Possibilities to Cooperate With the United States Department of Defence

Reciprocal defence procurement agreemen

Latvia is one of 28 countries that has signed Reciprocal defence procurement agreement (RDP agreement) with the United States of America. 

RDP agreement grants parties specific reciprocal preferences in the context national legislation of contracting states. Each RDP agreement creates framework for negotiating market access and procurement conditions parties need to meet to make defence cooperation efficient.

Each state that enters into RDP agreement is automatically added to the list of qualifying countries. List is created to ensure fair competition, easier access to market, exchange of information about applicable legislation, regulations and administrative procedures that need to be followed when implementing procurements.

US DoD recommendations regarding potential cooperation:

  • Guide Doing Business with DoD, available here;  
  • If you are a business, you need clearly identified end product, service or component;
  • US procurement rules, available here;
  • If necessary, to find potential partners on the US side, US DoD recommends to search for partners through the following US defence industry associations: Aerospace Industries Association (www.aia-aerospace.org) and National Defense Industrial Association (www.ndia.org)
  • Register in the System for Award Management to receive the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and Commercial and Government Entity Code (CAGE) or North Atlantic Treaty Organization Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE)
  • Learn more about opportunities to enter into Federal and DoD contracts here;
  • Reciprocal defence procurement agreements, exceptions and refusal data, available here;
  • Other recommendations from presentation on the US Department of Defence Procurement Update;

Foreign Comparative Testing Programme 

US Foreign Comparative Testing Programme is a US DoD initiative aimed at identifying and testing technologies developed by foreign allies to fill US capability gaps and boost the level of readiness of these technologies.

Programme allows technology companies to submit their products once they have reached the TRL6 readiness level. Such technologies can qualify for grants required to continue their development. For more information, go to presentation or webpage.