DIU In search of Acknowledged Assessors to Assist Blue UAS NDAA Compliance Certification – sUAS Information

As a part of the evolution of Blue UAS introduced on Could 16, 2025, the Protection Innovation Unit (DIU) will set up Acknowledged Assessors, a gaggle of third-party organizations, to guage drone platforms and associated parts for compliance with the Nationwide Protection Authorization Act (NDAA).

These assessments will assist inform DIU’s certification choices for inclusion on the Blue UAS Cleared record, growing entry to compliant sUAS throughout the Division of Protection.

This effort leverages DIU’s multi-stakeholder partnership authority, which permits collaboration throughout trade, nonprofits, educational establishments, and federally affiliated organizations to help nationwide safety wants. DIU is searching for submissions from entities to function an preliminary cohort of Acknowledged Assessors for the partnership. DIU expects so as to add further Acknowledged Assessors after the preliminary cohort at a time but to be decided. 

Concerning the Acknowledged Assessor Function

Blue UAS Acknowledged Assessors shall be chargeable for:

• Conducting NDAA compliance assessments on all related parts underneath current legislation and coverage.
• Verification of all possession/curiosity stakes as required underneath current legislation and coverage to find out eligibility.
• Reviewing provide chain provenance, country-of-origin documentation, component-level sourcing, and related software program/firmware/{hardware} artifacts to confirm compliance with current legislation and coverage.
• Producing standardized evaluation studies and submitting them to the Authorities through DIU for certification consideration.
• Working with independence, integrity, and technical rigor.

Typically, Acknowledged Assessors will contract instantly with corporations searching for Blue UAS Cleared Record inclusion. DIU will assessment and contemplate the ensuing studies, and make the willpower  whether or not a platform meets the necessities for certification and itemizing. 

Choice

DIU will choose the preliminary cohort of Acknowledged Assessor candidates by contemplating a variety of things that embrace, however are usually not restricted to:

• Technical {qualifications} 
• Workforce composition 
• Anticipated prices
• Organizational independence 
• Demonstrated expertise 
• Skill to scale 
• Should adhere to Authorities requirements, reporting format, and audit oversight

DIU will work with chosen organizations to  guarantee constant reporting and be topic to periodic efficiency and high quality opinions. Robust Submissions will seemingly spotlight:

• Multidisciplinary crew ({hardware} engineers, cybersecurity subject material consultants (SMEs), and regulatory SMEs)
• Regulatory information to incorporate newest NDAA guidelines, government orders, and Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)/Protection FARs associated to drones
• Provide chain forensics technical experience to determine compliance points primarily based on drone {hardware} and software program provide chains
• Enterprise intelligence experience to determine possession buildings and stakes via nation of origin and nationality of key firm members
• Reverse engineering experience to disassemble platforms to visually examine 
• Cybersecurity compliance and penetration testing experience

1. Vulnerability scanning/identification, reverse engineering, static/dynamic code evaluation, exploit improvement, vulnerability profiling/scoring
2. Threat Administration Framework and related DoD directions/manuals, DISA STIGs

• Independence and objectivity 
• Expertise offering clear studies that element findings and proposals for Authorities audiences

Organizations searching for to be thought of as Acknowledged Assessors ought to submit both a presentation deck (max 15 slides) or a white paper (max 5 pages) detailing capabilities and {qualifications}.

An AMA on this matter shall be hosted on June 9 2025 at 2pm ET / 11am PT. You’ll be able to register right here.

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