability to support the maturation, integration, and deployment of advanced digital, autonomous, and AI-enabled systems within department environments.
•    Proven experience facilitating the transition of dual-use technologies from prototype or low TRL environments into operational testing, exercises, or field environments.
•    Ability to conduct technical readiness assessments focused on system performance, interoperability, security posture, and operational resilience in defense-specific contexts.
•    Experience designing, implementing, or advising on secure, scalable digital infrastructures to support mission-critical tools and autonomous capabilities in classified or controlled environments.
•    Familiarity with compliance frameworks and accreditation pathways applicable to government and the ability to guide solutions through these processes.
•    Demonstrated capability in integrating AI/ml, real-time data analysis, or autonomous operations to address specific department mission needs.
•    Proven ability to collaborate with military stakeholders to test, evaluate, and iterate on emerging technologies.
•    Experience supporting technology deployment strategies that include phased implementation, feedback loops, and sustainment considerations.
•    Ability to produce detailed reports on deployment feasibility, mission alignment, security & risk posture.
•    Demonstrated understanding of the dual-use ecosystem, and ability to accelerate the fielding of commercially derived technologies for defense applications.