DIU Improved Mobile Electric Power Distribution System (I-MEPDIS) AOI: Executive Summary for Startups

Status: Open. Solution briefs due October 28, 2026, 11:59:59 PM ET through the DIU submission form. Prototype OT award; funding amount not published. Open to U.S. and international vendors.

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Executive Summary

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) is looking for commercial companies that can adapt existing power distribution products into the Improved Mobile Electric Power Distribution System (I-MEPDIS), replacing the Marine Corps' aging MEPDIS-Replacement panels. Solution briefs are due October 28, 2026 at 11:59:59 PM Eastern Time.

Awards are prototype Other Transaction (OT) agreements under DIU's Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO), starting with a solution brief of about 5 pages or 15 slides. DIU wants to modify commercial technology, not fund new development, so companies with an existing mobile power distribution product and a credible path to MIL-STD-810 compliance are best positioned. A successfully completed prototype can lead to follow-on production without further competition.

Solicitation at a Glance

• Agency: Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), for the U.S. Marine Corps
• Opportunity: Area of Interest (AOI), Improved Mobile Electric Power Distribution System (I-MEPDIS)
• Project ID: PROJ00683
• Award Vehicle: Prototype Other Transaction agreement under 10 U.S.C. 4022, through CSO HQ0845-20-S-C001 (Amendment 0001, effective March 13, 2026)
• Funding: Not published. Companies invited to pitch provide a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) cost.
• Technology Maturity: Existing commercial systems modified for military use
• Prototype Period: 6 to 12 months of design, prototyping and MIL-STD testing, then 1 to 3 months of user evaluations
• Due Date: October 28, 2026, 11:59:59 PM Eastern Time

Think your company qualifies? Talk with BW&CO before the October 28 deadline.

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What Is I-MEPDIS?

I-MEPDIS is a DIU prototype project to replace the Marine Corps' current Mobile Electric Power Distribution Systems. These systems take power from tactical generators and energy storage and distribute it to communications, mission command, fire control, combat operations centers and force protection systems in expeditionary environments and other places without a stable power grid.

The project runs in two phases. In Project Phase 1 (6 to 12 months), selected vendors modify commercial systems to meet the desired features, deliver initial prototypes and conduct MIL-STD compliance testing. In Project Phase 2 (1 to 3 months), operational units evaluate the prototypes in the field for user feedback, interoperability and performance. These project phases are separate from the CSO selection steps (solution brief, pitch, proposal) covered below.

What Problem Is DIU Trying to Solve?

The fielded MEPDIS systems are at the end of their life cycles. Marine units increasingly operate dispersed and self-sufficient, and DIU states that current power distribution inefficiencies "will actively impair mission execution." The Marine Corps needs a logistically supportable family of systems that interconnects current tactical generators and energy storage, supports various sized generators and electrical loads, and stays backwards compatible with the MEPDIS-Replacement equipment already in service.

Priority Capability Areas: What DIU Is Looking For

• Power Inputs: Must accept 120V and 208V 3-phase AC.
• Power Outputs: Must distribute 120VAC, 208V 3-phase AC and 28V DC.
• Paralleling: All inputs must be able to be paralleled. DIU lists this as a required configuration.
• Monitoring: Amperage monitoring is highly desired for all panels.
• Form Factor Below 200A: Systems with inputs rated below 200 amps must be person-portable.
• Form Factor Above 200A: Systems with inputs rated above 200 amps must be skid-mounted and transportable by standard USMC material handling equipment.
• Environmental Testing: All systems must meet MIL-STD-810 environmental testing requirements.
• Deployment and Compatibility: Rapidly deployable and backwards compatible with the current MEPDIS-Replacement system.

Funding and Award Structure

DIU has not published a budget or award ceiling for I-MEPDIS. Cost comes in at the pitch stage, where invited companies provide a ROM price and a notional schedule. The Agreements Officer then negotiates the terms of the prototype OT directly with the company.

• Proposal Costs: The Government does not pay for solution briefs, pitches or proposal development unless stated otherwise.
• Follow-On Production: Under 10 U.S.C. 4022(f), a successfully completed prototype OT may lead to a follow-on production contract or transaction without further competition. It can be used by one or more organizations in the Department of War, and DIU notes it could be significantly larger than the prototype award.
• Records Access: Agreements with total payments above $5,000,000 include a clause giving the Comptroller General access to records.

Eligibility and Participation

• Who Can Apply: U.S. and international vendors, independently or through a teaming arrangement. Foreign-owned businesses may submit alone or with U.S.-owned partners, but an award may depend on obtaining the necessary clearances and approvals.
• OT Participation Rule: The project must satisfy 10 U.S.C. 4022(d). That means significant contribution from a nontraditional defense contractor, all participants being small businesses, or at least one third of the total prototype cost paid with non-Federal funds.
• Multiple Submissions: Allowed if each solution brief is a separate and distinct concept.
• SAM.gov and CAGE: Not required to submit. Companies without a CAGE code must register in SAM if selected for award, and DIU recommends starting early.
• Section 889: Any agreement will require confirmation of compliance with Section 889 of the FY2019 NDAA.
• Classification: Submissions must be unclassified. Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and FOUO material may be accepted.

