The Central Florida Tech Grove, in partnership with the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD) and the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program / Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (SERDP/ESTCP), is executing a prize challenge to identify solutions that advance the use of autonomous and semi-autonomous ground vehicles for wildland fire response in hazardous, steep-terrain conditions. This challenge addresses the growing complexity of wildland fire logistics — particularly on and near military lands — by seeking platforms capable of operating on slopes of 25 to 35 degrees, hauling payloads of 800 lbs. or greater, and sustaining operations across a full wildfire operational shift without specialized transport or engineering support for deployment.

Video submissions from all participants will be evaluated by subject matter experts (SMEs) from supporting DoD entities and partner agencies with expertise in wildfire response, ground robotics, and autonomous systems. Evaluation will be conducted by technical personnel experienced in assessing field-deployable autonomous platforms for hazardous environments. Three finalists will be selected based on qualified submissions and participation in the Prize Challenge Demo Day. The top-performing participant will be awarded $40k in prize money, with $25k and $20k awards to the second and third-ranked participants, respectively.

Problem Statement

Wildland fire suppression on steep terrain presents some of the most physically demanding and logistically complex challenges in emergency response. On slopes of 25 to 35 degrees — common across military training lands in the Southeast, West, and Pacific regions — hand crews must carry heavy tools, hose packs, water, and medical supplies without vehicle access. This physical burden accelerates fatigue, increases injury risk, and constrains the duration and scope of sustained fire operations.

Remotely operated and autonomous ground vehicles purpose-built for steep-terrain logistics have been developed through a range of DoD-funded and private sector investment, but operational validation in wildfire-relevant environments remains limited. There is an urgent need to identify platforms that can be rapidly deployed from a pickup truck or small trailer, operated by line personnel with minimal training, and sustained for a full operational shift across rugged terrain, logging roads, debris fields, and hose crossings — all while operating safely in proximity to active suppression crews.

The Autonomous Ground Vehicles for Steep-Terrain Wildfire Logistics Prize Challenge seeks innovative, field-ready solutions that measurably improve the logistics capability, crew safety, and operational endurance of wildland firefighters working in steep, complex terrain.

Prizes/Awards

• 3/16/26: Prize Challenge Release and application portal open on USA.gov and Tech Grove Website.
• 3/24/26 10:00AM EDT: Virtual information session. Register for Virtual Information Session Here
• 3/26/26: Link to recording of the virtual information session and any additional materials provided to potential participants via the challenge website platform.
• 5/12/26 11:59PM EDT: Deadline for submission of solution prototypes, required documents, and sample output by 11:59 pm Eastern Time. Submissions must meet the requirements outlined in the Initial Submission Requirements.
• 5/25/26 11:59PM EDT: Evaluation of submissions by SERDP and other DoD SMEs based on the technical requirements and stated judging criteria. Up to 10 semi-finalists will be selected for participation in the final Presentation/Demo Day.
• 5/28/26: Notification to Finalists of selection to participate in Demo Day and instructions for submission of Demo Day materials.
• 6/12/26: Finalists will submit all deliverables for Demo Day by 11:59 pm Eastern Time per instructions provided via email, meeting the Demo Day Final Submission Requirements.
• 6/24/26: Demo Day Finalists will demonstrate at the USFS-led field (potentially live fire) exercise at the Blue Ridge Ranger District, Chattahoochee National Forest, GA, or nearby alternative depending on weather. Three winners will be selected and announced to receive the $40,000, $25,000, and $20,100 prizes.

in total cash prizes

$40,000 awarded to the top finalist; $25,000 awarded to the second finalist; $20,100 awarded to the third finalist.

Additional Considerations-

• Exposure to leaders across Team Orlando and other branches of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) responsible for the development and deployment of training and operational solutions.
• Opportunities to learn from and collaborate with industry, government, and academic leaders and partners in the autonomous systems and wildfire response space.
• Potential for follow-on opportunities such as Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs), Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), and others.

Prize Challenge officially launches on March 16th, 2026. 

All submissions must include the following:

1. Link to final Video Demonstration of the Front and Back End of the Solution compliant with the Technical Requirements detailed below.

• YouTube or link to a video — NOT an mp4 or any file that needs to be downloaded to view.

2. Presentation outlining:

• Solution description and justification
• Matrix showing % of technical requirements satisfied by the solution
• What potential barriers might there be for implementation of the proposed solution by SERDP?

• Recommended next steps and needs to further develop the solution

To join the challenge and submit your solution please use the link below:

Eligibility Requirements

Participants may be individuals or teams from industry, academia, state/local government, or non-profit entities. Eligibility is subject to verification during each Phase and before award of any prize. To be eligible to win, all individual participants or members of a participating team must meet the following eligibility requirements:

1. Participants must have complied with all requirements set forth in the prize challenge.
2. All individuals must be U.S. citizens and 18 years or older.
3. Except for employees appointed under the STEM Student Employment Program or other student employment programs, Federal employees and support service contractors are not eligible to participate.
4. Participants may not use Federal funds to support participation.

Rules:

SERDP reserves the right to cancel, suspend, and/or modify the Challenge, or any part of it, for any reason, at their sole discretion.

