Executive Summary
The Federal Railroad Administration's FY26-27 Rail Research BAA (693JJ626R000001) funds applied rail safety research under nine open topics. Any responsible source, from startups to universities, may submit a 5-page concept paper. Papers are reviewed on a rolling basis until September 30, 2027, 12:00 PM ET.
Selection is a two-step process. You send a 5-page concept paper against one open research topic. If FRA is interested, it invites a full proposal. FRA expects most awards to fall between $50,000 and $500,000, as firm-fixed-price contracts. Six track topics have already closed, so the list shrinks as FRA's needs are met.
Solicitation at a Glance
- Agency: Federal Railroad Administration (U.S. Department of Transportation), Office of Research, Development, and Technology
- Opportunity: Broad Agency Announcement BAA 2026-27, Research Initiatives in Support of Rail Safety
- Number: 693JJ626R000001 (Amendment 1, August 21, 2026; Amendment 2, October 22, 2026)
- Authority and Award Vehicle: FAR 6.102(d)(2) BAA; firm-fixed-price contracts unless justified otherwise
- Funding: Awards may be any size; FRA anticipates most will be $50,000 to $500,000. No set-aside.
- Technology Maturity: Not for TRL 1 or 2 alone; preference for TRL 3 and higher
- Due date: Rolling; final cutoff September 30, 2027, 12:00 PM ET
Think your company qualifies? Talk with BW&CO before the September 30, 2027 deadline.
What Is the FRA BAA?
The BAA is FRA's solicitation for applied rail research contracts. It covers three research areas: Track, Rolling Stock and Equipment, and Train Control and Communications. Every concept paper must respond to one specific topic in Appendix C. FRA will not evaluate a concept paper that does not.
What Problem Is FRA Trying to Solve?
FRA wants technology that reduces operational risk on mixed-use lines, cuts human and technology failures, lowers capital and operating costs, improves the reliability of equipment and infrastructure, and supports domestic manufacturing of rail components. FRA wants results the railroad industry can actually deploy, which is why it prefers projects with railroad partners.
Priority Capability Areas: What FRA Is Looking For
- FRA-TR-001, Improved Rail Weld Technologies: thermite welds that better match parent rail steel, flash butt welds without interface defects, weld pre- or post-treatments, and new in-track welding methods. Projects needing large equipment investments should look at FRA's CRISI grants instead.
- FRA-TR-002, Non-Contact Flaw Detection: autonomous, non-contact rail and weld inspection at track speed with better detection and fewer false positives. A written railroad partnership agreement is required.
- FRA-TR-008, Remote Sensing Extraction: scalable methods that identify track, ties, special trackwork, non-rail structures, trespassers and encroachments in aerial and satellite imagery, extract safety-relevant geometry, and run on portable, non-server hardware.
- FRA-TR-010, Concrete and Composite Tie Advancements: design, manufacture, installation and repair of concrete or composite ties, including rail seat and tie bottom pads that control loads.
- FRA-RS-001, Hazardous Materials Transportation: thermal and mechanical protection for tank car service equipment (top housings, manways, valves and bottom outlet valves) in pool and torch fires. Retrofit designs are preferred.
- FRA-TC-001, Train Movement Communications System: dynamic spectrum allocation, real-world testing of interoperable applications on TMCS or 802.16T, and new applications for safety or capacity.
- FRA-TC-002, Position Navigation Module Verification: standardized test requirements, methods and validation tools for locomotive position navigation modules, such as track occupancy determination.
- FRA-TC-003, Maintenance-of-Way Worker and Vehicle Safety: PTC-enforceable protection for hi-rail and MOW vehicles, and sensor- and communications-based protection for track workers.
- FRA-TC-004, Rail Safety Against Quantum-Era and Automated Threats: securing legacy signaling and wayside systems with weak or no encryption, and strategies for long-lifecycle assets that cannot follow normal patch cycles.
Closed topics (no longer available): FRA-TR-003, TR-004, TR-005, TR-006, TR-007 and TR-009. Check SAM.gov or email FRABAA@dot.gov before you write, because more topics can close.
Funding and Award Terms
- Award type: Firm-fixed-price contracts with quarterly payments, unless FRA justifies another type.
- Award size: Any dollar value is allowed; FRA anticipates most awards between $50,000 and $500,000.
