Guidance

Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) Open Call for Innovation

The Open Call is looking for innovative ideas to improve the defence and security of the UK. Your idea could be a concept, product or service, at various levels of maturity.

Documents

Open Call Defence Rapid Impact proposal template form (unlocked)

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Open Call Innovation Focus Areas proposal template form (unlocked)

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Open Call Security Rapid Impact proposal template form (unlocked)

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Details

The only way to submit a proposal to the Defence and Security Accelerator is online via our submission service. To access DASA’s services and apply for funding, you must have an account. We recommend you use a Google Chrome browser when accessing the Enterprise Collaboration Service.

Please note: for the period midday 22 February 2023 – 29 March 2023 you will not be able to use the submission service to submit a proposal to the Open Call due to system updates. Normal service will resume during 29 March 2023. More information can be viewed here.

For more information on the Open Call and how to apply for funding, please read the Competition Document: Open Call for Innovation above.

For more information on the Open Call innovation focus areas, please read the Open Call Innovation Focus Areas document above.

Published 21 May 2018
Last updated 1617 March 2023 + show all updates
  1. Uploaded new versions of the unlocked proposal template. The text files have been replaced with a single Excel table for ease of use when entering text.

  2. 1. Attached the unlocked proposal template form 2. Removed the locked proposal template form 3. Updated pages with the extention date

  3. Updated submission service reopening date, now 29th March.

  4. Link to Application Forms included against Open Call Competition Document and all Innovation Focus Areas.

  5. Updates to notification regarding system upgrade - now re-opening 16th March 2023. IFA039 attachment updated with full requirement. Innovation Focus Areas attachment updated with notice of pause to IFA035. Open Call Defence Rapid Impact, Security Rapid Impact and Innovation Focus Areas Locked Application Form PDFs added to allow offline creation of proposals.

  6. IFA034 has been removed from this page as it will no longer re-open.

  7. Documents updated to reflect three submission areas of Open Call; Defence Open Call, Security Open Call and Innovation Focus Areas. Innovation Focus Areas (IFAs) added as individual attachments.

  8. DASA's Security open call competition has updated the future cycle dates

  9. IFA 1.2 Advanced Materials for Defence - Updated the clarification table, added an extra row for Air.

  10. IFA038 Advanced Materials for Defence - Added, this IFA has opened. IFA033 Human Augmentation - Removed, this IFA has closed. IFA034 Countering IEDs by Novel Technology and Techniques has been paused, notes Added to this IFA to reflect submissions cannot currently be made. 2022/2023 Past Cycle Dates Removed, 2023/2024 Cycle Dates Added.

  11. Added a notification that IFA034 will be paused upon completion of the current cycle.

  12. The security open call competition document has been updated to provide guidance for proposals submitted into cycle 4, which now have a suggested duration of 9 months.

  13. Closing date for Human Augmentation IFA now set as 23 November 2022

  14. Launch of IFA 035 Making Science Fiction a Reality: Future Directed Energy Weapons Launch of IFA 036 Beyond Line of Sight Communications Closing of: Double Act: National Security Technologies (IFA032) Simulating Future Battlespace Complexity (IFA024) Defence People – Skills, Knowledge and Experience (IFA023) Operate and Deliver Effects in Contested Domains (IFA022) Delivering Agile Command and Control (IFA021) Integrate Information and Physical Activity Across all Domains (IFA020) Announcing closing date for Human Augmentation IFA033 for 23 November 2022

  15. Double Act: National Security Technologies (IFA032) is closing 20th September

  16. The innovation focus areas webpage has been updated to outline that the following IFAs are likely to be suspended at end of this call (20 September 2022): • Simulating Future Battlespace Complexity (IFA024) • Defence People – Skills, Knowledge and Experience (IFA023) • Operate and Deliver Effects in Contested Domains (IFA022) • Delivering Agile Command and Control (IFA021) • Integrate Information and Physical Activity Across all Domains (IFA020)

  17. An additional bullet point added to the innovation outline section, to describe what innovation outlines are used for.

