The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) has become a partner of the National Advanced Mobility Consortium, or NAMC, in a supported organization arrangement. NAMC was formerly known as the Robotics Technology Consortium.
NAMC serves as the U.S. Department of Defense’s industry research and development partner for all ground systems technologies, both manned and unmanned. It recently launched a seven-year, $700 million Other Transactions Agreement with the government, which includes a new focus on dual-use technology and increasing interoperability between manned and unmanned ground vehicles and unmanned air and maritime systems.
The organization expects its membership ” currently consisting of more than 100 small companies, academic institutions and other research organizations ” to double or triple over the next 12 months, with new members representing major ground vehicle original equipment manufacturers, first- and lower-tier suppliers, engineering firms and research organizations.
As a supported organization, AUVSI will leverage its expertise, knowledge and involvement with commercial markets for ground vehicles, particularly in the area of self-driving vehicles, to identify nontraditional suppliers interested in pursuing defense market opportunities.
AUVSI, along with NAMC’s other supported organization, the National Center for Manufacturing Science, will appoint a majority of the NAMC’s board of directors. The directors approve membership applications to NAMC and approve the consortium’s budget. The government, mainly through the Vehicle and Robotics Alliance Program Office at TARDEC (Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center), decides which consortium companies to award contracts to under the OTA.
