Photo By Jhon Parsons | Steve Bates (right), vice president of Advanced Technology International’s (ATI)...... read more read more
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Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD) in California has begun working with a South Carolina-based nonprofit organization to expedite the creation of new technology by seeking prototypes from industry.
The agreement, the command’s first case using its new Other Transaction Authority (OTA), establishes Advanced Technology International (ATI) as the consortium manager of NSWC PHD’s Maritime Advanced Technology Accelerator Consortium (MATAC).
What makes MATAC unique is it allows the command to use a non-Federal Acquisition Regulation contract process to expedite and give flexibility to the vendor to meet the requirements, NSWC PHD Research Manager Jason Bickford said.
By replacing a detailed list of expectations with a narrative of what the problem is, the vendor can provide its solution, and the command can have a prototype agreement executed in three to six months, he said. He anticipates the command will receive its first prototype obtained through the OTA by the end of 2026.
“This is going to offer us a very agile and efficient way to move faster but take a little bit of risk,” Bickford said at an OTA kickoff meeting with command leaders Feb. 18.
“Partnering with a nonprofit like ATI is a strategic choice,” he added. “It aligns their mission with ours, focusing on innovation and speed of delivery as priorities in alignment with the secretary of war direction. This is a true collaboration that will result in stronger innovation in support of the warfighter.”
Around the middle of each year, program offices pool together funding that hasn’t been executed and offer it to commands with projects awaiting money, Bickford said.
NSWC PHD can utilize MATAC to queue up innovative solutions to take advantage of potential sweep-up funds, he said. This provides NSWC PHD with a strong opportunity to leverage any underexecuted funds to drive research and improvements to the systems that the fleet relies on, Bickford said.
“This will help us reinvigorate our engineering workforce,” he said.
By utilizing industry partners to develop a technology solution to Navy Issues, NSWC PHD can focus on its role as subject matter experts, Bickford said.
NSWC PHD Naval Innovative Science and Engineering (NISE) Program Director Shala Garcia said the OTA also aligns with the 2027 Naval Sea Systems Command NISE investment guide.
“That guidance now allows us to freely engage with industry, and this agreement provides the collaborative framework needed to accelerate NISE-funded technology development and transition it to the fleet,” Garcia said.
The consortium
MATAC gives NSWC PHD access to over 500 member businesses that ATI vets and the command can solicit warfighting capabilities from, said Steve Bates, vice president of ATI’s sea, space and air division, at the meeting. Consortium membership is open to traditional and nontraditional defense contractors, emerging companies with no government experience, nonprofit organizations and academic and research institutions.
The OTA covers such technological areas as rapid installation, advanced computing, software engineering, machine learning, directed energy, autonomous systems and integrated warfare systems, Bates said.
“We want to lessen the burden on the government,” Bates said. “We understand what you need, and we’re there to help.”
The command sought OTA consortium manager proposals from April through the end of May 2025, NSWC PHD Contracting/Agreements Officer Mariluz Chan-Endres said.
Chan-Endres, Bickford and their team of department representatives then evaluated several applicants in November before awarding ATI the agreement Dec. 16. Since then, NSWC PHD and ATI have been finalizing the agreement details, building out the MATAC website, engaging stakeholders and communicating with the program office.
Chan-Endres completed a 12-month Immersive Commercial Acquisition Program in 2023 with the Defense Innovation Unit that gave her the skills to contract with commercial technology companies to address national security challenges, and allowed her to leverage OTAs to acquire novel commercial technologies that enhance the fleet.
To utilize the OTA, NSWC PHD will solicit requirements through the MATAC that companies can bid on. Tim Scully, NSWC PHD agreement specialist, said nonmember businesses can also view the requests and apply to join the consortium to place a bid.
There are no membership fees, though the companies do have to meet requirements, such as being based in the United States, Scully said.
“We can now easily collaborate with nontraditional academia experts and anyone who has a solution to one of our requirements,” he said.
| Date Taken: | 05.21.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 05.21.2026 16:47 |
| Story ID: | 565947 |
| Location: | PORT HUENEME, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 33 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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