Have you got a good idea for a project?

Can we EDGE it along from concept to delivery?

• The EDGE UK follows a process to confirm the concept is viable and there is both a customer need and business case for this solution.
• The EDGE UK enables innovative concepts to be assessed with real equipment not only de-risking potentially complex integration, but also enabling users to establish a concept of operations. If the concept provides operational benefit then it could quickly find its way into service.
• Have you got a good idea?
• Have you dreamt it could make a difference or save a life?
• See if those thoughts can become reality, come and talk to the EDGE team, we are here to listen and help.

What makes a good EDGE Project?

The EDGE Environment provides:

• Real Evaluation & Demonstration Facilities
• An attractive route to market for Technologies Suppliers
• Fast Paced & Agile Experience
• Exploits New Ideas & facilities New Business
• Enables Users to Visualise and Stimulate Solutions
• Community of interest to de-risk new programmes
• A Different Commercial Model of mutual benefits to all parties

With the aim to engage with "communities of interest" demonstrating technologies and solutions at pace, to fill customer-identified and emerging capability gaps, in the C4I tactical mobile domain.

With that in mind is essential that EDGE projects have or are:

• Clear routes to market - This can be either through an urgent user need (via an Urgent Operational Requirement), understood and recognised feed into the Equipment Plan profile, accepted feed-in to Concept and Assessment projects, or with approved links into Science, Innovation and Technology Projects. With finite resources, the focus of the EDGE is on short projects bringing technologies together to demonstrate real operational benefit.
• An innovative solution aspect - The EDGE is not a showcase of products or services, we are product agnostic but wanting to take in the best of breed.  The EDGE is all about leveraging existing technologies and integrating it into systems to show the "art of the possible", which can then be delivered in the near term through a funded programme.  The EDGE is about bringing in technologies from the entire Supply Chain and from Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
• A well understood Return on Investment Proposal - Understood by all Project Member(s) with an agreed exploitation plan.  The EDGE does not fund projects or buy equipment or licences.  The value of EDGE to all parties is developing the communities of interest to work together to provide real value propositions.  Working in the EDGE does not automatically guarantee Project Member(s) a place in future programmes.  EDGE partners will benefit through user engagement, have the opportunity to showcase the art of the possible and derive a better understanding of user needs. As an impartial prime systems integrator, GD UK will always select components that offer the best value for money in proposals to its customers.
  The EDGE is all about bridging the gap between the good ideas and the funded programmes.   The EDGE does not really work well with very immature concepts (Technology Readiness Levels 1 to 3) where the basic science/the proof of concept has just been observed or (TRL 4-5) where basic component level validation has just occurred.  The EDGE shows added value working at the more mature TRLs (6-8) where a product or system has been produced, prototyped or even working with qualified products.  Not all projects will run successfully through to the end, and it is recognised that success can also be achieved either by identifying shortfalls early so alternative solutions can be deployed or understanding that spending further money in that area is a waste of time, can be ends in their own rights.
• Minimal exchange of IP and ITAR friendliness - There is a minimal amount of commercial documentation that needs to be signed to establish a Project Supporter (namely the EDGE Membership Agreement and the Non Disclosure Agreement).  These documents are required to safeguard Project Member(s) Intellectual Property Rights and to understand any International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) implications when running projects.  Mutually agreed project plans that are implemented, is the mechanism where by a project Supporter becomes a Project Member.  EDGE Projects don't attempt to de-construct what others have already done or look inside the box; they seek to build upon work already achieved and to take it to the next level.
• Exploit MoD's and Other Customers existing infrastructure investment - The EDGE uses real equipment and has access to the vast GDUK resource pool of C4I Subject Matter Experts.  The EDGE is looking at exploiting the initial investment these Customers have made on their ISTAR infrastructures, rather than trying to devise a whole new replacement. There may well be occasions when opportunities to exploit capability gaps as a result of obsolescence issues arise, but Project member(s) must understand the constraints Customers have in terms of wanting to introduce changes easily, simply and cheaply.  A solution that requires all platforms to be retrofitted with new hardware is always going to more difficult to sell, opposed to a change that requires a new software injection or a new box at certain locations such as a Headquarters or within the Customer home territories.
• Fast-paced projects - Projects need to move through the EDGE in a matter of weeks in order to make sure they are delivering and to make room for other projects.  That said, there will be occasions when projects may need to take longer, so provisions can be made for cyclic projects (i.e. bursts of heavy activity followed by delays awaiting a technical solution or delivery of components), delayed started projects (i.e. sequencing so they coincide with Customer Diaries, other activities) or phased projects (i.e. pipe cleaning easier projects to start with then building upon early successes to more complex projects layer on).  The key is always to focus on the route to exploitation and making sure that it is still current and valid in order to continue the work.