  18. Closing date for Open Call Cycle 3 has changed from 14 September 2022 to 20 September 2022 Closing date for Double Act: National Security Technologies (IFA032) is now 20 September 2022

  19. The Security Open Call competition document has been updated with guidance for the proposal duration advised for each open call cycle.

  20. Update of Open Call Cycle Dates and IFA031 removed

  21. Double Act: National Security Technologies IFA has been updated to clarify that an innovation outline is required prior to submission of a full proposal.

  22. Updated the decision and feedback release dates for Cycle 5 to 6 and 13 June.

  23. New IFA (IFA034 - Countering IEDs by Novel Technology and Techniques) launched.

  24. New Innovation Focus Area added - Human Augmentation

  25. A new Innovation Focus Area has launched - Double Act: National Security Technologies

  26. Included a closing date for IFA031 Next Generation Wearable Technology

  27. Removed MSIA IFA 030

  28. Removed ARCD from the IFA list as it is now closed. Added the closure date for MSIA. 27 Apr 22.

  29. Open Call cycle dates updated, with a footnote added to 2022/23 Cycle 1

  30. Open Call competition dates added for 2022/ 2023

  31. Changes to the Open Call Innovation Focus Areas document: Removed RCAS. On ARCD added ‘This IFA is open for submissions until 02 March 2022 when it will close.’ Added: Open Call Cycle 5 competition category ‘Emerging Innovations’ is currently not available for submission however we are accepting submissions for Security and Defence Rapid Impact and any Innovation Focus Area.

  32. Added closure date for the RCAS IFA (05 January 2022) to the Open Call Innovation Focus Areas document.

  33. On the Open Call Innovation Focus Areas page, the following updates were made: Added closure date for IFA029 Reducing the Cyber Attack Surface (RCAS): 5 January 2022. Added closure date for IFA028 Autonomous Resilient Cyber Defence (ARCD) - Intelligent Agents: 2 March 2022. For IFA028 Autonomous Resilient Cyber Defence (ARCD) - Intelligent Agents, added information for suppliers to submit a Innovation Outline prior to their full submission.

  34. Added New Attachment - Security Open Call, Rapid Impact: Webinar Q&A

  35. Added Open Call Security Rapid Impact Webinar to Section 5.

  36. IFA031 - Wearable Tech IFA has been added to the Open Call IFA page

  37. Added new IFA030 Military Information Systems Assurance (MISA). Added further direction on what should be included in a IFA proposal.

  38. Addition of 2 new IFAs - Autonomous Resilient Cyber Defence (ARCD) Intelligent Agents - Reducing the Cyber Attack Surface (RCAS)

  39. FY20/21 Cycle 5 and Cycle 6 Decision and Feedback dates have been removed.

  40. Security exploitation section added

  41. Updated the wording to show that Emerging Innovations proposals will be contracted under the Innovation Standard Contract.

  42. New Security Rapid Impact competition open

  43. IFA026 - Armoured Fighting Vehicle Short Gap Crossing Capability has now closed. Have now removed the description of IFA026 from the Innovation Focus Area document.

  44. Details that funded Suppliers must submit a Supplier Assurance Questionnaire (SAQ)

  45. - IFA025 - Reducing Reliance on Global Navigation Satellite Systems Quantum Augmented Position, Navigation and Timing Sensing Capability, now closed and specific wording removed. - Emerging Innovations is now open for submissions removed note that stated it was closed.

  46. Closing date for IFA026 - Armoured Fighting Vehicle Short Gap Crossing Capability updated to 2nd June 2021. Link to details of past innovation focus areas included on IFA webpage.

  47. Open Call dates for FY2021/2022 were added to the Open Call for Innovation Competition document.

  48. IFA026 Armoured Fighting Vehicle Short Gap Crossing Capability - new Innovation Focus Area added.

  49. Closing date added to IFA025 description. IFA025 will be closing at the end of cycle 6 - 31st March 2021

  50. Updated the wording for IFA025 to explicitly state that suppliers should use engineering tools provided.

  51. Added details explaining Emerging Innovations is currently not available for submissions, to the Open Call Competition Document and IFA webpage. Removed IFA018 Reduced-Burden Area Biosurveillance wording - IFA now closed.

