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Dear Industry Colleague:

This is to introduce you to the Robotics Technology Consortium (“RTC”) and invite you to join us in pursuing a promising new Government initiative.

The RTC is a national alliance of over 160 large and small for-profit companies, academic institutions, and non-profit organizations that supports the efforts of the Defense Department and other Government organizations in regards to unmanned, robotic, and autonomous systems technology.  The RTC was formed as a non-profit corporation in 2008 in response to a request by the Joint Ground Robotics Enterprise, an office within the Office of the Secretary of Defense, for industry to form a consortium to partner with the Government on ground robotics prototype systems development projects.  The RTC subsequently negotiated and entered into an Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) with the Government and since then has funded over 50 projects totaling nearly $40 million and involving 65 member companies and organizations.

In August of this year, SPAWAR Systems Center Pacific (“SSC Pacific”) issued a request for current or newly formed industry consortia to submit a Letter of Intent (“LOI”) to enter into an Other Transaction Agreement (“OTA”) with the Government to perform a range of tasks in the area of autonomous unmanned systems technology development.  The proposed OTA is expected to cover all domains, including ground, maritime (both surface and underwater), air, and space.  The RTC is well-positioned to pursue this opportunity and is seeking conditional commitments from companies and organizations with autonomous unmanned systems technology expertise in any/all of the aforementioned domains interested in joining the RTC.

Below please find further information on the RTC.  Additional information can also be found at www.roboticstechc.org/.  Also attached is a PowerPoint deck that the Government presented during the industry day for the SSC Pacific OTA opportunity.  Further information can be found at:

https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=c871c709b88280f23698d6df0e3ad02f&tab=core&_cview=0

After reviewing this information, please consider completing the attached letter of support (including requested information on your organization), printing it on your letterhead, signing it, and submitting it to the RTC by COB on 12-October.  We will include all such letters as an attachment to the LOI we submit to SSC Pacific.

If you have any questions or require further information, please contact Bill Thomasmeyer at wathomasmeyer@gmail.com.

Thank you for your interest in joining with the RTC in pursuit of the SSC Pacific OTA opportunity.  We look forward to having you become a member in pursuit of our mission to accelerate the development and fielding of systems based on advanced robotics technology in order to help meet our nation’s defense requirements in the 21st century.

Sincerely Yours,

William A. Thomasmeyer

RTC Executive Director

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About the RTC

The RTC was formed in 2008 in response to a request by the Joint Ground Robotics Enterprise (an office within the Office of the Secretary of Defense) for industry to form a consortium to partner with the Government on ground robotics prototype systems development projects.  Since then over 160 large and small for-profit companies, academic institutions, and non-profit organizations have joined the RTC.  While many of these member companies and organizations are traditional defense suppliers, a specific purpose of the RTC is to solicit and engage non-traditional suppliers — companies and organizations that have not historically performed much if any work for the Defense Department and other Government organizations.

The RTC primarily facilitates applied technology development projects intended to adapt, harden, and/or integrate one or more existing robotics related technologies.  These projects contribute towards the goal of developing working, prototype solutions that can be put into the hands of Government users for demonstration and experiment purposes.  As a result, warfighters and other Government users are able to better understand and more fully envision how robotics systems can be used to improve their operational capabilities.  They can begin to devise realistic operational concepts, tactics, and procedures that integrate such systems.  And they can begin to develop the operational requirements needed to transition prototype systems into fielded solutions.  Since its founding, the RTC has funded 50 projects totaling nearly $40 million and involving 65 member companies and organizations.

The RTC serves two major functions.  One is to funnel leading edge ideas and concepts to Government organizations so that they gain the broadest possible insight as to what’s possible in regards to robotics technology.  The second is to respond to Government requests for proposals (“RFPs”) for those ideas and concepts that the Government deems to be the most promising.  RTC member companies and organizations can respond to these RFPs individually or enter into teaming agreements with one or more other members for the purpose of submitting joint proposals.  Once the Government determines which proposals to award, the selected member companies and organizations are put under contract to perform the proposed work according to the terms and conditions of a pre-negotiated master agreement between the RTC and the Government.

The RTC is structured as a supporting non-profit organization of the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  It operates as an independent entity and is governed by a Board consisting of member-elected Directors and other individuals appointed by NCMS.  The Board appoints an Executive Committee that is primarily responsible for managing the activities of the RTC.  Members also directly elect representatives to a Technology Committee and other advisory committees that are responsible for overseeing RTC initiatives and providing guidance to the Executive Committee in their designated areas of responsibility.

The RTC is an industry-run organization open to any and all companies, academic institutions, non-profit organization, and other entities that have robotics technology capabilities, wish to determine whether and how their technology might serve the interests of the Defense Department and other Government organizations, and are interested in potential partnering opportunities with other member companies and organizations offering synergistic capabilities.  The RTC holds two open membership meetings per year in order to elect representatives, vote on issues, and facilitate networking among member companies and organizations.  Member companies and organizations are encouraged to get actively involved and participate in the workings of the RTC by serving on the Board or committees.

For more information, including a list of current members, visit the RTC Web site at www.roboticstechc.org/.

Draft Support Letter v0.9d for SPAWAR OTA

SSCPacific-AutonomousUnmannedSystemsIndustryDayBriefing(08-04-2011)

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CEO of Adept Technology, Inc. to Lend Broad Robotics Industry Expertise

ANN ARBOR, MI. October 5, 2011 – The Robotics Technology Consortium (“RTC”) announced today the appointment of Mr. John Dulchinos, President and CEO of Adept Technology, Inc., to the RTC Board of Directors. The RTC was formed in 2008 to speed the development and deployment of ground robotics technology for the Department of Defense (DoD). Currently it has 160 members and has awarded more than $40M in project funding for ground robotics.

“John’s proven leadership and in-depth knowledge of the robotics industry will be an excellent complement to the RTC Board,” said Rick Jarman, President and CEO of the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences and RTC Chairman. “We look forward to working with him to further the vision of the RTC to support the DoD by identifying innovative research to meet the warfighter’s needs.”

Mr. Dulchinos, a visionary and active member of the robotics industry has been with Adept Technology, Inc. since 1987 and currently serves on the Robotics Industry Association (RIA) board of directors as well as the International Federation of Robotics.

“Robotics technology has contributed to saving thousands of soldiers and civilians lives on the front lines,” said Bill Thomasmeyer, Executive Director of the RTC. “It is imperative that the U.S. stay ahead in this field as unmanned systems will be increasingly used in future operations. John’s extensive technical and market knowledge will be a crucial contribution to make informed decisions at the Board level.”

Mr. Dulchinos holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a concentration in robotics.

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The Robotics Technology Consortium (RTC) has concerns new ITAR regulations being proposed by the U.S. State Department that control, for the first time, unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) in a comprehensive way.

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