DIU Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO)

The Commercial Solutions Opening is the Defense Innovation Unit’s main route for bringing commercial companies into DoD prototype work. It is a rolling solicitation path that opens specific problem statements as military customers identify them, and it spans DIU’s seven portfolios: artificial intelligence, autonomy, cyber and telecom, emerging technology, energy, human systems, and space. The program is built for commercial speed rather than traditional research grants. Awards are negotiated as Other Transaction prototype agreements, usually after a short solution brief and a DIU review window that can respond within 30 days. The platform is non-dilutive, milestone-based, and can move from proposal to contract in as few as 60 to 90 days. Typical prototype work runs 12 to 24 months, SAM.gov registration is required, and companies generally keep their IP while successful prototypes can transition to follow-on production without a new competition. The strongest fit is a commercial company that can answer a DoD problem with a concise brief, a credible prototype plan, and enough maturity to execute quickly. Universities and FFRDCs are usually outside this pathway, so the CSO is best read as an industry-first entry point rather than a broad open call. Teams that already know how to work to milestones and deliver a testable prototype are the ones most likely to move.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.