- Follow-on: No commitment is made at award for phased or expanded work. FRA may add funding later by modification if funds allow.
- Cost share: Partner investment is not mandatory, but FRA seeks it whenever possible and prefers projects with railroad operator and industry partners.
- Selection basis: Technical merit, importance to agency programs and funds availability, with cost realism and reasonableness.
Eligibility and Participation
- Who can submit: Any responsible source, including companies of any size, universities, hospitals, nonprofits, state and local governments and private individuals.
- Not eligible as a prime: Businesses owned in whole or in part by the Federal Government. They may subcontract.
- Teaming: Joint ventures, teaming arrangements and consortia are permitted and encouraged. Nothing is set aside.
- Registration: SAM.gov registration is required before award.
- Out of scope: Maglev and other non-traditional modes, and transit-oriented topics such as light rail, trolley or monorail.
How to Apply
- Talk to FRA first. FRA encourages offerors to contact its research office by phone or email before writing a concept paper.
- Pick one open topic. Every concept paper must respond to a specific Appendix C topic.
- Write the concept paper. No more than 5 pages excluding the cover page and quad chart, at least 11-point font, single-spaced, letter size, 1-inch margins, as a PDF that is not encrypted or password-protected. Cover technical approach, background, scope of work, expected outcomes, team qualifications, and rough schedule and cost.
- Build the quad chart. One landscape PowerPoint slide in four quadrants, Calibri 12 text, under 0.5 MB.
- Email both files. Send them to the BAA Program Manager at FRABAA@dot.gov.
What Happens After You Submit?
- Concept paper review: FRA works to complete evaluations within 60 days of receipt and notifies you of the decision.
- Invitation to propose: If FRA is interested, it invites a full proposal with technical, cost and supplemental volumes.
- Oral presentation: FRA may ask for a technical briefing after its initial proposal evaluation.
- Award: Negotiation and a firm-fixed-price contract for selected proposals.
Is This Opportunity a Good Fit for Your Company?
It fits rail inspection and nondestructive testing companies, computer vision and geospatial AI teams, welding and materials companies, thermal protection makers, wireless and spectrum firms, positioning and navigation companies, worker proximity safety makers, OT cybersecurity and post-quantum cryptography startups, and university labs.
It is a weaker fit if your technology is still at the concept stage (TRL 1 or 2), if your work does not map to one of the nine open topics, or if your project needs a large capital equipment investment. Companies without railroad relationships should line up a railroad or industry partner first, and must have one for TR-002.
How BW&CO Can Help
BW&CO has helped deep-tech and dual-use founders secure more than $350M in non-dilutive funding. For research BAAs like the FRA BAA, we help you:
- Match your technology to the right open topic and confirm it is still available
- Prepare for the first conversation with FRA's research office
- Write a 5-page concept paper and quad chart that answer FRA's evaluation questions
- Find railroad and industry partners and frame partner investment
- Build the full technical and price proposal if FRA invites one
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a deadline for the FRA BAA?
Concept papers are accepted on a rolling basis until September 30, 2027, 12:00 PM ET. FRA may remove topics earlier once it receives enough concept papers; removals are posted as amendments on SAM.gov.
Which topics are open right now?
As of the October 22, 2026 amendment: TR-001, TR-002, TR-008, TR-010, RS-001, TC-001, TC-002, TC-003 and TC-004.
How big are FRA BAA awards?
Awards can be any dollar value, but FRA anticipates most will be between $50,000 and $500,000.
Can a startup submit without a railroad partner?
Yes for most topics, though FRA prefers projects with railroad and industry partners. TR-002 requires written evidence of a partnership with a railroad operator.
Is cost share required?
No. Partner investment is not mandatory, but FRA seeks it whenever possible.
Do I need SAM.gov registration to submit a concept paper?
All offerors must be registered in SAM.gov before award, and the concept paper cover page should include your SAM Unique Entity Identifier. Start registration early.
Can federally owned organizations take part?
Businesses owned in whole or in part by the Federal Government cannot receive direct funding but may subcontract.
How long does FRA take to respond?
FRA works to complete concept paper evaluations within 60 days of receipt.
Can BW&CO help with an FRA BAA submission?
Yes. BW&CO can help you pick the right open topic, prepare for your first conversation with FRA, and write the concept paper and quad chart. Book a call with our team.