WASHINGTON — The Pentagon’s Office of Strategic Capital (OSC) is moving forward with plans to develop new financing tools, including a loan program aimed at supporting critical technologies in the United States. These include technologies supporting space launch, satellite manufacturing and space-based services.
The OSC issued requests for information on July 24, seeking public input as it prepares to issue loans and loan guarantees for critical technology and supply chain components. The move aims to attract and scale private capital for national security purposes. One RFI is for lenders and financial institutions and another is for companies and industry associations.
The office is particularly interested in responses from companies and lenders working in 31 component areas identified as promising critical technologies and assets in the fiscal year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). These areas include space launch, spacecraft, and space-enabled services and equipment.
Established in December 2022, the OSC was formally codified into law by the NDAA 2024, which granted the Department of Defense authorities to issue loans and loan guarantees. The office aims to leverage U.S. capital markets to increase private investment in technologies vital to the DoD’s needs, including those that may not attract sufficient private funding through traditional procurement methods.
The Department of Defense has requested $144 million for the OSC for fiscal year 2025, The public comment period ends October 22.