Terms and Conditions
Representations:

Upon submission, the Participant hereby represents and warrants that:

• It is the sole author and copyright owner of the submission; that the submission is an original work of the Participant and that the Participant has sufficient rights to use and authorize others, including SERDP, Tech Grove, NAWCTSD, and the Navy, to use the submission as specified in the Official Rules; that the submission does not infringe upon any copyright or upon any other third-party rights; and that the submission is free of malware.
• The submission, and any use thereof by the Central Florida Tech Grove, NAWCTSD, or the Navy, is not defamatory or libelous in any manner; does not constitute or result in any misappropriation or other violation of the publicity rights or right of privacy of any person or entity; and does not infringe, misappropriate, or otherwise violate any intellectual property rights, privacy rights, or other rights of any person or entity.
• It is free to enter into this challenge without the consent of any third party.
• There is no suit, proceeding, or any other claim pending or threatened against the Participant that could limit or impair the Participant's performance of its obligations pursuant to these Terms and Conditions.
• It will not infringe, violate, or interfere with the intellectual property, publicity, privacy, contract, or other right of any third party in the course of performance of this agreement or cause NAWCTSD or the Navy to do any of the same.
• It will comply with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations in performing under these Terms and Conditions.
• It otherwise meets the eligibility requirements set forth by the prize challenge.

Data Rights and Marking

• All data submitted under the Prize Challenge will be made available to the Central Florida Tech Grove, NAWCTSD, and parties authorized to act on behalf of NAWCTSD. By accepting these Terms and Conditions, the Participant consents to the use of all submitted data by NAWCTSD.
• The use of protective markings such as "Do Not Publicly Release — Trade Secret" or "Do Not Publicly Release — Confidential Proprietary Business Information" is authorized. Participants should be aware that any information received is considered a federal agency record and may be subject to release under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. §552. Participants will be notified of any FOIA requests for their submissions in accordance with 32 C.F.R. § 286.10.

Relationship of the Parties

• Nothing contained in these Terms and Conditions is intended to create or constitute a relationship between SERDP, Tech Grove, or NAWCTSD and a Participant. Participation in the Prize Challenge does not imply any form of sanction, endorsement, or support of the Participant by SERDP, Tech Grove, or NAWCTSD, nor does it grant either party any authority to act as agent for the other. A Participant may not use a SERDP, Tech Grove, NAWCTSD, or Department of Defense logo or official seal in their submission.

Participant Liability and Insurance

• All Participants agree to assume any and all risks of injury or loss in connection with or arising from participation in this challenge, or development of any submission. Except in the case of willful misconduct, all Participants waive and release any and all claims or causes of action against the Federal Government and its officers, employees, and agents for any injury or damage of any nature whatsoever arising from their participation in the challenge.
• Based on the subject matter of the prize challenge and the type of work involved, no individual or entity participating in the prize challenge is required to obtain liability insurance or demonstrate financial responsibility in order to participate.

Disputes

• Participation constitutes each Participant's full and unconditional agreement to these Official Rules and Terms and Conditions, which are final and binding in all matters related to the challenge. The final scores and determinations of the Judging Panel are final and binding on all Participants and may not be challenged.

Background Information

Follow-On Activities
This Open Call Announcement is considered to have potential for further efforts that may be accomplished via FAR-based contracting instruments, Other Transaction Authority (OTA) for Prototype Projects 10 USC 4022 and Research 10 USC 4021, Prizes for advanced technology achievements 10 USC 4025, and/or Prize Competitions 15 USC 3719. If a prototype OTA is awarded and considered successfully completed, follow-on production may be pursued in accordance with 10 USC 4022(f). The public open call announcement made at https://www.challenge.gov/ is considered to satisfy the reasonable effort to obtain competition in accordance with 10 USC 4025(b), 15 USC 3719(e) and 10 USC 4022(b)(2). Any FAR-based actions will follow announcement procedures per FAR 5.201(b) accordingly.

Intellectual Property Considerations
By participating in this competition and submitting in any of the rounds, participants are granting the US Government and its Partners permanent access to the provided prototypes, documents, and materials, with the provision that the US Government and its Partners may store and copy the documents in perpetuity. Participants will retain intellectual ownership of and publishing rights.
Excluding any material considered to be co-produced with the US Government, the US Government and its Partners agree not to share submissions with other entities, including files and tradecraft concepts.

About the Central Florida Tech Grove
The Central Florida Tech Grove is a Department of Defense innovation hub established in 2020 under a Partnership Intermediary Agreement between the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division and the University of Central Florida Research Foundation. The Tech Grove was founded as a multi-service innovation hub with funding from the Navy, Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps training commands as well as the Office of Naval Research and the Office of the Secretary of Defense. With a three-pronged mission to (1) grow the defense industry base, (2) facilitate technology transfer and transition, and (3) solve problems, the Tech Grove executes a wide range of initiatives that bring together entrepreneurs, industry, academia, and government from across the United States and internationally to develop innovative solutions for military human performance. www.centralfloridatechgrove.org

About the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP)
SERDP and ESTCP fund resilience, restoration, natural hazard adaptation, and conservation projects that enhance capabilities and sustain operations at Department of Defense (DoD) installations. Their science and technologies protect built and natural infrastructure, strengthen the defense supply chain, and ensure the health and safety of our warfighters. Over the past 10 years, SERDP's Wildland Fire Science Initiative has led innovation of advanced tools and technology to improve safe and effective prescribed fire, improved wildfire response, and advanced training capabilities for wildland firefighters. www.serdp-estcp.org

About Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD)
The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD) is the principal Navy center for research, development, test and evaluation, acquisition, and product support of training systems. NAWCTSD provides inter-service coordination and training systems support for the Army, Marine Corps, and Air Force. NAWCTSD is a foundational member of Team Orlando, a unique collaborative with training and simulation divisions of the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force, as well as academia and key supporting economic development organizations. www.navair.navy.mil/nawctsd

Find additional resources, documents, and FAQ to assist with Prize Challenge participation.

Prize Challenge Virtual Information Session

March 24th, 2026 10:00AM EDT

Register for Virtual Information Session Here