Name | Type | Posted | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
RFI 70RSAT26RFI000017 ACE Experiment 5-12-26.pdf | May 12, 2026 | ||
ACE-CASPER Experiment 2026 5-12-26.pdf | May 12, 2026 | ||
RFI 70RSAT26RFI000017 ACE Experiment.pdf | Apr 27, 2026 | ||
ACE-CASPER Experiment 2026.pdf | Apr 27, 2026 | ||
Attachment 1 ACE-CASPER Submission Form.docx | DOCX | Apr 27, 2026 | |
ACE-CASPER Experiment 2026.pdf | Apr 27, 2026 | ||
RFI 70RSAT26RFI000017 ACE Experiment.pdf | Apr 27, 2026 |
Advanced Communications Experiment – Cross-border Autonomous Vehicle Session Persistence Experiment and Research
Contact and place of performance
NGFR
Not specified
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate’s (S&T), in collaboration with Defence Research and Development Canada, Centre for Security Science (DRDC CSS), is hosting the 2026 Advanced Communications Experiment Cross-border Autonomous Vehicle Session Persistence Experiment and Research (ACE-CASPER). This multi-day experiment will take place along the U.S.-Canada border...
View more• Operational readiness validation for DHS components and DRDC with State, Provincial, and Local players in cross-border coordination; and
• Bi-national response coordination using enhanced, real-time situational awareness tools.
Vehicle autonomy level is secondary to the experiment’s primary objective of demonstrating resilient, persistent 5G communications across U.S. and Canadian networks.
Objective
The ACE-CASPER Experiment aims to evaluate the operational readiness and technological capabilities of 5G Session Persistence and 5G connectivity with UAS and AV systems in a cross-border emergency scenario. Vendors are expected to demonstrate solutions that ensure secure, resilient 5G connectivity, real-time situational awareness, and seamless interoperability between U.S. and Canadian networks.
The experiment does not require autonomous decision-making or AI-driven navigation; the primary focus is validating reliable 5G connectivity, session persistence, and command-and-control performance.
Please see the details in the attached ACE-CASPER Experiment 2026 for UAS and AV operational capabilities, participation requirements, and submission form.
4/27 Update: Revised RFI documents with corrected typographical error.
5/12 Update: Submission deadline extended to 5/18/26 at 7 AM Eastern.
The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate, in collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Canada Centre for Security Science, is conducting a multi-day research event titled the 2026 Advanced Communications Experiment Cross-border Autonomous Vehicle Session Persistence Experiment and Research (ACE-CASPER). This Sources Sought notice, issued under solicitation number 70RSAT26RFI000017, seeks participants to demonstrate how autonomous vehicles, unmanned aerial systems, and 5G-enabled technologies can maintain persistent cross-border communications and situational awareness during a simulated national emergency. The primary focus is validating secure, resilient 5G session persistence and seamless command-and-control handoff between United States and Canadian networks rather than autonomous navigation or artificial intelligence.
During the experiment, unmanned systems will operate across the border while streaming live video and relaying sensor-based data to a bi-national command and control center. This activity aims to validate the operational readiness of federal, state, provincial, and local response teams in using real-time data interoperability for bi-national coordination. The project is classified under NAICS 541715 for Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) and PSC 1550 for Unmanned Aircraft.
The Office of Procurement Operations manages this requirement, and interested parties must submit responses by May 18, 2026. The solicitation includes seven attachments, such as submission forms and detailed experimental requirements, which were updated as recently as May 12, 2026, to extend the response deadline. All activities and research objectives are centered on the U.S.-Canada border to test connectivity across international communication networks.
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Scoped analysis and attachments—go beyond the summary when you need detail from the solicitation package.