  52. - Added details of IFA025 - Reducing Reliance on Global Navigation Satellite Systems Quantum Augmented Position, Navigation and Timing Sensing Capability to IFA webpage - Added The ESL and SWaP Matrix attachment

  53. - Details of IFA025 - Quantum Augmented Position, Navigation and Timing Sensing Capability added to Innovation Focus Area webpage. - ESL and SWaP Matrix tool added

  54. IFA023 wording updated

  55. Closing date for IFA018 added. IFA013 Text removed. FY19/20 Open Call Cycle dates removed.

  56. IFA013 now shows 1st October close date

  57. Five new innovation focus areas added to the Open Call for Innovation

  58. aviation security innovation focus areas closing 28 May

  59. Open Call for Innovation - COVID-19 Fast Track now added

  60. Removal of Regenerative Medicine IFA. Edits to Bank of England IFA wording. Edit to rapid sanitising technology IFA wording

  61. additional links and information added to IFA019 COVID-19: Rapid Sanitising Technology to help prospective bidders including timescales and current decontamination guidance

  62. New Innovation Focus Area: COVID-19: Rapid Sanitising Technology - closing 1st April

  63. Additional Open Call cycle dates added for 2020/2021

  64. regenerative Medicine IFA closing date added.

  65. new innovation focus areas - Reduced-Burden Area Biosurveillance, Detecting firearms and ammunition through scent, Next generation aviation security

  66. Removed IFA001, IFA003, IFA014 and IFA015

  67. Added a close date to IFA014 and IFA015 - midday on 30 January 2020

  68. Removed IFA008 and added close dates to IFA001 and IFA003

  69. Removal of 2018/2019 dates, addition of cycle 6 dates and amendment to feedback release dates. Note added to IFA008 - removal of IFA due on 12 Dec 19

  70. New innovation focus area added - IFA013 Innovative security features for bank notes

  71. IFA data added and TRL altered.

  72. IFA011 - advancing less lethal weapons innovation focus area added

  73. New IFAs published and removal date added (2 October 2019) to IFA002 and IFA009

  74. Due to technical issues the decision and feedback dates have been changed for Cycle 1

  75. Addition of new Innovation Focus Area for regenerative medicine - funding available.

  76. Addition of new Innovation Focus Area - Delivering an open data sharing solution - Funding available

  77. update on Innovation Outline, and removal of Outline Proposals

  78. New IFA - Developing novel radar concepts and technology

  79. Rapid Impact funding limits have been changed. Guidance now reads: No funding limit is specified, however we would typically expect to fund bids between £100K - £350K. Proposals that demonstrate value for money or present a collaborative funding approach will be viewed favourably.

  80. Amalgamation of emerging innovation requirements for security and defence in to 'overall requirement' section.

  81. Removal of the Defence Innovation Focus Areas

  82. Change to cycle 6 closing date.

  83. Open Call dates for year 2019 - 2020 added

  84. Added two new innovation areas for defence.

  85. Open Call Cycle 3 will now close on 4 September 2018.

  86. Please note we have an updated message regarding proposals on our old submissions service, which will closing on the 31 August 2018.

  87. We have added a new document to publicise innovation focus areas of interest to some of our defence and security customers.

  88. We have updated the decision release and feedback release dates for some of our DASA Open Call cycles.

  89. We recommend bidders use a Google Chrome browser for setting up their new submission service accounts and for submitting proposals.

  90. We have redesigned the Open Call pages, to make things clearer. Many thanks The Defence and Security Accelerator Team

  91. Please note we are now aiming for Open Call Cycle 3 to be available from midday on Monday 02 July 2018. Many thanks The DASA team

  92. Please note there is a new notification on the delay to the next Open Call cycle launch, with some recommendations on what to do next.

  93. We are making improvements to the DASA Submission Service, which means we need to delay the launch of Open Call Cycle 3. Open Call Cycle 3 will be available from midday on Monday 11 June 2018. Because we are moving to a new system, we recommend you do not commence drafting proposals in the current Submission Service, but prepare them off line so they can be uploaded when Cycle 3 opens on our new system.

  94. First published.