How to Apply

• Write the solution brief: About 5 pages in 12-point font or about 15 slides, saved as a PDF of 10MB or less.
• Cover the required content: A title page that names the AOI (not counted toward the limit), a one-page executive summary, a technology concept and a company viability section.
• Explain the technology concept: What is unique about your system, whether it is a pilot of existing commercial technology or new development, your path to mature it and what you consider proprietary.
• Show company viability: A brief company overview, fundraising to date or top-line revenue, and your commercialization and go-to-market strategy.
• Map to every requirement: Show how your product handles the inputs, outputs, paralleling, form factor and MIL-STD-810 requirements. DIU strongly encourages diagrams.
• Mark proprietary data: Use the restrictive legend from the CSO on the cover page and each restricted sheet.
• Submit on diu.mil: Use the form at the bottom of the AOI page, including company and submitter details, SAM and CAGE status, the CUI certification and the Section 889 acknowledgment. Late submissions and submissions through other channels are not reviewed.

What Happens After You Submit?

• Solution Brief Review: DIU evaluates relevance to the AOI, whether the approach is unique or innovative for Government use, and technical merit and feasibility. Each brief is judged on its own merit, not against other briefs.
• Within 30 Days: DIU aims to contact companies it wants to hear a pitch from within 30 days, and to notify others as soon as possible.
• Pitch: Invited companies pitch in person or virtually and address a ROM price, a notional schedule and data rights assertions. Pitches stay valid for 180 calendar days.
• Proposal: Selected companies receive a Request for Prototype Proposal and submit a technical proposal with a Statement of Work and schedule, plus a price proposal.
• Award and Prototyping: If funding is available, DIU awards a prototype OT. Work then runs through Project Phase 1 (6 to 12 months) and Project Phase 2 (1 to 3 months).

Is This Opportunity a Good Fit for Your Company?

This is a strong fit if you already build mobile or temporary power distribution equipment for commercial markets and can adapt it to the stated voltages, paralleling and form factor requirements on a 6 to 12 month timeline. Products with built-in current monitoring have an advantage, and so do companies that have run MIL-STD-810 testing before or can show a credible test plan.

Companies with an early-stage concept and no hardware should probably wait, since DIU is asking to modify existing commercial systems. If your strength is monitoring or energy management software, consider teaming with a hardware manufacturer. Traditional defense contractors can still participate, but they will need a nontraditional partner contributing significantly or a one-third cost share to meet the OT rules.

How BW&CO Can Help

BW&CO has helped deep-tech and dual-use founders secure more than $350M in non-dilutive funding. For DIU Areas of Interest like I-MEPDIS, we help you:

• Assess fit against the required features and confirm your 10 U.S.C. 4022(d) participation path.
• Build a solution brief around DIU's three evaluation criteria.
• Turn your product specs into a clear requirements map and system diagram.
• Prepare your pitch, including the ROM price, schedule and data rights position.
• Plan the path from prototype OT to follow-on production, including SAM and CAGE readiness.

Plan Your I-MEPDIS Submission

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the I-MEPDIS solution brief due?

October 28, 2026 at 11:59:59 PM Eastern Time, submitted through the form on the DIU AOI page.

How much funding is available?

DIU has not published a budget or award ceiling. Companies invited to pitch provide a ROM price, and the final amount is negotiated in the prototype OT.

Do I need a CAGE code to submit?

No. The form asks whether you have one, but SAM registration is only required if you are selected for award. DIU recommends starting the process early.

Can international companies apply?

Yes. The AOI is open to U.S. and international vendors. Foreign-owned businesses may need clearances and approvals before an award.

Does my product need to be MIL-STD-810 compliant today?

All systems must meet MIL-STD-810 requirements, and Project Phase 1 includes MIL-STD compliance testing. Existing test data helps, but a credible plan to reach compliance within the prototype period is the key point to show.

Are Project Phase 1 and Phase 2 the same as the CSO phases?

No. The CSO selection process has its own steps (solution brief, pitch, proposal). Project Phase 1 (prototyping and testing) and Project Phase 2 (user evaluations) happen after award.

Can we submit as a team?

Yes. DIU accepts solution briefs from a single company or a teaming arrangement.

Can a traditional defense contractor win an award?

Yes, if the project meets 10 U.S.C. 4022(d) through significant nontraditional participation, all small business participants, or a one-third non-Federal cost share.

Can I submit more than one solution brief?

Yes, as long as each brief describes a separate and distinct concept.

Can BW&CO help with an I-MEPDIS submission?

Yes. We help companies decide whether to pursue, write the solution brief and prepare for the pitch. Book a call with our team.

Source: DIU Area of Interest: Improved Mobile Electric Power Distribution System (PROJ00683)